For this task, I was asked to view 3 different film openings and analyze at least one of my 3 choices. I have chosen to look at Sweeney Todd which was directed by Tim Burton. Since I've always been a fan of his work, I find that the opening to this film is very interesting approach to start off a film. The first impression you get from watching this opening is suspense, as is starts off during the night with ghostly, dark music and then a sudden rush of thunder and rain begins to mix in with the non-diegetic sound. The camera angle continues a following shot over buildings and finally tilts down to the barbers chair. Then the camera continues a following shot on a trail of blood that goes keeps moving down to the cellar. The reason this creates suspense is because as we follow the camera angle, we gradually find out what is in store for the film and as we follow the blood, we get more of an image of what to expect in this film. What also creates tension and horror is the diegetic sound used for the blood and we hear it squelch and drip throughout its path.
As the opening is clearly animated, it gives off the feel that it is real as each object looks perfectly realistic however as it is odd that the blood is moving in such a careful path towards the cellar, we know that this opening has definitely been edited. What isn't shown is very many cuts where the scene changes completely as the main camera angle used is a following, the camera captures most of what is going on without adding in too many cuts.
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