Casino Royale
As part of my thriller opening research, I chose one of my favourite films of all time; James Bond's Casino Royale. This film was to show the beginning aspects of 007, first love, how that took a turn on him, also how claiming the licence to kill can really play with one's mind.
As the opening credits start, Bond has just beaten up someone in the toilets, as he picks up his gun, the antagonist that he just knocked out, gets up again to shoot Bond. In retaliation Bond does the all time 007 classic, shooting at the audience, and the black rings are formed around him using editing. This is to show that he is a one man army, he stands out, and nothing stands in his way. Then blood is streamed down on the screen, also using various ways of editing, to signify the number of murders he has done whilst just starting his new career. This part of the sequence is black and white. showing he has no mercy in his murders.
I really liked the way they had done this particular Bond movie, as its shows the beginning of his career as a 007 Agent, and how the licence to kill makes him go crazy into killing people whoever stood in his way.
The opening sequence gives the audience a insight on how the movie may be, for example the layout of poker cards, in each shot a different card is show, for example the King of spades to be Bond, and the Queen of hearts to show whom he falls in love with.
Throughout the sequence they show Bond's rage for murder, he takes the licence to kill to a whole other level.
The soundtrack used isn't the normal Bond theme track, its a different one to show how this is the beginning of how Bond was formed according to circumstances that happen during the movie.
Se7en
One of the most distorting thriller openings is Se7en, I haven't seen this movie but after watching the opening sequence, it created a very dark and creepy feeling about this film.
Throughout the opening sequence, you see various close ups of human parts, for example finger nails, or dead skin. This created a very distorting image, even though its human skin, and human parts, the image that was given from it made it look too disgusting to look at. The colours that were part of the sequence were dirty yellow, signifying human bodies, a very distorted colour, like damp colours.
Also the title sequence looked like it was written, giving it a creepy feeling because the handwriting wasn't orderly lined. Giving it a darkness, and mystery behind it.
The sound used in the opening was a distorting soundtrack, made the audience sit on edge whilst watching it. like razors and knives, screeching all together. It really set my teeth on edge whilst watching it.
Definitely one of the best psychological thriller openings I've seen till date.
