Thriller Film Opening Analysis: The Dark Knight (Action Thriller)
09:04Camera angles/shots
The first type of shot that we see is an aerial shot of an airplane, this is also a track shot as it follows the plane from behind as it turns. The we see a medium shot of a guy sitting on the plane, this pans left to reveal a five shot of two victims with bags over their heads, two soldiers behind them and a guy who has a gun in front. This is a slight low angle from behind shot as the antagonist moves back. Then we see a long shot from the front of the antagonist, this is also a behind shot of victims. Following this is a behind shot of the antagonist and a behind shot of the victims. We then see another behind shot of the antagonist, and the camera follows him on a steadicam. We then see a high angle aerial shot of the plane as the victims head is near the exit. The antagonist then hold a gun to the head of the victim in a closeup than cranes down to the victim. We then see a long front shot of the soldiers from the behind of another bagged victim. There is then a closeup of the victim as the antagonists shoots a gun aiming outside the airplane. After this there is a low angle medium shot behind the antagonist followed by a medium front shot of the antagonist. We then see a low shot behind the antagonist as another victim is dragged out of the plane. Followed by another medium shot as the antagonist questions the victim. The camera then zooms out and pans left to another masked victim who speaks and then a shot from behind the same victim. The camera then zooms in, into a low medium shot of the maked victim. Then we see a closeup of the antagonist and the camera cranes down as he reaches toward the victim. There is then a closeup shot that zooms in as the mask is taken off of the victim. As the unmasked victim talks, the camera zooms in to show acknowledgment. Following this is a series of closeup shots of the unmasked victim and the antagonist as they talk, shot from the behind of each character. The closeup shots of the unmasked victim are low angle shots and the shots of the antagonist are high angle shots to show that this unmasked victim is a potential threat to the antagonist. After this we see a aerial shot that rotates left in the plane's direction. The camera then switches back to the antagonist and the unmasked actor and we see the same series of high/low angle closeups again. Then we are shown another aerial shot of a plane, however another plane emerges into the frame and the camera pans left. Then we see a low angle medium shot of the victim, then a long shot of a guy in a seat followed by again, a low angle shot of the unmasked actor. The next to shots are an aerial shot above a plane and a low angle shot of the underneath of a plane. All of the camera shots on the plane are handheld shots, however shots of the plane had very smooth movements. This could indicate that the atmosphere inside the plane was unsteady.
Editing
The editing in this scene consists mostly of continuity editing, especially on the plane. However we do see a shot-reverse shot as the two characters exchange dialogue. We also see that in between this conversation we are shown clips of a plane, each clip another plane gets closer to another. These clips that are cut together is parallel editing and it indicates a connection between the two scenes. Apart from these, majority of the editing is continuous as the parallel editing build up to what is aboutto happen.
Sound
In the beginning, we can hear non-diegetic action music alongside the sound of a plane. We then hear dialogue on the plane of just the antagonist, whilst this music is still playing. You can also hear the propellers of the plane. Conversation continues, and the door of the aircraft can be heard as it is opened. When the door opens, the sound of the plane's engine is louder in the aerial shot. The antagonist raises his voice over the ambient sound of the aircraft. We then hear the loud sound of the gun as it is shot. The a
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