Research into a thriller opening scene

I have chosen to study The Joker opening sequence, produced by Warner Bros Pictures and DC films was released in 2019, this American physiological thriller is written and directed by Todd Philips. The thriller is based on characters featured in DC comics which is apart of the DC comic franchise. With a production budget of $55 billion, it grossed in world-wide box offic3e an estimated over $1 billion and made over $96 million in the first weekend in cinemas. The film follows the storyline of In Gotham City, mentally troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alter-ego: the Joker.

From this opening sequence, I can automatically identify that this is a thriller due to the long close up shots of his unhappy face which portrays his emotion, we can reconize that the tone of the city is quite dismal and depressing which adds to the genre. Usually thrillers contain elements of moods of which they infliction the audience, emotions like fear, suspense, anxiety, and anticipation. In this opening scene, the narrative shown to us reveals the comedy tragedy which he leads. We learn about his job as a clown, trying to bring happiness and joy into the world, however we see his cruel world as  his disguise as he puts on a mask in his own world detached from reality. His sign is snatched off him by a group of boys before being brutally beaten up in a dingy alley way, this long sad scene depicts the character, Aurthurs lonleiness and pain. This sequenc is unsettling and focuses on introducing the main character to the audience, before he turns into ‘The Joker’. After viewing this opening, I expect to learn more about the character and his dark, depressing life before he changes into an evil, spiteful, destructive clown known as the joker. I hope to learn more about the way he is treated by others which would perhaps reflect his actions later in the film. 

It is clear to us as the audience that this film is targeted mainly at adults as its not uplifting, or a feel good family style film. I’m guessing that from this dark, moody opening sequence that it would attract adults interested in horror and thrillers as it … I know that this isn’t suitable for children as the character of a clown is very much related to the childhood fear of clowns.

This genre contains key conventions that a usual thriller includes. Thrillers revolve arround anticipation and suspense, with the ai, being to keep the audience alert and tense. Tension and excitement are key elements to thriller texts like ‘The Joker’. The use of misenscene in this opening sequence indicates its genre through the use of dark colour pallet, the isolated setting, distressing environment, feeling of claustrophobia as the buildings tower above the street, and finally the lowkey lighting to create an atmosphere of suspense and gloom. To add to this sequence, the eerie non diegetic music and silent moments creates tension and suspense.We only have been introduced to this one main character in this opening sequence, meaning he could either be the protagonist with a good intention  or the antagonist determined to bring evil and destroy individuals. Perhaps the character Aurthur is battling against the other version of himself mentally, Battle between antagonist and protagonist may be physical, but must be mental...

The first scene is set in the looks of a locker room, with diegetic sound of a local radio, the establishing shot merges closer to the lonley character as he paints his face in the mirror where we assume he works. This gloomy setting uses close up camera shots to create a sense of unsettlingness as he sits isolated from the other people around him. These close up, shot reverse shots of him in the mirror applying paint to his face creates the idea of Aurthur masking his unhappiness as he turns into a clown. The camera focuses on the extreme close up as he stretches and forces his face to smile, this reinforces the idea of ‘putting on a happy face’ as he finds the comedy tragedy which is his life. The key theme of this film focuses on forcing happiness and creating a smile, which is clearly reflected on as the time duration of this scene is long. 

To conclude, I think this opening sequence is griping and creates a suspenseful, eerie and fearful mood and sets the tone of the narrative of the film. These few minuets portray the main character who is introduced as we see his miserable job of which he changes persona to bring joy and happiness into a dark, cruel world of which is known as ‘Gotham City’. The opening scene quickly makes the audience feel unsettled and almost sympathise Aurthur from how he is shown as an outcast to society.