SSC Film Studies

The opening scenes to both A Clockwork Orange and Full Metal Jacket use the same techniques to engage the audience but to opposite effects. In the opening to ACO the audience/spectator are instantly forced to align with the character, Alex, due to an instant extreme close up of his face while he stares into the camera and his narration of the current situation. The opposite is used in FMJ with several close ups of many different marines that are all looking away from the camera, they are all given the same screen time and are all shot in the same frame, this makes it difficult for the spectator to align with a specific character. The opening credits to ACO suggest the split personality of the character Alex, with flashing Red and Blue colours which juxtapose each other as one suggests anger and the other peace and tranquility.