Beth's Analysis of Four Film Openings

The Purge

Crime and discontent are almost eradicated year-round thanks to a government sanctioned 12-hour period in which all criminal activity, including murder, becomes legal.

The opening credits appear first on the screen, accompanied by a classical and calming piece of music. Naturally, the audience would then expect to see the mood mirrored in the scenes that follow. However, the violent and criminal actions witnessed after the credits meaning that the non diegetic sound is contrapuntal, and completely contrasts with the softness of the music, amplifying the horror of the events that the audience are witnessing. When similar scenes are shows within a film, the audience would stereotypically expect louder and more alarming music, with highs and lows to mimic the events on screen. But the tranquility of the sound makes the scenes even more horrific and almost sickening, as it is almost as though what is happening is a usual occurrence, and something that has been accepted by the characters within the film.

Throughout the whole opening of The Purge, the sequence is edited so it appears to be that of CCTV footage. This then, along with the bad quality of the footage, causes the audience to feel as though they are watching the events live as the happen, which then enhances the believably of the events, and creates a sense of voyeurism. But the extent of violence shown on screen can result in the audience feeling helpless, and along with the feeling of watching the events live, can cause stress and discomfort as there is nothing they can do to help.

The majority of the characters behaving in such a violent manner are men, in fact very few female characters can be seen throughout the sequence, which supports the common conventional link between violence and crime with males. Also, the only female seen within the opening is crouched against a wall covered with blood, suggesting that she has been previously targeted and is scared, attempting to seek refuge, therefore implying that the males over power the females, and keep them in a state of fear and oppression.

The majority of the characters appear to be dressed casually in jeans and hoodies, clothing that is often stereotypically associated with violent youths and gangs. Their merciless behaviour then reflects their clothing and supports the assumptions made against them, and may in fact enhance the bad lable placed upon those people in our actual society. Audience members watching the film may find themselves applying those behaviours to and assuming them of people within their own towns who choose to dress that way, regardless of their intentions. However, it does mean that the aim to make the characters as believable as possible has been achieved.

The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King

Gandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.

The opening starts with a flashback, used to help provoke the audiences interest in a character, and help them to become more understood, as well as being easier to believe and relate to. The scenes used within a flashback are of specific importance to the plot of the film, and in this case, it is the moment when the Ring of Power is obtained by Smeagol.

The audience first see Smeagol in an extreme close up of a worm held between his fingers, which then zooms out to a close up so that his face is visible. He appears to be focused on the worm, and almost looks as though he is admiring it, supported by the calming windpipe music which accompanies. However, as the shot zooms out further, he then brings a fish hook into the frame, making it apparent that he is using the worm as bate for fishing. When the audience first see he and the worm, it could be interpreted that his apparent admiration for the animal implies an appreciation for the world around him, but then impaling the creature onto a hook suggests a more malicious side to him. This then mirrors and is arguably a foreshadow of his behavior towards Frodo and Sam later on in the film and in the two previous, appearing to be helping them in destroying the ring but having underlying intentions to kill them and steal it for himself. Also, the fact that the audience don't actually see the hook physically impale the worm could be a representation of the fact that the Smeagol's betrayal wasn't actually foreseen or expected.

In an establishing shot, the two characters can be seen on a boat in the middle of a lake, completely surrounded by green grass and trees, informing the audience that the season is summer. The pair appear to be laughing and having a good time with one another, portraying a strong bond and trust between the two. However, although the setting seems calming and surreal, the heat of summer could be a symbol of rising tension, suggesting that the opening is going to tense and dramatic. Also, the fact that the two appear to have a close relationship makes Smeagol's actions in order to get the ring even more horrifying, which amplifies the strength of the ring.

 The music switches from light and calming to slightly more upbeat and jumpy, yet still merry, when Deagol catches his first fish. This represents the excitement of the two characters and continues to make the mood uplifting and joyful. However, when Deagol is pulled into the water, the music dramatically increases in volume and tone for that moment, amplifying the shock of event. But although the two completely different tones of music contrast with each other and make the scene seem more intense, the sudden rise in volume and pitch is a major tone, rather than a minor which is often used in thrillers to enhance the shock of the event, which gives a sense of clumsiness instead of danger, suggesting that in fact Deagol is not harmed and that the event is something to laugh about.

