The Ipcress File was produced on 1965.
The opening sequence is very ordinary. It follows the main character through the beginning of his daily routine and we see how his character is introduced. Unlike the opening to Se7en, there is little music, and the first 45 seconds is silent except for the sound of the alarm clock.
The first shot we see is an extreme close up of the main characters face. This is the first shot, and how the directors have chosen to introduce the main character. We see his eye open, and as the shot pans out, we see the rest of his face. The lighting is gentle as he is sleeping, yet it still allows clear view of the characters face, highlighting his eye.
The opening sequence is very ordinary. It follows the main character through the beginning of his daily routine and we see how his character is introduced. Unlike the opening to Se7en, there is little music, and the first 45 seconds is silent except for the sound of the alarm clock.
The first shot we see is an extreme close up of the main characters face. This is the first shot, and how the directors have chosen to introduce the main character. We see his eye open, and as the shot pans out, we see the rest of his face. The lighting is gentle as he is sleeping, yet it still allows clear view of the characters face, highlighting his eye.
We then see the character jump up and this is followed by a blurry shot of the surrounding room. This is to indicate that the character needs glasses. Could this be relative later in the film? The character then puts on his glasses which takes us back to a moving shot of th
e room.
e room.
The first item i noticed was an empty bottle on the small table with two glasses either side. This leaves room for interpretation by the viewer. He woke with no one in the bed, but he was obviously in company the night before. We also see an armchair and piano as the shot moves across the room. This indicates that the characters personality is laid back, yet he has some motivation as he has taken the time to learn to play the piano. This is all, of course, assuming this is his home. 
The music starts with the introduction of 'A Harry Saltzman Production'. which appears over a close up of the bottle and empty glasses. As the character moves the music follows.
We then see a shot of the character being very particular when making coffee or tea. He gets the things he needs and lines them up. This suggests that the characters personality is very precise and definite and he likes things to be neat and tidy. As the music gets more intense, the title and author of the novel (The Ipcress File is based on a novel written in 1962) appears over this shot.
A little later in the opening sequence we see the character sit and organise his coffee pot. Over the length of this moving shot we see 'screenplay by', 'music composed by', 'production designed by' and so on. I think this is an effective way of displaying all the credits and still keep the audiences' attention. The last credit we see is 'Directed by Sidney J. Furie.
The lighting within the shot, throughout the credits, looks as natural as possible, which teamed with the shot of the character opening the curtains to a sunny skyline, works really well - especially to keep in sink with whats occurring within the shot.
The penultimate shot is again a moving shot of the character as we follow his from the pillows on the bed down to under the sheets. He is clearly looking for something but what? This leads to the final shot we see, which is a close up of a sliver bracelet. This suggests a female was there the night before, hence the two glasses. Who was she, and what relevance does she have for the character later in the film. 
I think the music plays a big part in the opening, as i can see how some may find the sequence - without the music - boring. The way the music increases and get more tense as the opening sequence progresses builds the tension found in thriller openings. It leads to a mysterious end which build the enigma for the rest of the film.
