Analysing the opening to a thriller

The Bourne Identity

Analysing the opening to a Thriller

Mise en Scene

Dead body floating on the water when at the start of the opening, creates a scary and chilling atmosphere and makes the audience wonder what is going on. This is one of the main aspects of a thriller, making the audience wonder what is going on and what will happen next.

The boat sailing on the stormy sea at night shows a dark and treturous scene and introduces the thriller with a scary atmosphere.

Camera Angles, Shots and Movement.

Close up of cigarettes and playing cards, this connotes that the film may be vilanous and gambling also symbolises danger and scheming which fits in with the genre of a thriller, gambling and money usually leads to something bad happening. The camera keeps cutting back to

the dead body throughout the opening, it also zooms in and out giving the us a better look of what it is although it still cant be seen clearly. This makes the audience wonder what has happened and that it must have some importance because it keeps getting shown.

Sound• The dialogue in the opening is in a different language, which makes the

audience wonder what is happening and where the sailors are travelling to, this creates a confusing atmosphere.

• The sound effects of the lightening and the waves crashing against the boat in the storm creates a treturous and dangerous atmosphere.

• Incidental music is played when the dead body floting on the water is shown, this creates tension and a scary atmosphere and also emphasises that the dead body has some importance to the film.

Editing

The lightening effect shining on the dead body, creates a scary and mysterious atmosphere and shows that the dead body has importance in the film, the scary image of the refelction of the body on the water is emphasised by the flashing lightening.

The sound effect of the ship creaking as it sails creates an eary and creepy atmosphere.