Opening Sequences analysis - Part 2

Opening Sequences:

Vertigo:

This could arguably be one of the most iconic opening sequences in movies history. it uses a wide range of technical elements to create a highly engaging sequence. When it first starts, the audience gets thrown straight into action. This really keeps the audience on the edge of their seats as this move is completely shocking for most. In the first shot itself, we see an empty bar that after a slight close up has a hand grasp onto it.This has a shock factor attached to it and seems to be intended to give the audience almost a jolt and prepares them for the rest of the sequence which is rather fast-paced action.

Following this scene and the scene after where we see a criminal, policeman and a character we find out later to be Johnny or John (lead), we get a wide shot of the chase scene, establishing for us as the audience that this is taking place well above street level, a slight foreshadowing almost if combined with the title's meaning thus engrossing those who had made the deduction even more now. We also get gunfire in this scene. This really highlights the intended intensity of this scene and combined with the high-pitched brass and wind instruments, usually associated with danger,  this really creates an engaging scene for the audience.

As the chase scene continues, the character behind the policeman (John), falls down a roof and is hanging from a gutter. This is where we get to witness the infamous "Trombone Shot". or in proper terms, a "Dolly zoom". This particular shot is meant to hone in on the effect of vertigo, the zoom in and out is almost cartoonish in nature and it highlights the shocking effect created by the height. This really creates an engaging shot as the viewers too would have felt what the character was feeling at that point in time.

These 2 are screenshots of the last 2 ending shots of the opening sequence. In the first shot, we get to see the characters POV how tall the building really is and this along with the ending shot of his frightened expression, really sell too the audience how traumatising this situation would have probably been. This, in conclusion, creates an engaging sequence as we not only get launched straight into a chase scene but the dark theme of death is present in the first minute and half of the movie, really highlights to us as the audience where this movie would probably be heading, and death would be common. The music along with the camera shots like a close-up shot of the characters facial expression and his pov shots (inclusive of the dolly zoom) being mostly in the dark, really engages the audience and sets them up for the rest of the movie, setting up the atmosphere straight away in order to really engage the audience not just for this scene but for the whole movie.

This opening sequence conforms to the usual conventions of a thriller in many ways. First of all, we get dark lighting that is usually associated with the thriller genre due to its shrouding ability and the way it gives the tone of danger/evil. In this opening sequence, the background music is that of high-pitched brass and wind instruments. This, its fast pace and the occasional cymbal crash really sells away the thriller theme. We get close up shots of the characters, and this is related tot he thriller theme as we get to see a close up of the characters distressed face. The afraid expressions we get inflict the audience to relate and to almost feel the same emotions as the character is feeling. This along with the "dolly zoom" and the wide shots of the alley at street level, portrays to us as the audience the traumatic experience the character is going through at that moment of high tension.

Inception:

This opening sequence despite its short length, uses multiple technical elements to portray to the audience an engaging sequence that sets up the audience to be intrgued for the rest of the movies plot.

In the first shot of the movie, we get a rather compelling image of waves crashing, accompanied by its thundering noise. This almost acts as a transition for the audience as they get rolled and crashed straight into meeting the films main character. The thundering noise of the waves crashing, acts almost like a wake-up call, probably intended to jolt the audience into focus due to this movie requiring a large amount of focus and attention for it to be properly understood and appreciated. These opening shots of the waves may also have an effect of foreshadowing to us as the audience this films overtaking that of what we interpret of dreams, and that it's not just serene and tranquil much like the waves we see on television or pictures but violent as represented by the opening shots.

After the films rather violent like beginning, we immediately get introduced to our main character which we do not know at this point in time, however, he gets introduced barely conscious and injured. This close-up right after the wave scene could be seen as an example of that foreshadowing of violence. It is at this point in time where the background music starts becoming prominent as its volume starts rising slowly, maybe highlighting a sense of tension or danger due to its low and monotone like nature. This engages the audience as they will start questioning who this character is, how did he end up stranded on a beach,  where did he get his injuries from and why does he seem so weak and barely conscious. 

As we cut away from the man, we get a scene with a young boy probably from the characters point of view. This scene gets added meaning due to the introduction of the piano in the background music. This gives the boy an added importance to the audience as they connect him to the sudden addition to the background music.

