Analysing two film openings: 'Silence of the Lambs' and 'Se7en'

Analysing ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ – Opening Sequence:

The film begins with a ‘long shot’ of a forest draped with snow as it gracefully collides into the branches and leaves. As the camera changes its focus, it gradually begins to pan the backdrop slowly, circulating the forest. As each scene flows into one another demonstrating the use of continuity, credits appear as a standstill upon the wintery backdrop in a bold, electric black typeface. As each scene follows onto the next, the lettering progressively fades away from the frame before slowly re-emerging in the subsequent shot. The camera moves hurriedly through its surroundings before ‘tracking’ a young women racing along an unnoticeable pathway before eventually fading into the midst of the fog. This film segment builds up anticipation and mystery as the audience is unaware as to what may appear in the following sequence, fortunately this sets a narrative expedition. Additionally, by using fast paced camera shots, dim lighting and an eerie soundtrack, they all build up to create a terrifying, unsettling atmosphere to coincide with the genre of “horror.” During the camera’s fast paced movements, it consistently captures ‘extreme close ups’ from distorted angles demonstrating the females shoes, and face as she sprints through the forest. Consequently, this depicts to the viewing audience a sense of trepidation and vagueness.

As the scenes persist, the camera begins to change to a ‘180 degree shot.’  The camera begins to pan across the backdrop steadily focusing on the young women as she hoists herself up onto a roped ladder before gracefully landing on the other side. The camera carefully rotates to distort the camera angle as we are presented with an ‘over the shoulder shot’ whereby two characters have a quick conversation regarding the young women having to visit her boss. The camera quickly changes to another frame in the film sequence, changing to a ‘medium/close up’ revealing four dismantled name plates which read “hurt, agony, pain and love.’ Perhaps these are phrases which represent scenarios that might be featured in the film. The camera suddenly moves on changing to an ‘extreme long shot’ as the camera focuses onto a building or institute of some sort. However, the camera slowly re-focuses itself onto the young women as she makes her way towards the entrance of the building.

The camera seemingly zooms in towards the building, changing the shot to an ‘extreme close up.’ The camera lens focuses onto a selection of misted windows before gradually fading away into the subsequent shot. The camera eventually changes to a ‘medium shot’ as it hovers over the young women as she makes her way down a narrow, aged staircase. Lastly, the camera changes to a POV shot (point of view) to illustrate the dissimilar situations taking place currently. This provides the viewing audience with more information as we are able to understand the scenarios taking place alongside her and whether they are relevant to the remaining scenes in the film.

In the background of the scene a high pitched, disturbing, and harmonious sound is heard overpowering the scenes from the film sequence. Compared to the images on screen, the melody is undoubtedly similar as it coincides with the situations and atmosphere exceptionally well. Additionally, this conveys to the audience that there is vast amount of danger approaching them.

In conclusion, the opening sequence has began to build up each frame of the film to identify the danger, worrying, isolation which may surround the characters in the situations they put themselves in. Additionally, it might portray how the character thinks and feels. The audience should begin to have a better understanding of the weird and unsettling events which may feature in the film.

Analysing the film opening ‘Se7en’

The file opens with a series of numerous medium and close up shots, demonstrating the burnt, crumpled pages, flickering as each page turns over in an old stained book. A variety of fast paced shots occasionally cross dissolve into one another to illustrate an extensive range of weapons and machinery which may provide narrative information about the main concept in the film. As each scene flows into one another demonstrating the use of continuity, credits appear glistening against the bleak backdrop in a faint white typography. As each scene follows on to the next, the letters fades away from the frame before slowly re-emerging in the subsequent shot. The camera moves rapidly through its surroundings highlighting a slightly disfigured hand holding a minuscule piece of metal as it slowly begins to hack away at the skin. During the camera’s fast paced movements, it frequently captures extreme close up’s from misshapen angles demonstrating objects of metal as they begin to fade away from the frame. As a result of this, this illustrates to the viewing audience a sense of eeriness and ambiguity.

As the scene continues, the camera gradually begins to move closer towards a collection of folders, tracking the same disfigured hand as it begins to caress each individual folder. The camera steadily rotates to distort the camera angle as we are presented with a notebook scripted with a vast amount of lettering inside. As the camera jumps to another frame in the film sequence, changing to a medium shot, revealing a role of film and faded black and white photographs being dismantled and cut to shreds before slowly being stuck back together on a sheet of plain paper. The camera swiftly moves on changing to a bird’s eye view shot as the camera re-focuses on the same notebook scripted with lettering inside but this time the disfigured hand re-emerges creepily crossing out words and faces of different people.

In the background of the scene a high pitched, unsettling, electronic musical sound is heard overpowering the images in the film sequence. Compared to the images on screen, the melody is clearly dissimilar. This implies to the audience that there is vast amount of danger surrounding them.

The camera seemingly passes over the notebook and focuses on the hand as it begins to peel away the binder of a book before unsettlingly twisting the metal bars and re-placing it onto the notebook with the sharp pin-point edges facing upwards. The eeriness and mystery of the high pitched melody is heard again as it continues to disturb the viewer.

The camera, eventually changes to a medium shot as it hovers over the same notebook. The disfigured hand is showcasing an unsettling use of tools as he begins to use a thread and needle to sow pages together. Each individual page depicts either a male or female being tortured in an alarming manner.

To conclude, the entire opening sequence has been slowly building up each frame of the film to identify the danger, worrying, isolation based on how the character thinks and feels. The audience should begin to have a better understanding of the weird and unsettling events which may feature in the film.