Thriller Openings - Shannen

Thriller Opening #1 - The Dark Knight

Dark Knight Opening:

Camera Work

• First shot was a silent high angle establishing shot. This was both good and bad, as you didn't know what was going to happen next, or who was going to appear.
• Could only see the backs of the characters, so you couldn't clearly see who they were. However, it still allowed you to notice the masks they were wearing.

Editing

• There was literally no editing until a sharp cut from the calm establishing shot to the villain shooting something. This created quite a dramatic scene change. I quite enjoyed that.
• Cross cutting. It went back and forth to different characters until they all met at the same place. I thought this was quite clever too, as you could see both parts of the story before they connected.

Sound

• The use of silence/very minimal sound right at the beginging. In the magnificant establishing shot, there was no sound, until a very light clicking noise, which made a very calm effect on the scene. It also made me feel like nothing was going to happen, as if there was some dramatic music, you would automatically know something was going to happen.
• The only sounds that could be heard were the overly dramatic ones, for example the gun loading and shots. You could not hear any of the background noises, for example the people walking past in the street. This also zoned you into the characters more, so you didn't notice the background much.

Mise En Scene 

• All of the characters were dressed the same, with clown masks on. This made a great effect of suspense, as, seeing as they all looked the same, I wanted to see who they were and why they were disguised.
• Regarding the lighting, it is quite bright, which is unusual for a thriller, as you would expect darkness with a thriller, so this created an unsual effect of normality.

Thriller Opening #2 - 44 Inch Chest

44 Inch Chest Opening:

Camera Work:

• Slow focus pull in the first shot - created a mood of the unknown, as - what we know as glass - could've been diamonds - this effect was created by the focus pull.
• ECUs were used throughout on important focus points, such as the dog, the graze on the character's hand and the glass on the floor.

Editing:

• Very long takes - this causes suspense and questioning of the scene.
• The titles fade out - this creates a calm effect, which is completely contrapuntal to the action in the scene however matches the soundtrack.

Mise En Scene:

• The character is on the floor, and we don't see if he is dead or alive until he closes his eyes after an extreme close up on his face for around 8 seconds. This causes questioning and suspense. Here is a screen grab of the slow eye-closing:

• Messy, seemingly trashed house - raises questions such as "whats happened?" "where is this?"

 Sound

•  Contrapuntal non-diagestic soundtrack. The song - "Without you - Harry Nilsson" - does not go with the messed up surroundings. This creates an effect of confusion and raises questions. This is the song:

•   No dialogue or sounds apart from the non-diagestic soundtrack until after the titles. This puts focus on the actual scene and the soundtrack - do they connect?

Thriller Opening # 3 - Se7en

Se7en Opening:

Camera Work:

• High usage of ECUs - creates distorted and confused view of what is going on
• Very short shots - a mixture of short shots added together creates a distorted confusing view

Editing:

• Overlapping work - there are a lot of short shots where they are layered above another - for example when the character is writing. This creates a distorted and almost uncomfortable viewing of what could be a normal every day activity.

•  The shots are edited together very choppily, and some are faded into one another. This creates an almost creepy feeling for me whilst watching it.

Sound:

• The actions themselves seen in the opening have no sounds, for example you cannot hear the turning of the pages of the book. This is good as it really turns your attention to the soundtrack
• The non-diagetic soundtrack is parallel to the film. It makes what is going on creepier than it probably would be without it, so it pairs well. It changes tempo and volume throughout, so it makes the audience tense at moments and relax at others.

Mise En Scene

• Heavy shadow is used throughout the opening. It creates a dark and myserious mood, and anticipation to see what happens next.

• The fact that you don't see the character properly throughout the opening is very clever. It makes it so you can't actually be sure on whether the character is the protagonist or the antagonist. It also causes intense suspense and tension.

Thriller Opening #4 - Misery

Misery Opening:

Camera Work:

• There are a lot of ECUs used throughout the opening. One usage of this is when it is trying to establish something, like who the character is and what his name is. For example, the opening shot is an ECU of a cigarette and a match. However, they do not look like they've been carelessly put there - they have been put there with care, in an organised line.

•  Another effective use of ECUs in the opening is when it is trying to show you that something is going to happen. For example, when the character is in the car. An ECU of the wheel is used to show that is is struggling on the icy road. This suggests that something to do with the car is going to happen.

Editing:

• All of the edits are clean cuts. This creates a realistic feel for the audience, like they are in the moment.
• The short takes and cuts create a slow paced, dramatic feel to the opening.

Sound:

• First of all, the non-diagetic soundtrack overlays what is happening. It is quite gentle so it does not make the audience feel tense, but relaxed. You can also hear small diagetic sounds, such as the typewriter, and when the match lights.
• In the car scene, the soundtrack is diagetic - he is listening to music in the car. It seems to be quite contrapuntal as you can tell something is going to happen, yet the music is jazzy and upbeat. It creates a confused feel for the audience.

Mise En Scene:

• The three main props - plot points - that you see first of all are the match/cigarette, champaign flute and champaign. The way they are positioned makes it seem that they are there for a specific reason. Later on, the character is seen to be relishing these items after finishing writing. This could be interpreted to mean that these items are his reward.

•  The way the character is styled pairs with the setting around him. He is positioned at a type writer and it seems that he has finished writing a novel. His clothes are casual - jeans and a long sleeved top - which pairs with how you would be if you were writing a book. The setting around him is also comfortable and casual, which is what you would expect for someone writing a novel.



Thriller Opening #5 - The Disappearance of Alice Creed

I watched this film in it's entirety because of how brilliant the opening was. 

Camera Work:

• In the flat, there was a lot of smooth, long panning to let the audience observe the surroundings and note the obvious fact that it's abandoned. The slowness of this creates intense suspense for the viewer. 
• Throughout, CUs and ECUs are used to establish certain details which will be important later on in the film. For example, a CU is used on a sign in the shop to show that what they are buying is sound proofing. Without this, the audience might not know what it is, and therefore make the rest of the film confusing. 

Editing:

• When the two characters are building the bed in the flat, there are a couple of jump cuts. This helps show the speed of what they are doing without dragging it out.
• The long shots and less frequent edits create quite a slow paced feel in the beginning of the opening. This creates tension and suspense for the audience. 

Sound:

• In the opening, there is no dialogue at all. This starts to show the audience the connection between the characters. It also suggests that what they are doing has been planned down the the last detail, so they know what they are doing.
• All of the smaller sounds, for example the drill, and the boards on the bed, are elevated with foley effects to create a bigger impact on the audience. Pairing this with the lack of dialogue, this creates an intense scene to watch. 

Mise En Scene:

• Throughout, there is a huge emphasis on security. There are bolts on the bed and the door, rope on the bed, etc. This suggests what they are going to do is dangerous/bad and will need high security. 

• Throughout the opening, the characters are dressed in casual attire of jeans and tshirts, which makes them seem quite average. Pairing this with what they are doing, this creates quite an odd feeling for the audience.