Thriller Openings - Kei

Law Abiding Citizen

Camera work

- we first see a father and daughter making jewellery together, the camera shots are mostly CU and some are ECU. showing that the father and daughter are having a nice time with each other and bonding.

- at first the pace is rather slow and relaxing untill we get to the shot after the tracking shot where the man is hit with a baseball bat. Then the pace quickens and becomes more frantic showing that something is quite clearly going on.

- we then have a jump cut when the man is tied up to show his wife screaming for him.

- then there is a close up of the attacker showing his crazed facial expression 

- then after that there is a CU of a knife entering the man's stomach 

- Finally there is a good use of field of depth showing the little girl standing there in the back ground 

Mise en Scene

-The home looks like a typical family home, the lighting is all bright showing that the home is nice and the family atmosphere is calm and happy.
-When the intruders come in the lighting suddenly fits with the mood as it gets all dark, 
-The intruders are wearing typical burglars clothes, however  the family are dressed in normal, casual  clothes.

Sound

- there is a radio playing off screen. this is 'Non-diegetic' this makes the house seem normal and like nothing is going to happen.
- when we get to the door knocking each time the person knocks the Foley gets louder and add emphasis and makes you wonder what is going to happen.
- when the man gets attacked we go from this normal 'happy' music playing to this tense and dark music. also there is an effect on when the woman screams to add to the tension.

  

44 Inch chesthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgk16prXZsE&feature=player_embedded 

Camera work
-There are very few cuts in the first scene with the torn up house, this is so the viewer can get a good sense of what has happened although it still raises questions 
-focus pull at the beginning of the intro which takes us immediately into what has happened, as we see broken glass and then more broken items appear to us..

Mise en scene
-Modern day house, rich owner. we can see this due to the decorations 
-Dim lighting is used within the house to show that it is at night, and to create shadows throughout the house.


Editing
-The pace is extremely slow in the first part of the scene so the viewer can take in what has happened and listen to the soundtrack playing over the top that is an insight into what the film is all about.

Sound
-The music being played in the intro is contrapuntal as it’s showing a ruined house and a man who might be dead but playing a love song. 
-The music is non-diegetic as the characters can’t actually hear it only the audience.






Phone Booth

with this opening you can tell that you are in New York due to the establishing shot that shows the tall buildings  and the traditional yellow taxis.

at first we think that the sound being played is non-diegectic (played off screen) but however then there is a close up of a group who are actually singing the song so therefore it is now diegectic .

then there is close up of a mobile phone which is ringing and the ring has been amplified to make it stand out. and then there are fast paced cuts to show all the people on their mobile phones. then the camrea slowly pans around to focus on the phone booth.

( i could not find this opening on youtube)

Casino Royale

In the opening of Casino Royale, the diegetic sounds of wind used are quite eerie so it feels mysterious and intriguing. The whole opening is in black and white, and the setting (Prague) is revealed with a caption at the beginning. The reason it is in black and white is to suggest that these events are taking place in the past. It doesn’t specifically refer to a year though.  This shot is on screen for a long time, allowing the audience to get used to the surroundings. The location looks very cold, and this is due to snow on the ground. The smoke which is in the bottom-right hand corner of the screen adds an air of mystery to the surroundings. The misé-en-scene in this film helps add realism to the surroundings and situations.

The Day After Tomorrow

The music is quiet, with a choir member singing a few notes backed up by some brass instruments. Captions fly over a cold sea. The music is non-diegetic as the sounds are not created by the surroundings which we’re in. The deep blues on the sea and the ice caps which are shown when the camera pans around the location, help set up the situation as the audience can feel the coldness of the location.



 The music dies down as a caption reveals where the setting is. The caption is in front of an American flag, revealing what nationality the characters are. Trumpets start playing music, to suggest boldness and bravery. The caption fades away and the camera moves towards the action.



The music dies down as the characters start to interact with each other, and we focus on the mission they’re trying to do. When cracks start appearing in the snow/ice, the music starts building up again to create tension. As the diegetic sounds of the ice cracking are heard, the camera looks down on the camera as he starts to look worried. The camera movement is very slow, which is typical of the thrillers to build suspense just before something dramatic happens.



Then, the ice breaks and the music increases in power and volume – the characters don’t say anything as they struggle to save their friend. During the sequence the editing is very fast in order to create tension, which is an attribute of thriller films – so suspense can be created and the film is exciting to watch. There are numerous close-ups of their faces as their panic is shown.