From the moment the ring is first shown to the audience to mood and atmosphere changes. The music switches from light and calming to eerie string instruments, which alongside an extreme close up shot of the ring enhances the power that it possesses and the effect it has on people.

When Deagol climbs out of the water, behind him can be seen an area of bright light. He glances back, but continues to walk to the right, away from the light, into a darker area of the shot. The bright light could perhaps suggest purity and good, qualities that the Ring of Power does not posses, and from this, it could be interpreted that Deagol's walking away from the light and towardsness the darkness is the rings beginning to have an influence on him, and that the clear division of lighting in the shot is the boundaries between good and evil.

The power of the ring can clearly been seen in the facial expression of Deagol and Smeagol when they first lay eyes on it. Both have their mouths open in awe, and their eyes fixated on the ring. The music that accompanies this scene can almost be described as holy, with singing which could arguably mimic that of monks. Taking into account both aspects it could then be argued that the rings is something to be worshiped, and is of a higher power.

 

 

The Lovely Bones

Centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family - and her killer - from purgatory. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.

The audience are introduced to the film with a zoom out from a snow globe with a penguin inside, unshaken and with the snow settled on the base. The audience may interpret the globe as a representation of Susie; still a little girl, the snow globe could symbolise her own, perfect fantasy world she still lives in, in which she is safe and there is no one there to harm her. However, the globe could also signify and be a foreshadow of her later being trapped in the liminal state between the living and the dead, unable to progress on because she finds it difficult to let go of her family. Following this, Susie can be seen standing next to a table playing with one of her toys, with numerous other scattered messily around her. Not only to the toys enhance how young she is, but the lack of order as to how they are placed could represent the lack of order and disruption within Susie's life.

Seconds in, Susie says "I remember the penguin who lived inside the globe." The fact that she is talking in past tense makes it clear to the audience that this particular scene is a flashback, and suggests that it is of some importance to the film. Her father claims that the penguin is "trapped in a perfect world;" the idea that something can be trapped and yet perfect is an opposition, a theme which is common through the film. The father is then seen, through a close up, picking up the globe and, in a switch to an extreme close up, shaking it and placing it back on the table. The unsettling of the snow could perhaps be a representation of the unsettling of Susie's perfect world, and perhaps that the disruption of the equilibrium is soon to follow. The camera then zooms in closer to the globe, before the title of the film appears in

the center of the screen. The audience never fully see the snow settle before the next scene starts, which could again represent the disruption of the equilibrium.

Throughout the scene, the music could be described as being neither happy nor sad. The range between major and minor chords and the uncertainty of its tone could again link to the liminal, and it being between two states, which then also links with Susie's later liminal state. The music is unexpected of a thriller, and so is the opening. Usually, and insight straight into the action in the form of a flashback would be used first in order to immediately create suspense and maintain the audiences attention, accompanied by music which mimics the rising tension displayed on screen. However, instead of revealing significant elements of the film to the audience, the opening scene is more of an enigma, leaving the audience questioning who these characters are on screen and what their relevance is.

The lighting throughout the whole opening is bright, which enforces again the idea of it being a flashback, as it is too bright to be natural light. However, there is still a slight shadow on the side of young Susie's face. Because of the brightness of the light, one could assume that it was a key light shining onto her. Usually used to illuminate one side of a subject, the shadows created create a mysterious and uneasy atmosphere, again adding to the enigma.



The use of voice over throughout the opening gives the audience a direct insight into the thoughts of the main character. However, because the story is only told from one point of view, the feelings of other characters are not presented directly to the audience and are only done so through Susie's account, meaning that her description will differ depending on her own feelings towards that character, and so the audience may not be able to fully trust her as a narrator. Also, because the opening is told through a flashback, it could be argued that Susie may not remember events correctly, and because hers is the only insight given audience knowledge is limited.

Minority Report

In a future where a special police unit is able to arrest murderers before they commit their crimes, an officer from that unit is himself accused of a future murder.
 

An establishing shot shows two characters, a male and a female, passionately kissing, and being the first characters seen by the audience enhances their importance to the plot. The shots switches in and out of focus, making the image distorted and unclear.