The Usual Suspects Textual Analysis

Opening sequence to the Usual Suspects:

Key:
Camerawork
Mise En Scene
Editing
Soundtrack
Narrative Theory

Straight away when the scene starts the use of pathetic fallacy using dark skies and strong wind in co-existence with the use of diegetic foley sounds coming from the ship bells on the harbour generates a sense of uneasiness from the spectators.

In figure 1 we see a tracking shot of a trail of fire passing what seems to be identified as a dead body. The use of the eye level shot lets us easily identify the dead body but also seems as we have become the fire. This connotation brings intensity as we have no idea who's body it is and why is this guy setting fire to the ship.


                                                                                          Figure 1

Shortly after the trail of fire is ceased by a man from above dressed in nothing but black, urinating onto the fire. This shot is also supported by another tracking shot as we see the camera rise from a eye level angle to a very low angle to introduce an establishing shot to introduce this new mystery character. This shot generates a hierarchy which allows us to differ the protagonist and the antagonist.

When this ominous character is introduced a crescendo was added through post production editing which created an atmosphere of intensity and fear. In addition the use of back lighting has masked his body in a thick black silhouette makes him seem as if he doesn't have an identity. Finally the use of a very timid and eerie soundtrack being performed whilst the tracking shot is being executed further flourishes the intensity of the scene and immediately lets the spectator know that he is an antagonist.

Throughout the entire scene the antagonist is never seen in anything larger than a medium shot on the lower half of his body. This is because this use of cinematography allows more enigma to be created as not being able to even acknowledge he has a face which makes him seem almost supernatural. This again makes the spectator ask more questions due to narrative theory and the fact this character is yet to have an identity brought to light.
The use of mise en scene and the prop gun being exhibited so suddenly after a lack of dialogue makes for a fantastic opening as we wonder why the gun needed to be used and why he deserved to die.

In addition, the fact that when the foley off screen gun shots were used the scene used the cut transition to showcase cinematic shots of the harbour. This concept generates a lot of enigma as we don't know if he actually died as we don't actually see it through camerawork we only here it through editing.

Finally the Usual Suspects has defied Todorov's theory and has started the film with closure instead of the usual equilibrium that most films start with. The use of the non-linear approach has made it so as a spectator we are asking questions after seeing this opening and we want to know more.