This short scene gets cut to a shot of the character in the beach waking up only for it to cut to another scene with the boy but this time we get introduced to a girl. This quick introduction to multiple characters causes a shock to the audience as they get more and more characters to keep track of in a short period of time, thus increasing the engagement of the audience as they would want answers to even more questions like who are these children and how are they connected to the man stranded on the shore. 

Finally, we end with the man stranded on the shore falling unconscious which is accompanied by a gush. This gush could possibly mean a transition of time, an ending to a flashback or even potentially at this moment, his death. Overall, this opening sequence is engaging due to the uncertainty and lack of answers. This sequence creates a paradox as the audience would now have to wait for the film to release answers at its own time, meaning that the audience would have to remain engaged in order to get their questions answered.

This sequence has some traditional conventions like close-ups of characters and monotone music, which gives the effect of danger and tension which is key for any thriller.


Casino Royale:

In this opening sequence, the directors combine multiple conventions in order to create an engaging opening sequence.

Throughout the whole opening sequence, the film is greyscaled. This in itself creates an engaging experience as it removes the colour of the scene, potentially as a way to cater the audience's attention to what the film wants them to focus on, the removal of colour is a way for them to remove a distraction. This greyscaling is also an effective convention due to the lack of colour maybe symbolising death which does occur later on in the film. In the bottom left-hand corner, "PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC", is written in full caps and is also the only white object on the screen. This puts emphasis on it and is a way to direct the audience's attention to what it says. Its font being very formal ould suggest where ever this location is, its a location of high status and importance. All this in the first few opening sequences is why this opening sequence is so engaging, allowing the audience to receive so much information about the film and what going on.

In this shot, we get a close up of a character. The angle of the camera, in particular, gives off an effect of the man having some sort of high status due to use having to look up to him. This is the first character we see and thus our focus as the audience is now fully centred on him. The lack of colour on him due to the greyscale may be said to be a prediction of his death which does happen later on in the opening sequence. It could also be proposed that due to the greyscale, his character may be evil.

The monotone electronic background music highlights a possible hidden threat looming around the corner.

In this shot, the camera sways behind the chair highlighting to us that someone is sitting down. This could also be seen as an effect where since the camera sways away from the man to behind the chair, it may be the director trying to cause the audience to feel security form the figure as he shields us or that we can trust him to cover us. The music doesn't change, however, possibly showing that he may be the hidden threat and is just waiting for his opportunity to strike. 

The music does change, however, when the man realises that his safe is open and that someone is in his office. This could just be a confirmation for us as the audience that the figure on the chair was the hidden threat and that he is about to or has already stricken.

When the character turns around and faces the figure, the figures speech breaks the monotone nature of the sequence at that point, and thus what he says will have the audiences full attention as his voice dominates the only sound we've heard so far.

The revealing of the gun in this scene does three things. First of all, it confirms to us that danger and death that the greyscaling provides. Secondly, the presence of the gun is a form of pathetic fallacy as we now know that the figure on the chair is in danger but he does not know. Thirdly, the presence of the gun heightens the audience's attention as it signifies that tension has reached its peak, and we are about to witness and action scene but since we don't know when it's going to occur we are left on the edge of our seats anticipating for the moment to happen.

The man from the beginning starts talking and mentions "Bond". This dialogue is engaging as it gives confirmation to the audience that the figure sitting in the chair was actually James Bond, the main character.

The dark scene then jumps straight into a bright scene of violence after murder is mentioned. This sudden change of colour spectrums should have come to a shock to the audience not to mention the sudden leap into action. The background music also changes to that of brass and wind instruments, signifying heighten tension and action. This may potentially be the violence that the greyscaling and gun had foreshadowed.

Lastly, when the man gets shot by Bond, the music reaches a high pitch and could possibly signify the climax of that scene. The camera also does a violent sway, mimicking the violence and pain that the man must as felt as he flies off his chair. This creates an engaging scene as the violent motion causes the audience to feel that jolt that man must have felt, increasing the involvement the audience have in feeling the film.

This film uses many traditional techniques like a dark tone, however, this is taken to the extreme in this sequence in the form of a greyscale. The presence of a gun is a convention of a thriller and so is death and violence. The background music, whether it was a monotone electronic sound to that of loud bass and wind instruments, are all essentials in the making of a thriller.