Flightplan

Thriller ConventionsGroup Analysis: Flight Plan

The DirectorRobert Schwentke is a German film director of these films:• Tattoo (2002) - Writer/Director• Eierdiebe (2003) - Writer/Director• Flightplan (2005) - Director• The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) - Director• Red (2010) - Director• R.I.P.D. (2013) - Director

FlightplanFlightplan is a 2005 thriller film directed by Robert Schwentke and starring Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, Erika Christensen, Kate Beahan, Greta Scacchi, and Sean Bean. It was first released in North America on September 23, 2005.Flightplan grossed $89,602,378 at the box office and over $223,000,000 worldwide. It also grossed $79,270,000 on DVD rentals. 

Opening of Flightplan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ5Qowjj3GQ

Opening Analysis- The suddenness of the train zooming across the

screen is jumpy in contrast to the soft strings played just previously.

- The scene begins with a slow zoom on her back as she sits in the empty station. There is only artificial light which suggests she is underground and it is night time, as the camera slowly zooms to her back there is an edgy atmosphere emitted in addition to this there is no one on the train as the door open.

- The music changes from the sound of the train to eerie ambient music.

Opening Analysis- As the couple board onto the empty train there is a

high angle shot facing down at the now completely empty station which emits an even larger sense of edginess, making the viewers feel nervous.

- The next shot is of the train driving down the dark tunnel the feeling is ghostly.

- The next scene is when she has to identify a body and the colours of the room are blue, white and black giving off a cold feeling, especially as we see the close up of her black umbrella dripping with rain (this making the feeling colder).

Opening Analysis- The scene of the couple walking alone at night down a snow covered road

again gives off a sense of coldness making the audience uneasy.

- There is not a lot of lighting (again blue colours giving cold feeling) and some fog/smoke in the air adding to the effect.

- There is only the street lamps on, none of the houses have their lights on inside indicating that the two are truly alone, just like in the previous scenes at the train station.

- The scene where the couple go outside and the door shuts but the camera remains inside gives the sense that where they are is dangerous and that is why we remain inside, the closing of the door, even though it is a simple motion, gives a spooky feel.

- Again there are barely any lights on in the rooms.

- As he brushes the snow off the seat black birds fly off the tree above making the audience jump and also the fact that these birds are Ravens which are the traditional birds used to give off the eerie/ghostly feel to a scene.

- Once we see that the body in the casket is in fact the man she has been walking with from the station, realisation hits that she has in fact been walking alone the whole time and the scene cuts back to where it left off with the couple and she is now alone with snow still on the bench and as the camera pans upwards we see only her footprints in the snow, this gives off a chilling and spine tingling sensation which is what the aim of a thriller is.

How effective is the opening?

• Theme of mirroring the opening credits create a visual aspect of the audience viewing the film

• The protagonist, played by Jodie Foster, seen in a vulnerable situation. This helps the audience feel pity for the character

• Emptiness of train provides mystery and sense of wonder as the sudden flashbacks help generate further interest into the plot

• The use of sudden movement sounds, disturb the soft flow of credits also provides an unsettling feeling for the audience to understand it is a thriller

• Less dialog emphasizes the mystery, and causes the audience to focus more on the actions of the characters

• Panic and illusion of empty train station creates emotions of unease in audience

What conventions of the thriller are present?

The main character is established

Psychological state of protagonist played by Jodie Foster

Wonder and mystery

Questions the audiences mind

The possibility of the events occurring in daily life

Fear of becoming insane