Scream - Opening 2 Minutes Analysis

The first thing we see in the opening scene is a close up shot of a telephone ringing. The character answers the phone and decides that the caller has the wrong number and then puts the phone down. She begins to walk away from the phone, but she hasn't even left the room by the time it rings. She instantly has a very worried look on her face. This allows the audience to share the characters fear and makes them begin to wonder if it is the same person calling.

When she answers the phone she discovers that it is the same caller. He says to her that he wants to talk to her, but she declines and puts the phone down once again.

We then see a mid shot of a tree in the characters garden panning down to a view of the house. The most significant thing in this shot is the squeaky swing in the foreground of the clip slowly swinging, this is one of the first main genre indicators in the opening scene. As it is night out and the trees are not moving, you would assume that it was a still night - but with the swinging swing, it might suggest to the viewer that there is somebody out there. This then creates the enigma of whether the person who keep calling is in her garden.

The caller then rings again, determined to talk to her. They enter into a brief conversation about movies, and are discussing their favourite films. The caller asks what her favourite scary film is, and as she answers with the film "Halloween" she picks up a knife from the knife block, and then places it back in. This is another subtle genre indicator that this is a horror film, and could even indicate that the knife could maybe be used as a weapon later on in the film.

The mise en scene in this film is very successful in reinforcing the films genre. For example, one of the most apparent features of mise en scene present which has been used very effectively is the use of lighting. The general lighting is fairly low, with small lamps being the main sources of light, this conforms to the conventions of a horror film (by using dim lighting), and also makes the film appear much more realistic as no harsh lighting which you would not usually find inside a home is being used. This low level of lighting also helps the viewer to feel sorry for the main character, as it makes her appear vulnerable, especially with the character who keeps ringing her.

I like this opening scene as it really entice the reader to the film - it makes you want to find out who the caller is, and this is one of the main reasons why it is so effective. Another reason the opening scene is effective is the mise-en-scene, for example, the squeaky swing and the picking up of the knife all give the viewer a hint of what is to come - without spoiling the whole plot.