THE DESCENT
UK, 2005, 99 minutes, Colour.
Shauna Macdonald, My Anna Buring, Natalie Jackson Mendoza, Molly Kayll, Saskia Mulder, Alex Reid, Laura- Jane Noone, Oliver Milburn.
Directed by Neil Marshall.
The Descent was the second feature film from British director Neil Marshall. He had attained some fame and notoriety for his first film, Dog Soldiers, which was set in Scotland but is very much a werewolf film, werewolves terrorising a group of British military. After The Descent he was to make Doomsday, an over-the-top elaborate film which drew on all kinds of horror genres from Twenty- Eight Days Later to Escape From New York.
The Descent received great critical attention, a number of awards and was very popular. It is a horror film – it has a caving expedition, the explorers all being women. They bond together, get each other through difficulties, but eventually become trapped and, after about an hour of the film, strange monstrous predators appear and wreak havoc on the women.
A British film made in Romania, The Cave, was released at the same time but The Descent seems to be a horror classic of people trapped in caves.
1. The director and his work in the horror genres? The creation of terror and horror? Grounded in realism and moving to mythological horror?
2. The re-creation of North Carolina in the UK, the rapids, the forests, the caves?
3. The special effects for the creatures, for the blood, for the confrontations?
4. The action sequences, editing and pace, shocks? The musical score?
5. The sense of menace, the preparation, the psychological allusions, the spirituality situations, the interactions of the women, the role of leadership, betrayal, tension, the fight for survival?
6. The focus on women their experiences, their psychology, their ways of bonding, friendship and betrayal, grief and support, the different ways of handling fear, crises, survival?
7. The introduction on the rapids, the introduction to the group, in vigorous action, the father and daughter watching? The tension with Paul – and his seeming attention to Juno? The drive, Sarah thinking he was distant – and the sudden impact of the crash, its violence, the visuals of the pipes? Sarah, in hospital, her grief?
8. One year later, going to North Carolina, Sarah and Beth together, Beth as supportive? The cave plan, Juno and her idea – and possible feeling of guilt? Her bringing in Holly? Sam and Rebecca? The meeting of the women, memories of the past, bonding, the decision to help Sarah? Driving to the caves with high speed? On the way, the light-hearted discussion of the range of phobias? Going on adventure, being fit, their skills, their expectations?
9. Audiences and response to caves, to crawlspaces, to the dark, to the deep, the tunnels, the need to find where fresh air was coming from, flames, accidents, falling and injuries, equipment, loss of equipment, the need for light? The characters and their ability to cope – and the audience making comparisons? Identifying with characters and situations?
10. The realism of the opening of the film, the descent into the caves, the women together, the tunnels, the small space? The testing of the light, the spaciousness of the caves? The cave-in and it testing Sarah? Having to get across the chasm? Light? The suggestion for fears?
11. Sarah, her mental state, emotional, grief? The decision to come on the expedition? Hearing the child’s cries, the noises? The flashbacks and her memories?
12. The range of characters: Sarah and her fragility, Beth as the strong woman, friendship for Sarah? Coming to help her with the cave-in and her panic? Sam and Rebecca, their relationship, strong, getting across the roof of the chasm? Juno and her leadership, the truth about not bringing the book, changing the venue of the caves? Wanting to face the difficulties, to name the caves? Holly, younger, impetuous, her fall and breaking her leg, the gruesome aspects of resetting the leg? The women having to carry her?
13. The creatures, their appearance, the initial presence, the attack, the fierceness of the fighting? The blood – and the bloodthirsty way in which the women killed them? The story about the creatures, discovering they were blind, relying on sound, their attacks, destruction, the initial visualising of the bones, their seeing their prey? The blood pool?
14. The attacks and the effect, Juno and her fears, the accidental wounding of Beth? Sarah finding Beth, Beth’s words, her angers leading to her killing Juno? Sarah alone, Juno trying to cope, the others and their being destroyed?
15. The use of the video camera, the screening in the dark, a record of what happened to them?
16. Juno and the final confrontation, her lies about Beth, her knife, Sarah’s wounding her – and the attack of the creatures?
17. Sarah, imagining her daughter? The escape, coming up into the light, the air, getting into the car, driving, passing the logger? The irony of that ending and the true ending of the reality of her imagining her daughter, seeing her alone in the cave?
18. The overall effect of the experience of this kind of realistic horror film? Fear, excitement, tension?
