Analysis of the title sequence of The Shining.

Analysis of the title sequence of The Shining.

In the first part of the clip. The scene is established with an extreme long shot to show the audience where the film is set. This demonstrates a barren emptiness and emphasises on the lack of life in this particular area. This, combined with, non-diegetic music, consisting of long, low notes which builds up a level of intensity that may not otherwise be there without the use of this music.

This is because films of this genre, this being a Psychological Thriller, are normally associated with darkness and suspense, which wouldn’t be there without the use of music as this scene is bright and open. This creates a sense of relief and reduces levels of tension which could represent characters within the film, as they would be unsuspecting of upcoming events. Therefore, the accompanying of this music could foreshadow unfortunate turns of events.  As a result, it is made clear that this film is a form of horror, through the use of slow-paced editing and creepy, non-diegetic music.

In the next part of the clip, a high angle shot is used to show a single car driving along a long stripe of road, surrounded by many trees. This shows emphasis on the isolation of the car, as though it is being followed, as the tension builds in the music. This is done as high pitch notes intervene into the low notes which is often associated with horror films, which could represent that the car is getting close to danger as the music becomes more fast-paced and bridges through shots to show the continuous build of tension. Furthermore, little information is revealed about the car or who is driving it, as the camera often passes the car without any closer shots, this is done to add an element of mystery as the story is unclear at this moment in time. Instead, the surroundings, such as the mountains, are further emphasised which could also foreshadow upcoming events as they may be the setting of a significant scene in the story.

Coming towards the end of the scene, the surroundings are covered in snow. The association of cold and dullness is another common theme used in horror genres, the change in weather could show that a change is already taking place in the story line. The extreme long shot of the large building and its surroundings show the dull look and demonstrate the change of colour of the setting, being from bright colours and sunny, to white and grey with fog and cloud. This changes the temperament of the scene.