Se7en Opening Sequence Analysis

The opening sequence of Se7en has a very eerie feel throughout. It follows the convention of introducing the main character, and is extremely dark and mysterious. The editing style is a montage of shots, all of which have a spooky nature to them. The font also helps to set the scene as it is quite jolty, and appears in flashes, that the audience do not expect.

One of the most peculiar shots in the sequence is that of the character razor blading skin off of his fingers. This straight away grabs the audiences attention, and creates an image of the character. The close up of the blade confirms that he is cutting his own fingers, and the audience can now relate to the character. Although we, as an audience, do not know why he is inflicting this pain on himself, I personally think he could be a masochist.

We next see the character with bandages on his fingers, and a close up of him creating maybe a collage, in a scrapbook. We then see an extreme close up of an image in the scrapbook, of a face that seems somewhat distressed. The audience do not know why the character has this image, or whether he took it, but by just showing him with these sorts of images, portrays him as quite sadistic.

As the scene develops, we see further images in the scrapbook, all of which get more and more sadistic. One depicts a human head with a contraption screwed into the brain. This furthers the representation of the main character being quite peculiar and spooky.

The opening sequence is impressive, however extremely disturbing. Even the way the credits come out of nowhere, in flashes is quite scary, and it really does have the audience on the edge of their seat. This helps to create an atmosphere that the director clearly wanted to create, and not give too much detail into the character, leading the audience to want to watch more.

Inception Opening Sequence Analysis

 

 

Inception (2010)

Inception is a recent example of a thriller film. The film starts by setting the scene and showing waves, in the ocean. This lasts for a few seconds, and then cuts to our first human face. A close up of this face reveals them to be male, and after watching the entire film, you can now associate this face as being the main character.

The main character is introduced to us right at the start, and after the close up of him, there is a shot reverse shot, showing the main character looking at two children. This is all very confusing for the audience as they have no idea who this character is, or why he is looking at these children.

The film then cuts to the character somewhat passing out on the beach, and then being prodded in the back by an armed officer's rifle. The opening scene then stops.

From this, the audience are extremely confused as to what the film is going to be about. It just looks like a random man, washed ashore. It is unclear whether the children are on the same beach as him, or whether he is imagining it, and it is left for the reader to make their own mind up.

This opening sequence is very effective in creating suspense for the audience, and gives a real sense of mystery. It introduces the main character superbly, and a mix of shots create a real image of the character. The sequence doesn't give anything away, but allows the audience to meet the main character, creating an 'edge-of-seat' atnosphere.

Genre Research

The 'thriller' genre is commonly known for its dramatic aspect, and its ability to create suspense and provoke a reaction from the viewer when the climax occurs. There is often a protagonist, and an antagonist, that the story bases itself on. Conventionally, the climax is the main part of the film, as this is where the mystery unfolds before the viewers eye. Twists are used to create a sense of tension for the viewer, and also so that nothing is given away before the climax.

In a thriller, the story usually revolves around a lot of flashbacks or flashforwards. The plot is conventionally quite confusing, and it is often very disrupted. This helps to steer the viewer away from the final climax, and prevents predictability.

The story often takes place in dark, gloomy, mysterious locations, that help to add to the suspense of the film. The setting is considered to be a very critical aspect of thriller films as it is important to create an eerie mood for the audience. As well as creating this very specific mood, the setting also helps to create an image for the lead character. If the lead character is a murderer, the setting is often very spacious, but quite secluded at the same time. This can show that the character is very empty minded, but keeps themselves to themselves. Again, creating a nail-biting atmosphere.

The mise-en-scene of a thriller tends to be quite conventional. Costume tends to be plain, and some what grey, and lighting tends to be very dark. Lowkey lighting is used to create the eerieness desired by the director. Again, the use of mise-en-scene helps to create the atmosphere for the viewer.

All of these codes and conventions are seen throughout different types of thriller, whether it be crime-thriller, political-thriller or medical-thriller. They help to allow the audience to distinguish whether the film is a thriller or not, and all in all, makes a thriller what it is.

                                            Examples of Thrillers ^

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