‘Along Came A Spider’ Opening Sequence Analysis

After researching into the ‘Se7en’ opening sequence it’s given us some ideas as to what we want out actual thriller to be like. However, just to give us more of an insight into some things we may like to include in our film I researched the film ‘Along Came a Spider’.

 This is about a congressman’s daughter under Secret Service protection, who is kidnapped from a private school by an insider who calls Det. Alex Cross, sucking him into the case even though he’s recovering from the loss of his partner. The main stars include the protagonist Morgan Freeman, Michael Wincott and Monica Potter as the antagonists’. This film could be classed as a mystery Thriller as it contains the codes and conventions of a typical Thriller. The director conveys themes of a Thriller by using sound, editing, camerawork, cinematography and mise-en-scene to create suspense, tension and enigmas to the audience.

Within the first twenty seconds of the sequence we see the titles of the film appear and we can notice the name ‘Along Came a Spider’ connects with the title being shown as the letter ‘A’ repeatedly comes down on a web to create words of the titles. This gives the movie an edge and also an eerie affect and this is mainly used to reflect the storyline of the film. In the background we can also notice something that looks like police lights flashing so this immediately makes the audience ask some question like; what is going on and what is going to happen?

While the titles appear we hear some diegetic music as a man and a woman talk but we don’t see them. This contrapuntal sound is crucial to the audience as they see titles and flashing lights but they don’t see anyone which creates enigmas as anything could happen at any time.  Also, while they’re talking we hear some non-diegetic music which is just some background music to accompany the film and reinforce the theme of a Thriller. The music changes pitch and tone quickly and slowly begins to grow faster.

We then see an establishing shot of a car on the road and a helicopter coming onto the screen and then the movie continues. This film is a conventional Thriller as it creates suspense and enigmas by using slow paced cuts and eerie music all for the audience’s expectations to be risen. However, it may be seen as not being a typical Thriller as we don’t see any people so the audience is hidden in the dark for quite a while.