Write an analysis of the opening sequence to 'The Secret Window', paying particular attention to how it attracts and audience.
The Secret Window is a psychological thriller, written and directed by David keopp and staring Johnny Depp. The film begins with the protagonist, Mort Rainy (Johnny Depp) in a car looking frustrated but focused. He then enters a motel room and finds a man and women in bed. Automatically, the audience assume that the woman is Mort Rainy's wife.
The sequence opens with the production and director titles followed by a sound bridge. Initially the sound resembles a heart beat as it is a constant heavy thud. This grabs the audiences attention as they are intrigued to know what the sound actually is. The sound is then revealed to be the wipers on a car which slightly shocks the audience as it is not what they are expecting.
The opening shot is a close up which is focused on the male character who's facial expressions can clearly be seen. He comes across as being focused and aggressive which reflects that there is something on his mind. This creates a feeling of tension for the audience as they want to know what is going through his head. A director would use this camera shot in order to entice the audience and make them feel involved and connected to the characters thoughts and feelings, which are confusion and dispair as he doesn't know whats going to happen to his marriage. The camera stays focused on the main character, 'Mort Rainy', for a long time making the audience question what is happening and what is going to happen next. During this, a close up of Mort Rainy's wedding ring is exposed suggesting to the audience that something is going to happen which may affect his marriage.
The next significant shot of the film is of the car reversing at speed. His driving reflects his mental and reckless state of mind, This is then followed by a medium shot which shows him looking at a desk to where the motel room keys are stored. This shot suggests to the audience that the character is focused on something and is considering doing something he shouldn't do. This shot also clearly reflects the juxstapositioning of the cold outside and the warmth of the inside making the audience want to watch more.
Usually, an establishing shot is used half-way through the scene to clearly show the location, setting, time and day/weather. The director would use this shot to inform the audience about where the film is set. Also, the fact that the film is set at a 'Motel' suggests that other people are there which draws the audience in, making them want to see who is inside.
The mise-en-scene id this film is interesting. The colour is monochromatic as it is a dark, cold, winters night. There are different shades of blue used, making the red motel doors and taillights stand out. The red that is used for the motel doors could connote danger in the rooms, making the audience feel uneasy about him entering the room.
The open door on his car suggests that he is only determined on one thing, leading him to drive erratically and leave the doors open of the car.
The non-digetic sound of the voice saying "Don't go back", entices the audience as we don't really know who is speaking. It makes the audience question whether someone is in the car with him or is it his conscious speaking. As the sound progresses we can infer that it is his thoughts that are spoke aloud, almost a 'voiceover' throughout non-digetic sound.
It is evident from the opening of the film that there is a sense of continuity editing with slow cuts between each shot, particularly the first and second shot. This makes the audience focus on Mort Rainy making them feel focused just like him.
From watching the film, I have found one continuity error. This happens when Mort Rainy gets out the car and goes into the building. The audience can hear the car door being slammed shut, however, when the following shots shows the car again the door is seen to be widely left open.
The sequence opens with the production and director titles followed by a sound bridge. Initially the sound resembles a heart beat as it is a constant heavy thud. This grabs the audiences attention as they are intrigued to know what the sound actually is. The sound is then revealed to be the wipers on a car which slightly shocks the audience as it is not what they are expecting.
The opening shot is a close up which is focused on the male character who's facial expressions can clearly be seen. He comes across as being focused and aggressive which reflects that there is something on his mind. This creates a feeling of tension for the audience as they want to know what is going through his head. A director would use this camera shot in order to entice the audience and make them feel involved and connected to the characters thoughts and feelings, which are confusion and dispair as he doesn't know whats going to happen to his marriage. The camera stays focused on the main character, 'Mort Rainy', for a long time making the audience question what is happening and what is going to happen next. During this, a close up of Mort Rainy's wedding ring is exposed suggesting to the audience that something is going to happen which may affect his marriage.
The next significant shot of the film is of the car reversing at speed. His driving reflects his mental and reckless state of mind, This is then followed by a medium shot which shows him looking at a desk to where the motel room keys are stored. This shot suggests to the audience that the character is focused on something and is considering doing something he shouldn't do. This shot also clearly reflects the juxstapositioning of the cold outside and the warmth of the inside making the audience want to watch more.
Usually, an establishing shot is used half-way through the scene to clearly show the location, setting, time and day/weather. The director would use this shot to inform the audience about where the film is set. Also, the fact that the film is set at a 'Motel' suggests that other people are there which draws the audience in, making them want to see who is inside.
The mise-en-scene id this film is interesting. The colour is monochromatic as it is a dark, cold, winters night. There are different shades of blue used, making the red motel doors and taillights stand out. The red that is used for the motel doors could connote danger in the rooms, making the audience feel uneasy about him entering the room.
The open door on his car suggests that he is only determined on one thing, leading him to drive erratically and leave the doors open of the car.
The non-digetic sound of the voice saying "Don't go back", entices the audience as we don't really know who is speaking. It makes the audience question whether someone is in the car with him or is it his conscious speaking. As the sound progresses we can infer that it is his thoughts that are spoke aloud, almost a 'voiceover' throughout non-digetic sound.
The digetic sound of the car is loud and overpowering. The audience can see and hear the car moving. The car screeches showing that he is driving out of control, reflecting his state of mind, this makes the audience question whether something dangerous is going to happen to him. This is also taken from the fact that he is driving very quickly in snow and icy conditions. The director portrays Mort Rainys state of being and his out of control attitude throughout his driving.
It is evident from the opening of the film that there is a sense of continuity editing with slow cuts between each shot, particularly the first and second shot. This makes the audience focus on Mort Rainy making them feel focused just like him.
From watching the film, I have found one continuity error. This happens when Mort Rainy gets out the car and goes into the building. The audience can hear the car door being slammed shut, however, when the following shots shows the car again the door is seen to be widely left open.
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