Creep Analysis

Creep Analysis

Creep is a 2004 British-German horror film written and directed by Christopher Smith. The film follows the protagonist Kate, locked in the London Underground (Charing Cross) overnight who finds herself being stalked by a hideously deformed killer living in the sewers below. The setting used of Charing Cross station is a typically overused and busy location. The use of it being abandoned and locked turns a familiar location for Kate into a dangerous one due to her being isolated, trapped and confined in a place people spend short periods of time in.  This adds an eerie feel to the current atmosphere within the narrative creating early instances of tension and suspense within audiences as anticipation begins to build towards what she will face. A reoccurring atmospheric non-diegetic soundtrack is used to indicate suspenseful moments towards audiences also. 

The protagonist and the antagonist reinforce common conventions within Horror films due to their representations e.g. the binary opposites between the two of Kate being human and the antagonist, Craig being made to resemble a creature rather than man. This representation is delivered towards audiences through the use makeup techniques used on Craig e.g. pale skin; cuts and scars and his misshapen facial and bodily features. This increases the fear factor within audiences due to the antagonist having an unnatural appearance and nature. The protagonist being a female and the antagonist being male again complies with classic conventions of Horror due to the sympathetic effect of having a female protagonist and the reoccurring stereotype of males being menacing. Kate being the protagonist will again indicate to audiences how she will dictate the narrative and will therefore also be the final girl, providing some form of resolution towards audiences. 

The use of lighting within the underground setting reinforces conventions of horror. For example, the high-key lighting in the background corresponds with the low key lighting in foreground of the long shot. This creates a silhouette of an unknown figure within the shot reinforcing conventions of horror as his identity is hidden towards audiences and therefore they are not familiar with this characters input into the narrative, building apprehension within audiences. The low key lighting consuming the shot increases the fear factor within audiences also due to the inclusion of primal fears developed through the surrounding darkness. 

The scene where Mandy is shown to be tortured by the antagonist within the narrative is a key scene in reinforcing images and cinematography common to the horror genre. The close up shot captures the performance of both the characters, Mandy (the Victim) and Craig (The antagonist) e.g. the calm, collected facial expressions of Craig and the terrified and distressed facial expressions of Mandy. The body language of the antagonist relates to the title of the film “Creep” due to him stroking Mandy as if she was a pet. This creates an uncomfortable feeling within audiences due to the juxtaposition between his actions and the current atmosphere e.g. stroking being associated with comfort and the inhumane activities being displayed. The close up shot again captures the use of iconography within the scene through the blood on the faces of both the characters. The dialogue within the scene complies with conventions of horror also through the tone of voice coming from Mandy, “Jimmy!! Jimmy!!” her frantic calls for help reinforce her presentation towards audiences as being a helpless victim and exaggerates the menacing nature of the antagonist.

Whilst fleeing in panic, Kate falls into the sewer system below the station, and from there she ends up in a storage facility where she finally meets and is captured by the killer, whilst running the diegetic sound of heavy breathing adds realism within the scene and the adrenaline her character would be feeling. Once captured, she is kept in a semi-submerged, rat-infested cage along with other captives. A high angle shot is used during this scene to deliver the sense of power the antagonist has over his trapped victims. The victims are therefore forced to subdue any treatment they may face on the behalf of the antagonist and are presented as powerless. This reinforces classic conventions of Horror as it not only shows the sinister motives and intentions of the antagonist but suggests that the protagonist will overcome this threatening situation not by being strong but through their desperation to live and escape this nightmare. 

The following scene enables audiences the insight into the lair of the killer. Within this setting audiences are open to develop a better understanding of the antagonist. The non-diegetic sound of babies crying is used when the camera pans over preserved foetus’/new-born babies contained in jars. This combined with children’s beds with names at the front of each of them, the variety of medical equipment and a photograph of a younger looking Craig with a Doctor creates the impression of him being an experiment adding unsettling feelings within audiences. This adds to the representation of the antagonist not being human due to his possible story of origin. A sympathetic view may therefore emerge within audiences as his psychotic behaviour may be due to the experiences he had with the Doctor. The scene where the killer imitates the health and safety procedure before a surgery may again correspond to this insight within this scene e.g. he is inflicting on his victims what was inflicted on him.