Scream Opening Review.

The opening to the film 'Scream' gradually builds up over time, giving a sense of enigma to the audience. It's start off with a seemingly innocent phone call, but eventually it ends up in the murder of the girl who answers the phone. This is chilling for the viewers to see. As the word 'Scream' appears on scream you hear a telephone ringing, with a girl screaming over the top of this sound. This makes the viewer know that someone dangerous will happen which will somehow involve a telephone or a telephone call.
The shot of the girl answering the phone is a mid-shot, this gives the audience a chance to be able to read both her body language and her facial expressions, and this allows us to see how this changes as the telephone call progresses, enabling the viewer to feel what she is experiencing.
Music slowly builds up in the background, before it becomes very loud and urgent. This lets the audience know that danger is coming. Also, every so often in the music, you hear a heartbeat. This is letting us know how anxious the main character is feeling.
The lighting in the shot starts out quite light and 'homely', giving the viewers a sense of safety and security. However, as she runs through the house turning lights off and locking the doors the lighting changrs dramatically, to a darker, more mysterious light. This makes the viewer feel anxious, as you do not know what lurks in the darkness...
The colours throughout the whole opening seem quite homely, using colours like yellow and orange in the house. This makes the audience think that she is safe and content in her home. However, when the killer begins to appear in the shots the colours change, using colours like black, giving a sense of mystery to the shot.

Sound Analysis - Saw

The film 'Saw' (2004), uses sound to great effect. The sounds used creates tension, thus making the audience feel nervous as to what is going to happen. I have have analysed the use of sound in this film to help me when it comes to creating my own project.

 

The film begins with an eerie silence as the opening credits appear, giving a sense of impending doom. The silence is broken with the sound of running water. This makes the audience curious as to what why there is the sound of running water, and makes them want to watch on to find out. High pitched string instruments play as the word 'Saw' appears on the screen. This allows the audience to see what kind of genre this film belongs too: thriller. This is because the music puts the film on edge, so it gives a hint to what the rest of the film will be like. The sound of running water continues, but it broken when the protagonist lifts up out of the bath tub. As he does so, the non-diegetic sound of a drum can be heard. This is a diverse contrast to the sounds which are heard earlier in the film. Before, the sounds were ambient and relatively quiet. At this point, however, the sound of the drum is very loud and puts the audience on edge. The sound of water becomes louder as the characters lifts his head out of the bath. The sound of the character coughing loudly can be heard. This sound allows the audience to see that he is in danger and is not in the best physical state that he could possibly be in. The sound of running water stops as it is drained down the plug-hole. This shows the audience that the danger that the character was once in is now gone. As the character walks across the dark room, you can hear his desperation in his cries, and the chains clinking around his legs. This immediately reveals to the spectator that he is trapped in that room, with no chance of escape. As it is revealed that another character is in the room, low-pitched instruments play, revealing that he is a mysterious character and perhaps cannot be trusted. This puts the audience on edge. As the lights are turned on in the room, a large electronic surge can be heard each time. This is used every time the camera shows a light turning on. This lets us connect with the characters, as the noise is quite loud, which emphasises the fact that the light is harsh on their eyes.

From analysing the opening sequence of the film 'Saw' I have realised the importance of sound to the horror genre. Numerous techniques are used to portray the themes of the genre, ranging from ambient sound to music which has been placed over the top. When I make my film I shall remember the importance of sound, as it can be used to great effect to portray meaning to the audience.

5 Movie Openings

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr_i2w0W-ZM

This is my favourite opening to any film. It starts off in a woman speaking in Elvish. This immediately inspires curiousity in the viewers, and makes them want to keep watching. The same woman, in a voice over, describes the history of 'The Ring.' It then shows a scene of a great war about the Ring. This is full of action and is entertaining to watch. The scenes them jump to show numerous important times about the Ring, and then the final scene shows a small, quiet village.
I like this opening because it jumps through the history of an object, and it's gripping to watch.

Star Wars

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj8nJXiyFBk

The Star Wars opening is perhaps the most iconic opening to any film. It has been spoofed several times, and almost anyone recognises that booming theme tune. The text on screen scrolls upwards, informing the viewer of the storyline. Then, a space ship flies overhead. This opening has been so popular that they used similar openings to all of the Star Wars films (of which there were six). This opening immediately tells us that the film will include alot of scenes in, or to do with, space.
This is one of my favourite movie openings purely for iconic value.

