Opening Sequences Part 2
Charade:
Charade is romance-thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. The sequence opens up with a shot of an open area, with trees visible in the background. The lighting is natural, yet very dark, making it difficult to exactly decipher the setting, already creating a sense of mystery, engaging the audience and hooking them into the narrative.
The camera steadily pans to the right, coming to rest upon a railway. Up until this point, the only diegetic sound present is that of birdsong and barking, highlighting the fact that the world is still asleep. This peaceful atmosphere is disrupted through the shrill sounds of the train horn, almost piercing through the air as it moves towards the camera.
Then, the sequence cuts to a mid-shot of the train carriages, blurring as they rush past. This shot focuses the viewer in on this particular area, indicating the significance of this moment in the narrative of the film. After a few seconds, a body appears, supposedly having been thrown/fallen from one of the train's carriages.
After the body is revealed, it cuts to a shot of the man tumbling down a hill, ending on a close up shot of his face, confirming that he is in fact dead. By having the body appear in such a way, the murderer is concealed, leaving their identity to be revealed later in the film as the narrative unfolds. It is interesting to note that at this point in the sequence, the sky starts to lighten, both indicating the passage of time, as well as allowing the audience to get a better view of the transpiring events.
After this particular shot, it cuts to a shot of the back of the train as it speeds away, highlighting the fact that the culprit too is making his escape. Then, blue and green arrows enter on to the screen as a percussive yet mysterious score starts, contrasting with the previous atmosphere of the sequence. The percussive elements add a layer of excitement, and almost gives the score a playful adventurous feel, setting the tone for the rest of the film.
The arrows circle the screen until they become spirals, creating an almost hypnotic effect. The rest of the sequence is characterized by morphing lines, which are in bold and playful colours, capturing the viewers' attention during this title sequence, and foreshadowing certain aspects of the film.
At one point, the lines morph into a maze, which could be symbolic of a strategic chase during the film, or potential dead ends as the story unfolds. The percussive music almost sounds like the ticking of the clock, indicating that the characters will have a time sensitive mission, adding all the more tension throughout the film.
At the two minute mark of the sequence, there is a shift in the music towards a classical old Disney sound, with the percussive music quietly layered in. This new score sounds almost romantic, and refers the romance which will blossom between the two main leads of the film, as it is indeed a romance-thriller.
Towards the end of the sequence, the music is once more percussive and exciting, and cog-like images appear on the black screen, symbolising the fact that there is something at work in the film, and that the ensuing mystery is complex, containing many layers and elements.
Finally, the sequence draws to a close with white arrows circling the screen, which then fades to white.
There are several ways in which the opening sequence of Charade conforms to thriller conventions, containing low-lighting and exciting music which creates anticipation, as well as employing a quiet/isolated setting to create suspense. This sequence is also engaging, capturing the attention of the audience through the use of bright, bold colours, as well as the tension created through the appearance of the dead body in its opening seconds.
Shutter Island:
Shutter Island is a neo-noir psychological thriller starring Leonardo diCaprio and Mark Ruffalo. The sequence starts with a black screen, the title fading in as an ominous score plays, the high pitch vibrations creating an unsettling and discordant sound.
The screen once more fades to black, and white text appears towards the lower half of the frame, giving context to the film by revealing the setting and the year which the events occur in. As the text appears, the score slightly quietens, and the sound of lapping water starts playing, indicating that water is a key feature in this scene, and potentially throughout the entire film.
The screen fades to white, and after a few seconds a boat starts to emerge from the thick fog, and a man can be seen on the deck. At this point, the score has faded away, replaced by the diegetic sounds of the waves, as well as the horn of the boat.
The frame cuts to a mid-shot of a man being sick, the front half of his body concealed by the wall. The lighting is mostly dark, mimicking what the light would likely be inside the ship, but also creating a slight eerie feel with the cool light entering through the window in the room. This atmosphere is further supported by the chains which hang on the wall, clanking with the movement of the ship.
The screen changes to an over-the-shoulder shot of the man raising his head and looking into the mirror, revealing his face for the first time. The man is coated in sweat, presumably from the sea sickness he is experiencing. It is interesting to note that man's actual head appears as a silhouette, while his reflection is clear, potentially symbolising that he is not who he portrays himself to be, hiding a dark secret under the facade which he presents to the world.
The camera follows the man as he tries to regain his composure, during which he states that "it's just water", then "it's a lot of water", then gazes out into the ocean through the circular window, with almost a fearful expression on his face. These lines of dialogue almost suggest that the man is not seasick, but is rather afraid of water, which raises the question as to why he is on a boat in the first place. The use of the close-up shot focuses the audience on the man's reaction, and signifies that his fear of water is a significant component to the film, judging from his reaction. In addition to his, it also makes him appear as a prisoner, as it looks as if he is peering from behind bars.
As he leaves the bathroom, the screen cuts to a wide shot, drawing attention to the multitudes of handcuffs hanging from the ceiling. These handcuffs are seemingly out of place in the boat, creating a sense of mystery, and leaving the audience to wonder what their purpose is. There is a likely chance that they are symbolic of something, and further add to the imagery of the man as a prisoner.
