Studying Thriller Openings

Leon

Ø  Swooping, aerial shots over New York open the film, establishing the location but creating mystery at the same time.

Ø  The music which plays over the opening is peaceful, yet slightly menacing.

Ø  A tracking shot moves into the interior of a café which is cast in shadow and totally dark. It instantly feels ominous to the viewer.

Ø  The conversation is made out of close ups of the two characters who are both obscured, making them feel mysterious to the viewer.

Ø  The lighting switches from bright to dark and to bright again as it cuts between the different locations, which creates excitement and provides stark contrasts which add to the thrills.

Ø  The action is mainly focused on the victims – the killer is obscured from view, which heightens the fear and tension as he becomes part of the unknown to the viewer.

Ø  High and low angle shots of the staircase make the location feel larger and more dangerous to the viewer.

Ø  A shootout is not seen, only heard. Bullet holes go through a screen wall, establishing the danger without giving the action away to the audience.

Ø  Leon is shown either in shadow or through holes in the walls, making him feel more like a demonic presence.

Ø  When the camera follows the victim, it makes sure to get the corridors and pillars around him in the shot, establishing the vastness of the location and making him seem more vulnerable to the audience.

                                                          

The Last King of Scotland

Ø  Opening titles announce ‘This film is inspired by real people and events’. Sets audience up for brutal realism and creates a sense of anticipation for what is to come.

Ø  Unexpected shouting is heard over the opening titles of someone counting down, which puts the audience on the edge of their seat and makes them look forward to the context of the voices.

Ø  The opening is harshly over lit, which contrasts to the titles over a black screen – the contrast between the two creates an edgy feel.

Ø  Much of the opening is shot with a handheld camera, meaning the film feels intense from the start.

Ø  Shots of the open water create a sense of vastness in scale, giving the audience a feel of vulnerability.

Ø  The main character remains silent throughout the dinner table until he is seen unexpectedly shouting in his bedroom, suggesting to the audience that he is troubled. Immediately, through the edginess of the protagonist, the audience feels slightly uneasy.

Ø  A shot of the globe spinning played in slight slow motion with amplified sound effects makes the viewer await the location the main character will travel to.

Ø  There is a contrast between both the lighting and pace of the coach trip in Uganda to the opening in Scotland, establishing the frenetic atmosphere of the location.

Dirty Pretty Things

Ø  Ambient sounds are heard over the title cards, putting the audience in the film’s situation.

Ø  The film begins in the middle of the main character’s actions, instantly establishing a sense of movement.

Ø  All the opening shots are tightly framed, which denote claustrophobia to the audience.

Ø  The character drives through a mixture of light and dark locations, making it more aesthetically exciting.

Ø  A handheld camera follows the characters, putting the audience in with the characters and immerses them in the location.

Ø  The lighting scheme changes frequently as the character travels through his different jobs, from red, to yellow, to blue, which gives the audience a sense of frenetic movement and action.

Ø  The character is filmed from some wide angle, long shots in the lobby of the hotel, making him feel isolated and small in comparison to the hotel.

Ø  A neon lit, totally symmetrical shot of a clock feels striking and somewhat sinister.

Ø  The music is quiet and slow pace, with an expectant feeling that makes the scene in the lobby feel more suspenseful.