- Dexter
-When a stranger calls
-Bridget Jones Diary- the edge of reason
Dexter:
Dexter is a very well known American TV drama series which can also be watched in several countries which I am as well a fan of the series. The opening sequence of this series is very unique and unusual which can make people slightly squeamish as it made me feel quite uncomfortable watching it for the first time. within every new shot is a new title.The opening scene opens with an extreme close up shot of a mosquito on someone's arm as we can't see the person's face we do not know who it is where we see it piercing into somebody's skin drinking their blood. The theme music in the background of this scene is very upbeat but in its own ways it sounds quite eerie as it uses a variety of instruments such as a guitar to give you that crazy sense that the person is not normal. The shot then pans out of the extreme close up and is in a close up shot of the arm and we see the persons face as he kills the mosquito and he smiles. the shot then changes to the title of the series "Dexter" which is written in the use of blood like colour, the letters one at a time are being filled with a much more blood like colour. Also the splatter and smudges of the blood also gives us as the audience the impression that the title is this mans name and that the blood means he is not a normal person. It then goes straight to another shot where we are at a medium close up shot where we see the back of the mans head however we see his point of view at the same time of himself looking in the mirror but his face is out of focus which makes it a mystery of who he is. It then cuts to an extreme close up shot of fingers brushing down against his face which looks like sweat on the face and we can see a lot of details e.g. the bristles. The shot then cuts out to a close up of a man shaving which then he cuts himself. The shot then becomes an overhead shot of a drain which may be the sink he is shaving over which then as the blood drips into the sink the shots become zooming in closer and closer as it drips. It then cuts back out to a close up of the blood dripping however the man using tissue to soak it up this is when it instantly goes to a a very extreme close up of just tissue soaking up the blood and soaks up the title with it. It then goes to the next shot of a close up of a knife cutting into meat which looks like it has been opened from its packaging. It is undeciding whether it is animal meat or human meat as it is quite unusual. Then it goes to a close up shot of a sizzling pan and the meat being fried the shot then cuts to the man eating the meat quite animal like which gives us the impression that he could be cannibal but it is undeciding. This shot is extremely eerie and leaves the audience wanting to ask a load of questions. The shot then goes to a close up of someone cracking and egg and then an overhead of the egg sizzling in the pan. It then goes into quick shots over and over of knife cutting the egg and splatters of ketchup which almost looks like a messy massacre. It then goes to an overhead shot of coffee beans being grinded and then cuts to another shot of a close up of a hand pushing down on a lever thing which looks like it is to make the coffee and we see it dripping almost like blood. It then cuts to a close up on an orange with a knife cutting in it with the juice squirting out like the way blood does and cuts to another shot of it but extreme close up of it cutting down the orange. Orange skin is ironic to human skin and when it cuts to the shot of it being juiced the pips are falling out which looks like humans insides being pushed out. It then goes to a steady close shot of the orange after it had been juiced. It then goes to a close up of floss being wrapped tightly around the fingers and then going to an over head shot of the sink and the hand pulling against the floss and the cutting to the next shot of seeing his neck with the camera tilting upwards towards the man finishing flossing his teeth. It then cuts to another shot overhead of fists holding tightly on laces which could be like rope (ironic). It then goes to a shot where we see the laces going through the eye holes with the shoes being tanned it looks like nostrils and then it cuts to a medium close up of him pulling the t shirt over his face but making it look like a suffocation. We then see his face and it cuts to a shot of him taking his key out of the door. It then goes to a pan of Dexter walking across the balcony with an evil smile on his face looking at the camera then him looking forward. Most shots used in this opening scene are mainly extreme close ups. My favourite shot in this film was the extreme close up of the cutting up of the breakfast as it linked in so well with what the programme is about.
When a Stranger Calls:
When a Stranger Calls is a 2006 American horror film which was a big hit. The opening scene is very eerie and makes you feel quite uncomfortable because it is very tense as soon as it begins. It begins with a black screen with title fading in and out slowly. A dial tone in the background and then we hear the person pick up the phone and they both start having a conversation with the girl sounding quite frightened and the man putting on a deep dark voice. In the background quiet music but loud enough to hear makes it more tense as it gets louder. Then a tilted medium shot of a house fades in mainly focused on the one bedroom with the light on the man on the other end is no longer speaking and the girl keeps saying hello. As this is happening we are zooming out of the view of the house very slowly and begins panning out towards more of the scenery, which is of a fairground near the house. It then cuts to a scene of a medium shot of two children running through the fairground however like the camera is following them. it then cuts to two different shots one at first of a shot titled downwards a medium shot of someone's whole body except their face then quickly goes to a close up of shot of their face then it pulls out to a mid-long shot of their whole body and it moves down slightly to the shot of the dog and then quickly goes to close up of their face. We then can see where they have cut the shots as i think at this point it is mean to have this effect where it is a close up of a girl going around of the merry go round then it cuts and pulls out into a medium shot and then it cuts to a close up of the window that it was focused on earlier that is close to the fairground. It then cuts back out into a long shot of the window and we can see the girl going around on the merry go round. The camera is not steady and it is moving around slightly from a long shot of the window which then suddenly it cuts into lots of shot zooming in and out of the window. I think the effect this has on the audience is keeping them alert and also builds up more on the tension. it also gives the audience the understanding that the voice over of the girl on the phone is coming from the main focus the house. these quick shots are all focused on the house as this is where everything is happening. This opening sequence is very well planned out as it fits well within the genre it aims at which is horror. it keep the audience on edge and is very alerting.
Bridget Jones Diary: The Edge of Reason
Bridget Jones Diary is a 2004 British film which falls under the genre category romantic comedy. The film is a follow on to "Bridget Jones Diary" which was a 2001 film and the opening sequence opens similar to the first sequel of this film. It opens on a black screen with colourful text the music in the background is quite orchastral. The text fades out and the black background opens up to a journal and more text fades onto the screen. Then a voice over of the main character comes up and the orchastral music quietens down. it then cross fades to a long shot of a car driving down a snowy road which then cuts to a view where we are seen looking at the side of the car. It then cuts to a birds eye view shot of the car and then it cuts to a long shot of a woman walking up to a house. It then cuts to a medium shot of two women greeting eachother which looks like mother and daughter. The voice over is still continuing however when there is dialogue there is no voice over. the shots are very rapid and cut quickly. we go to a medium shot of the woman entering a room filled with people and from the expressions from her face she looks nervous and quite anxious. The voice over continues as we see from her point of view the people she is staring and she describes them on how she thinks of them and it is quite humorous. It continues like this throughout until it cuts to the next scene. This movie is very humorous compared to the other opening sequences I have spoken about, it is a happy film with the two are dark and ominous.
