Analysing Thriller ClipsArlington Road
The Shining
What Lies Beneath
The Structure of Thriller Openings
There are 3 basic structures:
A narrative opening with the titles running throughout
A discrete title sequence
Titles on a plain background, followed by the narrative opening
Opening of Thriller clip - Collateral
Collateral opens with medium shot of Tom Cruise, even though
In this clip, Tom Cruise (actor) is walking through a crowd in an airport. The use of selective focus makes him stand out which make it more clear to the audience who they should be focusing on. His footsteps are heard which indicates he is in control and this foreshadows what may happen next in the film. In this clip, they have used the effect of blurring all the extras except Tom Cruise and Jason Statham. The contrast between fast and slow paced footsteps create tension and builds suspense. Both characters are wearing tuxedos but Statham has a black suit whilst Cruise’s is grey. The black sunglasses create suspense and make the audience want to know who Cruise is.
As the two walk towards each other, the sound of the crowd and the footsteps increases when the two characters are first seen together.