The document discusses and analyzes the opening title sequences of four films: North By Northwest, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Vertigo, and Silence of the Lambs. It notes visual and audio elements in each opening that set tones of mystery, suspense, and danger to draw audiences into the films' narratives. Key techniques highlighted include graphic and architectural imagery, fast-paced music, flashing close-ups, circular motifs, shaking frames, and low-light forest settings.

1. Film Openings

2. North By Northwest
Northby NorthWestopeningtitlesequenceshowstheearly
workofSaulBass,a famousopeningtitlesdesigner.
Theopeningsequencestartswitha graphiclike drawingofa
chequeredpatternofgreenand blue;greenpossiblyhaving
negativeconnotationsofenvy.
Thispatternthenturnsintoanestablishingshotofa
skyscraper,presumablyin NewYorkorsomekindofbigcity.
Thebuildingactsamirrortoshowthebusyroads,showingcarsandtaxis.Thebuildingactingasamirroriseffectiveasit meansthattheaudiencedoesn’t
directly seewhatisgoingon whichactsasan enigmaforthefilm.
Themusicin theopeninghasa verysuspenselike tonetoitconnotingdangerorsomekindofdisturbancetotheequilibrium whichcreatesanedgeofseats
atmospheretotheopening.

3. The Girl With The Dragon
Tattoo
The Girl With Dragon Tattoo is a
much more modern film (2011) so
therefore as they would have higher
budgets and better technology than
North by Northwest so it therefore
follows a much more complex
structure.
The music of the opening is very fast pace which connotes a dramatic, fast pace
narrative for the film. It also has a black and white theme throughout which
suggests a mystery and some kind of enigma, this may also suggest danger.
The opening contains extreme close ups of different images which flash up and
then flash back to black screen which makes it hard for the audience to keep up
with the opening creating enigma codes and making them want to watch the film.

4. Vertigo
The opening to vertigo is another opening which was the work of Saul Bass.
The opening begins with a close up shot of some eyes, this creates a sense of
suspense as it gives a direct mode of address to the audience.
The opening then moves into shots of different Spirograph's which are all
circular. This fits with the title and the theme of the film of “Vertigo”. Vertigo is a
fear of heights which can cause major dizziness, which fits with the
Spirograph’s.
The music is very tense and fast
pace which fits with the thriller
genre as it creates suspense and
an eerie atmosphere for the
audience watching the opening.

5. Silence Of The Lambs
The opening to Silence of the Lambs has a different approach to the openings in the
previous slides as it doesn’t show a montage of images. It shows a shot of a woman
doing an assault course kind of thing, and the screen goes smaller with a black border
around it but it shakes which suggests some kind of disturbance to the equilibrium later
on in the film.
The credits which appear on the screen also have a shaking effect which again fits with
the disturbing narrative.
The music in the opening is quite slow
which is unusual for an opening of a
thriller because they usually follow a fast
pace structure.
The setting of the opening is in a forest
which may suggest danger as it’s a
almost abandoned area. The lighting is
also very dark and low which is
stereotypical of the thriller genre.