Movies used to have a more or less fixed camera position, later fixed to some character or point-of-view, with the action revolving around the frame. More intelligent filmmakers (e.g. DePalma, Tarkovsky) showed us what can be possible with a non-fixed camera position and clever editing, and with them the camera eye widens and also limits what the viewer sees or perceives, often having to make up the meaning or interpretation of it all. So, where to go from there?
REC uses the clever idea of moving the camera eye to the non-acting cameraman, and although the idea is not unique, it is well done here. From then on, you can do things like blurring, putting it off for some time, extreme shaking, make it stand in the way, etc., all things a horror movie actually needs to build tension or relieve it.
As humans we are often strangely attracted to blood and accidents, but also want to shy away from it. This ambiguity is used here very well in what we are allowed to see and not, sometimes crossing the line a bit, then again straying too far from the action, increasing our curiosity.
And the movie is well constructed, with the main focus on the difference between the boring world of television and the exciting world of film. Look for example at the start scenes with a bored reporter making uninteresting material with standardized shots or the hilarious interviews after the first strange happenings and see how TV is portrayed here, and then later all the action, shots and positions in the film parts of the movie.
Some things are not new: A key is needed to enter a new part of the house thereby solving another part of the mystery (Mulholland Dr.) or the ending (C'est arrivé près de chez vous / Man Bites Dog), but it still makes REC an enjoyable experience. I hope they don't screw up the Hollywood-remake Quarantined, although the title already gives little hope, with Hollywood's fixation on "explaining it all because we suppose our audience is stupid".
REC uses the clever idea of moving the camera eye to the non-acting cameraman, and although the idea is not unique, it is well done here. From then on, you can do things like blurring, putting it off for some time, extreme shaking, make it stand in the way, etc., all things a horror movie actually needs to build tension or relieve it.
As humans we are often strangely attracted to blood and accidents, but also want to shy away from it. This ambiguity is used here very well in what we are allowed to see and not, sometimes crossing the line a bit, then again straying too far from the action, increasing our curiosity.
And the movie is well constructed, with the main focus on the difference between the boring world of television and the exciting world of film. Look for example at the start scenes with a bored reporter making uninteresting material with standardized shots or the hilarious interviews after the first strange happenings and see how TV is portrayed here, and then later all the action, shots and positions in the film parts of the movie.
Some things are not new: A key is needed to enter a new part of the house thereby solving another part of the mystery (Mulholland Dr.) or the ending (C'est arrivé près de chez vous / Man Bites Dog), but it still makes REC an enjoyable experience. I hope they don't screw up the Hollywood-remake Quarantined, although the title already gives little hope, with Hollywood's fixation on "explaining it all because we suppose our audience is stupid".