Title Sequences Analysis

I will be analyzing three title sequences of horror movies from three different era’s to show the difference.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

No doubt the effects used in the title sequence would be unique and have elements of surrealism as that is a key element of his directing skills. The film opens up with the DreamWorks company logo along with intense music which already introduces the genre of film. A different style of music plays but it is still rather intense. The sky is a dark blue colour with mysterious red and white stuff falling from the sky with a factory being the backdrop with smoke coming out of the chimneys, which represents the genre. The camera is constantly moving showing us various things related to the film. There is a constant theme through the title sequence which is blood, which is also a key theme throughout the film. The blood locks thick and fresh and running down various household items which sort of indicates what is to come in the film. As the music gets more intense so do the effects with the blood getting faster and leading into a river and also a large fire, which is part of the plot twist of the film at the end. It then shows pies which is also a key element of the film. The scene ends with the music getting quieter and stopping and the scene fades into a cloudy dark sky.

Psycho (1960)

We see the film company Paramount Pictures presented. Intanstly you hear fast, intense music playing which creates tension. The famous film director Alred Hitchcock is then presented which can make viewers of the film more excited knowing that he directed it. The name of the film is then presented. The font and the way the writing moves creates tension and gives a scry effect combined with the intense music. Famous actors and other important members of crew are then presented. The grey lines that come across the the credits represent being locked away or trapped (like in prison) which foreshadows the film. An establishing shot of the city is used with a high angle. It pants from left to right and gives the audience a better understanding of where the film is set. The name of the place they are and the date and time is set on the screen which leaves the audience curius as obviously the date and time has importance. The way the camera enters through the window makes the audience feel like they’re in control.

Se7en (1995)

The sound of thunder is a classic convention of the horror genre, along with dark shots/shadows which creates tension. Unusual images being displayed give a disorientated feel. Shadows being projected and hidden identity makes the audience feels curious. Fast moving shots of various machinery make the audience feel confused. Brad Pitt is presented to the audience which tells Brad Pitt is going to be an important character in the film. Disturbing and unusual shots are being shown, this creates discomfort and curiousity about the characters mental health. Morgan Freeman is then presented to the audience, showing that his importance in the film is secondary to Brad’s. Some unusual sounds are used – some digetic and some undigetic which both add to the horror convention. The film title is being presented with a 7 replacing the V, representing the title ‘Seven’ and showing that the number is important in the film. More actors are being presented, these actors are less important than the ones presented first. The colour red is used indicating blood which could foreshadow blood in the film or danger or hell as all are related with the colour red.