Alice Creed Opening - Gemma

Alice creed is the most chilling thriller opening I have looked at as immediately it follows the stereotypical aspect of the audience sitting on the edge of their seats. A non-diegetic soundtrack is instantly chilling and builds suspense, jump cuts are quickly used at a fast pace to compliment the suspense from a tracking side shot of cars parked in a line to then a forward tracking motion past the cars, this creates a creepy atmosphere for the audience. A medium shot is used to show a man keeping watch while another man behind him is trying to break into a van. A medium close up is then used to show us the same image of the man trying to get into the van which shows the audience clearer what the man is attempting to do.

The scene then changes via a cut and a tracking shot is used slightly to show the second man behind a car which we can see him through between the parts from behind the car taking the number plate off the van.

The scene again changes to a close up of the men’s feet from behind walking in the shops with a trolley in front of them using a tracking shot, the camera then switches to the front of the trolley and a close up of the trolley wheel is it the centre of the screen, the wheel is wobbling which suggests all is not well. Close ups of the men are then shown in the shops getting props such as a saw, a drill and some rope, all of which suggest danger and creates a chilling mood for the audience.

The scene is then changed by a simple cut into an empty room, the focus of this is the door which must represent meaning as it is the focus regularly , the camera is in a medium shot position and slowly tracks in towards the door, this is then disrupted by the men walking through it, the diegetic sounds of staples are emphasised in post-production to enhance the sound and make them more sharp. This creates an unsettling mood for the audience.

 The men seem to be working symmetrically as everything seems to be repetitive, a big close up is used to emphasise the curtains being pulled off their hooks. The lighting is dramatically changed when the characters place wooden boards in the window frame which restricts the lights and makes the setting look more scary. Close ups again are used to show the men bolting the doors with locks and ensuring they are secure, the scene again cuts to inside the van where the men are stapling plastic in the back of the van which is shown in a medium/ long shot which allows the audience to see what is happening.  The audience by this point are sitting on the edge of their seats and want to know what has happened 5 minutes into the film. This mysterious mood in the sequence is complimented by the fact that the men aren’t saying a word to each other so no dialogue is being used. This creates even more suspense and a creepy mood to the scenes.

The men’s costumes in the final scene is black but looking smart with a tie and white shirt on, black itself can be represented to be a symbol of danger, this is emphasised by the close up used to show the props in a line such as a balaclava, a gun, a knife, a gag and handcuffs. The ending shot is a close up of the man’s hands in his black leather gloves tapping the steering wheel. Finally a non-diegetic sound of ticking is used throughout the whole sequence which changes pace in sync with what is being visually shown, the ticking creates a creepy vibe throughout the whole sequence which is complimented by all of the close ups used.