The structure of thriller openings.

The structure of thriller openings.

There are many types of thriller openings such as;

• A narrative opening with the titles running throughout.
• A discrete title sequence.
• Titles over a blank screen, followed by the narrative opening.
• Stylized editing.

A narrative opening with the titles running throughout.

-The shining.

The film 'The Shining' uses a narrative opening that has the titles running throughout. In a narrative opening the story starts to unfold from the very start, and has the credits running throughout. In the opening of 'The Shine' you see the location and you lear the camera is tracking a car from a birds eye view, the camera follows the car throughout the whole opening, leaving the audience in suspence as to who is in the car and where it's going. 

A discrete title sequence.

-Arlington road.

The film 'Arlington road' uses a discrete title sequence for the opening of the film. A discrete title sequence leaves the audience in suspense as to what the film is going to be about. Various un connected clips have been put together, it gives the audience clues as to what they are going to be watching. A discrete title sequence is also heavily edited; a lot of special effects are used such as slow motion. The titles also appear and disappear unlike a narrative opening that has the titles running thought.

Titles over a blank screen, followed by the narrative opening.

-Donnie Darko.

The film 'Donnie Darko' has white titles over a black screen, followed by the narrative opening. By having titles over a black screen it makes the audience concentrate on who is in the film, who the director is ect; it gives the audience nothing else to look at but the titles. By having white titles on  black screen it also catches the audiences eye. Titles over a black screen is also a very old fashioned way to introduce a film, and is not used very much nowadays. 

Stylized editing.

-Mezrine. 

The film 'Mezrine' uses stylized editing in it's opening title sequence.