1. Media AS Phoebe Gibson
The Girl on the Train opening analysis
The movie begins with a low angle shot of the sun shining through trees that are
whizzing past at a fast speed; accompanied by the sound of a train whistle and
tracks rattling. This ambient sound gives the immediate impression that this is
the view from a train window. The view of the tree is then blocked from view as
another train passes and the music ‘Riding the Train’ composed by Danny Elfman
plays. These first shots communicate that the setting of ‘on the train’ is
significant to the storyline. The blur of the trees moving past almost create a
disoriented imaged, similar to the blur that the alcoholic protagonist often
experiences.
Our first shot of her is a close-up through the train window as she draws an ‘X’
shape in the condensation of the window, and looks through it. The ‘X’ could
represent a warning to the audience to not come near her, as she is a liability.
This would suggest that she is aware of her negative presence and sees her self
as a burden hinting at the idea that she isn’t a very happy person. This action is
done in sync with a voice over of a woman’s voice on the line “My husband used
to tell me I have an overactive imagination” This creates a narrative enigma and
suggests that her overactive imagination has something to do with the plot. She
then whispers, “I can’t help it” This may suggest that she is ashamed of this
quality or that it could be a secret - maybe the reason why she is so unhappy?
We then see the name ‘Rachel’ in white font against a black background fade in
then out on the line “These are things I want to know”. This may hint at the idea
that the over voice is Rachel and prepares the audience to find out some
information about this character, implying that she is significant in the storyline.
The contrast of the white font on the black screen instantly takes the audience’s
focus suggesting that its important information.
A series of shots including: long shot, side profile medium shot and close up of
Rachel riding the train while looking out the window are shown. The long shot
zooms slowly in possibly creating the impression that the audience are being
drawn in to this character as we gradually find out more about her. The close up
shows her facial expression to be intrigued or confused. This enhances the idea
of her fascination with the houses she passes and implies that the audience are
as close to her as she’d like to be to the people she sees when on the train.
We see the girl Rachel often notices leaning over the balcony of a large white
house (“number fifteen Beckett road”) in an extreme long shot. The house is very
large and white implying that this couple she fascinates over has a lot of money.
The colour white may represent the idea of a dream house perhaps suggesting
why Rachel obsesses over it and the people living there. It may be the symbol of
the life she dreams about. The long shot of the girl on the balcony may represent
the distance between Rachel’s current life and the life she wants, highlighting the
fact that her current life is one she is unhappy in.
The colours of the costumes that Rachel and the girl on the balcony wear are
very different. Rachel wears dark blues, which may symbolise sadness and her
unhappy life. However, the girl on the balcony wears light pinks and creams and
clothes that float. The brightness of the colours that she wears juxtapose the
2. Media AS Phoebe Gibson
colours Rachel wears creating a larger distance between the two characters and
the life’s they live.
The camera pans away from the shot of the girl and a wide shot pans across
several other houses. This creates the illusion of the train moving away from the
dream house and the girl, communicating how Rachel’s life is getting more and
more distant from the life she wants. However, during the pan of houses, as the
train move on, the wide shot cuts to a close up of one particular blue house. This
closer look at this blue house may imply it has some significance to the plot. The
idea that this house is dark blue juxtaposes from the ‘dream house’ in a similar
way that Rachel and the girl’s clothes do, and creates a negative image. The shot
after is a return to the close up of Rachel although this time she is turning to look
away from the blue house with a sad facial expression. This also contrasts with
the expression she has from the ‘dream house’ emphasising the negative
connotations with the blue house. This may set up a narrative enigma and could
make the audience to question Rachel’s past.
The close up of Rachel’s face - as she notices a man has been watching her on the
train – seems stressed and slightly cautious. This communicates an element of
paranoia, which is often associated with psychological thrillers. However the
way she ignores it and returns to looking out the window may indicate that she
attempts to shut things out implying that she is a fairly lonely character. It may
also suggest that this happens often and she has learned to ignore other people’s
reactions of her.
The beginning of the opening of this movie and the end of the opening are set in
different times of the day. During the start its very light making it seem like the
daytime. However, in the end of the opening, it is very dark and is clearly at
night. This would may suggest that Rachel rides the train all day or most parts of
the day. The idea of her riding the train up and down may highlight the idea that
her life is very negative and the times she rides the train is very significant for
her.
