Direced by Alejandro Amenábar
The Others - Megavideo [ Opening 0:00 - 2:50 ]
(Copyright forbids the embedding of this video)
SOUND
The use of sound in this opening combines many of the crucial elements that make a thriller. The non digetic sound consists of a flute based music track which builds into a more orchestral piece. The music is parallel to the images on scream [see paragraph below], as it is eerie and haunting. Unlike many thrillers, the non digertics do not build tension or suspense. They do however create a feeling of unease and uncertainty. Over this, there is a digetic voice over. We assume its digetic, as the character Grace [Nicole Kidman] addresses her children at the start. After the non digetics fade, the next sound we hear is a piecing scream coming from Grace as we cut to her [2:09 - 2:50]. This is followed buy a series of muffled cries, heavy breathing and silence. At the current time, no non digetic sound is heard.
CAMERA
Not much camera work is used in this opening. Over half is taken up with pictures, drawings of events to happen in the film [foregrounding]. We also want to know, who is in the pictures? The first time a camera is used is at 2:07, with an extreme long shot of a large mansion. This shot dissolves in from a drawing of the same shot. The ELS shows the isolation of the home and the family who live there. A cut then takes us to a big close up of Graces face. The close up is eye level which allows us to get a sense of normal human viewpoint, and the close up shows Graces facial expressions n detail. As Grace sits up, the canted camera, which had been on its side, twists around to an upright position and tracks Graces face as she rises, before dissolving into the nest scene. This gives the impression of a dream like state.
MISE EN SCENE
The lighting of the pictures on the screan is dark and the colouring is yellow, but the film uses a flickering light, to represent the candle. This creates a sense of fear and worry. The house is large mansion, indicating its occupants are wealthy. Its positioning, however is gives it a sense of isolation and loneliness, while the grey colouring gives it a dingy, cold feel, as if the house is derived of love. All hair, props and costume are naturalistic, especially for the time it was set [1945, just after the war]
EDITING
The films opening uses a lot of fades in between the images. It also uses a dissolve at the end of the opening. There is also one fast cut from the house to Grace. These fast cuts crate pace and suspense within the audience. The Others also uses a subtitle, to tell the audience the date and location of the film. These too are also used to generate suspense.
By Chloe Hobden
Good choice Chloe. Incorporate a few more screen grabs. You have used terminology well. Low level 4
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