Cape Fear Analysis

As the credits to Universal transition across the screen, a

continual non-diegetic soundtrack is used to build up fear. A
fade is used to show a wide
shot of a river, the water is
dark and murky; using colours
such as black and navy blue.
These colours connote death,
fear and emotion, this links to
the codes and conventions of
a thriller film because, thriller
movies are supposed to make
the audience feel on edge, weather this is through an adrenalin
rush or feeling scared. To
enhance the feeling of fear the
director uses a non-diegetic
music sting, as a hawk
appears on the shadowy
reflection of the rippling water.
A hawk is a bird of prey and
plays a symbolic role with in
the thriller movie, showing the audience intelligence, power
and concentration. The image of the
hawk uses an aerial shot as we are
looking down onto the water from
above, non-diegetic music
soundtrack is still being used,
alongside a non-diegetic music sting
when
the bird appears. Furthermore the
title of the thriller movie is
displayed, using a bold font,
coloured white. This is significant
because the colour white connotes
purity, innocence and goodness,
linking to the codes and conventions of a thriller film; I could
say that Every thriller film includes a criminal/villain and also
includes a victim, I could say that the dark water and the hawk
represents the villain whereas the white title represents the
victim.

Continuing, an image of an eye fades into the distraught image

of the water, using a close up,
we see the pupil darting from
side to side. Pleonastic sound
is used here to increase the
impact of this particular
moment in the moment. To
add to that, an image of a
screaming mouth appears on the surface of the water, there is
still a non-diegetic soundtrack still being played. However the
director has asynchronous sound, this is where the lip moment
does not match what is being shown on screen.

Additionally another image apears onto the water of an outline

to a face, what apears to be a male, linking to codes and
conventions of a thriller movie males are usually the villians
and the bad guys. This would suggest to the audience that he is
the main character in the movie. His non-verbalcommunication, seems to be quite
smirky and proud of himself, the
director has used a high angle
shot on him; making the audience
feel vunerable and as if he has the
power and domminance. On top of
that another image is shown
clearly ontop of the green tinged
water; the colour green conotes
money, greed and jealousy. The
same repetative non-diegetic
soundtrack is being used to add
suspense to the scene. Suddenly
the dark gloomy river turns to blood
red,
the
colour red connotes death, fear,
love and eveil. This suggests
that there may be a love afair
between the villan and the
victim, however also suggests
that there may have been
violence and eatyh involved;
promoting a high level of antiseption. This puts the target audience on the edge of their
seets and want to continue to watch, this is what a successful
thriller movie needs. In order to be successful the audience
must be left asking questions after the opening sequence as it
will engage the audience even more.
Further more the audience see a face of a girl in xray vision
fade above the water, turning from red tinged, to blue then
finally to black and white. Her non-verbal-communication
suggests to the audience that she is worried or scared, it looks
as if she is about to cry. The director has used a close up shot,

so that her non-verbal-communication is empthasised,

throughout this scene the same nondiegetic soundtrack is still continued
to be used, however is beginning to
fade and get quieter. Additionally we
soon hear diegteic diologue of a young girl, as she speaks
about the river and its name cape fear calling the river
mistifying. The colour of the
camera changes from black and
white to naturlistic, as the audience
we can tell that the young girl is the
victim, as she is wearing school
uniform, such as a white shirt and
school skirt. The colour white
connotes purity, goodness and
innocence. We see that the camera
slowly zooms out backwards as we
are able to see a fial mid shot of the young school girl, she
continues to say diegeticaly that her only fear at the river was
that the magic would end. Linking to the codes and
conventions of a thriller movie, this is a sucsesful start to an
opening sequence as it does leave the audience asig questions
and wondering what is going to happen to this girl at the river.
Continuing futher, the scene then
switches to a new location whereby
we can see posters of historical
figures such as Starling and other
marval charecters, additionaly there
are also a varity of books. Including;
the holy bible, physcological books and law books. There is a
use of non-diegetic soundtrack, as the camera zooms
backwards and we see a wide shot of a males back with a large
tattoo . In this scene of the thriller movie the his tatto is
symbolic and representing truth and justice and how the law is
corrupt. His tattoo also includes a large cross, emphasising that
he is a christian and he knows what he has not done wrong.
This represents how the he may have been falsly prosicuted.
Linking to the codes and conventions of a thriller movie we see

that this is successful as it has the

audience asking
phsycological questions.
Diegetic diolouge is
used as the officer quotes this is the day
that you have been witing for. Suggesting
that he has been looiking forward to his release and been
getting physically aned mentally stroing to enter the real
world.The director has used closed framing as we see the male
behind bars, as the officer opens and closes the gate, the
director has used siundbridge.
As the is lead out of the prison all of the other inmates are
silent and looking at him, this suggests that he was a known
figure within the prisona dn could have possibly been the
leader. Soundbridge is used again as the second gate slames,
alongside diegetic diolofgue when the officer asks what about
your books and the criminal replies already read em. The
criminal walks closer and closer into the camera and closer into
the framing, this is an establishing shot as we see the whole
location.