thriller opening 3: Scilene of the lambs - Jonathon Demme

physiological-thriller.

Camera:

• There is no use of camera during this title sequence as it is made with the use of CGI.

Sound:

• The non- diegetic music played by a Xylophone in 4/4 beats creating a very slow paced beat, similar to a ticking clock. The use of this music creates an eerie creepy effect; the single beats create a thinking effect as if the mind is ticking, perfect for a physiological thriller.

• As the sequence follows though the music becomes polyphonic, making the texture thicker whilst keeping the same pace and beat. It could be suggested that the music is representing intense physiological thought path that a character during the film might portray.

• The introduction of droned cello creates a melancholy feel, reflecting on the deep, dark and twisted mind the protagonist has.

• The final section of the musical script changes and the texture again becomes thinner. However, the xylophone and violin have been taken out and replaced with single crotchets played by the piano, whilst keeping the droned cello. The piano being the instrument to express emotion most effectively finishes off the title sequence whilst creating an unnerving atmosphere.

Editing:

• The first shot is appears to just be white dashed lines creating a shape, although it is symbolising the stitches the machinist would make in his job tailoring dresses. The grey shape becomes clearer when the shape separates from the black background when the music becomes thicker, forming a silhouette of a dressmakers tailored manikin. Further more, the outline appears to have large curves, symbolising the chunkier size 16 girls the machinist would kidnap.
  

• The shot then swiftly zooms into the name of the first actress, dotted lines cut across the screen from both diagonal directions, trimming the name, symbolising the cutting of peoples skin and keeping with the sewing machine aspect, subtly informing the audience about the movie.

• The title then zooms in even more until the next name appears. It could be suggested the replacement of names could symbolise the use of the girls then the fact he threw them away and moving onto the next one.

• The last title being the development of the ‘S’ symbolises the pieces of the human body being put together to create something. The use of the ‘S’ is also important as it could be symbolising the curvaceous females he used whilst spelling out the name of the title, ‘silence of the lambs’.