Lord of the rings Opening scene

Lord of the rings Opening scene analysis:

The scene opens with a non-diegetic sound of a woman narrating. A fade in is then used to show the opening title and a powerful soundtrack is played to create an impact on the audience and to draw them in.  This whole clip uses low key lighting creating the feeling of a dark dangerous world.

It then shows whom the rings are given to and the cinematography shows that they are very important and powerful because they are only given out to certain people and there are a low number of them.  A cut in is then used of the map of this world and it is a visual signifier because it shows the audience where everything is in an instant instead of spending a while explaining the surroundings.

 Another ring is then made of even more importance with a higher level of power used for evil called the ‘master ring’. The cinematography then changes quickly showing a place that looks to be very ominous and evil to reinforce that the ring will be used in a bad way. Cuts become faster at this part to draw the audience in. A wipe is cleverly used with fire going across the screen to reveal another cut and to show a low angle shot of Sauron, conveying his power and dominance, maybe as a result from the ring.

The map is shown once again and a dissolve is used to back up the fact that Sauron is using the power of the ring to take over parts of the world. Montage editing is then used showing a lot of people scared and running for their lives, falling to the power of the ring.

A fade out is then used to show that the film is moving forward; this is a result from linear editing which shows that the clips are going in chronological order but skipping time periods to jump to significant events. Foley of the guards armour is in sync with each other to make a quite intimidating diegetic sound.

Close ups of the guards of Mordor again create the feeling of the evilness and danger. An establishing shot shows the audience that we are in a different location and it reinforces the fact Mordor has been turned into this big dark ominous place filled with dangerous creatures. It then goes into montage editing to show multiple fights and angles to show that a lot is going on all at once, this draws the audience in because of the violence and we automatically drawn to the good side because the cinematography puts us closer to them. An example of this would be when the side we are closest to are waiting for the evil creatures of Mordor to attack.

It then cuts to close ups of the fighters to show their reaction to something to the ring and it tells the audience that they know how powerful this ring is because of the fear on their faces. The fighting stops and the camera cuts to close up of the ring emphasising that the person who holds it doesn’t matter it’s the ring that is intimidating and powerful. A shot reverse shot is used to show the soldiers reaction to the ring and then back to the reaction shot. This again is used to show the audience the power of the ring.

The camera then cuts to a high angle shot of Sauron looking down at the soldiers to create the meaning of his strength over the soldiers. When Sauron is swinging his mace in attack the camera cuts again to show the ring, it is the ring alone that is allowing him to attack the soldiers with great power.

When the king is struck down immediately the camera cuts to a close up of Esealdor this is to show his reaction to his father’s death and to make the audience think that evil will win this battle because of the ring.

With luck Esealdor manages to pick up his father’s sword and swing it at Sauron taking his hand including the ring straight off. The camera cuts to an almost slow-mo of the ring falling to the floor. This could symbolise that the reign of evil has now been defeated. Because the ring is no longer apart of  Sauron he disintegrates showing that the ring was a part of him and without that he is nothing.

Once the ring is in possession of Esealdor the land of Mordor changes instantly. By the use of special FX light is cast from the moment Sauron dies to all over the land. An establishing shot is used to capture this. When the light hits the evil soldiers they die, light is associated as being good and a sign of tranquillity, I think this is why light is used for the restoration of Mordor, and the fall of evil.

A close up shot of Sauron’s helmet hitting the floor in slow-mo reinforces the fall of evil and danger.

The scene cuts to show Esealdor with the ring around his neck riding a white horse. Again a white horse was specifically chosen to show that he is a part of the good side fighting against evil. A close up of his face shows that he has a slight smirk, feeling proud about having such power around his neck.

Esealdor is killed and a fade out to in shot is used to show a different time period of him underwater and the ring is lost.

Another fade in shot is used to show time has passed and a dissolve is used of smealgol finding the ring after two and a half thousand years later. An establishing shot is used again to show the audience that the location has changed. This is a good use of a visual signifier because it conveys all of the necessary information in an instant.

A mid shot of Smealgol in his cave following the rule of thirds with rocks either side of the screen and also above and below to create the feeling of isolation and confinement.

Smeagol loses the ring after 500 years in his possession and a slow-mo is used again showing the ring falling from rocks with the narrator saying that the ring had abandoned Golum, almost creating the meaning that the ring has a mind of its own.

Another establishing shot is used again to show the location of the ring has changed and a fade out is used which will bring us to the start of the story having the context just told to us.