Close Analysis of Film Openings- The Interpreter;

The Interpreter (2005)
Directed by: Sydney Pollack
Written by: Martin Sellman, Brian Ward
Staring:Sean Penn, Nicole Kidman
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Certification: 12

• The fading, stone coloured font at the beginning of the sequence and gives the film a unusual atmosphere.
• The ambient sound of the wind whistling in the background shows that the setting is in an open space which suggest the film hasn't a set course yet.
• The echoing sounds of the camera gives the shots a short and quick sequence which shows the plot is getting more intense and is changing.
• The flicker of water in the neglected building is the only source of lighting in the shot of the two men giving the setting an uncommon feeling making the audience draw into the scene.
• The use of lighting in the dark enclosed space builds tension towards the scene but is ironic to the location because its set in Africa, a bright colourful country.
• The shots in the opening sequence follow: long shot to set the scene, dissolve into next shot then a cut to the establishing shot to show setting.
• The tracking shot of the Land Rover shows that it has some importance within the film and could be the result of a change in the story.
• The choice of tribal music parallels with the landscape of the film. Its almost as if the tribe are part of the ambient sound.
• The cut away shot to the notebook which highlights who has been shot has some importance because its focus' on those characters who later get shot themselves.
• The shot-reverse-shot shows conversation between the characters and their point of view.
• The music then changes to an eerie atmosphere suggesting the sequence is coming to its climax but the story still has an enigma effect and remains mysterious until the characters are shot.
• The characters who are shot are shown to have less or no significance because they are killed at the beginning of the film. They may act as a catalyst to the plot of the film. However, the one other character (left behind in the car) is significant because he carries evidence of the happenings therefore he will become vital to the film.
• The light to dark to light changes in light show that the plot has changes dramatically and then meets its climax where the two characters are then killed. The dark shadow behind them shows there is no going back into the past and they have met their ending.
• The landscape of a bewildered Africa fades into the busy city of New York which contrasts between the pair to show different sides of countries. But, even still the actions in Africa match the stereotyped city of New York which brings both countries into the same level of equality.