Shutter Island OPENING SCENE ANALYSIS WITH SCREENSHOTS

Camera shot and Sound

The opening scene begins with a wide shot of a boat

appearing through the mist. It creates a sense of mystery as all we see is nothing but thick

fog, and then a boat appearing. This peculiar start

to the film is intriguing and creates a feeling of anxiety

and uncertainty, and creates disorientation for the audience

as they are not immediately given a sense of location. This makes the audience want to see what happens next and

grabs their attention.Also, deep, low orchestral music is used to increase the tension of what might happen next and creates an unsettling mood for the audience. The dramatic music makes the audience associate people and places as to whether they are good or bad by the tone/key of the music. As well as being able to change the audience's mood.

Camera Shot and Mise En Scene

The next shot is an over the shoulder shot where

the camera has been deliberately positioned to

reveal the character, Teddy’s, reflection. This shot could infer that the

character has connotations of a split

personality as the audience can see him and his reflection. This

makes the audience feel uneasy as the character

is now made to be untrustworthy, even

though he is a Marshall who the audience should be able to trust. Also the

use of a mirror is a key/stereotypical prop within a Thriller film.

SilenceThe use of silence before Teddy’s flashback and when he is inside

the mental home for insane criminals and makes eye contact

with the old lady with a slash mark on her throat, creates a sense of

unease for the audience as it heightens their senses as they

don’t understand why these moments in particular have been highlighted. It prepares them to

listen and pay particular attention to whatever is about to happen

next.

Flashback Duration of 11seconds (-1 second for present day water clip ~ 10 seconds)

Dramatic music and fast paced editingThese screenshots are from Teddy’s flashbacks to when his wife was alive. There is no diegetic sound to the clips involving his wife, other than the clip of the water back in

the present day with Teddy. The non diegetic dramatic music throughout the clip is of low key, suggesting that

what appears to be happy memories, are not. Making the audience feel on edge, as they are not sure what is happening or what might happen. Going back to the

screenshot of the sea water in present day, makes the audience wonder if his wife actually died in a fire and was killed by the smoke, or if her death had something to do with water or drowning. This makes the audience start to not trust him, as they don’t understand the significance of the water and why it has been highlighted during Teddy’s

flashbacks of his wife. Also the fast paced editing to these clips suggest that Teddy doesn’t want to reveal to much about his wife, creating a sense of mystery and

weariness for the audience.

Mise En Scene and red- Herring

This screenshot is taken just after where Teddy has flashbacks to when his wife was alive. Just before Teddy comes back from his flashbacks, we see a glimpse of the sea water. This makes the audience wonder if his wife actually died in a fire and was killed by the smoke, or if her death had something to do with water or drowning. This makes the audience start to not trust him, as they don’t understand the significance of the water and why it has been highlighted during Teddy’s flashbacks of his wife. Just after the flashbacks, Teddy also asks for a cigarette as he seems to have lost his. He lights the cigarette, but only moments beforehand he was talking about his wife supposedly dying from the smoke from the fire; this leads the audience to not trust him even more than they already do.

Camera shot and Sound

When the island is finally revealed through a wide shot, the dramatic orchestral music starts; making the audience

associate the island with corrupt and terrifying thoughts as the music is sudden and of

a low keyAs they get closer to the

island the music becomes more full and dramatic,

increasing the level of tension and anxiety for the audience.

The music becomes more and more intense as the audience

travel with Teddy from the docks with the guards to the first gates of the Criminally Insane Hospital. The rising symphonic of the dramatic

music as they approach the hospital makes the audience feel un easy and creates a false sense of danger as

nothing actually happens, but the music infers otherwise.

Sound and Mise En SceneExaggerated sounds of chains/metalic sounds

are emphasised from the very beginning on the boat, all the way through to the chains

around the patients/prisoners feet and hands. This emphasises to the audience that chains

are a key prop within the film and they connote being trapped/imprisoned. Which could make

the audience weary and feel trapped.

Red Herring and Camera Shot

A close up shot of the Hospital Cemetery sign has been used to clearly

show the quote “Remember us for we too have lived, loved and laughed”. This

makes the audience feel on edge for what Teddy is about to face inside

the Hospital, as we know this sign is referring the past

patients.

Mise En SceneWhen the Prison

Officer talks about ward A and B, we see two

ordinary looking buildings of a red brick

colour. But when he talks about ward C, the

audience see a longshot of huge, grey building that looms over the

hospital campus. This infers to the audience

that Ward C is a horrible dark place, as grey is the

dominant colour and it makes them feel

uncomfortable and nervous for the

characters as they may venture into the building

later on in the film.

Red-HerringThis screenshot is from when

Teddy and Chuck arrive at Ashecliffe Hospital for the

criminally insane and Teddy catches this women’s eye who

acts suspicious and hand signals Teddy to be quite however we

as the audience and Teddy himself don’t know what she is

talking about and leads us to think that this is a red herring. The camera angle in this shot is a mid shot but she is the focus

point in the shot. This is engaging the audience into

what she is saying to Teddy and makes us think that she is

important in the story line.