Inglorious Basterds (directed by Quentin Tarantino) begins using the simple, traditional approach of opening with credits during the first two minutes. This method of stimulating enigma is simple- it creates a build up to the opening scene making the audience impatient and eager for the film to start.
Inglorious Basterds - Timeline of Opening Sequence
1/10 sec's - Non-diagetic western-sounding music begins with the opening production company titles.
Music sounds dated and not from the modern era immediately setting the tone of war time
through the waltz music- popular at the time. Black and white font.
2/10 sec's - Non-diagetic music builds up to main title. Font of main title appears angrily-hand written,
and stands out from previous titles.
3/10 sec's - Yellow font of tittles, main actors name appears in tittles. The colour of the font as well as the
type is used to distinguish the importance of people in the titles. Thickened texture of music
(gradually builds throughout) titles are in sync with beat of music.
4/10 sec's - Names of actors following appear in order of importance. Overall music doesn't posses a
particular mood- not particularly happy or sad.
5/10 sec's - Names of introductory actors appear- build up of music again.
6/10 sec's - Change of colour of font to black and white and smaller size- change of importance in titles
(not leading actors)
Second Minute begins
1/20 sec's - Guest Starring actors names begin- displayed in black and white font. Music build up- main
musical motif repeated.
2/20 sec's - Simply black screen- titles have finished. Music continues for a couple of seconds and the
texture thins out, as well as the dynamics growing quieter.
3/20 sec's - Establishing shot of film. Shot of man chopping wood from a low-angle shot. Summer colours
emphasized through high contrast of shots. Setting appears to be somewhere in the country
side- official country not yet identified. Straight cut to shot of woman hanging washing mid-
shot- she sees someone arriving in the distance.
Information gained from opening
- We know this film isn't set in modern day judging from the western waltz music, costume and old-fashioned title opening
- Setting of film is in the season of summer evident from the background colours and physical state of man chopping wood
- There is a man chopping wood who appears to be middle-aged and someone is paying him and the woman hanging up the washing a visit
How this creates enigma
- The fact that the film opens with titles on a black screen rather than driving straight into the narrative keeps the audience waiting for the opening scene to be introduced.
- Audience isn't given much to go on in terms of guessing the narrative- builds suspense thus creating enigma- only the music and title font are the main clues as well as the opening shot of an chopping wood in rural country side.
- The last ten seconds of black screen before the opening scene are particularly suspense building as the audience is waiting patiently for the movie to begin. Opening movies in this way was the way pretty much all old films began, so this type of opening is in itself giving away the fact that this movie isn't set in the modern day. I find when often watching old movies to be quite infuriating waiting for the movie to begin during the credits- it certainly stimulates enigma.
No comments:
Post a Comment