Analysis of Opening Sequence
- 1. Analysis of Opening Sequence – The Big Combo Firstly in the opening sequence of ‘The Big Combo’ we are presented in an establishing aerial shot of the cityscape which is presented to the audience as a labyrinth in which the characters and engulfed and trapped in successfully engaging the audience into the scene and furthering the plot. As the camera pans from right to left, the audience are able to get an in-depth look over the city showing low key lightening as only streetlights and car headlights can be seen. This successfully engages the audience as connotations of night suggests criminality can take place. Additionally as the title sequence comes to an end, so does the pan across the city. The camera slowly tilts down into a busy and hectic city in night time. Night shots are used frequently in film noir films as they add mystery to the scene. We later come to realise that the people were crossing the street to attend a boxing match which was a key event to attend in the twentieth century. A cutaway is used and the camera shows an enigmatic alley with a lot of shadows and low key lightening which was used in most film noir scenes. Because film noir’s are often set in black and white we see a woman run out of the shadows and is being chased by two men which suggests the femme fatal has been introduced into the film as the runs a tracking shot is used to track her movement as she attempts an escape. A match on action adds suspense to the scene as the audience are unaware of why she is running from these men or if she will be caught. Furthermore as the men pursue the woman she runs down many different corridors and side streets which indicates to the audience that the city is like a labyrinth which is very stereotypical of film noir as the audience can be engulfed by the city and how it feels like a maze. As the corridors come to a halt to woman, the woman is seen to take charge of the situation as she demands the men take her for some food. This is unusual for film noir as the woman is more dominant than the men which were not to be expected of the time this film was realised. I think that this suggests that the men are there to protect her and ensure she is safe. In conclusion the opening scene of ‘The Big Combo’ addresses many conventions of film noir and adheres to the stereotypical themes of film noir. It is an excellent opening scene and leaves lots of potential storylines to happen in the rest of the film. We are introduced to a female character which suggests to the audience that she is going to be the main aspect of the film and the film is going to focus on her making her the theme of the play as she is presented as a femme fatal, a damsel in distress. Michael Hutchinson