Textual Analysis of an Opening Sequence

From London to Brighton Opening Sequence Analysis

In the opening sequence of London to Brighton, we first see the Ident of the movie which

is ‘Vertigo Films’. It is followed by the films founders ‘Uk Film Counsel’ and the ‘National

Lottery’. This is common for British films of this type, using local councils for funding, so they are able to produce the film. During the brief credit listing in the opening there is no score until the actual start of the movie after the tableau giving us information about what is happening as well as where it is taking place. The movie is in London at 3:07am. This is done using over black making it stand out and seem more dramatic. 

The start if the movie is non-linear as it starts in the middle, starting the narrative. The scene begins abruptly in a hard high key bathroom, giving the audience a sense of realism in the movie due to how harsh it looks. The bathroom is dirty and full on graffiti on the walls.There is a constant kinetic camera movement making it look real. There are mostly close up’s or medium close up of the main protagonists the woman and the young girl. The use of them shows the claustrophobic feel of the room and how small it is. Most movies such as this one would have been filmed on location rather than sets and space was often limited. Our main protagonist, the woman appears to be wearing very tight fitted clothing, she has dirty blonde hair. Stereotypically she would be seen as not a smart as others and the girl is wearing very childlike clothing so we can establish she is very young. Already many enigmas are being set up getting to get the audience thinking of why the main protagonist, a fairly young woman in her early or possibly late 30s has a black eye? Further questions are why does the little girl have makeup on, what is the relationship between the two? Or why they are out so late? Having these enigmas it adds more mystery as it has already started in the middle we want to know what is going on. 

When our main protagonist tries to take the make off the young girl there is a close up of

the poor girls face as she looks upset and appears to be crying. This obviously shows she has been through a great ordeal to make her up set. This adds to the enigma of her having makeup on as we don’t know what could have upset her this much. Whilst cleaning the makeup there is a shot reverse shot showing her face being cleaning and we see the woman has a black eye. Again another enigma is used to create mystery and drama. The young girl is then moved onto the toilet there is no score at the moment but loud diegetic sound of dialogue from both protagonists where colloquial language is used by them. This shows that the woman is possibly not very educated.The scene cuts to ‘Chicken Cottage’ where there is a brief establishing shot letting us know the protagonist is there. We cross back to the bathroom where they are both eating. It is very unhygienic to be eating in the toilet. It shows how both of them are hiding from someone who is chasing them. 

Furthermore there is another cross cut to her on the street there is over the shoulder shot

of her talking to a man. We gather from the conversation she is a prostitute and she is doing this to get money so she can escape to Brighton. A long shot shows her getting into the black car with tinted windows. We see when the scene cuts back to the cubical that the girl is bored waiting by her face expression due to the close up. We then have an over shoulder shot of the door with loud diegetic and asynchronous shouting and then we are at eye line match with her showing how worried she is. An extreme close up of the lock shows how someone is trying to get it but from her point of view its reassures her no one can as it is locked.

The scene quickly cuts to an establishing shot of Victoria Station and an extreme long shot which we see the two protagonists running across the station to get the train. We hear diegetic sounds of the train leaving the station. On the train as they find there seat there is panning following their movement. On the shot there is shot reverse shot again and we find out they have been running from a man named ‘Derek’ when the girl asked if he will find them. As their running away, it creates suspense because they could be caught at any time by Derek (the antagonist). Finally the scene finishes with the film title London to Brighton over black with diegetic but asynchronous sound of the train moving with shouting. Also there is the sound of a child crying and screaming.

 

Specific conventions of an opening sequence in London to Brighton are the production titles which give general information of the film and who funded and assisted in the production of a film. In this film, the opening sequence cuts from the titles and the main film itself. This helps to establish the scene and the mood. Enigmas are also set up, which makes the audience question what is happening or going  to happen.