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1. How far do the opening sequences of the films introduce their key messages and
values?
Both films clearly show what the messages and values of the film are through the
opening scenes.
Trainspotting is shown to show both the key messages of the film as well as the
values. The values of the film are shown through Renton’s narration as well as the
cinematography and editing, as Danny Boyle sets how to show how important drugs
are to these characters livelihoods and the importance that the drugs have on
keeping these characters from going off the rails. As well as this, the film connotes
that the environment in which these people live as well as their social class means
they become involved in drugs from an early age as they have few opportunities at
their disposal. Furthermore, Danny Boyle illustrates that Renton knows that the
heroin he takes is bad for him, yet takes it because he enjoys the effect that it has on
him and how it is an escape from his grisly life that surrounds him. This is shown by
how Renton says that he has decided “not to choose life” but to choose “heroin”.
This implies that Renton feels that his life is drugs and that his life that surround him
is because of heroin otherwise who would not be around the people he is with.
Renton also displays that he could have gone into a middle class life if he wanted to,
yet decided to go with heroin as a life choice. This is shown by Renton saying “choose
a life, choose a career, and choose a family”. This shows Renton to be rebellious as it
seems that he has had the opportunities to stay away from heroin despite his social
background and has not bowed down to heroin through peer pressure like tommy
did, but has chosen heroin because they will not bring the pleasure that the drug
does. As well as this, the cinematography and editing that is used along with the
narration connotes what the social class of Renton and his friends are. The opening
shots show that Renton and spud are of a working class social background. This
shown through the clothes that the pair are wearing, as they are shown to be
wearing scruffy clothes as well as tracksuit bottoms and jackets. Their social class if
further cemented by the shots showing the types of clothes that the people who are
chasing them are wearing, as they are shown to be smart and wearing suits. This
therefore shows juxtaposition between the people in the area, as the shots display
the clear differences of the people are from a working class background compared to
people who have jobs and are of a higher calibre class to them. This is shown
especially through the editing of the football scene, as the shots show how Renton
and his friends are scruffy and look unprofessional whereas the other team are
shown to look smart and organised. This therefore shows the difference in social
class as Renton and co. would be able to afford football strips due to a lack of money

2. due to their socio-economic and environment. Meanwhile, low angle shots are used
to show how the pair are running away after stealing things from a shop. The shots
therefore implies that the characters have been stealing things due to the fact that
they are unable to have money due to the environment in which they live as well as
their social class, as they are unable to be employed due to the area in which they
live and a lack of opportunities they are being given. This shows that the opening
sequence is clear trying to bring spotlight to how being from being a lower class area
means that people resort to illegal activity because of their permeant frustrations of
not being given opportunities.
In the opening of my name is Joe, the message is of the film is shown within the
opening sequence. Through cinematography, Joe is shown to be telling everyone of
his time when he was an alcoholic in an alcohol anonymous group. This used to show
that because of the social class and the circumstances that people get involved due
to their poverty stricken environment, it means that people get involved in drug and
substance abuse because it is so easily at their disposal due to the drug dealers that
surround the area. This shows the audience that people who are brought in to a
working class background are more likely to get involved, especially because of the
area that they live in as they can be peer pressured easily into taking the illegal
substances because they want to impress people, and do not want to left out.
Although, the cinematography is also used to show Joes appearance. Through the
clothes that joe is wearing we are able to see that he still lives in a poverty stricken
area, as joe is seen to not have a good appearance and is seen to be wearing scruffy
and cheap clothes, whereas people of a higher social class would be wearing much
more expensive clothing, therefore making them have a better appearance. Joe
appearance is used to illustrate to the audience that the social class that people are
raised up in effects the rest of their life, as they do not have the opportunities that
people who are in middle class and higher class positions have, meaning they are
somewhat stuck from changing their lives for the better and are unable to get away
from the area and move on from their lives. This means that because they are not
able to move away, the temptation is always there to take the drug’s, and despite
knowing that it can effect their lives for the worse and that they may not be able to
recover because they are not able to be helped by outside sources such as the
council, it means that they are more likely to take the drugs because for them it is a
way of escaping from their horrid surroundings and is a way for them to forget about
their livers that they hate.