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.
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