Credits to a Thriller

MEMENTO

As I'm researching the intro to Memento, I'm discovering that Christopher Nolan is way more of a genius than I thought. Its been a while since I watched the movie but I remember being very impressed with how intricate the plot was and wondered what kind of guy could make something like this. Apparently its some very posh British guy with his brother who is obsessed with time. Most of Nolan's movies have some sort of play on time. Memento's play on time is that all the scenes in black and white are chronological and all the colored scenes are reversed in their order of events. 

Credit Sequence 

ANYWAYS, the opening credits to memento perfectly set the tone for the movie and hint at the unique sequence of events in the movie. 

The horrific image is disturbing but also intriguing, we want to know who has been killed, why, and who did it. Its also slowly realized that the photograph is being developed in reverse which finally answers the questions of who has been killed and who killed. The reverse hints at how the rest of the story will be told, which is not completely clear in the beginning of the movie. I think this sequence can help me with my ideas for my project as it shows me that I can include something that makes the audience uncomfortable for a long period of time. Obviously not as long as they did here, but maybe in the background of a skype call we might have while their is dialogue going on. 

SEVEN

When I first saw these opening credits I was unsettled by the electronic music. Its screechy sound sets the tone for the rest of the movie. And it also shows a methodical process in a very messy way,  overlapping shots, sudden cuts, and distorted writing. This is a good way to foreshadow our killer and give us a look into his strange habits that we wouldn't have seen otherwise. This opening gave me some good ideas on how I was my font to look and what tone I want my music to have. 

THE SHINNING

Surprise Surprise I have also seen this movie.  

This opening sequence gives a creepy feeling, like you are stalking whoever might be in the car. The camera flying through the air can be interpreted as a "spirit" following them through the mountains. The aqua font of the credits contrasts the natural background setting. All these details paired with the daunting music tell the audience what kind of movie this will be. 

Ending Comments 

These opening credits have all showed me that the credits can be add to the story in a cool way that the rest of the movie cant do. They force the viewers attention on something that has no dialogue, just visuals.  They are also very hard to do because staring at the same montage for 3-4 minutes straight can get pretty boring. So the challenge is finding a sequence that can relate to your story and be consistently entertaining- while also adding to your story. With Memento I admire how it takes a simple shot of someone holding a polaroid and makes it much more meaningful at the end of the credits.  Seven tells more about a character that doesn't come into the movie until almost the end of the movie. And The Shinning forces you to follow characters your soon to meet through a large landscape that emphasizes how far out into the middle of no where they are.