Title Sequence Analysis

Title sequences are very key in films especially in horror movies as they are used to present the title of the movie and key cast members utilizing key visuals and sound related to the genre of the movie. Title Sequences are key in horror as from the start they are used to put you in a nervous disposition hinting to you what the rest of the film will feel like.

I have chosen 3 horror movie title sequences as in my media group our main tasks film will be based around Gothic Horror and viewing horror title sequences will be key to help us see what to make the audience suspect. 

The Shining (1980):

here is title sequence from The Shining which you can view here at http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/the-shining/ .

The Shining directed by Stanley Kubrick is one of the most known and popular horror films of all time and the title sequence right at the beginning is hugely key in this movie to set up the rest of the film. Right at the beginning of the title sequence there is a slow orchestral score combined with a wide/ extreme long shot of a huge lake with canyons either side but the camera is moving fast pace moving down the lake like a tracking shot which fades into another extreme long shot but from a bird eye view where you can just make out a yellow car going down a road on its own surrounded by a massive forest which despite being small in the frame the camera is following then again fades in another wide shot but closer to the car, it is still faint but you can see it more clearly. At this point we are 42 seconds into the title sequence and the camera has only used wide shots and the editing is only fading but now a echo like ding comes into the score creating a bigger sense of weariness then even more strange sounds such as a scraping sound comes in with the score still in the background. 1:07 into the sequence the first title comes in telling you it is a Stanley Kubrick film implying he is a well known director as his name is first and it scrolls up along with the other actors names as the camera stops tracking the car and goes past it into the scenery showing the films title. Than another fade showing featuring actors meaning they aren't as big as the ones shown before but still are shown recognition. Throughout the rest of the sequence the strange noises keep coming into the score combined with the continuing fades and wide shots as well as the names of the producers and crew whilst also always showing the yellow till 2:32 in where there is another fade and wide shot but of a large hotel on a giant mountain then no names come up and the camera goes slightly around the hotel and the score ends with a woman making a odd noise like in distress ending the sequence. Ending it like this makes the sequence more impact-full as it leaves you hanging off your seat with the rest of the film still to come making you nervous as you don't know what to expect. 

The Conjuring (2013)

here is title sequence from The Conjuring which you can view here http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/the-conjuring/# 

The Conjuring is a horror movie based on true events which was directed by James Wan who is known for directing horror films in the past such as Saw, Insidious and Dead silence. This films title sequence has many similarities to the title sequence but there is a lot of differences to. In this title sequence the family names are seen straight away starting with 'the Perron Famil'y then 'the Warren Family' then another fade 17 seconds saying 'Directed by James Wan' in a bold white font which makes in stand out from the very black heavy background where you can just make out a house in the back because of the white doors. Showing his name first before the actors and other cast shows he is a well known director. 23 seconds in there is a faint black image again with a white font color but its blurry but then another piece overlaps it and you can read the writing in more detail and that is a prop meaning mise-en-scene is also key in this title sequence. Throughout this entire sequence the only editing techniques are a fade in and out and also a wipe but the wipe is made using laminated sheets to act as a wipe also as it goes across names of actors and writers etc.

Taxi Driver (1976)

Here is the title sequence for Taxi Driver which you can view here:

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/taxi-driver/

Taxi Driver is a American neo noir psychological thriller which was on of world renowned director Martin Scorsese's first big break through movies also starring legendary actor Robert DeNiro who had already been in big films such as the God Father part 2. The title sequence starts off with a blank screen with no sound what so ever till its 0:02 seconds in and in bold writing 'Columbia Pictures Presents' fades onto the screen and 4 seconds later fades out and there is still no sound and doing this lets the audience know what production company this is and because Columbia Pictures at the time and now where a big company the audience would think instantly that it should be a good film because of the companies world wide recognition then 0:08 seconds more writing fades in saying 'Robert DeNiro in' again in a big bold red font implying to the audience he is the main protagonist and also shows he is a known actor putting his name first then the writing fades off and for a few seconds there is just a blank screen till 0:14 in where there is a drum beat combined with the noise a percussion drum like noise makes and the beat of the actual drums keep getting quicker till 0:20 where there is a blowing like noise like a trombone mixed with it where the music just drops. Whilst the sound is doing that for those 6 seconds smoke appears on the screen and you see a background but can't make out what it is. Then 0:25 seconds in the smoke clears and you see a taxi drive off the screen and as it goes off camera the words 'Taxi Driver' appear on screen and again the music picked up and dropped as those words appeared in a thick yellow font this time which stands out in the fainted white and night sky background and doing this shows the audience clearly what the title is and keeps them wondering what the film is about. from 0:34 to 0:56 the camera stays in a still position with a again a percussion like instrument sound yet a lot lighter with a key board like beat making a smooth soundtrack and when things such as the production team names come up the fade pattern and font still stay the same but is smaller where as from 0:43-0:56 seconds in where the rest of the actors names appear the font is still the same but like the title its much bigger. from 0:56-1:06 the camera is just an extreme close up of a person eyes with multiple different colours on it and sometimes shadows which still allow you to see parts of his face making you question what is happening then at 1:06 it says 'Music By Bernard Herrmann' in a bold orange like font yet smaller then the actors names. From 1:10-1:17 the camera fades to somewhere else and is in the same place yet is going slightly up and down and all you see is moving lights on a wet piece of glass with window wipers now telling the audience he is in a car which is most likely the taxi seen earlier. with the film editors and supervisors name again fade on the screen with again smaller sized fonts in a bold orange style to show the rest of the crew and whilst all this is happening the soundtrack turns into a slow jazz melody. 1:17-1:38 the camera fades to another shot from the dashboard but you see way more moving lights but in a slow motion fashion fitting with the slow jazz melody but then 1:33 the drum beat returns and the camera fades into another shot of people walking across a road but in a blue and red style fashion on screen and the words 'Directed by Martin Scorsese' appear on screen in a very large font like the title implying he is the maker of this movie and that he is well known. Then the camera fades to another extreme close up of the man’s eyes 1:44 minutes in then in the last few seconds another fade into smoke then it ends by again another fade.