The two thriller film openings I
will be the comparing will be ‘Silence of the lambs’ and ‘The Bourne
Ultimatum’. I will compare all the elements, which make a thriller film
successful and also explain why they are good or how they can be improved.
The Bourne Ultimatum
In the opening scene there
is non-diegetic music that is used to build up tension, you can also hear the
diegetic sound of sirens, and the character heavily breathing which shows that
this is a chase scene and this character is on the run. The editing is
extremely fast paced, as it is an action/thriller scene many cuts are used, and
this enables the audience to be thrilled by the scene. The editing being fast
paced means that the shot duration is fairly short which means that the shot
transitions are extremely fast.
There is a lot of match on
action in the beginning scene where he turns on the tap and puts the gun in the
basin. This indicates that he may have used the gun in a previous encounter and
wants to get rid of it as flashbacks are used. Low key lighting which is a key convention in
thriller openings is used, this creates a dark and gloomy atmosphere and the
non-diegetic music also helps to do this. There are many POV shots used when
‘Jason Bourne’ the main character is looking through the window at the police
officers he is trying to evade. He is dressed in all black which may mean he is
trying to blend in with the darkness outside and not be seen. He is also
carrying a gun to show that he is armed and therefore in a position to kill
someone. The opening scene is fairly short but effective as it engages
audience.
Silence
of the lambs
In
the opening scene there is non-diegetic music playing whilst a young girl is
running into the woods. Her clothing is fairly plain she has a grey jumper on,
which has a large sweat patch on the back due to her running, and she is
wearing tracksuit bottoms her hair is tied back as she approaches large ropes
she climbs over fairly easily and continues to run. Already a counter
stereotype has been made as you wouldn’t usually associate a woman wearing a
jumper with tracksuit bottoms running through a field and climbing ropes. She
is then chased by a man wearing an ‘FBI’ hat which may mean he has something to
do with the police. He said “he wants to see you in his office” to which the
girl replied “thank you sir”. There is then an extreme close up on the man’s
face looking rather serious suggesting the girl may be in trouble. The young
girl then continues to run into a building where the non-diegetic music begins
to slow down and creates a peaceful mood. As the girl runs into the building,
there are many other people boys and girls in the building all wearing the same
clothing which suggests this may be a school or a hospital. The shot duration
at first is very short and the cuts are fast paced, they then begin to slow
down as the clip progresses. She then gets into a lift full of men and the
scene closes. From the opening scene there isn’t a lot of action, but as the
movie develops it is a real thriller.
Comparisons/Differences
between opening scenes.
The
clips are both extremely contrasting; ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ dives straight
into the action and entices the audience instantly by the use fast paced
editing and action. Whereas ‘Silence of the lambs’ takes a lot longer to get
into the action. Character building takes place which is a good technique to
use as it gives the audience a chance to find out more about the main
characters in the film. Both movies are extremely successful thrillers but the
opening scenes are different. As well as differences there are also comparisons
in both of the opening scenes. For example each opening scene for both movies
begin with the non-diegetic sound of music, this technique is often used as it
keeps audiences entertained and also music can set the scene well depending on
its genre.
Conclusion
To
conclude although there are many differences and comparisons between the two
opening scenes, they are still both extremely effective in creating a thriller
movie. I personally prefer the opening scene of ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ as it
engages me straight away and makes me want to watch on to the next scene.
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