The document provides a detailed analysis of the opening title sequence of the film "The Dead Zone" through a series of screenshots and descriptions. It notes how the sequence creates a gloomy, mysterious and tense atmosphere through the use of dark colors, low lighting, lack of people or movement, and mysterious black shapes that gradually come together to reveal the title. This builds suspense and confusion for the audience until the climax when the title is finally shown in a dim, blue-tinted shot of a deserted road.
2. This wide shot of the house showing the full scale of the
house shows that there is no people around which links
to the thriller genre of the unknown. The lighting in this
shot is very dull and has a blue tint to it creating a
saddening mood to the atmosphere. The house looks
sombre and chilling in the blue tint.
3. In this shot there is very little light, and the background is misty; you can’t actually see much in the
scene, the enigmatic effect is established as not all is given away and the black shapes from the title text
look random and unrelated, this entices the audience as they are forced to continue to watch to understand
what they mean. The credits which are in white font stand out against the dark shot, creating a contrast
gradient and further plunging the background into a murky mysterious darkness. As the title sequence
continues and the shots cross dissolve into each other the slightly cryptic shapes remain exactly where they
are they are, prompting further confusion as to what they mean.
4. This low level wide shot shows one setting in which the
film is set in, the lighting is natural but the use of the sun
on one side and a shadow on the other creates
suspense. No genre is associated with the images but
the sound track is minor key which often used in thriller
films to create tension.
5. In this wide shot the colours and lighting contrasts to
others as it is sunny and bright. This challenges the
stereotypes of thrillers conventions as usually dark
colours are used.
The gradual build up of the black shapes appear more
as the opening continues.
6. In this scene there is a bit more light, showing a park
ground cast in shadow, which is a typical recurring thriller
convention however there is sun light and you can see
trees and sky. What is eerie about all of these shots is not
only the fact that they are dark, there is also an absence of
people or any movement at all, all the shots are static and
completely motionless.
7. The road looks mysterious which makes it look inviting. It is dark and the
fact that it is a road makes it more alluring. The black shapes are still
there, confusing the audience and building up suspense for the climax
when the actual title is revealed.
8. This high angle shot of the road again shows the town to
be deserted leaving the audience questioning the
opening. Again in this opening the lighting is low key
creating a tense atmosphere.
9. This is the point where the audience begins to
understand what the black shapes mean and
the climax of the opening sequence is
established, the audience can just read the
title. The lighting is still minimal and the dark
colours generally dominate the light colours.
10. This last shot of the title shows the build up of the jigsaw piece
which creates ‘ the dead zone’. The mood created by this shot
is dim and mysterious which is a thriller convention.
The font used is strong and edgy which warns us about the
danger within the film. The film opening doesn't reveal itself till
the end of the slow paced suspenseful opening, which also isn't
associated with thrillers as they are usually fast paced. This
part, where it is zooming out on the text is the only moving part
in the whole film which further emphasises its impression; and
adds effect to the opening title.
11. 2:13, here it is finally revealed what the
0:44 1:29, the road looks
alluring, mysterious
shapes mean, they build up the lettering
Setting looks
dark , bleak as, there is an of the film title, there is a gloomy blue tint
and black absence of cars or used here, with a shot of another
people, there is a road, the scene is completely
triangles look
dark setting
odd and lifeless, hence corresponding to the film
confusing title ‘The Dead Zone
0:00 2:58.
00:22
Here, the mis-en-scene is 1:06
strangely pleasant with This is also a 1:51, more
natural lighting, no odd pleasant black shapes
black shapes, it is a scene, however, t are dominating
comfortable frame of a he background is this scene, and
large, old fashioned house another road
blurry and the
with a white picket which looks
black triangles
fence, surrounded by
somewhat eerie and dark
trees in full bloom and
disorientate the and
green grass, this shot
seems to defy typical viewer, the intriguing, dark
thriller conventions lighting here is lighting mixed
however the lack of perhaps slightly with the sombre
motion in the scene is blue tinted greyish tint, or
eerily questionable however it is npt perhaps
as shadowy as desaturation
the other frames
