Analysing Horny

Horny is part of a collection of short films based on real-life experiences on the tube, directed by Steven Hopkins, starring Denise Van Outen and the late Tom Bell. Unlike a feature-length film, it starts straight away and a newspaper is used to introduce the title and actress, and adds to the mise-en-scene that this is part of everyday life. The actress later talks directly to the audience in past tense, which is why it is on the front of the newspaper, for example, “and it was so hot,”. The camera then walks down the stairs to the tube and we feel like we are there in during the commute; the setting helps it seem more believable for the audience. The normal, everyday setting is used to its advantage by the director, for example, in one instance when the tube light flickers on and off and the absence of music, replaced by the sound of the carriage helps to capture everyone expressions and builds up the suspense for the reader. The fast-paced music implies what is going to happen and it does not change the whole way through, though fastening up and slowing down at hilarious points. The lack of dialogue – apart from the protagonist to the audience, which keeps them involved and places us there – along with the music and sound effects every time the camera focuses on the man, helps make it more comedic and build it up to its climax. The change (we enter ‘the man’s’ mind) to events in history add to the comedic effect, as ‘the man’ tries to think of something else in vain. The simple question by the little girl is so innocent and unsuspecting that it allows a release of laughter from the audience, especially by the way it ends with everyone in the carriage laughing. The sudden cut is also different as it does not end like a generic film, with music and credits.