Drama ex Machina

[GMMichael]

Ex Machina is an excellent movie. Not one for the kids, though. It features a very small cast of characters in an isolated environment.

What struck me was the level of suspense. It had a sort of the Shining feel to it, along with a little Alien as well. And I have to wonder:

To create a high level of suspense, is it necessary to have a small cast and/or isolated environment? Can this be done just as easily in a populous area with few restrictions to travel? How much of the tension comes from the fact that there might be no escape?

 

[Umbran]

I'm glad to hear the movie is good, as I might go to see it tomorrow.

I don't think it is *necessary* to have a small cast, or isolated environment, but they help. And, to see how you can do without those forms of isolation, it is very important to identify the real source of the tension you're seeing on the screen. In some cases it may be "no escape", but that may be a more general form of, "there is no help."

For example, you can get fear and tension in a well-done disaster movie, even with a crowd in an open space. Why? Because the scenario becomes, "every person for themselves," and/or the people around are simply powerless against the threat, even if you team up. Humans are social, tribal creatures. In the worst of times, we turn to each other for aid. So long as there is that support available, there is hope and strength. Tension and fear come from the thought that the strength available to you just isn't enough. Cutting people off from reasonable assistance creates tension.

 

[AverageCitizen]

Your question makes me think of "Vertigo", where much of the tension building actually happens in public. To everyone else, the woman seems normal, but because he knows her history and is following her, he knows what she is doing is extraordinarily strange. So, it is like they are alone, even when they are surrounded by people.

EDIT: Your* (dangit)

 

[GMMichael]

[MENTION=177]Umbran[/MENTION] Well? What did you think? Two suspense themes in the movie: "There is no help," but preceding that, "is there a need for help?"

A big factor is powerlessness, which is definitely important to the majority of scary movies.
[MENTION=57845]AverageCitizen[/MENTION] I'm way overdue to watch Vertigo again. Although I might want to watch High Anxiety first. Interesting point about being isolated based on special knowledge. But, the same thing occurred in the Matrix, and that movie didn't have a suspenseful feel to me.

 

[Umbran]

My plan fell through, alas, so I didn't get to see it. I'll have to catch it on the small screen, I suspect.