Analysis of openings.

Toy Story

I like the beginning of this film because i think it appeals to all age groups. It shows the boy playing with his toys and taking it in turns to be each character. Its something we can all relate to, we would have all had toys that we played with to death. It also introduces the main characters- those being the toys that the film revolves around. The titles play over the film with a piece of music you associate Toy Story with. 'You've Got a Friend in Me'. The titles are white in colour with a dark shadow to it making it stand out from the background. The font is informal and fits the type of film its for well.

The Walt Disney logo is easily recognisable. You know instantly that the film will be child friendly and in most cases it will be animated and have an easy to understand plot. The font for 'Walt Disney' is almost magical and again is very recognisable to the production company. The castle behind the text is almost iconic to the company.

The Wedding Planner



You can instantly tell its going to revolve around love/relationships with the opening track. I love how the little girl is playing with her barbie and then it merges into real life. Its something most girls will remember doing when they were young. Women spend hours planning their weddings- its totally realistic.


Star Wars





I like the simplicity of the first few minutes. The theme tune is easily recognisable and everybody associates it with Star Wars. The text gives the audience something to do and keeps them entertained whilst setting the scene. The theme tune is punchy and keeps you aware of whats going on


Up- Pixar Movie





I really like the beginning of this movie, it tells us a lot about the characters. I like how it fast forwards through their lives and how the film begins nearer the end of his life rather than the beginning.The way the story is told really captures your attention, you want to know what happens to the old man and you want to see how he copes on his own after he looses his wife.


Jaws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8SnZmUjhAA

I like this opening because it guides you through the ocean in the sharks prospective. You hear the theme tune immediately and it sets you up for the rest of the film. It flicks between the the sea and a beach party. You know that something is going to happen. When the two characters run off you know that they are in trouble as they are now isolated and away from the party. We don't meet any of the main characters and we don't see the shark.

You want to watch the rest of the film to see how they take the girls death and over come the shark problem.

The Descent

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaYw_4BtJbw

A couple of friends are seen being lowered into a cave via harness's before the menu screen appears. There is no music at this point, just the sound of water dripping and the odd scream or two. The screen remains black and a spotlight reveals credits. We are then taken to a family and group of friends white water rafting. The way its cut together makes us suspicious of what's going to happen. You have the characters panicked faces, the sound of only the waves and their screams, and two bystanders, a daughter and father. The group finish rafting and calming music starts up. There's some sort of discussion going on debating whether to go back to the hotel or stay to pack up. Two of the friends volunteer to stay letting the husband, wife and daughter go home.

Were joined in the car with the family and they're discussing a birthday party. The concerned wife asks her husband if he's OK. To which he replies 'I'm fine'. The camera is placed behind his shoulder at this point. He looks at his wife and we see him swerve into a car coming the other way. Poles from the top of the opposing car slide off the roof, through the windscreen and into the driver. This is totally unexpected and I personally did not see this coming.
The screen turns black with just enough light letting us see a little girls face blowing out candles on a cake... a flash back?

We join the wife in hospital as she wakes up, she takes a look around her and detaches herself from the machinery. Stumbling out of her room and into the corridor she finds herself alone. 'Jessie' she says, 'Jessie' now louder. She looks straight at the camera and her face becomes pained. Its about now that she turns and runs.. and about now that I realise, I might need a pillow to get me through the next thirty seconds or so.

She is still running and the lights begin to turn off. She runs faster and the music builds up.. she runs straight into her friend who tells her 'they're gone'. They collapse onto the floor in tears and suddenly the corridor becomes busy again.

The screen is filled with the words 'The Descent' and the opening scene is over.

The first five minutes or so don't give much away in terms of the rest of the film. You wouldn't know that they go on a daredevil caving holiday, and you wouldn't know that after a rock fall, they get trapped and hunted down by human predators. Without reading the back of the case I wouldn't have had a clue what to expect.

Produced by Neil Marshall
Production Companies- Celador Films/ Northmen Productions/ Pathe
Budget- $3,500,00
Opening Weekend- $8,411
Overall- $13,361

The Gift

The music begins and its not your typical horror movie theme tune, its almost classical. A series of thunder sounds over lap the tune and we know that it most definitely IS a horror movie.
The camera takes us on a journey through the woods. yes.. that's right, the dark misty woods with not a soul in sight. We start to relax as the names appear and then... a flash of somebody lying on the ground appears and disappears. The camera swoops over the lake in the woods many times and I can only imagine that its going to be the centre of the film, the place where it all happens. In between the lake swooping and the murky forest are flashes of tarot cards. The name of the title suggests that the main character has some kind of gift and is going to come across a horrible fortune.

Were taken to a town where children, supposedly walking to school- are dressed up warmly in clothes that are not very modern to us. You can instantly tell that it is not a very recent film.

Anne- the lady who reads fortunes is a widow with children and earns her money by reading cards. Her first customer is kitted out in black clothes and a big black round pair of glasses. The pair talk and Anne tells the customer that she knows about her abusive partner. The lady takes off her glasses and reveals a throbbing purple bruise.

From the first few minutes or so I already have a sense of whats going to happen. I can see the lake being a common setting in this film and Anne being the vulnerable main character. She reads fortunes and one of her customers escapes to her to hide from her abusive partner. Anne will get into some sort of trouble with the partner and secrets about him will reveal themselves.

Directed by Sam Raimi.
Production companies- Lakeshore Entertainment/ Alphaville films
Budget- $10,000,000
Opening weekend- $11,827
Overall- $11,994,719