The whole opening sequence consists of close-up shots and extreme
close-up shots which prevents the audience from seeing the whole picture, thus
preserving the enigma and plot of the film. The close-ups seem to also be point
of view shots which gives the audience the impression that the individual shown
pays close attention to detail and is so meticulous with their actions that
they may have mental health issues. The common camera position from above could
indicate the amount of power the individual considers himself as having or
intends to gain through his actions.
The lighting of the opening sequence is fairly poor and
unnatural which suggests that it is set somewhere without natural light like a
basement without windows. Although the setting is never clearly seen due to the
opening sequence mainly consisting of close-up shots, the implied dark and
isolated setting adds to the audience’s negative perception of the character
shown. The cover of the scrapbook is similar to that of a composition book,
which are commonly used in American schools, suggesting that the individual’s
actions are his work rather than a mere hobby. The shot showing the individual
shaving off his own fingerprints instantly identifies him as the antagonist of
the plot to the audience since the only reasoning behind these actions is to
evade being identified in connection with a crime scene. The idea of the
individual’s obsession with gaining power is continued when he is shown to be
censoring words like “intercourse”, “transsexual” and “pregnant” in informative
texts which are one of the main indicators in the opening sequence that the
antagonist is morally against sinning and going against the teachings of
religion. He is also shown to be crossing out the eyes and later the whole face
of an image of a boy which could either be the image of a future victim, or
could be an image of the individual’s former self whose innocence he is trying
to protect from who he has become. The detail put into the construction of the
scrapbook suggests that the individual has obsessive compulsive tendencies as
he writes multiple books full of tiny and precise writing. The shot showing the
word “GOD” being cut out of money either suggests that the individual is trying
to disassociate God with money and other materialistic and potentially sinful items
or the individual is trying to prove that he is more powerful than God which
seems less likely since other evidence suggests that he is a sufferer of “religious
mania”. His destruction of currency also either implies that the individual is
wealthy, or doesn’t care for materialistic items.
The editing of the opening sequence is non-linear and the transitions
between the shots are very erratic and fast paced. This could be used to
emphasise the unusualness of the actions and to reflect the individual’s
mindset. The shots frequently fade suddenly to black. This and the jump cuts
throughout the opening sequence could reflect how unpredictable the individual’s
thoughts and actions are. Occasionally a red light or filter is used to show photos
developing in a dark room. The use of the colour red links to the danger in the
individual’s actions as well as showing the development of the plan being
formed as the photos develop.
The non-diegetic sound similar to thunder at the start of
the opening sequence could indicate that the footage is the calm before a storm,
telling the audience that the actions shown during the opening sequence are
merely a plan and are just the tip of the iceberg of what is to follow later in
the film. The music over the opening sequence starts off as being a collection
of random, unnatural and eerie sounds which ultimately come together to form
something more recognisable as music around 1:12 when the picture of the young
boy is shown as completely crossed out. The sudden change in the music
coincides with the apparent completion of the scrapbook which implies that
logic is taking over as the individual’s plan or project is finished. The repetitiveness
of the music could also reflect the individual’s mental instabilities or the
deterioration of his mental health. The only spoken words in the entire opening
sequence are “You put me closer to God” which illustrates the importance of
religion to the individual, implying that the antagonist’s actions are driven
by religion and the desire to please and do the bidding of higher powers and
divine beings. The fading non-diegetic sound similar to an explosion after the
words “you put me closer to God” emphasises that the individual’s ultimate
motivation is based on religion.
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