Thriller Analysis #1

Analyses of Past Thriller Film Intro’s

In this section we are looking at how Thriller Films introduce us to the genre in the first opening sequence, including the opening credits, music used, Narration, characters involved and setting.

Phone Booth -

Phone Booth is a psychological thriller staring Colin Farrell and Kiefer Sutherland. Phone Booth opens with a fade shot from the legendary 20^th Century Fox sign into a cloud, Exiting the cloud we are introduced to a satellite hovering above the earth, we then learn that it is a telephone satellite by the sound of people talking all over the globe. From the instant we see the cloud a score is played of the song ‘Operator’, as well very minimal credits, the movie company and the films name, nothing else. Upon hearing the voices the camera shoots into downtown New York, showing us various shots of people using their mobile phones. As the score softens Narration ensues telling us about phone usage in New York, ending in showing us one of the last pay phones on the Westside, the narrator then introduces us to the phones ‘Final’ occupant, as the camera speeds to the main character of the film Colin Farrell.

My thoughts on the introduction- Phone Booth’s Intro is very unique for a thriller film, starting out with a cheery song ‘Operator’ instantly removes the feeling of thriller because of the songs nature. The camera then introduces us to where the film is set, zooming from space down to an overview of Manhattan, and then zooming inside of a mobile phone in Times Square. The narration is very important to this sequence, it tells us about mobile phone usage within the city, going into the millions of people who own and use them everyday. From here we are given close ups of many people talking on their mobiles, showing people having good and bad conversations by the expressions on their faces and the tone of their voices. From here we are introduced to the main prop of the movie, the telephone booth. The narrator continues to tell us that it is to be torn down the next morning and that its ‘Final’ occupant is only 2 blocks away. When the narrator says Final it instantly changes from a movie solely about telephone usage in New York to a Thriller, from here we are sent 2 blocks away and introduced to the main character of Phone Booth Colin Farrell.