This document provides a frame-by-frame summary of the opening scenes of the 1991 film "Cape Fear" directed by Martin Scorsese. [1] It begins with shots establishing the gloomy atmosphere and introducing the main character Max Cady being released from prison. [2] Cady is shown to be intimidating, well-built, covered in tattoos, and obsessed with images of power and aggression. [3] The frames summarize how Cady menacingly walks past other prisoners upon his release from prison on a dark and stormy day, suggesting he is a major threat.

1. Cape Fear
1991 Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte
& Jessica Lange

2. The sound of
Frame 1
falling rain in The movie opens
the with a Universal
background ident.
adds to the However, the
gloomy image is
atmosphere of subverted and
the initial shot presented in a
gloomy blue
colour.
The image also
appears as if
underwater.
This links to a
prominent
location in the
movie

3. Frame 2
Although this shot is taken from the title sequence it still helps to develop the
atmosphere of dread in the opening sequence. The reflection of a shadowy and
menacing figure is presented atop a backdrop of calm, lightly rippling water. This
juxtaposition of the calm with the violent lies at the core of the movie.

4. Frame 3
The camera
slowly zooms The girl is
out, stopping dressed in
at a mid-shot white carrying
of a girl in her connotations of
late innocence and
teens/early purity.
twenties.
She is the
archetypal
victim of the The dialogue
genre. speaks of the
This scene creates enjoyment the
uncertainty in the viewer young girl has
as its overwhelmingly experienced in a
positive tone is a marked “magical”
contrast to what is to place, the inaptly
come. named “Cape
Fear”

5. Frame 4 The movie
opens with an
establishing
Cady’s wall shot showing
is covered in Cady’s prison
pictures of cell.
historical
figures, mar
tyrs and
super
heroes. The
choice of
images
suggests he
respects
absolute The camera
The clip features
power & gradually zooms
bombastic, gloomy
aggression out to reveal
orchestral Music
and feels the scope of his
creating a sense of
that he has obsession.
foreboding/
been
anticipation of bad
mistreated.
things to come

6. Justice Frame 5
tattoo on
his back.
Bars create the feeling of safety
Exercising – shows vanity. The size of
and that he is trapped away.
him gives the impression that he
does this regularly. This gives a sense
of routine, and we get an idea of just
how long he has been there.

7. Lots of books
and unusual
pictures in the Frame 6 Has a lot of tattoos, which
have connotations of being
background. He tough and masculine. Has a
is intelligent, Looks menacing and creates tattoo of claw
therefore a tension as he walks past other marks, suggesting he may
credible threat convicts have been injured in the
to others. past.
As he walks out, the prison guard
knows his name, and all other prisoners Bars swung open – feeling of
are silent as he walks past. This safety disappeared as convict
suggests that it is a character to fear is set free
and that he is notoriously dangerous.
This heightens the feeling of fear

8. The weather is
dark and stormy
over the prison, Frame 7 He is wearing old
but appears to be clothes, suggesting he
more clear in the has been in prison for a
distance behind long time
the prison. This
creates a feeling
of doom and
Weather
misery which
prepares
surrounds the
audience
prison. The fact
for dark
the weather is
times to
even darker past
follow
the prison and
over the
character
suggests that the Long shot – can see how
prison is nothing large and depressing the The lightening in the
compared to him prison looks, and how background adds dramatic
and foreshadows small the character looks effect to the scene
something bad in comparison
happening.

9. Seems calm and
Coming directly towards the Frame 8 composed,
violence is
camera – intimidating to
audience, creates the sense that nothing out of
he is coming to get you. the ordinary to
him.
The dark clouds show
Has a look of hatred that something bad
on his face could happen

10. Complete
contrast to
where Cady
Frame 9 Shows the
person living
has come here is wealthy
from
Wealthy
persons
Point of view house –
shot, as though well
Cady is kept, belong
watching s to lawyer.