Research on the Openings Pt 1

I mentioned some of these thriller movies in my last post; I watched them and compiled a quick observation analysis and focus on technique.

Genre	Case Studies
Thriller/horror	Psycho (1960)  by Alfred Hitchcock Observations: The score for the opening is intense and suspenseful, the opening credits the stand-alone majority of them having transitions that have to do with lines before the following shot composition begins Shot composition: There is an establishing shot of a city that eventually cuts to a shot that zooms into an open window then panning to the right to reveal a laying woman on a bed being stood over by a man. Cut to a nightstand that shows an unfinished lunch cut to a medium shot of the man standing straight up and the woman lifting her shoulders and face to fit into the lower bars of the shot followed by the shot tilting to follow the man who sits down on the bed to face the weapon. Analysis: The majority of the opening is done without footage from any characters but is carried by the fantastic score that not only foreshadows the suspense later on in the film. I also noticed that the linear transitions for the credits and the title are fast-paced matching the heightened tone of the score. Additionally once the credits have rolled and actual footage is played there are also easier texts that establish time, date, and where the story is taking place (that's over the establishing shot). There is an awkward cut during the attempt to zoom into the window where it becomes a different window.
Thriller/Horror	The silence of the Lambs (1990) By Jonathan Demme Observations: The score begins before the first shot which is soon followed by the asynchronous sound of the panting of a woman coming up on the horizon; when the title/credits start to roll they are a bold font  Shot Composition: Begins with a medium shot on a tree before panning/tilting  down towards the trail and the horizon of a woman climbing up Shots follow her with close-ups and medium shots at different angles Analysis: The score is ominous but more subtle than Psycho. The text placement, at a first glance, is odd but inherently forces viewers to be more engaged in what the character is doing because of the limited view.
Thriller/ mystery	Gone Girl (2014) By David Fincher Observations: The score beginning before the credits are accompanied by a voice-over; meanwhile the quick fade-ins/outs of the title and credits contribute to the ominous feeling that the music is giving.  Shot Composition: The first shot consists of a closeup of a woman with a hand brushing over her head black screen showing white texts fades into a long shot of a beach long shot of a house. A shot from a lower angle of a sign. More long shots of this town some at a lower angle a pan of a large backyard a long shot of a house that is reduced in price another long shot of the house at a different angle a shot of a sewer grate shot of an alleyway more shots of miscellaneous objects in the suburbs medium shot of a man standing by a trash can from a different angle the shot of him looking a different way medium shot to a long shot of him turning around and then heading into the house Analysis: If the voice-over wasn’t enough to make an eerie tone but the seemingly random shots that set the scene for the story along with this similar strategy with the credits.