Skyfall

Skyfall James Bond: Opening

At the start of the opening credits of Skyfall we get an underwater low angle view up of a figure falling into the water. From the figures posture we can tell he is not falling in because he wants too, he may have been pushed in or has simply fell In but he is not going in with choice. The non diegetic music starts to play, it is a dramatic song that connotes to us that this film could be of a dramatic genre.  We then get a closer view of the figure falling into the water, we know that this is James Bond due to there being a clip before this that tells us a bit of the storyline but the fact that he is wearing a suit could connote to people that had not seen the clip beforehand tell that it was James Bond. The fact that we have not yet seen another person in the opening credits could tell us that this is going to be our main character and the person we follow.  As James Bond falls we see that his eyes are closed and we are here unsure whether he is alive or dead, here the non-diegetic music becomes quite soothing and sad which connotes to us that James Bond may be dead. The lighting is low key and the darkness could also connote to us death.

We then see James Bond fade into a black screen, this could also show us that his future may be limited. The black screen then fade into James bonds hand, it shows him  being dragged down by a woman. This could connote to us that a woman could be his problem in the film. We then see out first title, telling  us the production team and our second title being the main character who plays James Bond. The Non-diegetic music then has speech in, the first line is "This is the end". This could connote to us that this film could be the end of James Bond.  The next line of the Non-Diegetic music is "hold your breath and count to 10" this links in with being underwater. We then see James Bond continue to fall through the water and into a black hole that seems to be sucking him down. During this we see the main title of the film appear "SKYFALL" this is centre of the screen and in bold writing that stands out, it clearly shows us that this is the title of the film. As James Bond falls down the hole the voice in the non-diegetic music says "feel the earth move" this links in with the movement of the ground and how he is being sucked down due to the movement. This then fades into a black screen which could connote to us the death of James Bond and the colour black connotes death and sadness. James Bond then reappears still falling. He falls past a target practice figure of himself with a bullet mark in and the effect of blood coming off connoting to us that all is not well for James Bond.

The camera then moves through the bullet mark and onto a women where the camera pans down her body which is a very classic James Bond opening credits to have a women in. This could also
connote that James Bond meets a women in the film. As the camera pans away from the women we see a gun fall into the sand. This gun could have been held by the woman which could connote that the woman could cause some problems for James Bond. Then we enter a graveyard with guns as the headstones, this connotes there will be a lot of gun fights and death in the film which stereotypically comes with James Bond films. We then see the titles "Judi Dench as M", this title goes through a graveyard and ends on a central gravestone. This could connote to us that Judi Dench's character dies in the film. We then see a change in the scenes, it goes from dark gloomy colours to a red colour that could connote to us blood and that there will be blood and injuries in the film. Moving through this scene we see two stag heads and the outline of a grand  house this connotes to us a scene that may appear in the film and also somewhere based in Scotland dues to the stag heads which can be stereotypically associated with Scotland or the countryside.

The camera then pans into James Bonds face, this is a younger version of him and could shows how he has aged. The camera then moves into his eye into a basement looking area which could also connote to us a scene that appears in the film. Then we see a high angle shot down on James Bond and it shows him shooting his own shadow. This could connote to us that he is scared of himself or the way he is heading and could show some of the issues he faces in the film. Then we see another character, this looks like the villain of the film but we only see a small glimpse of him. The camera then moves into a bullet hole which again connotes to the audience death.

A skull appear on the screen at around 1:52 minutes and the connotations that come with the skull are death so this gives the audience a pre-conception of what is to come from the film. The skull then fades into a women holding a gun. We are able to see the woman's face and this could show that she is a character in the film. Also the fact she is holding a gun connotes to us that she is of importance and her actions cause issues or help James Bond. The camera moves into gun and the screen is then filled with fire. This connotes to us that there is an occurrence of fire in the film and this also gives the audience a pre-conception. There is then a reappearance of the target of James Bond but this time he is on fire which connotes to us that James Bond comes into trouble with fire at some point in the film. After this we see Chinese Dragons appear, this shows us that there could be an occurrence of China in the film and this could be a place that James Bond visits.

We then see more women dancing, we don't necessarily believe that this has any relevance to the film and is simply something that tends to be put into James Bond opening credits. Guns also appear during the dancing of the women and a tartan prints which again gives connotations of Scotland. There is also another image of a big house and this again connotes to us that it is set In the countryside. The camera moves into an open grave and into James Bond walking, this connotes to us that he may die but also that his grave is waiting for him so he may be close to the end. The next scene again tells us that James Bond fears himself as he tries to shoot his reflection in the mirror again connoting to us that all is not well for him.

The camera then moves into a wound that James Bond has it moves into what looks like blood and veins which connote that he is seriously injured. Then what looks like rocks start to fall to the floor from the sky and this links in with the non-diegetic music where it says "let the skyfall as it crumbles" this looks like the sky is crumbling so it links with the song and also the title of the film. Then the camera shows a close up of an elderly James Bond face and this connotes that he is possibly to old to carry on and also links with the earlier image of his younger face showing possible James Bond has come to an end.

There are a lot of connotations and preconceptions we can get about the film from the opening credits. We learn a lot about the film just from the opening credits which sets us up with an idea of the contents. The credits are not the same as many other James Bond Openings as here we see James Bond falling whereas other James Bond is seen as dominant and strong. This also sets us up with an idea that James Bond has many issues in this film and that possible he has come to an end.