Drama Film Openings

Hello! While doing research I on my genre I went out and watched some drama film openings to see how other films of the genre did it. Here are a two of the openings that I watched and my thoughts on them.

The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather's opening was brilliant! While watching the opening a few different moments stood out to me. The first shot's lighting showed the mans face in a skeleton like manner. This could be showing that he feels like he is "dead" and all out of options. I really enjoyed this film opening as it perfectly demonstrated the genre of drama by introducing characters in a modern setting dealing with their human emotions and struggles. The opening also gives a good amount of introduction about the characters. The Godfather is shown playing with his cat which shows his inner kindness. He is also shown in a position of power by the mise-en-scene of where he is sitting. 

Moonlight (2016)

In this opening the character and his environment are both introduced. The smooth cinematography shows the characters comfort with the world around him. A lot of the environment is also shown by the man begging for drugs and the small homes with the old cars in the driveways. The environment is shown as a low income neighborhood. The man running along the street as the supporting character says "go get em" also gives a greater idea of where they live. The camera circles a lot giving an idea of the relationships of all the characters. The supporting character is also seen as a drug dealer, furthering the low income neighborhood environment.