The camera then follows the man as he makes his way out to deck, and we are introduced to another character, who is supposed to be his partner. Through their conversation, the audience is acquainted with the two men, and are given important information pertaining to the film. The second man ask whether the man, Teddy Daniels, has a girl. Teddy freezes, a funny expression crosses his face, and a disconcerting score starts to play as a flashback occurs.
During the flashback, we see a seemingly happy couple, with his wife helping him with his tie. However, the music distorts this atmosphere, making it very unsettling for the viewer to watch. The warm lighting supports the fact that they were happy, and contrasts with the current cool lighting which is present throughout majority of the sequence.
The flashback ends on a close-up of the woman's face, then there is a sudden cut to the water, suggesting that she is connected to his fear of water, and that something rather sinister had occurred to make him react in such a way.
However, Teddy doesn't mention anything about it, and rather says that she had died in a fire, and is oddly specific, stating that it was the smoke which had gotten to her, not the fire. During his explanation, he is rather fidgety, almost suggesting that he is not truthful, and that the subject matter makes him rather uncomfortable.
In addition to this, his words don't line up with his actions, as he has no reaction to the smoke of the cigarettes that they go on to smoke, which is interesting as his wife had supposedly died from the smoke of the fire. Instead, he has a more visible reaction to the water, indicating that the water potentially had something to do with her death, and that he is attempting to cover something up. This supposed discrepancy creates tension and mystery, further engaging audiences.
Towards the end of their conversation, we find out that the men are heading to a mental institution, further adding intrigue to the storyline. Suddenly, the frame cuts to a wide shot of an island, and a foreboding score starts to play, illustrating that it is a dangerous place, and that an advancement in the narrative will occur there.
There are many ways in which this sequence engages audiences, as detailed above. There are many thriller conventions present throughout the sequence, with low, dark lighting, and the thick fog which creates a mysterious atmosphere. In addition to this, there is imagery of chains and handcuffs, which seem to portray Teddy Daniels as a prisoner, as they are only shown in relation to him, further creating curiosity amongst the audience.
Mission Impossible: Fallout
Mission Impossible: Fallout is a spy action-thriller, starring Tom Cruise. The sequence opens up with Ethan and a woman having an intimate marriage ceremony in a very beautiful area with idyllic scenery, reflecting the joyous occasion. The score is soft and peaceful, contributing to the calm atmosphere.
The camera zooms in on the happy couple and the priest, then cuts to an over-the-shoulder-shot of the woman, capturing the way in which Ethan lovingly gazes at her. The priest starts to read off the vows, however as he goes on, they morph into ways in which Ethan has put this woman in danger.
However, during all this, she still lovingly gazes at him, as if she doesn't hear what the officiant is saying. Ethan asks him to stop, but he doesn't, rather asking the infamous question. Realising the danger he has put her in, he tells her not to go through with the marriage, as he is not the best man for her.
There is a bright flash in the background, then the camera cuts to the officiant, who is a villain Ethan has faced in the past. Then, they are all disintegrated, and the screen fades to white before cutting to Ethan jerking up from his sleep, his grip tightening around the gun in his hand.
There is a rather stark contrast between the lighting in the 'real world', and the lighting in the dream. The dream is well and brightly light, making their wedding seem almost like something out of a fairytale. This illustrates the fact that he and the woman will likely never be able to get married, and that is will remain a longed-for fantasy. The lighting throughout the rest of the sequence is dark, and the footage is very lowly light.
As he wakes up, text comes onto the screen, giving an indication of where the man is. A low suspenseful score plays as he lays there, carrying the tension of the nightmare over into the real world. A few seconds later, a knocking sound can be heard, echoing through the building.
After he gets up, the screen cuts to a high angle shot of a door situated at the end of some stairs, making it appear imposing, creating a sense of anticipation as to what is hiding behind it.
As he walks down the stairs, there is a close up shot of his gun, highlighting the fact that he is prepared for whatever is going to happen next. There are a lot of tight, close up shots used as the men have their exchange, the postman handing Ethan a brown envelope, containing information for his next mission.
The close-up shots continue as he opens the envelope, revealing a copy of Homer's Odyssey containing film and a projector. At this point the score picks up as he activates it, the information appearing on the wall before him.
The sequence continues with an over-the-shoulder the shot, viewing the information over Ethan's shoulder, receiving it almost as he does. Throughout this brief, the camera cuts between the projection and close-ups of his face, drawing focus to his reactions.
A voice narrates all the information, giving the backstory to the narrative and illustrating what the film will focus on.
As the brief progresses, the frame slowly tightens, focusing on the information given, highlighting the seriousness of the situation, as well as the silence when the video ends, only hearing the diegetic sound of its self-destruction.
In this opening scene, the sense of mystery created through the music and tight shots engage audiences, creating curiosity as to how the mission will unfold. This clip is laden with spy-thriller conventions, ranging from dark, low lighting, mysterious handoffs of information, and an isolated setting, as well as the use of suspenseful music.