Textual analysis

We have looked at the opening sequences for three films that fit into the category of genre “thriller”. After watching these three films we can draw comparisons from all three and also things that are different between the three. The three films that have been looked at are; Swordfish, Collateral and Face off. Thrillers on the whole have a certain routine to the film. At first there will be equilibrium and this will then get disrupted and then at the end everything will be resolved and the equilibrium will be restored.

Conventions of thrillers

The plot of most thriller films is to keep the audience as engaged with the film as possible. This is why the majority of thriller films all work up to a big climax towards the end of the film. This is called a convention of a thriller film. Many other things are conventions of thrillers however, things like the lighting or a certain location or a costume can all be a convention of a thriller. Plot stories to do with Robbery, Murder, drugs, most of these films would normally fall into a thriller category.

Locations are also a common thing that would outline that the film genre is a thriller. For example places set close to a big bank or suburban or derelict places.

Mise-en-scene

The mise-en-scene of the characters at the start of Swordfish are very mismatched. There is one character that is obviously in control of the situation and this is john Travolta’s character. His character is wearing a suit that in the initial lighting of the scene looks black. The camera never moves from the face of this character and this is to show the power and importance of him at this particular time. His power gets emphasised by his calmness given the situation he is in. The audience however do not know the situation he is in however till the moment he stands up. This somehow makes the audience respect the character more now knowing what he is involved in. Also when the men are having the conversation around the table even when he is not talking the camera does not move from being fixed on his face. You would normally expect to see a shot/Reverse shot being used here but to emphasise the powerful mise-en-scene of this person the camera does not move.

The way in which this is filmed however shows the different mise-en-scene of the two characters perfectly. Tom Cruise’s character is in a grey suit looking very professional and in control. Jason Statham’s character however is just walking through the airport like a normal person. We then cut to a scene where these two bumps into each other and we get the back exchange this alerts to the audience that something is going on. But then after this scene it then cuts to Jamie Fox’s Character and we do not see the other two characters for a good while.

Sound

The sound is always a key feature in any film whether that be diegetic or non diegetic. Diegetic is the sound that can be heard by the actors and is actually being made at that moment in time. Non-diegetic sound is sound that has either been enhanced or added on after the final production of the film.

A lot of non-diegetic sound is used within thrillers as there are many explosions, gun shots and car sirens that need to be added in or enhanced. All three of these films contain both types of sound. Swordfish however contains the most interesting example of the sound being used in the opening sequence. At the moments of the explosion the action gets rapidly slowed down using editing but not only this all the small very quiet sounds get enhanced and this gives a very good effect and emphasises the destruction and chaos in the scene. This enhancement of sound can also be seen in the opening sequence of “Face Off”.

The beginning of Face Off uses some very interesting sound. The very first shot we get is of John Travolta’s character and his son on the carousel. While this is in the frame the music that is non-diegetic in the background is a high pitched slow song. Then when we get introduced to Nicholas Cage on the hill the music changes instantly to a much lower pitch of tune. Then when the shot is about to be made all of the sound from the clip is muted except from the sound of the trigger being pulled and then the bullet being fired. This provides a good contrast between the two sides, the protagonist and the antagonist.

Editing

The editing in all three of the films fits the conventions of thrillers, they are generally fast paced edited throughout action scenes and scenes of importance, this allows the director to change it up by changing the editing to that of something slower to create meaning or apply emphasis.

Swordfish

The opening sequence for this film is not as commonly used by film directors. This opening sequence throws the viewer in already half way down the line of the plot of the story. This shows the equilibrium being disrupted and then goes back to show you how and why this has occurred. Although not many other films do this it works because the introduction to the film then leaves the viewer wanting to know why that this has happened and how it will end. This type of gripping and engaging start to a film is what the many thrillers try to achieve.

The mise-en-scene if the characters at the start of this film are very mismatched. There is one character that is obviously in control of the situation and this is john Travolta’s character. His character is wearing a suit that in the initial lighting of the scene looks black. The camera never moves from the face of this character and this is to show the power and importance of him at this particular time. His power gets emphasised by his calmness given the situation he is in. The audience however do not know the situation he is in however till the moment he stands up. This somehow makes the audience respect the character more now knowing what he is involved in. Also when the men are having the conversation around the table even when he is not talking the camera does not move from being fixed on his face. You would normally expect to see a shot/Reverse shot being used here but to emphasise the powerful mise-en-scene of this person the camera does not move.

Collateral

This film too also uses a rather uncommon method of filming. Before the audience see any shots the sound that is played over the titles immediately lets the audience know there the first scene is going to be shot. The first shot we then get is a shot of Tom Cruise walking through the airport and then a shot of Jason Statham walking through the airport. The way in which this is filmed however shows the different mise-en-scene of the two characters perfectly. Tom Cruise’s character is in a grey suit looking very professional and in control. Jason Statham’s character however is just walking through the airport like a normal person. We then cut to a scene where these two bump intop each other and we get the back exchange this alerts to the audience that something is going on. But then after this scene it then cuts to Jamie Fox’s Character and we do not see the other two characters for a good while. This method works well because not only are the audience now suspicious of the two characters at the beginning they are now wondering how they are going to tie in with this side of the story and are inquisitive to the bag exchange although it has not been explained yet.

Face Off

Face off does follow this rule but the equilibrium and the destruction of the equilibrium all happens within the first three minutes of the film. The opening scene immediately throws you into the film and from then on the equilibrium is always trying to be restored. The mise-en-scene of Nick Cage’s character is seen as very powerful through; his clothes, his gold guns, and general behaviour as he seems like he is in control of every situation.