The opening sequence of Sweeney Todd establishes the dark and gloomy setting of 19th century London through panning shots of chimney tops under a dark, foggy sky. It then draws the viewer's eye to a barber shop window, hinting that much of the story will take place there. Foreshadowing future events, a trail of blood is shown trickling down the barber chair and into the basement, taking the same path that bodies will later be disposed of. Through its deep, suspenseful orchestral music and low-key, shadowy lighting, the sequence sets the thriller genre and dark tone for the film.

1. Sweeney Todd Analysis
The first opening sequence I have chosen to
analyse is from Sweeney Todd. The film was
released in 2007 and was directed by Tim
Burton.
I have chosen to analyse this opening sequence
because I like how it gives you an insight into the
plot of the film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKv6XlsJUjs

2. How the narrative is set up
The first shot pans
across lots of chimney
tops and the sky is
dark and foggy.
We are not introduced
to any characters in
this opening sequence
but we do follow the
journey of a trickle of
blood.
After panning through the
chimney tops, you come to a
window and you look through it
to see the barber chair. From the
smog and the rain, you can tell it
is set in London. Also, as the
barber shop is the first room you
see, you know most of the story
will take place there.
The blood travels down the barber
chair and through to the basement.
The blood takes the same route
that eventually the dead bodies will
take when Sweeney kills them later
in the film. This is a way of
foreshadowing.

3. How the genre is established
The sound is orchestral
and mainly consists of
strings and brass.
The lighting is very low
key and has a dark mise
en scene
As the music is orchestral, it is deep and
adds suspense to the film. This helps to
establish the genre as thriller films
always include music that adds
suspense and tension.
The lighting is very low key to show the
glum and dark mood of the film. The
blood is a really bright red so stand outs a
lot against the dark background. This is to
emphasise the importance of the blood
and how it represents all of the deaths
about to happen.