Sin City
One of the film thrillers that we looked at in class is the well known Sin City, directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodingnez, 2005. We focused on looking at how the film begins with opening shots and credits and all the things that were included in the shots such as mise-en-scene.
To begin in, the credits started with an explosion, immediately gripping the audiences attention and keeping them engaged.
The opening shots begun with an establishing shot of an urban city landscape and there is a lady wearing a low-back-cut, red dress who slowly walks to the edge of a balcony. The balcony appears to be very high up which suggests there are limited ways to escape, if the need to. We watch her firstly from the back which shows how her back is bare, making her look vulnerable. The camera then switches to be just in front of her where we can see her facial expressions and the man who appears from out of nowhere coming towards her and us. The shot there shows how the black and white contrasts of the chiaroscuro lighting between her red dress and
lips, as that seems to be the only colour used. Non- diegetic music is played which sounds like music played in film noirs. The man (who looks quite protective over her) offers a smoke and when she takes it, he lights her cigarette making her eyes glisten green. This suggests that she is feeling some kind of emotion. There is a very memorable shot which is when the man and woman kiss and the shot turns into a monochromatic image but it is still 
moving. The wind and rain are more noticeable which are also two thriller signifiers. There is then an intimate embrace between when the man pulls the trigger of a gun, killing her. There is then a birds eye view of the man holding the woman against him whilst sitting on the ground. The rain falls down, what seems, more harder as the man looks at- nearly directly into the camera. The movement of the camera then becomes a lot more faster, zooming out and then panning around the large sky scrapers that make up the location. The spiralling panning could be connoting that the story is going to have plenty of twist and turns.
The title of the film, Sin City, is then presented in white writing and then a red effec
t is cast over the title, making it completely red and more comic- styled writing. The backgrounds change, with flashing images crossing the background which included guns and 
people -maybe possible characters and the writing slowly criss-crossing the images. The font of the writing is in a cartoon-like style, as though written like a comic with the white outline. This could be almost a reminder of how the film is based on the graphic novel. The writing is red with the black and white background which makes it appear quite sinister and threatening.
The mise-en-scene presented seems to be a mixture of thrillers themes and film noir styles too. Weather wise, the location looks very bleak and eerie.
The narrative perspective is through an internal monologue, which is through the woman in the red dress. The voice over helps us move our attention to how she is behaving, where she is and then who the man is. We do not have any idea really who they both are, adding to the mysterious and intrigue.
One of the film thrillers that we looked at in class is the well known Sin City, directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodingnez, 2005. We focused on looking at how the film begins with opening shots and credits and all the things that were included in the shots such as mise-en-scene.
To begin in, the credits started with an explosion, immediately gripping the audiences attention and keeping them engaged.
The opening shots begun with an establishing shot of an urban city landscape and there is a lady wearing a low-back-cut, red dress who slowly walks to the edge of a balcony. The balcony appears to be very high up which suggests there are limited ways to escape, if the need to. We watch her firstly from the back which shows how her back is bare, making her look vulnerable. The camera then switches to be just in front of her where we can see her facial expressions and the man who appears from out of nowhere coming towards her and us. The shot there shows how the black and white contrasts of the chiaroscuro lighting between her red dress and
lips, as that seems to be the only colour used. Non- diegetic music is played which sounds like music played in film noirs. The man (who looks quite protective over her) offers a smoke and when she takes it, he lights her cigarette making her eyes glisten green. This suggests that she is feeling some kind of emotion. There is a very memorable shot which is when the man and woman kiss and the shot turns into a monochromatic image but it is still 
moving. The wind and rain are more noticeable which are also two thriller signifiers. There is then an intimate embrace between when the man pulls the trigger of a gun, killing her. There is then a birds eye view of the man holding the woman against him whilst sitting on the ground. The rain falls down, what seems, more harder as the man looks at- nearly directly into the camera. The movement of the camera then becomes a lot more faster, zooming out and then panning around the large sky scrapers that make up the location. The spiralling panning could be connoting that the story is going to have plenty of twist and turns.The title of the film, Sin City, is then presented in white writing and then a red effec
t is cast over the title, making it completely red and more comic- styled writing. The backgrounds change, with flashing images crossing the background which included guns and 
people -maybe possible characters and the writing slowly criss-crossing the images. The font of the writing is in a cartoon-like style, as though written like a comic with the white outline. This could be almost a reminder of how the film is based on the graphic novel. The writing is red with the black and white background which makes it appear quite sinister and threatening.The mise-en-scene presented seems to be a mixture of thrillers themes and film noir styles too. Weather wise, the location looks very bleak and eerie.
