Casino Royale - Opening Analysis

This is my analysis of the opening for Casino Royale.

The credits are in black and white, this adds tension to the opening sequence and fits in as the sequence is also in black and white. The black and white throughout creates quite an eerie atmosphere, the lighting in the office also adds to this by putting Bond in the shadows, this makes his character look sinister and mysterious. The lighting in the office is dark and gloomy, this helps show it to be a mysterious and possibly dangerous place. Whereas the lighting for the fight scene is light, this is so everything’s clear to audience the audience and doesn’t have a hidden danger like the office.

The music in the office is quiet, this creates a tense atmosphere because it’s eerie, it also helps the audience focus on the speech which is important. In contrast the music for the fight scene is very loud, this helps build up the tension and make the fight scene seem extreme. It helps show the audience when important things during the fight are going to happen by building up at certain points. The music for the credits is eerie and quiet, this builds up the film before it’s even started. To start off with the main sound the audience can hear is diegetic, and there’s almost no music. This is so the audience focus on the dialogue in the office as it is important and needs to be focused on, where as if there was music they wouldn’t be able to focus.

The first shot used is an establishing shot, this sets the scene for the opening sequence, it shows a building which looks quite eerie as there is almost no music. When the man first gets out his car he is shot from a low angle this immediately makes the audience think he’s in a position of power, but then when he is going up in the lift he is shot from a high angle possibly highlighting how he is not as powerful as he’s perceived. During the fight scene Bond is filmed from a low angle, this is to show he is the more powerful character in the scene. There’s also close ups on Bonds face throughout, this is to show he’s the important character in the fight scene and the audience don’t really need to focus on the identity of the other guy. They also use close ups to help show his emotions, at the end of the fight scene the do a close up of him looking distressed, this helps the audience see that he still is the protagonist because he feels bad.

Bond is introduced to the audience as a mysterious character, when they first see him he is hiding in the shadows this creates an enigmatic atmosphere. The audience then see him beat up and kill another guy, this makes him seem like a dangerous and corrupt character, yet the audience still see him as the protagonist because of the history of Bond films. He is also seen as menacing and a threat because he is there to kill the guy in the office, the menacing atmosphere is created by how he’s sitting in the shadows like he’s waiting. The guy in office is introduced as a character of power as he tries to kill Bond and seems like he is invincible to him.

A flashback is used to show the fight scene, this is a common convention of Thriller films as it creates more of a backstory and gets the audience asking questions, like for example “why did Bond kill him?” Fast paced editing is used during the fight scene, this helps make the scene exciting and enthralling, it keeps the audience on edge. A grainy effect is also used, this helps show the audience how it’s a memory and has happened in the past by giving it the effect of looking old.

Bond is dressed in a suit throughout the opening sequence, this fits in with the old conventions of thriller films where the men are dressed smartly. He is also seen wearing black, this connotes he is a dark, mysterious and dangerous character. At the start there is a theme of unknown identity about him, this creates a sense of mystery to the atmosphere and makes the audience begin to question who he is and what his story is.