In class we watched the openings of three different thrillers. these were, Cildren of Men, Memento, and A History of Violence. here i have reviewed these openings to try and findm out what makes them thrillers and what in the opening makes the viewer to ontinue watching.
Children of Men
This i believe to have a very succesful and very powerful opening. it begins with a just the audio frm a news reel, on which the anchormen and women are talking about the death of the youngest person in the world. this is imediately very confusing and intrigueing as this man is described to have been 18years old. this would mean that for the past 18 years their has not been one baby born on the planet. this is a rather confusing and disturbing revelation as in the current day and age there are hundreds of children born everyday. by having this being broadcasted in the scene the director and play write has icluded death and so is hinting and death later on in the scene.
The first visual of the film is a cafe full with people, all crouded around a television set, watching this news reel. we then see a man push through these people to get to the service counter inorder to purchase a drink. we almost disregard the fact that this man is pushing past all these people with no interest in the television set and simply except the scene. however we should really be questioning why is he not interested? this subconciously intises the viewer to want to watch on, to find out teh reason.
the mext shot is the start of an extremely long panning shot where by the camera follows the man out of the cafe before diverting to concentrate on the traffic before returning to the man outside putting alcohol in his drink. this raises more questions about the main character, why is he putting alcohol in his drink, what type of world are we living in were it is exceptable to add alcohol to drinks in broad daylight and in public? it is whilst the viewer is contemplating these querys that a bomb tares through the cafe.......this is a perfect ending to the scene and opening, it leaves the viewer with so many questions making them wan to watch on, it is also very emotion, as the audience had only a matter of seconds ago see all the people inside the cafe. there is also a slightly gruesome element tot this as the writer and director have given us a slight taster of the aftermath by having a woman walkout of the smoke holding her own arm. although this is rather gruesome it also brings the explosion to life as who wouldn't pick up their arm if it was blown off.....really if you could get it you would. whilst this goes on the is an earpiecingly sharp noise that plays from the moment the bomb goes off. this i believe to be representative of how the noise of the explosion rings in the ear and leaves you slightly death maybe even bursting eardrums. next the scene is cut and goes to a black shot with the title of the film in white lettering across the sceeen, but the sharp noise continues through the cut. this gives the title much more presence and emphasis.
The first visual of the film is a cafe full with people, all crouded around a television set, watching this news reel. we then see a man push through these people to get to the service counter inorder to purchase a drink. we almost disregard the fact that this man is pushing past all these people with no interest in the television set and simply except the scene. however we should really be questioning why is he not interested? this subconciously intises the viewer to want to watch on, to find out teh reason.
the mext shot is the start of an extremely long panning shot where by the camera follows the man out of the cafe before diverting to concentrate on the traffic before returning to the man outside putting alcohol in his drink. this raises more questions about the main character, why is he putting alcohol in his drink, what type of world are we living in were it is exceptable to add alcohol to drinks in broad daylight and in public? it is whilst the viewer is contemplating these querys that a bomb tares through the cafe.......this is a perfect ending to the scene and opening, it leaves the viewer with so many questions making them wan to watch on, it is also very emotion, as the audience had only a matter of seconds ago see all the people inside the cafe. there is also a slightly gruesome element tot this as the writer and director have given us a slight taster of the aftermath by having a woman walkout of the smoke holding her own arm. although this is rather gruesome it also brings the explosion to life as who wouldn't pick up their arm if it was blown off.....really if you could get it you would. whilst this goes on the is an earpiecingly sharp noise that plays from the moment the bomb goes off. this i believe to be representative of how the noise of the explosion rings in the ear and leaves you slightly death maybe even bursting eardrums. next the scene is cut and goes to a black shot with the title of the film in white lettering across the sceeen, but the sharp noise continues through the cut. this gives the title much more presence and emphasis.
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