Analysing Film Openings - This is England

Analysing opening sequences – This Is England

1. In one of the initial shots of the film ‘This Is England’ we see a slightly pixelated image of Margaret Thatcher. But the image is a younger version of herself from in the 1980’s, when the film is set. This shot is from the point of view of someone watching a TV screen as this is footage from that decade. The shot is positioned to create nostalgia for some viewers whilst others may not recognise this. This whole two minute opening is an overview of the events that occurred in the 1980’s.

2. Shot two is also from the point of view of a TV audience it marks the wedding of Prince Philip and Diana. This shot is bringing controversy to the opening as the marriage was not successful and famously ended in divorce. This is also an important shot as it was a momentous part of history.

3. This shot shows a protest which was taken in real time by most likely a news crew; it is a ‘real’ representation of things that actually happened back then. This positions the audience to feel for the protestors and show sympathy for their situation. This is also effective as it is controversial by showing only their side.

4. This is a mid shot and a group shot, which is effective because it shows the emotion on the young woman’s face in the middle and the policemen’s faces. Throughout all these shots being played there is an upbeat song playing consistently and this sometimes detracts from the violence seen in some shots and creates a deliberate juxtaposition.

5. Shot 5 shows crowds of people trying to push past police and this show the rivalry between the police and public and the tension within society, shot 4 also shows this. This shows the audience the troubles that the government had with the public and the great lengths they took to keep order.

6. This shot is a close up shot showing the end result of the fighting/rioting on England’s streets. This shows the severity of what happened.

The opening of this film highlights many key points in 1980’s history whilst showing antisocial behaviour, it is informational to those who haven’t seen what occurred.

Useful Because:

- We are taking an almost montage approach in our opening, showing a lot of different scenes to create an overall impression, and this is helping me see how this works.
- The credits are interesting - it is difficult to read the bottom ones. I would have thought they might have changed the colour - but at the same time these credits are meant to be subtle. We need to plan for where ours will appear so they are on a contrasting background.