Legally Blonde and Se7en are very different films. Legally Blonde is a happy, bright comedy aimed at teenagers and starring Reese Witherspoon. Se7en is a dark, gritty police / crime drama thriller starring the serious Morgan Freeman. As a result of these differences in genre, narrative plot and characters; these films have extremely different opening sequences. Let's see how they're different and why...
Narrative Information & Expectations
- Legally Blonde has 2 different narratives in the opening sequence; a good luck card being passed between several teenage girls whilst they sign it for somebody called "Elle" ( who we later find out is the girl getting ready ), and another blonde teenage girl getting prepared for an event. Both of these narratives merge when the good luck card is given to the girl getting ready. From my previous experience of films, the good luck card suggests that something bad's going to happen at this event.
- Se7en's opening sequence focuses on one narrative with one main character and one supporting characters. The first shots show an old man ( who we discover to be Detective Somerset ) getting ready for work. We then discover that he is a detective as he works at a crime scene, trying to answer questions when another younger detective ( Mills ) arrives late chewing gum. About 3 minutes into the film Somerset says "...over the next seven days..." which is a good example of foreshadowing, highly suggesting that something is going to happen over the next seven days.
- Although these films are extremely different, both of these opening sequences clearly esthablish who is / are the main character(s) of the film and give some subtle suggestion of what we can expect from the storyline as a whole and what roles the characters will probably play.
Character Descriptions & Types
- Legally Blonde is clearly going to focus around a caucasian, blonde girl called Elle, from the opening sequence, we get several ( literal ) signs that she is popular e.g. "Homecoming Queen" and "President...". Her room has many branded products such as "Prada" which all connotate that she is wealthy. From many stereotypes in media and the fact they actually put "blonde" in the title, the audience assumes that she's going to be a little bit stupid although the word "legally" may prove us wrong.
- Other stereotypes we see include: the violent, topless frat boys who cheer at passing girls; more teenage girls getting ready for other events by exercising, applying make-up and overusing hairspray. We also catch a glimpse of Warner ( Elle's boyfriend ) who Elle might be going out on a date with, which would explain the good luck card however I still highly doubt all will go to plan.
- Se7en seems to revolve around Detective Somerset, a very thorough and somewhat strict, old man who lives his life in a slow, methodical way. For example, we see him align his possessions neatly and picks them up in a specific order. He asks seemingly pointless questions because he wants to know everything there is to know although I feel as though this is because he firmly believes in true justice. The fact that he falls asleep to a metronome makes him seem even more precise in his life and why I think this is a highly experienced and talented detective.
- Detective Mills is almost the opposite to Somerset. He's young, inexperienced to crimes ( in this area ) and somewhat carefree in what he does e.g. arrive late to the crime scene, chew gum, talk back to Somerset. Although he comes across as rude, I think he does have good intentions, it's just going to take Somerset and Mills a week to see eye to eye.
Shot Types / Camera Techniques / On-Screen Effects
Both of these films use similar techniques and tactics but when combined with the films' content, they create very different effects overall:
- Se7en and Legally Blonde use close - up montage shots. Se7en fades these shots together in a very complicated montage which makes the viewer feel slightly sick to see this distorted film of mutaliated body parts, details being analysed, money being cut up and the same picture being merged with the same picture whilst never revealing who the villain is doing all this because of the close framing. Legally Blonde is much more clear and comprehensible although this montage of a girl getting prepared is broken up with the other narrative ( the card ). We see hair being brushed, nails being painted, legs being shaved in a very simple way as the credits write themselves onto the screen.
- Both of these films' opening sequences use music and titles to help create mood. During Se7en's distorted montage of forensic evidence and more, the viewer gets to hear a distorted soundtrack as well, breaking up, making inunderstandable screeches and noises to make it feel even more uncomfortable to watch. The shaking titles, shaking and moving around the frame further add to the effect. Another way in which this is effective is that the music score and credits and footage syncronise together so that they seem like one experience in distraction. Legally Blonde is again much more basic; "Perfect Day" plays throughout the entire opening sequence ( again with connatations of disaster ) as the pink titles in a hand-drawn typeface wipe into the frame. Although the music doesn't sync up with the video as well in my opinion it does anchor the overall mood of happiness in the footage quite well.
- Legally Blonde and Se7en using lighting and colour to anchor the narrative mood. Legally Blonde is very bright with a lot of high-key natural lighting, this symbolises everybody's joy and happiness with plenty of connatations of good ( as opposed to evil ). Use of the colour pink is used a lot too in this opening sequence, paticularily in Elle's bedroom to help confirm to the viewer that this is a 'chick flick' and that she is a stereotypical, movie, teenage girl. Se7en is very low-key; it can be fairly hard to make out much in this opening sequence, paticularily at the crime scene to symbolise the evil and darkness and unseen fear in this place. Although this isn't a black and white film, the colour saturation is also very low to further anchor the fact that this isn't a paticularily happy or friendly place ( more homicides to come? ).
