Recently in class we looked at the opening title sequence of Don't Look Now, directed by Nicolas Roeg. Here is the clip we looked at:
The camera starts off with the close up of the water which is an evident theme throughout and also link to the drowning at the end of the clip. This shot also 'pulls' you into the water, giving the image of drowning. There are many establishing shots of lots of characters which allows the audience to know where she is and also how far away she is from her parents making the scene seem dangerous. There is also a lot of foreshadowing going on using establishing shots of the girl in the water. For example, when she throws the ball in the water for the first time, we see the girl's reflection in the pond.
The editing in this clip is also significant. The little girl throws the ball and the shot immediately goes straight to the mother catching something making a link between the two characters. There is also use of match-cutting when a glass breaks in the house and it cuts straight away to the mirror being smashed outside. Another example of this is when the mother puts her hands to her mouth and it immediately cuts to the little girl with her hands by her mouth, making a link.
There is a lot of tense music being played throughout this scene which gives it atmosphere and a dramatic mood. The humming from the man throughout also gives a sense of pathetic fallacy and makes you question the storm and rain and what's about to happen.
The little girl is wearing red throughout which adds to the overall mise-en-scene, hinting that there could be danger ahead. The title of the film in the water is foreboding and a warning to the audience 'don't look now' but in doing this, entices the audience to watch. Suddenly it stops raining just before she drowns, which could symbolise the calm before the storm. Another signifier could be the broken mirror, as this often symbolises bad luck.
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