DS: Film opening analysis 1

V for Vendetta - Genre and Film Language

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Genre:

• It is a psychological thriller
• The audience's generic expectations are fulfilled with the use of tense music, identified antagonist equipped with weapons and mask and the use of a femme fatale.
• The text conforms to the characteristics of the genre, with use of the following techniques and conventions. However, the sarcastic looking mask used by the antagonist could be viewed as playful or ironic.

Film Language:

• Mise-en-scene is used in this sequence to convey and reinforce the film's genre. The costume of the antagonist is one designed for committing murder, his prop of knives also connotes this. Low key lighting is used to display the dark nature of the masked man. Lastly, the lipstick the woman uses connotes seduction and shows us she is a femme fatale.
• Camera also helps to convey the film's nature. a POV shot of the mask from the antagonist's perspective adds dramatic effect to the sequence. There's also a MS of the antagonist with provides a full view of his attire and weaponry to display his characteristics.
• Sound anchors the images in this sequence in several ways. The music played throughout is mysterious and tense, which follows the theme and the images of the antagonist equipping his weaponry and the TV presenters rant. SFX as the antagonist as he sheathes his blades help connote their danger and sharpness. Dialogue as the femme fatale turns off the TV display her discontent at the TV presenters attitude.
• We are able to learn a lot about characters through dialogue and non-verbal language. The antagonist doesn't speak in the opening, however his non-verbal language shows his brushing his hair shortly before equipping his knives which is an ironic technique and shows us he is perhaps a comical character. The femme fatale also says very little, and her non-verbal language is seductive as she attentively applies her lipstick showing she is a femme fatale.