The Purge (2013) Opening Analysis

The film ‘The Purge’ immediately makes the audience aware that the genre is a thriller/horror by the instant attacks and violence that is taking place in the first image is introduced by CCTV cameras that contain mostly high angled shots, this makes the image shown look real e.g. using familiar, graining images that put the audience on edge. Non-diegetic sound is used over the footage of these murders taking place, however it doesn’t correspond as the classical relaxing music played contradicts the violence being shown. This makes the audience even more baffled by horrific images and creates an uneasy mood. The purge has a cold open as it starts with showing death to the audience but giving no back story as to why anything is happening, filling the audience with a sense of disturbance before they even have a hint at the plot.  

CCTC camera footage makes the audience feel on edge as it feels like they are witnessing something that cannot be stopped and makes it more realistic. Each death and assault featured in the opening is shown at a different high angle shot to enforce the idea that many lives are being lost but it’s insignificant to the rest of the world which creates fear as it could be you the audience who is targeted next. Also the angles suggest that all the violence is being watched but no action is being taken to stop it which enhances the fear as the supposed crime fighters (police) are useless. The fast paced editing makes it feel like there are so many incidents happening in such a short amount of time so the audience almost can’t keep up as they’ve just gotten over the previous act of violence then forced to watch another.

The credits used in the opening sequence look well thought out as they stand out over the dim background of video footage. They are visible but you don’t focus on them as they don’t seem as important compared to the imagery behind it that is being displayed. You can tell by the dark colours that the film will be quite sinister and it’s obvious that bad events are going to take place throughout the film. The utopian solution would be that the night is over and so is all the violence, this reassures the audience and gives the film a comforting ending. I don't like that the titles have different animations when they enter and leave the screen, if they had just kept to one of the animations it would improve the consistency. I like when the titles fade in and out form the picture and would like to use this effect in my own opening.