The film opens with the title displayed over a black screen as a singer's voice is heard by an audience at a show. Shots show an anonymous man running alone at night, establishing mystery around his identity, while the singer performs for a crowd. The date 'February 24, 1964' appears, with shots alternating between the solitary runner and lively performance. When a police car stops the runner, it references the racial tensions of the 1960s. The scene changes to show the man training in a gym, revealing his identity as Cassius Clay through his shirt.

1. Film Opening Analysis Ali (2001)
The film opens with a black screen and the title displayed in red text, and a diegetic voice is heard
talkingtoanaudience,laterconfirmedtobe asingerata show,howeverthe initialshotsare of aman
in a grey hoodie running at night. The opening shot is medium close shot from behind the man,
preserving his anonymity and making the audience curious to his identity as a main character –
especially compared to the upbeat, crowd-pleasing singer, the audio from whom accompanies the
silence and solitude of the jogger, which makes the audience wonder what links them. The date
‘February 24, 1964’ appears on the screen, then it cuts to the singer’s silhouette against a smoky
background,possiblyaclubsettingashe excitesaudience.The shotcutsagaintoa longshot,tracking
the joggeras he runsdownabandonedstreets,exaggeratinghisisolationasthere are nootherpeople
inthe frame andthe lightingisharshand connotescoldness.Asthe shotthencutsbacktothe singer’s
silhouette he beginstosing a soul song, then it cuts again to a wide shot of the emptystreetsas the
jogger runs across the frame and past the camera, getting closer until the shot is low angle which
potentiallyidentifiesthe joggerasa powerful character.There are a few more switchesbetweenthe
twocontrastingscenes,followingthejoggeralongmore emptyroadsand the clublocationwherethe
singer is performing, then there is a close up shot of the jogger’s face in the centre of the frame,
showinghisexpressionjustasa police car pullsupbehindhimandthe driveraskswhat he is running
from. This interaction references the racial tensions in the 60s, especiallybetween the police and
AfricanAmericans,andforeshadowsthe issuesthat the maincharacterwill face lateronasa resultof
the intense prejudicesof the time.Furtherreinforcementsof these themesare shownasthe singeris
blackandperformingtoacrowdmade upof onlynon-whitepeople,showingthe divide betweenraces
and referencing the effects of segregation on entertainment. The scene changes and the jogger is
showntrainingina gym inMiami Beach, makingclearto the audience thatthe manis a boxer – his t-
shirt reveals his identity to be Cassius Clay – and the camera cuts to different angles showing him
training.Asthe shotcuts to a point-of-view shotandwe see Clay’sfistsinthe frame the speedslows
downandcuts to a differentboxer’spointof view inthe ringduringamatchas we see the opposition
fighter punch towards the audience. I like the use of comparison and contrast to set the mood and
introduction of character in this opening.