Analysis of Blade Opening Sequence

Scene summaries – Blade (first two minutes)

The film starts with credits in a red font against a black screen. These show the production companies involved in the films which is important and the producer has edited it so that the credits fade into each other which gives a flow and isn’t so blunt. The red against the black is particularly effective because it suits the type of genre the film; thriller which is something that is often linked to blood which is red. The title ‘Blade’ is automatically linked to blood and gore and this also make it effective. It shows the production companies of the film and then fades into an establishing shot of a hospital and a caption stating ‘1967’. This gives the audience some background information on the film so that they can orientate themselves quickly. Mise-en-scene is used here because the producer has edited it to have a blue lighting effect to set the scene more firmly. Colours such as blue and grey are often associated with being sterile and cleansed and this is relevant to the scene. The hospital scenes show a black woman being rushed into hospital through emergency doors and this can also show that she is in a hospital. There is then a camera shot of a close up of her neck which is bleeding. Bleeding necks are often associated with vampires and this can also give the audience an idea that the film is going to have a link to vampires. This is then followed by a two shot of the paramedic that has brought her in and a very worried looking doctor. There is then a shot where she is on a stretcher being rushed and judging by the close up expressions on the doctor’s faces, the situation appears to be fatal. The camera is the moved to show a close up of a doctor looking at her wallet. The wallet is then dropped and the camera is angled as an extreme close up shot of the wallet. This is very significant because it gives the audience the opportunity to read it and give them an idea of who the woman is. It also shows that she has in a way lost her identity.

We are then shown that the woman that has been hurt is pregnant through a POV shot from her point of view. This is effective to the audience because they can emphasise with her and what she could be going through.  There is then an extreme close up shot of her face and her face is very vulnerable looking. We can also see that she is already in hospital type bed clothes which are a part of mise-en-scene of the costume. It can also show to the audience that she must be in a critical conditional because they need to have her in the bed clothes.  There is then a fade to black and it cuts back to the credits and introduces the actors that star in the film. After the credits, it then introduces the film as ‘Blade’ and then cuts to a establishing shot of what appears to be Los Angeles at present day.

There is use of mise-en-scene at this part because the lighting changes completely to show that there is a change in time. There is then another cut to a high angle establishing shot of the setting with the credits starting again. The establishing shots keep changing from different angles such as aerial shots and high angle shots. There are also a few low angle shots to show the settings from a different type of angle of the settings they are in. Mise-en-scene is effective here because the lighting is changed to show the city during the day time and during the night. After a few different angle establishing shots, we cut to a scene which involves two shots. They are two shots because there are two people sitting in a dark car. Again, mise-en-scene is used because the lighting is very different to keep the idea that it is still night time. An audience would also be able to tell that this scene is in a different time because of the costumes the actors are wearing. Also the hairstyles that the characters are portraying reflect this because in 1967 hairstyles and fashion were very different.

 

The opening of the film starts as an establishing mid shot of the hospital that the woman is brought into. It is clear to the audience that it is a hospital because the doors have ‘emergency’ written upon it. Also, the use of mise-en-scene means that the producer has edited the lighting to give the scene a grey/ blue effect.

 The next relatively important shot in the first two minutes is a close up shot of the woman’s face. This is particularly important because it also shows the extent of her wound and could perhaps allow the audience to question whether she is going to live or die.

 

 

We then see a close up two shot of a paramedic and an anxious looking doctor pushing the woman along on a stretcher.  It is quite clear by his face that he is very concerned about her and we can see that her hand is holding onto him. This could show that she is vulnerable and scared about what is going on around her.

Another important shot in the first two minutes is when her wallet is dropped to the floor. This is an important shot because it is an extreme close up shot and it gives the audience some vital information about the character because it has an ID card in.

 

The shot after the one of the wallet is quite empathic towards the audience. This is because it is a POV shot from her point of view. She has just seen her new born baby which must be very sad if she knows she is going to die.

The next shot links in well with the POV shot because it is a high angled shot of her facial expression which gives the audience an impression of what she could be going through and makes us feel we are there looking down on her.

 

We then cut to an aerial establishing shot during the day time and presumably the present day of where the film is most likely to be set.

 

The next shot is the same type of shot but at night time.

Credits and titles – Blade

 

 

There are five separate title slides before the film actually begins. They are the credits of production and distribution companies involved in the film. The title of the film doesn’t actually come until after the few opening scenes of the hospital.

 Use of sound – Blade

The film Blade starts off with the credits being introduced. There is no music for this but the part where the audience clicks to start the film, there is a sound of blood trickling. This gives the audience an idea of what is going to be happening in the film.  When the credits are first being shown there is no sound going on and it is just silent. This lack of sound gives an eerie effect to the audience. The scene then cuts to the hospital and there is diegetic ambient sound going on. It is diegetic because it is the normal sound of hustle and bustle going on. There is speech/ dialogue occurring which is helps set the scene. We can also diegetically hear the woman choking because the paramedics and doctors are supposed to hear this as well. Judging by the amount of talking going on, we would expect there to be a lot of people and this isn’t seen because the camera is mostly close up shots of the woman that is injured. After the hospital scene, there is diegetic sound of two people talking.  

Value of Research

- create empathy with main character by keeping attention on them
- use POV shots to connect with character
- can start right in middle of dramatic situation