Researching your chosen genre - Psychological Thriller

 The Unusual Suspects

     The opening sequence of The Unusual Suspects consists of mainly panning and tilting the camera to set the opening scene of the film for the viewers. The initial shot is an extreme close up of a large amount of matches being lit. This connotes danger as once fire is created it is often difficult to control. The shot then switches to a medium close up of a man resting on a wooden box attempting to light a cigarette on another set of matches. This connotes deception as not everything is as simple as when you first see it, you have to wait for the bigger picture to arrive. The camera often tilts up and down to show the streaming of water, oil or fire and how it is spreading. This connotes how everything can surround you and the use of natural substances spreading where they would not normally be suggests that something disastrous is about to happen.

The sound used in the opening sequence is mainly diegetic. The first shot used features the sound of a match being struck and the flame inflating and then deflating again. This would be a familiar sound to the majority of the viewers. This then fades out and a light stream of water running down something is heard. This connotes purity and continuity as water is a natural substance and it is flowing. The burning matches are then dropped and they catch fire to a stream of oil running down what looks like a boat. There is a sound of flames travelling and ‘gushing’ which adds to the soothing sound of the water. The fire gets stronger and begins to crackle which also adds to the idea that ‘nothing is what it originally seems’. Non-diegetic dramatic music begins to play in the background softly. It is made up of what sounds like several faint violins being played. The sound of a man walking down metal steps breaks the soft sounds and brings the viewer back into the harsh genre. Two men then have a conversation. They speak softly and quietly however they both have relatively gravely voices. This adds to the soothing setting they appear to be in but also adds to the fire which is growing around them. Towards the end of the opening sequence a gunshot sounds from a distance followed by an increase in the non-diegetic music. This connotes mystery as tension is being built within the sequence.

The mise-en-scene consists of a boat filled with what looks like cargo. There are several wooden crates along with ropes. The use of a boat as opposed to opening with a setting on land adds vulnerability to the two characters who are introduced and how they are surrounded by endless amounts of water.

The editing is fluent and the transitions between each shot are smooth however some cuts are sudden to suggest that uncertainty and a fast paced storyline lies ahead. The lighting is dark however the use of some brightly lit elements such as the matchsticks before they have been lit suggests that this has been created during the editing process. The non-diegetic music was added to increase the tension as the volume varies throughout the two minutes. For example, towards the end the music becomes louder as the gunshot is fired. This suggests that the storyline is to only become more dramatic after this point.

Task 3 – Analysis of Momento

Momento is about a man who is determined to find justice after his wife was brutally raped and murdered, however his memory is somewhat hazy. However, to make this situation worse, he was beaten by the same man who killed his wife and now suffers from short-term memory loss so he cannot retain any new information therefore has to constantly take notes and refer to Polaroid photos. Although he has memory loss he is convinced the murderer is still walking the streets un-phased by what they have done. The husband is determined to find this man and getting revenge on him for the destruction he has caused on his life. He is helped by a sympathetic barmaid and his friend is suspected to be untrustworthy.

The main characters are Leonard Shelby who is played by Guy Pearce. Brad Pitt was the initial choice of actor for the role however he passed it due to scheduling issues. After this, Christopher Nolan decided to cast Guy due to his ‘lack of celebrity’ to make the film low budget with a cheaper actor. The character of Leonard was the wife of Catherine Shelby who was murdered by a burglar. Leonard wants to get justice for his wife however he suffers from short-term memory loss as he was also attacked by the same man.

The character of Natalie was played by Carrie-Anne Moss. She plays a waitress who is involved with Leonards hunt for revenge on the murderer of his wife. She was chosen for the role after she was seen playing ‘Trinity’ in the 1999 science fiction film, The Matrix as “She added an enormous amount to the role of Natalie that wasn't on the page".

The character of Teddy is played by Joe Pantoliano. He played Leonards friend who tries to help him find the murderer of his wife. Carrie-Anne Moss suggested Joe for the role after she had worked with him in The Matrix as the original choice of Denis Leary was unavailable to play the role. There were concerns that he would be too villainous for the role however these concerns were overcome once filming had began.

Almost the entirety of the film was shot in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley which is a popular place to shoot films as there is a large amount of film studios located there. The setting is dirty and damp. The motel used suggests that the plot will be of low profile. This is typical of the thriller genre as it is a mysterious setting and has a connotation of danger.