Lord of War - Research into Film Openings

This is the first film opening i have analysed and researhced. I've never heard of 'Lord of War' which I think will help as i can be objective as I have no opinion on the film as a whole. Here is my research which I've decided to break into sections to make it easier to use...

Background/General Information:
Genre: action-drama
Plot: about illegal arms (weapon) trafficking
Director: Andrew Niccol
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Jared leto, Ethan Hawke
Distributer: Lions Gate Studio
It took $72,617,068 wordlwide in boxoffice

Analysis
The opening sequence is basically follwoing the production, transport and use of a single bullet; the audience only see things from the bullets point-of-view. It is as if the bullet has been stuck on the front of the camera so you can follw all its movements from it being made in a factory, to being transported and opened by different people and then being placed in the gun barrell, waiting to be used when the audience can't see anything until it is shot out into a childs head. Following the journey of one specific thing in the opening sequence is similiar to the opening of Sweeney Todd (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLS1VzUwfQ4) - The link shows how in Sweeney Todd you follow the jounrey of blood.
Giving the audience a limited view as they can only see from the point-of-view of the bullet builds up a suspense and makes the audience instantly interested and curious - I really like this idea of not showing the whole picture as it gives intrigue and has the feel of a movie opening which would be good for my final project. Here is an example image of how the audience just sees the limited view from where the bullett is:

As you can see, the bullet is on the bottom of the camera and the frame and the direction the bullet is pointing is where the viewer can see and you get this view the whole way through.

As the opening sequence ends, the bullet goes straight through a childs head which is very hard to watch and brutal, but it happens so fast it shocks the viewer into seeing the reality. This foreshadows very quickly how harsh the film is going to be so sets almost the tone of the film for the audience. Instantly, from the opening sequence qihtout researching the film I could see it ws going to be a film about the production of weapons and then how they are used and the moral issue behind this. Showing the child being shot, shows the audience there is going to be some moral decisions they have to make when wathcing the film. In my final project, I would like to produce something that gives the audience something to think about and poses some questions as I think this is really effective. No characters are introduced either in the opening sequence which I think works for this film, but in my final project I may want to make the audience aware of the chracters.

Music & Sound

The music used in the opening sequence isn't as brutal or shokcing as what the audience is watching. It is slow and suprising relaxing which contrasts with the image on the sceen and suggests someone you may not expect to be linked to what you visual see. The music is very undestated and not too loud so you can hear the nosies of the bullett being made, the machinery and the small noises around the bullet which builds up tension and suspense for a lounder noise to be used. The noise of the bulletts touching is very effective and continues throughout the whole opening sequence is very distinctive. There is no dialogue in the opening sequence of 'Lord of War' which also builds suspense and questions. I think the more relaxing and liad-back music is used to not make the film so heavy and make it more comfortable for the audience to watch.

Credit Order

1. protaganist actors name (Nicolas Cage)

2. film title (Lord of War)

3. other cast names

4. casting

5. music by

6. costume designer

7. editor

8. production designer

9. director of photography

10. exectutive producer

11. co-producer

12. exectutive producers

13. producers/produced by

Overall, I find the opening of this film very effective in enticing the audience and posing them with question and making them intrigued. The choice of music and the limited vision all contribute to that and I really like the idea of not shoiwng the audience everything. It suprisies me that a 'big-budget' movie like this with a star like Nicolas Cage doesn't show their big named actor straight away, instead they use his name to start it which may entice viewers even more. I've got some good ideas and inspiration on what I'd like to do in my final project. Also, after watching that opening sequence I want to see the entire film which I think makes it an effective opening!