Micro Analysis Of Big ComboAs the credits start to roll at the beginning of the film there is a scenic establishing shot that captures the New York skyline that is filmed from a helicopter. As the credits are rolling with the backdrop of New York there is a non-diegetic sound track playing throughout. The sound track as you can imagine is jazz music, which involves a lot of trumpets, saxophones and a double bass. This all helps to create the film Noir genre that the film is based on. As the film comes to the end of the credits the camera comes down in to the street where it captures how busy the city is, the many cars passing and the many lights that are dotted around the street create a feeling of how crowded the streets are during all parts of the day. There is then a cut away to a tilt where the camera then captures an iconic image of the film noir genre, a neon sign that says “STADIUM. This choice of shot introduces the audience to how the film will be set out and what sort of period it is set in. Throughout the scene the non-diegetic jazz music that is playing in the first scene continues through, which once again adds to the Noir feel that is being drilled through the opening of the film.

Once the credits have went off screen there is then an elliptical edit in to the stadium that has been previously been filmed from the exterior. When the camera enters the boxing match it is filmed from a long shot, which is made to feel more realistic by the synchronous, diegetic sounds of the crowed clapping and cheering at the boxing match. There is then another elliptical edit to a corridor in the stadium that has where a stereotypical film Noir women comes running through the corridor with two men chasing, who are also dressed in stereotypical costumes that fit the times i.e. suits, over coats and trilbies. As the chase develops through the winding corridor there are several match on action shots which a shot through several pans, this combination allows the chase scene to show the emotions of the women being chased much more clearly and allows the audience to get a grip on how the film will pan out and what the film will involve. When the men finally catch the women and stop her from running away the audience gets a good look at the costumes that the three characters are wearing, they are very stereotypical of the genre and make the genre of the film even more clear if anyone has not caught on to the other characteristics of the genre that have already been shown. Throughout this scene and the opening whole sequence there is low lighting in every shot. This is particularly effective in the scene where the two men and women have conversation as it makes the situation feel dangerous and unsettled.

After this scene the camera then pans round to a show a man standing at a stall in the stadium, the audience gets to see the man slightly in one of the earlier scenes, but this time he is fully brought in to the shot. To capture the man he slowly walks towards the camera, gradually changing the shot from a long shot to an extreme close up, which also makes the characters roll seem much more important. There is then a fade away and piece of elliptical editing to the street outside, where a taxi pulls up at the side of the road. As these scenes merge the jazz music is introduced again, starting a steady pace and gradually increasing. As the taxi pulls up to the building (which is also fitting with the genre and the period) the opening sequence ends. I feel that the opening sequence was very successful as it does two things, the first one being it sets the story and the genre up for the rest of the film very well through the costumes, characters, lighting etc. But it also draws the viewer in as it introduces a fast pace and action pact scenes right from the word go.