JR 6245: 3 Films Opening Examples

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFSp0GYuCxI I Am Legend (Francis Lawrence, 2007).
• The opening clip from I Am Legend shows immidiately what the basic storyline is. It begins with no picture but the sound of an interview in which a woman states it is about the cure of cancer. It then shows a quote from a person within the storyline, which is particularly effective as it is labelled "Survivor" which indicates there is a tragedy. Then still shots of the city are played with some slow piano music over the top while establishing shots of the static city are shown and how humanity is no more. With the introduction of the character 'Will Smith' the non diagetic sounds stop and the sound of birds and animals can be heard over a birdseye view image of the city which is effective because you would never normally be able to hear birds in the city.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kVlA6 ElRM The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Tobe Hooper, 1974).
• It opens with a black screen and slowly rising text in yellow font which introduces the film, the text is narrated by a man with a sinister voice. The sound then plays a diagetic sound of digging with a shoval but still with no picture. Then flashes of a camera (the distinction is clear) and in the light of the flashes body parts can be seen which look unhealthy to say the least. The picture then fades in to show a disfigured, disgusting corpse head on a stick. This is done simply to show the audience that a horrible murder has taken place, which is very clear and to the point

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxRGw0l-b18 1978 Hallowen.
• It begins with central writing of the location with no picture in the background and with the voices of children singing a nursery ryhme over it. As it cuts to picture there is nothing but diagetic silence other than the eary sound of crickets, it is shot with a handycam with a disorientated effect as the camera wobbles while getting closer to the single house that is targeted in the picture, this gives the affect of someone walking up to the house, maybe someone dangerous. The camera is postioned as a POV shot from the antagonist and as he walks into the house the camera tilts down to where he is looking and his arm reaches out as he takes a knife from the drawer, this is used to show the audience that he is indeed about to commit an act of rutheless violence.