The title sequence i chose to analyse was Secret Window. The film was directed by David Koepp and was produced by Gavin Polene and Ezra Swerdlow. It was written by Stephen King and David Koepp. The film features a number of Hollywood actors/actresses, some of these include; Johnny Depp, John Turturro, Maria Bello and Timothy Hutton.
The opening scene begins with the sound of the window wipers from a car, using a sound bridge. This is played when theColumbia
The opening scene begins with the sound of the window wipers from a car, using a sound bridge. This is played when the
The screen then goes black, which is then followed by a medium close up of Johnny Depp in a car with the window wipers on. A non-diegetic sound is then played of his voice saying “Turn Around” and “Don’t go back there”. This effect is to show he's not actually talking, it is his thoughts. The scene then cuts to a medium shot and Johnny then decides to drive back and walks into a Motel. This is quite often symbolized as a sleazy place for affairs on films. He takes the keys and drives through the snow to a door of the Motel. A point of view shot is used and the camera is placed on the dashboard so it looks like you are actually in the front seat of the car. This creates a thrilling edge to create tension to what is going to be found in the Motel room.
Johnny then walks into the motel room to find his wife in bed with another man. You can tell by the woman’s body language and facial expressions that she is trying to explain herself but he just looks at the both and shouts ‘NO!’ The noise in the background is quite scary, as there is a windy texture which sounds ghostly and you cannot hear what is being said. The atmosphere of the room is dark and eery and there are bad vibes.
A piano is then added to the non-diegetic sound which is then followed by strings and a variety of orchestral music. This is being played whilst the camera is zooming out of the scene. This creates a mysterious effect and makes you un aware what could happen next.
In complete contrast, the next scene then begins with eerie music being played whilst the camera is floating above water. this creates an element of being carried by a bird. The title names are also coming up at the bottom of the screen. The camera slowly pans around a typical American cabin which is set by the lake side. The camera then goes through a window which brings it back to the title name ‘Secret Window’. The camera pans through the room which has a dog asleep on a chair and a laptop that is open and in use on a table, with paper surrounding it and a few books. This shows that whoever owns this house is perhaps a writer of some sort.
The camera then pans and zooms in towards a mirror, which has a man asleep on the sofa. All through this, the orchestral music is still being played and the camera zooms into the man, which has his back to the camera. The words ‘Six Months Later’ come up on the screen which is followed by a knock on the door. The music instantly stops when the sound of the knocking is played and the man wakes up and turns around. His dressing gown is ripped and we later realise that this is Johnny Depp, the man at the beginning of the film. He is dressed scruffy. He may have let himself go because of what happened with catching his wife cheating.
The opening sequence of this film creates tension and suspense and makes the viewers hooked and wants to keep watching. The mood the film gives off is that the man is lonely and depressed.
