Textual analysis of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Tim Burton, 2007)

(Opening sequence 0:27 to 2:15)

Story Line

• The camera starts outside on a stormy night, it tracks to a window The dark lighting and grim weather sets a sinister tone. A flash of lightning illumitates what is inside, an empty chair with nothing around it. The use of the lightning to light the scene is brilliant, it's a really creepy way of revealing information. 

• A drip of blood falls on the window, this signifies at the genre of the film strongly as blood is so heavily linked with death, which in turn is linked with the horror genre. We don't know who they are of or why they are bleeding adding intrigue. 

• The shot cuts to a grey stained wall inside the room with a silhouette portrait of a women hanging on it in a Gothic style frame, it appears to be bleeding. Could these be past victims and sources of the blood? This location is dark and depressing which hints that what ever goes on here isn't particularly enjoyable. 

• The shot tracks down to a trickle of blood trailing down an elaborate chair, this is a subtle introduction of an item which is integral to the story. Without this an item such as a chair could be overlooked and dismissed. It drips down to the underneath and unexpectedly reveals a set up of cogs and machinery. At this point the audience doesn't know why or what it does. As the machinery turns the camera follows the blood leading to a trap door, it opens and the camera falls down a long, dark chute. This obviously isn't normal to have under a chair, it raises questions for the audience of what sinister operation is under way. 

• The next shot is of a mincer with meat coming out of it, the camera tracks down and starts following the blood again which is now dripping from the meat. The blood falls into water of a sewer system and swirls around. The camera then cuts to the fire of an oven, in the next shot the audience sees 8 pies cooking in a furnace with a line of blood bubbling on the shelf.  

The continuation of the blood tells us that all these goings on are connected, that what ever, or more likely who ever was in the chair is now in the pies. The camera tracks out and the furnace door closes to show blood flowing down a groove in the floor into a drain. At this point we still haven't been introduced to any characters.

I like how the camera follows the journey of the blood and how that introduces the audience to the setting of the barbers chair. It symbolises death which is what will happen to any one that sits in the chair. It basically tells you the main premise of the film in a subtle way: People sit in the chair, die (well, get murdered) and get baked into pies. Blood is heavily linked with and very representative of the horror genre.

• The next shot is of more blood dripping down a wall before the focus switches to a dark, rat infested sewer of blood mixed with water. The camera tracks back along the flow of water and backs out of a grate which leads to a river. This end the journey of the blood, it is discarded. No-one would ever know of the horror that lies within that basement. This adds to the chilling feel of the sequence, the fact that no one would know of what shocking activity is happening.

Enigma Codes

Questions that are raised:

• Who is responsible for this?
• Why would they want to kill people and make them into pies?
• Who is the person from the silhouette?

Characters

We aren't introduced to any characters in this sequence. The only slight depiction of a character is from the silhouette and we don't know anything about them. They could be the antagonist, protagonist or a victim. The fact that the portrait appears to be bleeding suggests that who ever they are they aren't alive or won't be for much longer.

Locations

From the first shot of the roof tops we know that this is set in a built up area as opposed to a desolate location like the countryside.

There must be plenty of people around, this makes the premise of the film even more chilling. The fact that people could be being murdered and made into pies and everyone around it is totally oblivious.

Lighting

The lighting is very low key. The whole sequence is very dark and takes place in the dead of night. adding to the secretive feel on the piece. It suggests no one knows and no one is meant to know of what is going on behind closed doors. As all of the settings are so dark the blood really stands out highlighting the fact that it is a horror film. The lighting cast by the lightning is really effective, it illuminates the chair in a natural way. And as lightning is scary it reflects the genre nicely. 

Cinematography

The shot types are quite varied. Most of the close ups pan or track out to reveal more of the scene. It gives me the feeling that there is more to be seen. The shots start of close revealing very little and then release more information but they could have stopped during any time. They could have just given us extreme close ups revealing next to nothing so why did they show the audience more? But more to the point what didn't they show the audience? Did they stop before showing something vital such as a character?

For example in this shot there could be someone just in the shadows but the information is being with held

I like how the camera was used to show points of perspective, for example when falling down the chute. Point of view shots are a good way to help the audience connect with the action and feel more involved.

Editing

The editing is fairly slow in the sequence. The shots are long but nearly all of them either pan or track so a lot is shown during the shots. The lack of fast editing makes it easier to follow and understand.

The continuity of the blood flowing is very effective, it connects all the shots and makes them flow together. This helps the audience follow the sequence and make sense of what is happening. This isn't always the case in horror films, sometimes the desired effect is to disorientate the viewer.

Sound

There is a non-diegetic music score. The music is brilliant, it starts off with organs which reminds me of a funeral march (This is quite fitting of the genre) and then falls silent. The music starts again quietly building up tension, describing what is happening in a way words never could. It changes pace when the camera goes down the chute to the basement, the sound becomes stronger as if it is saying "this is happening" where as before it was subtler and more subdued, building to a moment of realisation.
Diegetic sounds include raindrops, the crashing of thunder and dripping of blood, cogs turning, the blood sizzling and the furnace door slamming shut. The sound of the thunder and blood dripping are extremely effective as they are subtle touches that are very unnerving for the audience.

Titles

The titles are presented over the action in a white font which stands out and easy to read. It is important the titles can be read, or there is not point having them there but they mustn't contradict to mood of the sequence. The first name that is not a company name is the directors, Tim Burton. Next is three of the main actors followed by the title of the film. The title is in another colour to show its importance. Following this are the supporting actors and the people such as who did the casting and music. At the end of the opening credits the director is shown again (This seems to be a trend in the opening sequences I have watched).