Film Opening analysis

For this task we had to use the anagram DISTINCT to evaluate these film openings.

DISTINCT stands for: 

Describe

In detail

Setting (location, interior/exterior, time period, time of day,weather.)

Themes 

Icons (significant items)

Narrator (plot and characters)

Characters (class,age,ethnicity, sexuality)

Textual analysis (camera,editing, mise en scene)

Ghost ship opening- with credits 

From first look by the title of this film the audience can tell the film is going to entail some sort of mystery, or horror aspect.

From the first scene (show above) in this film opening it starts out in a very nice, pleasant tone, the characters are dancing, drinking and  listening to  the singer. The setting seems very formal on a cruise all the characters are wearing formal attire. The scene is set at night and the cruise appears to be mid sail in the middle of the ocean. The most significant items up to 2:38 are the characters, the way they all seem carefree just enjoying themselves, specifically the singer and young girl seem to be focus points. All the characters appear to be between 30-50 years old apart from the young girl who is around 10 years old. Due to her being the youngest this could foreshadow different events will happen to her compared to the rest of the passengers.

 After 2:43 the themes change, the scene becomes more mysterious as something appears to happen, Although you can not see the characters face or know what he is doing the change in sound and the sound effects put in place suggest what is about to happen is not good. The icons then become the wire and what is happening to it, the way it is out of control. The focus then changes to all the passengers and their bodies which have been cut in half by the wire. After 3:21 the audience can then tell that the genre of film ghost ship is a horror. The title of the film then makes sense due to all the deaths which happen aboard the ship. The young girl is the only one who has not been sliced in half by the wire, this suggests she will endure something unpleasant on the 'ghost ship' throughout the rest of the film.

Harry brown opening scene 

The film opening to 'Harry brown' immediately suggest something bad is going to happen. The first thing the audience sees is what appears to b a gang initiating a new comer. the scene is set down some sort of alley way and he scene is very dark although is set in what appears to be mid-late afternoon. At first it is hard for the audience to understand exactly what it is the characters are saying however it soon becomes clear once the scene picks up pace. Two characters can be seen on a motorcycle, driving recklessly. The two characters on the motorcycle then come close to a lady pushing a baby pushchair. The two male characters which appear to be more dominant in this scene then take advantage and terrorise the women whilst she is walking, They then fires three shots two of which miss the women the last shot then hits the women and presumably kills her the two male characters then drive off hastily and is hit by a lorry. the scene is very fast to tart and it is hard to foreshadow or predict what might happen in the rest of the film, however the audience by watching this film can tell that this film belongs in the action genre.

Clueless opening 

The song which this film opens with is very upbeat, it plays in the background as some  characters are introduced. The characters are teenagers, this can foreshadow that this will be a high school film.

The main character seems to be the typical blonde of a stereotypical high school film. Blonde, pretty and wealthy, with a big house and father with a good job. Appearance seems to be very important to her. Although from the first scene you cannot really tell what is gong to happen in the film, the first moments of the film the audience can tell the film will be a high school drama.