Thriller Research Task - Shutter Island

The next opening clip I decided to watch for my Thriller research task was 'Shutter Island' directed by Martin Scorsese. This opening straight away begins to build tension. Extremely dark music accompanies this sequence, this builds an extreme amount of tension within the scene. A lot of conventions are shown in this that are used in typical psychological thrillers. For instance, guns, dark corridors, rain, guards and prison cells. The effect of these images appearing on the screen are quite chilling, and combined with the music it makes the opening even more creepy. There is usage of camera work to create effect in this opening sequence as well. For instance, it cuts to a spiraling staircase, but the camera is positioned in birds eye view and is spiraling down as if you were walking down the stairs. This makes the viewer feel at unease because it is as if they are walking down the staircase first hand. This is effective as it gives us more information about the thriller. Throughout the opening sequence, the names of actors appear on screen using different effects. For example, the names of directors and producers etc. flicker onto the screen like a candle, and then fade out, most of them are in red. This effect fits the mood of the film as it is a spooky psychological thriller. Also, the names of the actors in the film come on the screen, by each letter of their name fading in one by one, and then out one by one. They are in white, showing they are different from the production team in red. The names of actors appear above certain objects which may give you a clue about what type of character they are playing for instance Leonardo DiCaprio's name appears above a gun.