Clayton George Wickham - final thesis

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demonstrate that not only does the Friday the 13 th series utilise varied aesthetic
techniques to create death sequences outside of explicit and graphic visual depictions
of bodily mutilation, but the combined use of unverified diegetic sound and editing
is an effective way of communicating perspective within such sequences.
In his brief handbook on editing theory, Roy Thompson states, “An important
element of the edit can be the sound. Sound is not only more immediate than visuals
but also more abstract. The very experienced editors have a saying, ‘You don’t have
to see what you hear.’” (1993; 46) This statement effectively stresses the
relationship between not only sound and editing, but sound and vision, which the
above quote by Clair achieves as well. While visual depictions of bodily mutilation
can provide spectacular set pieces for slasher films like Friday the 13 th , a wholly
different effect can be provided by including the death within the film space without
being graphically depicted.
Death sequence editing in the Friday the 13 th franchise displays a distinct
development from the inception of the series to the present, with shot framing, shot
length and number of cuts being a major determining factor in the tone and pace of a
sequence. Juxtaposing this with the proposed sound analysis will both create a more
detailed analysis of the construction of death sequences in the Friday the 13 th films,
and will demonstrate the interconnectivity of these two aesthetic devices, showing
how formal devices, while analysed individually allow us to understand a microcosm
of aesthetic design, work together to create emotional and visceral effect. Finally, I
will demonstrate how this emotional and visceral effect is created in the service of
understanding the dominant perspective of a sequence, leading to an understanding
of the overarching perspective of each film, whether it is an individual character,