1. Casino Royale Analysis
My expectations for the rest of the film are that it is going to have a great deal of suspense.
This can be shown though the sound of the opening. The music is tense which keeps building
up and becomes stronger. They both speak in a calm voice whilst the tense music behind
showing they know each other but have a dangerous past (since the opening is in black in
white). The narrative between Bond and The Spy shows that there is a story behind why the
Spy try’s to killBond, and eventually Bond killing the Spy and his contact. Therefore, we expect
the rest of the film to be violent, tense and unexpected.
The titles to Casino Royale are as I expected them to be. The use of guns and fighting all fit
into the thriller genre whilst alsohaving the bullets to be linked to the title of the filmby them
being hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds (just like playing cards in a casino). The movement
of the figures fighting against each other are in black and red. The black is meant to symbolise
Bond as the main character so he stands out and then the red figure is the enemy who always
is beaten and turns in red hearts or red diamonds. When the names are shown they are in the
middle of the screen surrounded by cards very clearlyin bold blackso we cantell which people
are acting in the movie.
From the opening I only recognise Daniel Craig from previously in movies and from being
advertised as the new James Bond, since it is a big character to live up to. Daniel Craig has
been in past popular films, such as The Golden Compass, Dream House, Archangel and many
more. He has experience from the film‘The Cowboys and The Aliens’ because he had the use
of acting in a violent surrounding so he had the skills to be able to play a character like James
Bond which he had been taught previously. For example it gave him the ability to act strong
to be able to kill the contact with his bare hands showing he is authorities. He was in a black
suit which portrayed him as aman who is only interested in business;he doesn’t want to mess
around.
It is easily noticeable that the genre is thriller as the camerawork catches the most important
parts. When the spy arrives in the dark room there is a low angle shot to portray he is not the
main focus of the opening. Also, whilst the spy is talking to Bond he is shown in a background
shot to show he is less powerful than Bond and we don’t need to pay as much attention to
him. There is a close up of Bond when he kills the contact to show that his facial expression
isn’t fazed that he has killed a man. This is the same when he shoots the Spy. When the
Contact is first shown he is being pushed into the wall at a high angle shot implying that the
Contact is vulnerable and weak.
The use of sound and conventions – of thrillers – are used to make the opening tense. The
first thing heard is the sound of a car pulling up to a glass building ending with the slamof the
car door once the Spy has exited. Car chases arevery common inthrillers so the car symbolises
the danger to the movie. This is followed by music which has been faster paced to show that
something or someone is expected. We here James Bond speak at first but don’t see him and
2. the music cuts out for a few seconds to show Bond’s importance to the scene. The whole
opening is in black and white but it is very understandable to see that Bond is sitting in a dark
corner. During the fight between Bond and the Contact the music becomes louder and faster
to make the action seem powerful. In between the music you can hear both men’s groans
and punches to each other; this has been made to fit in perfectly with the action music.
The words ‘Crime Fighter’ fit perfectly in with the genre, thriller. Thrillers are full of fighting
and there is always a person who wants to stop a ‘villain’. Without a crime fighter there
wouldn’t be a film because the villain would just get away with everything and it would make
the filmuninteresting. Another work which can have opposing views is ‘criminality’. Bond can
be seen as having ‘skills and expertise of a hero’ because he fights crime. However, Bond also
kills a person which is a crime itself. He is going against the law but at the same time doing
the best for others? My opinion is he’s a hero because the people he shoots etc.. are villains
and deserve to die.
