http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCFeMg26_wk (click the link to view the opening)
The opening of A Clockwork Orange builds high levels of tension through using very simplistic shots and camera movements. The first 44 seconds of the opening sequence is a series of blank screens, in red and blue, which alternate in colour displaying the production company 'Warner Bros', the screenwriters name, and the title. After these screenshots it goes directly to the characters face.
We see he is looking directly at the camera, unconventional in film making, but i think it emphasises his eyes and the expression on his face. With a simple black and white colour scheme his bright blue eyes stand out, and it feels as if he is watching you attentively.
The character has fake eyelashes on his right eye, leading us to assume he is something different, with respects to normality, or that the film is not based on 'traditional everyday' lifestyle and is something of the fantasy genre. As the character is the only thing in the shot, it draws your attention to focus on him. He has a smug expression on his face, and is wearing a hat and braces with a shirt. These combined could encourage the audience to think of him as a rebellious character. A smartly dressed man with a smug expression? Where could he be and whats caused this smug expression?
As the shot plays through, you notice his breathing is heavy, with his chest rising and falling.
As the shot begins to pan out, he raises a glass of, assuming it is, milk. A weird thing for someone smartly dressed to be drinking. Then we notice 3 other men sat next him. All dressed similarly, the costumes come across as almost clinical and restrictive because of the white trousers and shirts, braces and hats. It feels as though it is a uniform or necessity. This becomes more prominant when the introduction of the bright white lights enter the shot.
As the camera pans out, we see writing on the walls, and we see female dummies as a table. The layout of the props, the props themselves, and use of costumes all create a sense of weirdness, abnormality and makes it feel quite eerie. Where could they be? What does the writing on the wall mean and why is it there?
1 minute 43 seconds into the opening, the main character speaks. We hear a monologue from off screen of:
'There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening. The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence.'
I think this monologue teamed with the movement of the camera create a serealism that compells the audience to watch more. What is the Korova milkbar? and why are they there.
The words Alex uses give him a sense of control and authority, and this all combined with the music builds even greater tension adding to the enigma.
After the last line 'This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence.' the music has drums and symbols which almost 'bang' which i think is to create a feeling of curiousity and awareness of the 'ulta-violence' due to follow.
I think the most important component of this opening is the lighting. Throughout the lighting plays a big part in highlighting the setting, characters and props, and sets the atmosphere in a way which creates a chance for interpretation between the audience; it is as if the audience has been given the oppertunity to explore the lifestyle of the characters.
As the shot begins to pan out, he raises a glass of, assuming it is, milk. A weird thing for someone smartly dressed to be drinking. Then we notice 3 other men sat next him. All dressed similarly, the costumes come across as almost clinical and restrictive because of the white trousers and shirts, braces and hats. It feels as though it is a uniform or necessity. This becomes more prominant when the introduction of the bright white lights enter the shot.
As the camera pans out, we see writing on the walls, and we see female dummies as a table. The layout of the props, the props themselves, and use of costumes all create a sense of weirdness, abnormality and makes it feel quite eerie. Where could they be? What does the writing on the wall mean and why is it there?
1 minute 43 seconds into the opening, the main character speaks. We hear a monologue from off screen of:
'There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening. The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence.'
I think this monologue teamed with the movement of the camera create a serealism that compells the audience to watch more. What is the Korova milkbar? and why are they there.
The words Alex uses give him a sense of control and authority, and this all combined with the music builds even greater tension adding to the enigma.
After the last line 'This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence.' the music has drums and symbols which almost 'bang' which i think is to create a feeling of curiousity and awareness of the 'ulta-violence' due to follow.
I think the most important component of this opening is the lighting. Throughout the lighting plays a big part in highlighting the setting, characters and props, and sets the atmosphere in a way which creates a chance for interpretation between the audience; it is as if the audience has been given the oppertunity to explore the lifestyle of the characters.
