Editing

Apocalypse Now - Opening Sequence

The clip that I will be analysing is Apocalypse Now which was a movie made in 1979 about the Vietnam war. This clip I have used is from the opening scene from the movie.

In the first minute of the clip, there aren't any transitions involved but there is a mise en scene of a jungle. A few helicopters past the camera make the shot foggier. There aren't any transition as the director and editor are trying to keep the audience interested, they do this by having a few helicopters go by which will raise questions to the audience mind and create mystery as we only see half of them. The sound that is added afterwards in the post also used to help create a stronger narrative, is very peacefully and has synergy with the jungle which symbolises peace. As nothing happens for a whole 1, which is unusual in modern films today, which creates a lot of tension. Just when the explosion happens, the first words are "this is the end" which will tell the audience the that the war has started and the peace is ruined. The explosions used could be CGI or done when shot. 

As it is slowly moving right using a dolly shot, it starts to dissolve  from the fire to a man's face. This transition forms the face to the war-related scene show us that the character in some way is connected to them. In this clip, the only transition used is a dissolve which is most cases so time passing to the future in a short period of time. however, In this clip, it seems that the character is remembering his past and the horror he faced.  After the fade from the jungle, you see a close-up of the character face and the fan on the roof, this then slowly fade to the helicopter. this Juxtaposition will tell the audience that when the character saw the fan, he remembered him of the helicopter from the war he was in and made the audience feel the pain he was in. The first half of the dissolves were of the war and the second half was what was happening to him now. The flashbacks back and the shots used such as close and extremely close up suggest that the director trying to make the audience attached to the character so they feel sorry for him. As it goes back and forward with the fade, the audience slowly finds out more about the character with the alcohol and the smoke from the cigarette which could connote that he is having a hard time forgetting it. When it was panning from his bed and dissolving to the ceiling fan, there was a gun that gives, even more, proof to the audience that he is connected to the war. The Juxtaposition  from all the dissolves shows as the war left him very unstable and how  he is the only one in the opening sequence can show us that he is isolated.

The dissolve makes the clip seem continuous as the audience can tell that the character was in the area when the war happens from all the flashbacks used.

This is a very effective way of showing montage in its full proportional. This is effective as it is very seamless and you can easily figure out what is happen. It shortens the period of time he spent in the war and the way it always fades back to him could suggest he was one of the reasons it happened. Also, the pace of the transition is very long which suggest that time for the character is very long because he can't stop thinking about what happen. The slow pace also creates mystery as the audience will not know what has really happened to the character. 

The lighting used is very dark and is a low-key light. This is so more shadows are created and give the character a mystery feel as the audience has no idea what he has gone through. 

This opening sequence is hugely on flashbacks as it helps to emphasise feelings and state of mind that the character is in. This coupled with the lighting of the room gives the impression that he is trapped both physically and mentally. Also, the camera uses a lot of extreme close-ups on him and therefore makes the change of his state of mind all the more intense.