opening sequence

Explore How the Opening Sequence of your Chosen Film introduces its Key Themes

The Director of La Heine, Mathieu Kassovitz uses many cinema techniques in order to manipulate his audience. This is shown in the opening sequence when we, as the audience, are positioned to see the police as antagonists who instigate the violence shown in the riot shots, and the protestors as protagonists who are driven to reactions by the violent acts of the police. This is done to give the audience an idea of whose side they should be taking (and will take) in this film before they have even seen it.

The sequence opens with a long P.O.V shot from behind a lone protestor who is facing what looks like an army of fully armed police in the distance. This shot is extremely effective as it gives us the idea that the protestors are the underdogs. It does this through many different cinema techniques.

The first is the use of a single protestor. We cannot see behind us and so don’t know if there are any other protestors behind us, but the image itself gives us the impression that it is a single man standing against the full might of the state.

            The second technique used is the difference in attire of the police and the protestor. The protestor is wearing casual clothes; a hooded jacket, jeans, trainers and a t-shirt whereas the police are fully equipped in padded body armour and helmets. The police are also militarised with weapons including teargas, guns and batons, which greatly outmatches the protestor’s sticks and stones.   

            The simple fact that we are on the opposite side to the police makes us feel like we are part of the protestor’s opposition to the police’s brutality.

            The quote which the protestor shouts to the police also solidifies their lack of power against them; “you’re murderers! You can shoot, we only have stones.” The use of the word ‘murderers’ also makes us turn against the police as we instantly take the protestors word because we feel that it is excessive to use bullets against tree branches and stones.

            The use of faceless police also turns us against them. This is because it makes them less human than the protestors, that they are mindless and lack morality. It makes is easier for us to accept the protestors violence towards them since we see them as oppressors to the people of the projects.

Things I will go on to say:

·      Representations of police and protestors ‘antagonist & protagonist’ – not true – we are being manipulated

·      Credits – segregating the groups in our mind before the film even starts – tells us of the social climate of paris.