1. Film Beginning Analysis
Film:Identity(2003)
Director:JamesMangold
Sreenplay:Michael Cooney
Genre:Thriller,Psychological thriller
The filmIdentityopenswithagrippingandpsychologically
provokingopeningsequence. Itbeginswithanentirelyblack
screen,shortlyaccompaniedby‘ColombiaPicturesPresents’,and
the voice of a mysteriouscharacterona tape. He isbeingasked
questionsbyanothercharacter. We come to understandthatthis
isa recordingfroman interview betweenapatientanda
psychiatrist. Itisnot until overaminute thatwe are introducedto
any characters.Before this,we see amontage of thoughtprovokingclips,still accompaniedbythe
man’shauntingvoice thatisyet to be matchedto a face. We see a labledtape player,allowingusto
realise where the voice issourced,andalsorevealingthe speakersname as‘MalcolmRivers’.We are
thenshownmultipleaspectsthatcausesusto assume thata crime has beencommitted,andthat
thisisreasonbehindthe interview.Thesethoughtprovokingitemsinclude police documents,
disturbingcrime relatedsketches,filesof fingerprintsandmugshotsof a woman,whoisrevealedas
Malcom’smother. Thismontage has beenpiecedtogetherasaselectionof close upshots,allowing
us as viewerstoidentifywhatwe are seeingandthenbuildassumptionsthatacrime has been
committed.If these were filmedfromfurtheraway,we’dstruggletosee the contentsandwouldnot
gatheressential informationasa result. The montage movesslowly,tyinginwell withthe slow
pacedinstrumental thataccompaniesit,creatingadarkfeel. We thengo onto see a close up of a
man.At no pointdowe see himinhisentirety,butwe cansee he is wearingglassesandsuit.This
suggeststhathe is ina profession. We canassume fromthisthat he is some sort of investigator,as
thisisthe manstudyingthe variousdocuments,sketches,fingerprintsetc.We know he isthe man
viewingthe informationas the nextshotthenrevealshimsatatthe file coveredtable,andthen
anotherof his handsshiftingthroughthe documentsandarticles.Forthe restof the opening
sequence,we switchbetweenclose upsof these documentsandshotsof the manat the table.
Throughthis,we continue tohear the voicesfromthe tape,still notmatchedtofaces.We cannot
assume thatthe manaskingthe questionsonthe tape isin fact the man at the table simplyre-
playingthe recording.The manon the tape may be a psychiatristwhilstthe manatthe table is an
investigator. Itisanextreme close upof the manwe see thatendsthe openingscene. Throughout
the entiretyof thissequence,the soundof astorm isroaring anda dark instrumental is
accompanyingthe clips.Bothof these aspectscreate a mysteriousandhauntingfeel tothe movie.
Thisis importantasit allowsusto getan ideaof the genre of the film.We can tell thatit islikelyto
be a dark film,possiblythoughtprovokingandpsychologicallythrilling.Identity’sopeningwas
piecedtogetherincredibly;injust3minutes,usas viewershave beengripped. Ithasdone thisby
usinga varietyof clevershots,hauntingsoundsandathoughtprovokingscript.Audiencesare
persuadedbythistocarry on watching.Theyare leftwithsomanyquestions- didMalcolmRivers
committhe crime?Who exactlyis‘Doc’,the man at the table? What will thisall leadonto? An
incredibleopeningsequence toapsychological thriller.
