Opening Scene Analysis

Jurassic Park

During Jurassic Park the audience is automatically engaged by the low angle shot camera angle of something movie around behind the trees which we cannot see much of other than a body part that appears to be taller than the surrounding trees.  This suggests that what is actually behind the trees is not only tall but can be seen as a dangerous and powerful figure. The next shot we see is a  medium close up of someone who appears to be from a working on the site who is looking upwards towards this figure in a concerned and fearful manner. This adds to the effect of making the audience want to see more and grabbing there attention in the first few seconds of the film. Furthermore, this also adds to the idea that this character is seen as threatening towards others.

Shortly after we see a long shot of another character in the middle of the crowd, the camera begins zooming in on him, suggesting that he could be a main focus or character and allows the audience to see his reaction by his body language and facial expressions as this figure is making its way towards them. The effect of this is to hopefully create more drama and tension between the what is going on in the scene and the audience watching, waiting for something to happen and to finally see what this thing is. The zooming in stops with a close up of his face and by his facial expression he appears to be almost concerned as if he has seen something like it before or has a gut feeling towards what it is. This helps support the view of the figure being dangerous as even though he may appear to know to an extent what it appears to be coming their way and is also armed with a powerful gun and multiple men, his body language displays him and feeling uneasy and afraid.

The object finally come through the trees and is a mysterious crate. As the crate comes through there is another low angle shot of this craft displayed from and long shot angle showing a group of men looking up towards the crate. This does not only present the height of the crate in the air but again creates the effect that there is something extremely dangerous and powerful and even though it is in isolation, they should still fear what awaits them. The mise-en-scene of a steel crate which in theory should be unbreakable and hard to escape from also add to the perception being that because it is in not only isolation and a big box but it also needs a strong steel crate to be keep inside. This indicated further that it’s not just powerful but vigorous and vicious.

Following this is a long take of the crate being placed down alongside the group of men. Due to the long take we get a sense of importance and as we watch the men walk and surround the box, we want them to revel more of this thing which they all seem cautious and attentive of. Due to all of the associations and ideas made for this creature, we as an audience assume that is a big deal for these men who may be less powerful and unable to contain this creature as it arrives of the ground. Furthermore, it will appear as a big deal for these men having to cope with something like this creature and therefore importance is being shown again.

We receive a point of view shot from the creature as it sounded frightened after a man opens a locked door, the creature let out a shriek and as close up this man is shown looking alarmed with almost bulging eyes. This can indicate both terror of this creature and shock due to the sudden spook of the shriek. In addition to this, the weird some which was inhumane is engaging the audience more keeping them guessing what it is exactly that is inside this crate being contained and having all of these men scared at the same time.

The very last part we see if an extreme close up of a man mouth shouting “shout her”, this is repeated twice and used to indicate how important these instructions are to be completed on that command. The audience is able to get the sense of panic, fear and anger they have towards the dinosaur and think of the men inferior to the dinosaur when it starts attacking. The last close up is of a man’s hand no longer being able to hold on. This allows the audience to sympathise with the character as it suggests that the character has just passed.  The idea that there was a death was shortly symbolised further as the shot of the hand began to fade into a new scene with silence.