Land Of the Dead Opening Title Sequence Analysis

So in today's post I will analyzing my sixth opening title sequence and this one is Land Of the Dead, an apocalyptic horror film all about survival in a world infested with zombie.

So the film begins with a very old version of Universal Pictures logo, despite that this film was made in 2005. The contrast of the colours has been edited to appear very yet slightly vibrant, so we are still able to see the credits. Universal Pictures is the distributor of the film. The sound used almost sounds like lightning or a plane which a screeching can be heard too. The logo fades out, like it has disintegrated, which creates somewhat a feel of eeriness. It makes the audience feel anxious as it isn't the typical Universal logo and the sound helps create a sombre mood - something isn't right.

We then see the logo of Atmosphere Entertainment Productions MM, the producer of the film. The colours have still be manipulated which gives a grainy effect to it overall. Used with the previous logo, it almost gives an old fashioned feel to the film. The logo fades in and out in the motion in the previous shot.

The next screenshots are of the first text to appear on screen, reminding the audience who help in the production. The editing still gives the graining effect as the text flickers, much like an old fashioned video camera. The background music builds at this point, building suspense as the volume increases. 



 

At the title appears, the music reaches its climax, highlighting that the title is the main focus of this clip, it's what it's been building up to. The tone of the music adds to the dark mood of the film and we know that there isn't a happy feel to the film at all. The text continues to flicker and the music screeches, a very recognisable element used in many horror movies.

At this point in the sequence, we learn the upcoming events happened some time ago which is why everything looks vintage and has an old fashioned feel to it. The names of the actors names appear along with aerial shots of a city. An old fashioned radio begins playing news reports with static, signifying that technology too is old and broken. At first sight the shots appear to be as they should but then the camera flickers and the bright contrast of the dark is brought into affect again, possibly because the camera too is broken. This casts a dark dingy feeling over all the upcoming shots which perhaps signifies that everything turned dark very quickly - there was nothing left unturned. The radio reports that dead corpses are coming back to life and eating the living, which tells us straight away the main theme of the film if the audience hadn't already guessed from the title.

The camera then switches to a close up of a hand and a man's face (not shown) who appears to be lying down and dead. The news reports continue in the background, warning those to stay inside and mentions that the dead survive by eating human flesh. The images are grainy and much like the text, flicker. It then cuts back to the hand again as it starts to move whilst a woman says in a calm manor 'if you are bitten you will just become one of them'. The way the movements of the hand is shot isn't in a smooth motion as the camera jumps every couple of seconds, making the footage appear jagged and rough. The images disintegrate in a similar fashion to the credits.

The next shot is a close up wide shot of a door being locked and a woman's eye looking around wildly as the radio continues to say 'they are not your neighbours and friends, not anymore more'. As this is said, the sound of a door locking can be heard, signifying that people are becoming more and more terrified as the fear and disease spreads. 

Similar images of horror elements such as a fill more and shadows appear along with more credits. What's most important in this title sequence is the audio as the news reports give vital information to the audience such as how the disease is spread and what people should do in order to survive. It introduces the story well and includes action codes as it helps to move the plot along.

More credits appear on screen along with more images of a heard of zombies, ground being dug up and a close up of the same man's face from the previous credits. By now, background music of a slow drone of string instruments can be heard as they are made more prominent as the sequence continues - it is building up to something.

At this point, the radio plays reports in a range of different languages, showing that the disease has now fully taken over and spread worldwide. More and more reports continue to play as we hear eyewitness accounts of the horrors and people screaming. The screeching and ringing in the background can be heard and string instruments begin to fast shot sharp notes which gradually increase in sound, creating even more tension as the audience knows there is something to expect, the music is leading us to something.

The final credits in this style finishes with the director of photography whilst the music climaxes and we are informed that the next events are all happening today. The title sequence acted as a flashback. The colours of the low angle long shot of houses changes as it fades to a dark blue, restoring colour and normal contrast levels. The word 'today' appears on screen and the scene jolts before cutting to black, as if the camera has run out of tape. 

There is then an establishing shot of a worn down sign and then the camera pans slowly to the right over the location of the next scene. More credits appear on screen but fade in and out normally. The background music fades in and out in a slow screeching sound and we hear small groans from the surrounding zombies as the trudge around slowly in the scene. We hear a slow tap of a tambourine along with a slow drone of a trumpet. The camera continues to pan to the right and it is then revealed to us that there is a group of zombies trapped in a gazebo along with other brass instruments, wearing similar uniforms. The background movement creates an eerie effect as it crescendoes, working alongside every little diagetic sound made in the scene.

So again, there wasn't any representations that stood out in this title sequence but it contained all the conventions and adapted them well to fit the mood and tone that the film tried to create. I especially like the use of the old fashioned title (very creepy!). So that is all for today's post.

Until next time,

                          Toni