Film opening Analysis

PRIDE & PREJUDICE

An opening sequence must comply to certain areas if it wants to accomplish its main aim, to inform the viewer of: who the characters are, what the genre is, where is it meant to be set and what the narrative is.

Joe Wright’s version of Pride & Prejudice (2005) sets the location, genre and time period of the film well with an opening establishing shot of a dewy meadow at dawn, with warm sunlight and morning mist. This implies that is it set in a rural location in the country, and therefore has connotations of peace, calm and an image of romantic readiness. The genre and time period are also introduced through the non-diegetic music being played. It is typical and complies with the set time period well which also sets the mood of the film.
A little later, you are introduced into the main characters’ home. They have used a tracking shot of the main character as she walks through the yard so you get to see her surroundings, and then, as Lizzie walks off, it changes to a point of view shot from the audience to give the impression that you are ‘walking’ through the house yourself. This lets the viewer have the impression that they are in control and also that they are discovering the family and their living conditions for themselves.

When you first meet the character Elizabeth ’Lizzie’ Bennet (played by Keira Knightly) she is walking though the sunny dewy meadow and reading, while wearing a plain green dress of the period. This immediately gives you an insight into her personality and nature. Both of the activities that she is doing, alongside her dress code, connote curiosity, independence and thoughtfulness, but also show that she is not from a very wealthy family, which help the consumer to make a connection and make a friendship with her from the start. This is essential if the viewer is to journey along side the character throughout the story. We see Elizabeth through a close up and then an over the shoulder shot. This way we can see her focus and reaction to what she is doing, and then get to see her reaction to her finishing her book. These are also all essential for a connection with the main character.
We also get to meet Mr and Mrs. Bennet and the Bennet sisters and discover who and what they are like. This introduction helps to secure a knowledge of who everyone is and establish an understanding of the narrative. We meet Mr and Mrs. Bennet once we have come back to a mid shot of Lizzie coming up the outside stairs which is where the story then begins.

At this point we discover a bit of the narrative/plot from the conversation that Mr and Mrs. Bennet then have. It is not much but by the end you discover that is has had a fairly big role to play in the content of the story.


Here is the movie clip of the opening...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvePg4AXicQ


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