JB - Analysing an Opening Sequence

"The Sixth Sense" (Shyamalan, 1999)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44VRhcFxFF4

"The Ring" (Verbinski, 2002)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e4DBZ_eeGg

"Saw 6" (Greutert, 2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNzWb3Gptp4

Genre: "The Sixth Sense" (Shyamalan, 1999)

1. This film belongs to the sub-genre of psychological horror. This is shown by the conventional aspects of the opening sequence, including a minor-key soundtrack on the title credits and dull lighting.
2. The audience's generic expectations of the text are fulfilled because the conventions are shown and immediately set the mood/scene of the narrative. A lot of the camerawork is shot from behind/through objects to create the impression that the characters are being 'watched', which is conventional to psychological horror.
3. The opening sequence conforms to the characteristics of the genre because of the preferred audience readings created by all four technical aspects (camera, sound, editing & mise-en-scene).

Film Language: "Saw 6" (Greutert, 2009)

1. In this sequence, mise-en-scene conveys a sense of claustrophobia and the feeling of being trapped. The majority of shots are from behind the cages and the poorly lit room adds to this feeling.
2. The girl is mostly shot from a high-angle which looks down on her and makes her seem inferior to a certain extent. An interesting method of filming is used, in which the camera pans around her and covers all angles which isolates her and makes the audience feel as though she is being watched.
3. The dialogue anchors the images because it creates the need for motivated cuts, for example when the clown on the TV talks about the device on her head the camera shows her grabbing hold of it and trying to remove it.
4. Through dialogue we are informed of the characters' professions. They are loan sharks, and the clown has informed the characters that they are no longer 'predators' but instead the 'prey'. The characters' body language shows their fear because the movements they make are very sharp and sudden.
5. Another visual technique used during this film opening is the camera constantly cutting to the stopwatch in order to build the tension as the timer gets closer and closer to zero.
   

Narrative: "Saw 6" (Greutert, 2009)

1. The narrative in this clip is structured in chronological order and is in real time. There are no jump-cuts or time compression, because the entire opening is set in the room/cage and it is a continuous sequence due to the 'countdown' on the stopwatch.
2. The audience is positioned to feel they are part of the trap as well. The camerawork regularly shows the characters from behind the fence/cage, from within the room, which can make the audience feel like they are part of the action too.
3. We are expected to identify with the characters to a certain extent; we feel sympathetic towards them because they are in a trap in which they compete against one another for survival. Not only are they made to cause the death of the other character, but they are made to do so by removing their own flesh from their bodies. We see the fearful look on their faces as they are forced to endure physical and mental stress. However, they are also alienated to some extent because the audience is informed that they are Loan Sharks, and they are seen to be 'predators'.
4. The major themes of this narrative are chlaustrophobia, pain and fear. The two characters are locked in cages and have head traps on which they are unable to remove.
5. Tension is maintained throughout the narrative because of the continuation of events. It is initially created when the male character leans forward and hence starts the countdown. The characters have an intense race to cut off the most flesh, and at times it seems that the male is in the lead and will survive, so we want to continue watching to see what happens to the woman. However the tables are turned when the woman manages to cut off her whole arm which poses the question 'what happens next?' and thus encouraging the audience to continue watching due to the build up of tension as the countdown reaches closer and closer to zero.

Representation & Ideology: "The Ring" (Verbinski, 2002)

1. In this opening sequence the two teenage girls represent the majority of today's urban teens. They are shown to try and 'scare' each other and to some extent they compete with each other to see who can scare one another the most. This represents the playful attitude that most modern teenagers have.
2. The ideological discourse shown in this opening sequence is that they believe the video tape which they are discussing is fictional, and as a consequence they joke about it.
3. To some extent the characteristics of the genre are conformed to; pathetic fallacy is used by the rainfall outside and the dim lighting which help contribute to the mood and are conventional to the majority of psychological horrors. However some characteristics are treated playfully because the girls are seen to disbelieve in the video tape they are discussing.

Media Audiences: "The Ring" (Verbinski, 2002)

1. The target audience for this film is primarily 15-24 year old males, because horrors are shifted towards a predominantly masculine audience rather than a feminine one.
2. The audience readings from this opening sequence are that we identify and associate with the characters within the narrative, which is what helps build up the feelings of tension which are induced by this sub-genre.
3. As a British teenager I identify with the characters, who are teenagers as well, which can help with the preferred readings of the psychological horror.

Institutional Context: "The Sixth Sense" (Shyamalan, 1999)

1. Bruce Willis features in this film, which is important because we know a little bit about his character before even seeing the film. He has appeared in many thrillers in which he was the protagonist, most notably the Die Hard series.
2. The film was produced by Spyglass Entertainment, so it is an industrial production, which is reflected by it's $40 million budget.
3. The Sixth Sense was distributed by Hollywood Pictures, who spent $25 million on prints and advertising.
4. Due to the location (inside a house) the institutional context is not necessarily evident because it would require a relatively low budget. However the title credits are nicely edited and are accompanied by orchestral music which could indicate the production values to some extent.