Analysis of Dark Knight- Opening scene.

Dark Knight- Analysis.

I watched the opening scene from the thriller, Dark Knight, the second part of the 'batman' trilogy, also containing 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight Rises'. The two main characters are batman, played by Christian Bale, and The Joker, played by Heath Ledger. In the opening scene, we learn a lot about The Joker, the main villain in the film, and his characteristics, and how the director wanted to portray him and the first bank robbery through cinematography, editing, sound and mise en-scene.

Cinematography

The use of camera angles in the opening scene is very key. Various types of shot were used to get different effects. One good example is the very first shot, which is a crane shot, slowly zooming in on the building. Then, there is a long shot of two men, wearing masks sliding down the zip line. The long shot gives you an idea of how high they are, and their surroundings. The way a medium shot of the joker from behind is used also has a very distinct effect. It makes him seem way more important than any other characters, who are nearly always paired in two shots, whereas he rarely is. An over the shoulder shot is used to show that the man with the gun, has the power, and he eventually uses that power to shoot another member of the crew. The final, and perhaps the single most powerful piece of cinematography is of the joker at the end of the scene, when he finally 
removes his mask. We finally see his true identity, his scars.

Sound

Sound plays a very big role in creating the atmosphere during the first scene, none more so than with the parallel sound that stays present throughout pretty much the entire time. A sound bridge begins the scene, creating tension, which is then ended by the glass being smashed. The sound that begins the scene is constant throughout, however it increases in tempo at certain points, for example when the man is shooting at The Joker with his shotgun. This has an impact as it once again raises tension, as the action becomes more intense.

Mise en-Scene

The Joker's positioning in the scene is the main way mise en-scene is used, along with the way his identity is kept a mystery. He is nearly always on his own in the shot, in the middle, and he never speaks. This creates a real mystery around his character, however makes the audience see that he could be a key character. He is also the only one of his crew to reveal his face, suggesting that only his identity matters, and his first real line is witty and mysterious also. This says a lot about the sort of villain he is going to be. Less about brawn and power, more about intelligence. 

Editing

Although not a key feature in the way The Joker is presented, editing does still give us some ideas about him, and the surroundings. The edits are designed to make the scenes simply go from one to the next, which gives a simple yet quick feel to the scene. This makes it seem that the job is well organized, and is easy, which says a lot about The Joker and his skills.