The narrative perspective is through an internal monologue, which is through the woman in the red dress. The voice over helps us move our attention to how she is behaving, where she is and then who the man is. We do not have any idea really who they both are, adding to the mysterious and intrigue.
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Layer Cake
Another example of a thriller we looked at in class was Layer Cake, a British gangster thriller directed by Matthew Vaughn, 2004. There were certain factors we were told to look out for; which for example included opening shots and credits. By looking closely at specific features of the film, I have begun to understand how they can have particular effects and most importantly, why the director chose to use the effects. Firstly, the opening credits welcome us to Layer Cake with rock music and a black and white background. The title is placed cleverly on the door, making us think that we are going to be following this character, as the title is focusing on the door (that the man walks through). Even more, with the character explaining himself through the internal monologue, it appears to be his thoughts and perspective will be told the story through. "If I told you that, then you'd be as wise as me." is a quotation that he uses to avoid identifying himself. Subsequently, creating mystery and intrigue as we want to know who he is.
The opening shots (containing mise-en-scene and shot types) began with a medium shot of an explosion, in a white van. The shot then started to zoom out very slowly, but instantly keeping the audiences focus on what was happening. This is a very quick way to make an audiences attention focus so they feel the need to carry on watching. The shot is at first slow motion, emphasizing the explosion, so we then notice the drug dealers near the van. This gives the instant realization that the film is based on drugs, a classic thriller theme. There are different time periods, welcoming us- as the audience into the films narrative and also the characters. These periods of time consist of: flower power to prison, to a 'shop' with shelves full of drugs where quick editing makes this room fade into a pharmacy. This helps make the audience understand what is going on or at least give them an idea what the film is about. As the film unfolds, we see that there are different characters involved in the same thing, drugs. They are quite the opposite though. There is an extreme long shot which shows a car crossing a road, surrounded by large fields, quite the contrary to the city landscape the main character lives in. The fields of what to appear belong to be a golf club, could be suggesting that they are going to a more remote place, which would therefore cut the people off. The men arrive to the mansion and walk through to a room, very smoothly with the camera first in front as them and then follows their steps. Once we enter a room with an important-looking man waiting, they each take a seat around a table. The camera then takes it in turn, panning around the table to show the men's faces and also seems to show who is talking. There is a long shot of a warehouse drive in, so we see where we are and who the characters are, although we cannot tell who they actually are as people. There are two sets of people in this part and their appearances look the opposite. One set are the people who look very unprofessional and are in tacky, casual wear. The other, are in fitted suits which make them look higher status and class. The only link they have between them is that they are both dealing with drugs. As in our own thriller introductions, we will need to create credits to introduce the film, Production Company and so forth. By looking closely at the opening credits of other films, we can then begin to create our own ideas of how we can present our own credits. Layer Cake used black and white backgrounds with white writing, very simple ideas, but still look attractive. The editing in Layer Cake involved mainly shots fading into another. For instance, the shelves of just drugs turned into a modern- day pharmacy. Before the pharmacy, the ‘shop’ like room looked very clinical and clean, almost fake, so when it turned into a pharmacy it was a lot more realistic. Another example of the fading-into-another-shot effect was when the shot of the door (with title of film) was at night and then the morning. This made it look like the night had passed quickly, now showing us that it is the next day. The music was a combination of diegetic and non- diegetic which gave the effect of the character hearing the music as well as the audience. Finally, the last factor we looked at was the narrative perspective in the film. The narrative perspective is told through Daniel Craig’s character, Mr (blank - as we are not told his name), through internal monologue. This perspective therefore shows his life, who he works with, what he does, his interests and his emotions. The director would have chose to make the narrative perspective be told through Craig’s character as he is very skilled at his job and is more of a leader for his other partners - although he has a boss.
