Analysis of the graduate (1967)

1. The Graduate (1967)
Kenza Mokhtari

2. Initial Shot:
The sequence begins with a man in a close up, this stimulates a magnitude of
enigma codes such as ‘Who is he?’ ‘Where is he?’ ‘What is he looking at?’

3. • The screen then zooms out to reveal that that man is aboard an aeroplane
• In the long shot, the audience see the rest of the passengers in an identical
position which gives the character a sense of normalcy; a common aspect
of drama films

4. The titles:
• The titles appear in a black, sans-
serif font, conventional of comedy
dramas
• The titles begin to appear after he
boards the travellator
• A tracking shot is utilised to
exemplify the lack of movement
• The mundane scene allows the
focus to be directed towards the
titles
• This repeats from 00:25 until he
leaves the travellator at 01:55 – A
large majority of the title
sequence

5. Reflection of themes
• During the time the protagonist is on the travellator, the audience see a
multitude of people walking past; this reflects the comparatively slow pace
present in his life
• Furthermore it may reflect themes held within the narrative; for example one
may deduct the previous lack of excitement in his life

6. • There is then a tracking shot of
the luggage belt as more titles
appear
• The similarity between the two
shots causes the audience to relate
the two subjects; not only of it
being his belonging, but again to
exemplify the mundane nature of
the two
• This is followed by a close up of
the man picking up his bag, it is
noteworthy that he picks up the
bag as soon as it drops off the
travellator as it reveals a sense of
expertise and repetition.

7. Font change:
• The font and colours used in the titles change; this simply may be to make the
titles easier to read, but possibly used to replicate a change in the protagonists
life or plot twist
• In this shot the man is lost between a mass of people which again suggests a
sense of normalcy and reinforces the genre

8. Final shot:
• The audience are again shown the protagonist in a close up, starring blankly in
the direction of the camera
• The mice-on-scene of this scene is unusual and has a has a sense of
unfamiliarity as the tank appears to replicate those found in a dentist or other
waiting room; thus suggesting that he is waiting for someone/thing.

9. There is a graphic match of the initial and final shot in which the protagonist is
captured in a close up and the final image consisting of the same shot type. The
only difference is the framing in which shots captured, in which the later image
is more central. This enables the sequence to have a sense of closure; thus
indicating to the audience that the pre-credit scene has finished.
02:4300:02
End of title sequence: