The Happening

Elliot Moore is a high school science teacher who quizzes his class one day about an article in the New York Times. It's about the sudden, mysterious disappearance of bees. Yet again Nature is doing something inexplicable, and whatever science has to say about it will be, in the end, only a theory. Scientists will bring out more theories, but no explanations, when a more urgent dilemma hits the planet. It begins in Central Park. Suddenly and inexplicably, the behavior of everyone in the park changes in a most bizarre and horrible way. Soon, the strange behavior spreads throughout the city and beyond. Elliot, his wife, Alma, and Jess, the young daughter of a friend, will only have theories to guide them where to run and where to hide. But theories may not be enough.





Mis-En-Scene
The first scene starts with a sense of danger as if you know something is about to happen. The behaviour of the individuals is unconventional as we see them freezing and becoming still suddenly. Certian characters then start to walk backwards and begin to kill themselves, this shows unconventional behaviour. This then leaves the audience to wonder why this strange behaviour is happening and leaves mystery in the audiences minds. One women is not affected which also makes the audience wonder why not? We can infer that some sort of virus has caused the behaviour and we can deduce that the fim is a horror film by the actions of the characters and by the dramatic music.

Sound
Th sequence starts with music which projects tension as it is spooky, the music increases to create maximum tension throughout the scene then it haults to create an effect. Because it was an outdoor scene the wind was also used to create tension but it was over exaggerated to enhance it's prominence. A sharp scream is then heard and immediataly the audience is aware that there is danger. We then have dialog from the women who is unaffected from the virus, this adds mystery to the film as she is the only character unaffected while everyone else remains motionless.