Opening Sequences
Inside Man
For this task i am analysing 'Inside Man'. This is a Crime-Thriller which is directed by Spike Lee.
At the beginning of the opening sequence we establish the production companies: Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment. This is done with music, right from the beginning. Its Bollywood music with the sound title 'Chaiya Chaiya'. The use of this sound is unusual for an american crime thriller, but it is used to establish indirectly to the audience that there is a mystery throughout the movie. This is done by the lyrics of the song referring to 'My Shadow' which in terms of this movie and the thriller genre, is suitable due to its mystery.
It then continues to a medium close up of a character named Dalton Rusel. This whole scene is a Flash-forward but the audience do not know it at the time. Its used successfully as the audience don't know it till the end. The Codes for this to be executed are normal, nothing to convey that the audience are watching a flash-forward because it is set like that in the narrative to build up for the twist at the end. This is establishing that the narrative is non-linear due to the clip at the beginning. This clip is central throughout the movie, it shows this clip, then repeats it when it reaches that stage in the narrative, and then continues in a linear sequence of events.
The Dialogue in this clip is crucial in creating a mysterious atmosphere for the audience, making them ask questions, whilst giving them clues/foreshadowing what is to come. It begins with; "My name is Dalton Russel, pay strict attention to what i say because i choose my words carefully and i never repeat myself". This is a formal introduction to the character, without giving away much about him, we can tell he is a strict and imperative person. He then continues with more dialogue to further the narrative, but to also create more questions for the audience. "I have told you my name, thats the who. The where can most ruddily be described as a prison cell. But there is a vast difference in being stuck in a tiny cell and being in prison". The point where he begins to speak about the vast difference between the two, there is a cut to Don in the small area which is described as a prison cell, which is smaller than an actual prison cell. This the cuts to him reading a book, writing and then doing push ups. This dialogue is mainly used to create a mystery in the audiences mind, but also give them set questions to focus on throughout the film, so that they can get ready for the twist at the end. It creates the question of why would you be in a location which is described as a prison cell, if it isn't a prison cell? This means that he has strong reasons of why he is in the location which at the moment in the film, can only be described as a prison cell.
This then goes back to the medium close up of the characters face and he continues his dialogue to say; "the what is easy, recently i planned and set a motion of events to execute the perfect bank robbery. Thats also the when. As for the why, beyond the obvious financial motivation, it is exceeding simple, because i can. Which leaves us with only the how. And therein as the bard would tell us, lies the rub". This piece of dialogue gives us answered questions throughout. It also shows us that the character is over-confident. To end this scene, the dialogue gives us the question of how. Which means to the audience, that the how will be explained throughout the rest of the film. This short scene is used effectively to draw the audience into the film which begins with questions, and works on the curiosity of its audiences and makes them want to know the answers, therefore they will continue to watch the film. From the point of dialogue; "because i can", the background begins to become visible from its initial black to show the walls in which he is confined in, and from that, it zooms in the background whilst keeping the character in the same position, which was used to show the walls of confinement of the character becoming smaller and smaller. This scene ends and fades into opening credit with a very long shot of the van which goes towards the bank which is going to be robbed. Music continuing from the track 'Chaiya Chaiya'.
This was a upbeat track which is unconventional for an opening sequence of a thriller, but established the morning of the day in which this sequence of event which has been explained takes place.
The opening credits have an interesting typography which represents the film well.
These two examples of the typography used in 'Inside Man' symbolise that the movie has a focus of time. This is shown by the title being set out like a watch. This is telling the audience a theme of the film is time, along with crime through the use of dialogue about the bank robbery.
This opening sequence is overall a very successful opening sequence in terms of creating the mystery for the rest of the movie, and anticipation to find answers. It also does well to set out questions for the audience, identifies themes of the film such as crime, and uses cinematography and typography to convey certain aspects of the film
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