Analysis of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' opening

A non-diegetic soundtrack is used to initially open the scene. It uses a low pitch and brass instruments to build tension before the audience sees anything so they don't know what to expect. This enforces a 'fear of the unknown' to which thrillers are renowned for. The extreme close up of the femme fatales' eye is used to show her fear of what she is watching. Eye's have connotations of being the 'window to the soul' therefore it provides the audience with true emotion and to expect to be left to piece together the narrative themselves. Another connotation of the eye is the idea of the female watching something and the audience watching her. The contributes to Hitchcock's trademark of voyeurism. Graphic match is used between the extreme close up of the eye and the first image that forms the credits. Here, it portrays almost a hypnotic feel, like an optical illusion. This creates confusion and the idea that the narrative will be testing for the brain and involve a lot of thought to follow.

Notes on the Opening Sequence of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo'

Sound -

• Non-diegetic soundtrack - low pitch, brass instruments, build tension before seeing anything - audience don't know what to expect
• Gun shots (sound effects) - loud over soundtrack (contrast of loud and quiet)
• Synchronised sound and patterns - uneasy feel - fast paced, unpredictable tone

Editing -

• Graphic match of the eye to the credits images - optical illusion - confusion for audience - almost hypnotic
• Black background for credits - the unknown 
• Fade one shot into the next - confusion
• Depth of field - foreground in focus, background blurred - links to fear of the unknown (can see whats close, don't know what's surrounding that)

Mise-en-scene -

• Dark lighting - unsure what's coming next, keeps a lot hidden from the audience
• Red lighting - connotes danger

Camera movement -

• Close up of mouth then eyes - builds suspense as the audience can't see anything else except what the character is seeing
• Final shot - ignores rule of thirds to put audience at unease

Types of Thrillers

Black Swan is a 2010 American
psychological thriller film directed
 by Darren Aronofsky

Psychological Thriller 
Black Swan

• Focus on psychology and emotional state of its character (protagonist)
• Subculture of thriller genre
• Aronofsky renowned for 'hip-hop montage' - represents drug use
• Also for use of lighting and fast-pace jump cuts represent change in characters
• Famous for 'fade to white' trademark - going in to the light

Mystery Thriller 

• Revolves around a puzzle that protagonists tries to solve
• Is usually triggered by an unusual event occurring at the beginning 
• Normally ends with the 'solution of the puzzle' and explanation of the event

Common elements

Vertigo is a 1958 mystery thriller

 directed and produced by

Alfred Hitchcock

• Retired or amateur detective (not professional)
• No police force helping
• Detective risks safety while investigating
• Clues dropped throughout
• Plot twist/red herrings to confuse audience 

For example - Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo'

• "Scottie" (retired police) asked to follow friends wife around - believes she is possessed - they fall in love - she commits suicide - he then finds a woman who looks similar - obsesses over her - makes her re-enact suicide 
• "Vertigo effect" - Zoom in and pull back 

Techno Thriller

IRobot is a 2004 American dystopian
science fiction techno thriller film
directed by Alex Proyas

• Large amounts of attributes - futuristic and involves things the audience want to see in the future
• Advanced technology

For example - Alex Proyas -iROBOT

• High tech/present day setting
• Advanced technology
• Hero figure not extravagant but knows hidden truth
• Colour and lighting clean and crisp
• Robotic sound effects

Disaster Thriller - 

2012 is a 2009 American science fiction
 disaster thriller directed and co-written
by Roland Emmerich

• Main conflict related to natural disaster e.g hurricane/earthquake etc

For example - Roland Emmerich - 2012

• People brought together through disaster (adds emotion)
• Science and tech play a key part
• Close up on faces are common
• Long/panning/tracking shots used to show the disaster/devastation
• Quick cuts build tension
• Non-diegetic sound draws out emotion
• Silence builds tension
• Key, recognisable settings

Thriller Mind Map