Scream

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFtJ5vzgh-8

The opening to Scream is, and always will be, the most chilling and scary movie opening of all time. It starts with a girl getting a phone call from an anonomous stranger. The stranger then says that he can see her, and threatens to kill her. This opening is very gripping and eerie to watch.

Batman: The Dark Knight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OYBEquZ_j0

The opening to the Dark Knight is jam-packed full of action. It shows several criminals dressed in masks robbing  a bank, and later depicts them shooting each other to get more money. Throughout there is a talk of  the mysterious 'Joker', which keeps you wanting to watch the opening so you find out who this 'Joker' realy is. This is a typical blockbuster opening, so it isn't particually original, but it still is highly entertaining.

Lord of War

                                         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4jMzKxYB74

The Lord of War opening is extremely inventive. It follows the 'lifecycle' of a bullet. It starts off in the factory, shows it being transported, loaded into a gun, and finally, it shows the bullet being fired and killing an innocent. The reason I think this opening is good is because of it's originality.

Saw Opening Review

                                                          
In the opening to the film 'Saw' it uses a mix of different lighting to create meaning and effect. In the very first shot of a man in the bathtub there is a subdued light, giving the shot a blue effect. This gives an eerie feel to the shot, making it almost ghost-like and surreal.
There is a close-up of his face when he wakes up in the tub underwater. This allows us to see his emotions, primarily fear, and his desperiation to escape and survive. This theme of survival runs throughout the whole of the film.
When the man gets up from the bath the camera gives us a long shot of him, allowing us to see more of his surroundings. However, it is lit in a very dark lighting. This limits the viewer's sight of the room, adding a sense of mystery and enigma to the shot.
When the lights get turned on the cinematographers use a titled panning shot of all of the lights turning on, showing just how deeply they were plunged into darkness. It then cuts to a shot of a close up of the main characters face, and his hands covering his eyes. This shows us just how long he has been in the dark room, as the lights make him flinch and turn away from it.
The colours used throughout the whole opening scene are all quite subdued and desaturated, giving a gritty effect to the room.
The sounds used in the whole opening sequence are fairly eerie and unnerving for the viewers to listen to. They use a mix of high pitched intstruments to create tension, like violins, along with low tuned instruments which simply add a sense of essence to the scene, making it seem more realistic. The voices of the men in the room echo, showing us that there is not much in the room and it is fairly basic and worn-down.

Overall, the opening to the film 'Saw' sets the scene by using a mix of different techniques which involve cinematography, mise-en-scene and sound. It sets the scene and themes for the rest of the film.

Final Destination Opening Review

The opening of 'Final Destination' begins with eerie music which seems to gradually build up, perhaps portraying the sense of impending doom in the movie. It makes the viewer feels anxious right from the start.
Lightning flashes and rain begins to run down a window. This immediately sets the mood for the rest of the film; ominous, dark and chilling.
The words 'Final Destination' appear on screen in a white font. It appears as though the text has been smeared. This is representative of the amount of blood and gore in the film.
A plane ticket is then shown with the same creepy music playing over the top. This gives the viewer knowledge that something bad is likely to happen involved with a plane or a plane journey.
As the opening credits roll a fan is continuously shown, flashing in an out of moonlight. This is a representation of how numerous characters in the movie constantly ponder on the edge of death.
Playing over the top of the music as the film progresses begin sounds of people screaming. This is unnerving for the viewer to hear, yet it keeps the viewer intrigued.
Text appears on screen, written in blood: 'This is the End.' This is obviously showing that it is the end of people's lives, as the blood shows.
The first characters appear on screen: a teenager and his parents. They are packing for his holiday. The main characters' mother wants to rip of the luggage tag from the previous holiday, but Alex (the main character), wants to keep it on. His mother ignores his request and rips off the tag. This shows that there will be a lot of superstition in the film.
The camerawork is steady, and looks very professional. It uses a good use of perspective and zoom, always giving the viewer something to look at.
The main factor that really makes the opening enjoyable is the music used. It unnerves the viewer, yet it keeps you wanting to know more about the film.
Overall, the opening to 'Final Destinaton' is intriguing, shadowy and interesting. It gives an insight to the rest of the film, and immediately sets the general tone and genre of the rest of the movie. However, it is quite slow-paced and the titles can be rather boring as it uses a lot of the same images.