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Page 1: Shutter Island opening title sequence textual analysis (2010) directed by Martin Scorsese By Mahli Macwana View here:

Shutter Island opening title sequence textual

analysis (2010) directed by Martin Scorsese

By Mahli Macwana

View here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obvksJ7-4hQ

Page 2: Shutter Island opening title sequence textual analysis (2010) directed by Martin Scorsese By Mahli Macwana View here:

Setting/location • In the opening title sequence you get shots of a narrow, damp and dark hallway

which has a concrete roof. This reminds people of a prison this is typical of a thriller because prisons, particularly in crime thrillers have bad people in. There is also some spiraling stairs which can make you feel like your “spiraling out of control” and connotes insanity this is typical of a psychological thriller film. They also were popular in the mid 50’s which gives the audience an idea of the time the film is set in. There is also a scene of a dark room with handcuffs attached to the wall this suggests its maybe some sort of prison or torture room. So you get some clues that the film is set in a mental asylum for the criminally insane. And the very last shot of the opening title sequence you have a very long shot which shows the island and you can see its very isolated and the idea of no escape.

Page 3: Shutter Island opening title sequence textual analysis (2010) directed by Martin Scorsese By Mahli Macwana View here:

Lighting/colour stock • The lighting inside the prison is dark which connotes danger and makes it seem

mysterious. As shots outside of the prison are in the daylight and are bright which gives a sense of freedom contrasting to the inside this suggests that inside the prison is dark, depressing and threatening. This is typical of the thriller genre because darkness evokes fear in people.

• The colour is mostly in black and whites this is typical of thrillers because it restricts narrative to creates a mysterious feeling. There is also a slight yellow tint on some shots. Yellow is a sickly colour this could suggest that that the type of place the film is set in a sickly and depressing one. Also a blue tint is added which emphases' the idea of the sea which is surrounding the island. And it adds depressing mood to the shot.

Page 4: Shutter Island opening title sequence textual analysis (2010) directed by Martin Scorsese By Mahli Macwana View here:

Costume/appearance

• In the opening sequence there are not many shots of people, this suggests isolation which is typical of thriller films. In one shot you can see men that are dressed in formal police uniforms, This suggests authority and it also tells the audience that it’s a dangerous place and needs to be guarded by armed police. It also hints the setting is in the past.

Page 5: Shutter Island opening title sequence textual analysis (2010) directed by Martin Scorsese By Mahli Macwana View here:

props

• There aren't many props in the opening title sequence, but one of them was a gun that is being concealed with a foot. The gun suggests danger and the sliding away of the gun could suggest that its not a physical battle but a mental one this is common in psychological thrillers, Also the gun is slid away slowly which creates suspense and tension the purpose of this is to gets the audience hooked . Another prop is the match. In this shot the lighting is dark and then the match is lit and it creates a small amount of light that is fragile and temporary. This contrasts the idea of good and evil. These shots hint that the narrative will include weapons and violence.

Page 6: Shutter Island opening title sequence textual analysis (2010) directed by Martin Scorsese By Mahli Macwana View here:

Cinematography • There is a range of different types of shots in the opening credits. We get some long

shots of the setting so we get a basic idea of the location of the film.

We never get a shot of the main characters. But we do get some extreme close ups of them for example a foot and a hand. This keeps the audience wondering who the main characters this creates an enigma and is typical in thriller film opening title sequence to hook the viewers in. Also the shots gets faster in pace and goes with the music this builds a sense of fear and anxiety.

Most of the shots are short which creates tension because you don’t have much time to take in the information on the screen. Forcing viewers to become more engaged in the film

Page 7: Shutter Island opening title sequence textual analysis (2010) directed by Martin Scorsese By Mahli Macwana View here:

Editing • Transitions – the shots either faded to black or dissolved into each other.

Fading to black gives the effect of losing light and going into the darkness this connotes danger, evil and death. dissolving into the next shot brings the atmosphere from one shot into the next this creates continuity and builds an atmosphere of anxiety. for example the snow is brought into the cell which makes the cell look cold and uncomfortable.

• Special effects – the font is bold and in capital letters almost like it’s screaming at you; This creates an aggressive effect and tells the audience that the film is violent. The font blurs in and out focus a lot, this makes it look jumpy and twitchy which gives it an mental look. It also creates a psychological link. The colour of the font is red which suggests danger.

Page 8: Shutter Island opening title sequence textual analysis (2010) directed by Martin Scorsese By Mahli Macwana View here:

Sound • The music used is called:

Symphony No.3 Passacagalia - Allegro moderato

• Non-diegetic sound is the only musical type sound used in the opening sequence. The orchestral music captures the audiences attention by the slow tempo and low pitched tone. The tempo increase in speed as you move through the title sequence and moves towards a climax. It sets a thrilling mood for what your about to see. This type of suspenseful orchestral music is typically used in thriller films. It also shows the building of suspense towards a climax which suggests the narrative events. The match scene matches the music. As he strikes the match. The music is sharp and quick.


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