Analysis of The Silence of the Lambs opening.

The opening shot in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ is a long shot, which takes us from an area high up, through the fog to a cluster of tree’s, which have been the main focus of the shot so far. The fog creates a feeling of eeriness and it also makes the viewer feel like something is about to jump out in front of the camera, because the fog has made it difficult to see. The mise-en-scene suggests that this is set in late autumn or winter because there are grey clouds, the fog shows us that it is cold and the tree’s are bare. By setting the film in this season, the weather echoes the depressing feeling that the opening scene sets. The music adds to a the disturbing atmosphere in this opening scene because the orchestral instruments give the music a sinister edge, which already suggests that this film is going to be a very dark, distressing film. The dietetic sounds also add to the tone that this opening sequence creates, because the sound of the insects, which live in the forest, play an interesting part later on in the film, when a cocoon is discovered in the back of one of Buffalo Bills victims neck. The makers of the film are already depicting nature in a negative light and a source of making the viewer scared of animals. As the camera pans slowly down and shows the female character, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster). She is running through this forest and appears to be completing an assault course. This suggests to the viewer the nature of her work because, we would associate people in the army or in the police to be completing assault courses. We soon learn that Starling is training to be a police officer however what she is and why she is in the forest is still an enigma at this point we have an idea. As the character comes closer to the camera, a mid shot is shown of Starling and it is revealed that she is wearing sports clothes, which suggests to the viewer that she is purely exercising and is not running away from anyone. The character is running through the fog and as it becomes to unclear for us to see what she is doing the camera cuts to a close up of the woman so we can see her face clearly. The camera then follows Calrice’s feet as she runs and then to a close up of her face. These shots are all about establishing the character and trying to deduce as much about her as we can from the little information we have been given. The camera cuts to a mid shot of her running towards a rope wall. As she climbs over the wall the camera pans around her at a low angle. After climbing the wall we hear a mans voice calling Starling over. Starling does not hear him at first because she is so engrossed by what she is doing, suggesting to the viewer that she is a determined character who will not stop until she reaches her goal. The man runs over the Starling (the camera follows him doing so) and he tells Starling that Crawford, an F.B.I official, wants to see her in his office. The next shot is of a tree. The camera tilts up and down this tree so we get a full view of it and it shows the signs that are nailed to the tree which says ‘pain’, ‘hurt’, ‘agony’ and ‘love-it’. This creates an enigma code as we do not know who put these signs there and who they are meant for. The titles are played over the top of the action that is going on in the film and the films title is first shown in block, capital letters, followed by the actors names.

A long shot is shown of the building at the training base, to establish where our character is. The camera then zooms then cuts to where Clarice is inside the building. The camera follows Jodie Foster’s character as she looks for Crawford’s office. Once finding Crawford’s office Caprice looks around his office as she waits for him to return back to his office. Something catches her eye and the camera zooms in to show a close up of her reaction to what ever it is she has seen. This creates an enigma code as we want to know what she is looking at. A point of view shot allows the audience to see what it is she has seen. We can see a notice board with photographs and newspaper cuttings pinned to it. The camera then cuts back to a close up of her face and we can see her eyes scanning the board. What she sees is shown to the viewer as a point of view shot and finally stops on a newspaper cutting which says ‘BILL SKINS FIFTH’, with a picture of the victim below. This article is about the serial killer Buffalo Bill, who is a key character throughout the film. The camera cuts to a close up of Starling with a man, who we presume to be Crawford, in the background standing in the doorway. At first it is Crawford that is blurred but then as he says her name it is Sterling who is blurred, forcing the character to focus on Crawford.