Opening Credits

Today we were asked to find and analyse the opening credits to a few movies. I have chosen The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as my first film opening to analyse.

This opening credit has no clear setting other than a darkened background which implies mystery and impending danger.
It is also apparent that the only colours used for effect are black and red which, on their own are both menacing colours, as they are associated with fire and death. The themes of the film shown in the credits are slightly elusive but I can decipher the themes of the film from the images shown.

One of the recurring images shown is the black, viscous liquid which is seen flowing over the keyboard and the struggling woman who is tied down. These images suggest that the liquid is un pure and deathly which sets the tone for the entire film. It makes me think that the film is going to be dark, menacing, deathly and at it's core, a thriller. This thought is backed up by the images shown as well as the lighting used. 

In the beginning we see flashes of images which are set in time to the beat of the music in the background. These opening flashes set the pace for the entire opening credits by showing images of the single drop of the liquid which then, as the credits continue, manifests itself into a flowing mass of deathly liquid.
Hidden within the sea of darkened images such as the black tyre and the keyboard is a small glance into the heart of the film. You can only see it once but there is a small glimpse of the dragon tattoo that is mentioned in the title. This implies that the dragon tattoo has both importance and relevance to the overall direction of the film.
One of the significant props/images shown in the credits is the woman appearing to be struggling as she is tied down. This tells me that the 'girl with the dragon tattoo' gets tortured or held captive at some point throughout the film which in turn suggests that the film is a thriller. The woman shown in the credits is also the only character and person viewed here which suggests that she feels alone and isolated which sets the tone for the film as the journey of one woman.