All the effects of Layer Cake make the audience draw their attention. the quick editing and fast moving and twisting narrative makes the film exciting and a good example for a thriller. It has many thriller signifiers which include the theme of drugs and gangsters, a twisting and turning narrative, violence and deception and so on. The ending of the film is also left at a cliff hanger with Craig having a shot wound. The audience will want to know what happens after a nearly- happy ending.
Layer Cake
Another example of a thriller we looked at in class was Layer Cake, a British gangster thriller directed by Matthew Vaughn, 2004. There were certain factors we were told to look out for; which for example included opening shots and credits. By looking closely at specific features of the film, I have begun to understand how they can have particular effects and most importantly, why the director chose to use the effects. Firstly, the opening credits welcome us to Layer Cake with rock music and a black and white background. The title is placed cleverly on the door, making us think that we are going to be following this character, as the title is focusing on the door (that the man walks through). Even more, with the character explaining himself through the internal monologue, it appears to be his thoughts and perspective will be told the story through. "If I told you that, then you'd be as wise as me." is a quotation that he uses to avoid identifying himself. Subsequently, creating mystery and intrigue as we want to know who he is.
The opening shots (containing mise-en-scene and shot types) began with a medium shot of an explosion, in a white van. The shot then started to zoom out very slowly, but instantly keeping the audiences focus on what was happening. This is a very quick way to make an audiences attention focus so they feel the need to carry on watching. The shot is at first slow motion, emphasizing the explosion, so we then notice the drug dealers near the van. This gives the instant realization that the film is based on drugs, a classic thriller theme. There are different time periods, welcoming us- as the audience into the films narrative and also the characters. These periods of time consist of: flower power to prison, to a 'shop' with shelves full of drugs where quick editing makes this room fade into a pharmacy. This helps make the audience understand what is going on or at least give them an idea what the film is about. As the film unfolds, we see that there are different characters involved in the same thing, drugs. They are quite the opposite though. There is an extreme long shot which shows a car crossing a road, surrounded by large fields, quite the contrary to the city landscape the main character lives in. The fields of what to appear belong to be a golf club, could be suggesting that they are going to a more remote place, which would therefore cut the people off. The men arrive to the mansion and walk through to a room, very smoothly with the camera first in front as them and then follows their steps. Once we enter a room with an important-looking man waiting, they each take a seat around a table. The camera then takes it in turn, panning around the table to show the men's faces and also seems to show who is talking. There is a long shot of a warehouse drive in, so we see where we are and who the characters are, although we cannot tell who they actually are as people. There are two sets of people in this part and their appearances look the opposite. One set are the people who look very unprofessional and are in tacky, casual wear. The other, are in fitted suits which make them look higher status and class. The only link they have between them is that they are both dealing with drugs. As in our own thriller introductions, we will need to create credits to introduce the film, Production Company and so forth. By looking closely at the opening credits of other films, we can then begin to create our own ideas of how we can present our own credits. Layer Cake used black and white backgrounds with white writing, very simple ideas, but still look attractive. The editing in Layer Cake involved mainly shots fading into another. For instance, the shelves of just drugs turned into a modern- day pharmacy. Before the pharmacy, the ‘shop’ like room looked very clinical and clean, almost fake, so when it turned into a pharmacy it was a lot more realistic. Another example of the fading-into-another-shot effect was when the shot of the door (with title of film) was at night and then the morning. This made it look like the night had passed quickly, now showing us that it is the next day. The music was a combination of diegetic and non- diegetic which gave the effect of the character hearing the music as well as the audience. Finally, the last factor we looked at was the narrative perspective in the film. The narrative perspective is told through Daniel Craig’s character, Mr (blank - as we are not told his name), through internal monologue. This perspective therefore shows his life, who he works with, what he does, his interests and his emotions. The director would have chose to make the narrative perspective be told through Craig’s character as he is very skilled at his job and is more of a leader for his other partners - although he has a boss.
All the effects of Layer Cake make the audience draw their attention. the quick editing and fast moving and twisting narrative makes the film exciting and a good example for a thriller. It has many thriller signifiers which include the theme of drugs and gangsters, a twisting and turning narrative, violence and deception and so on. The ending of the film is also left at a cliff hanger with Craig having a shot wound. The audience will want to know what happens after a nearly- happy ending.
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