Credit Sequence Analysis

 Film #1: Call Me By Your Name 

Analysis: Call Me by Your Name is a 2017 film by Luca Guadagnino that explores themes of time, identity, and love. The film's credit sequences can be analyzed for their structure, symbolism, and how they contribute to the film's overall themes.  

Credits analysis: 

During a credit opening, we observe that we are provided with the name of our film, cast members, 

production companies, directors and even creative personnel, usually containing imagery and accompanied

by the film's theme music. 

Credit sequences in Call Me By Your Name:

-The opening credits of Call Me by Your Name (2017) use classical statuary to suggest the film's emotional charge. The opening scene also establishes the film's setting and introduces the main character, Elio.

-The opening credits feature classical statuary, which Elio's father later discusses. He describes the statues firm

muscles and nonchalant stances as "daring you to desire them".

-Some of the images in the opening credits are just photographs of statues, but these are the ones with additional objects.

First screencap: Cassette tape and sheet music, representing Elio.

Second screencap: German Heptameron, representing Annella, and Stars of David, representing Judaism.

-Third screencap: Typewriter, representing Oliver or Professor Perlman. 

-Fifth screencap: Playing cards, representing Oliver; brushes and other tools, representing Professor Perlman. 

Beyond 'representing' any one given character, I like how the array reminds us that we too have objects that become intrinsically linked with certain memories. 

Film #2: Requiem For A Dream

Analysis: The opening credits for requiem for a dream are pretty simple, yet they tend to play with the emotions of the viewer. The film is about a realistic depiction of life today, and the issues we face in attempting to find purpose in life. The credit sequence in "Requiem for a Dream" is a disturbing and unsettling visual representation of the film's themes, utilizing rapid-fire editing, extreme close-ups, distorted colors, and unsettling sounds to immediately immerse the viewer into the chaotic and deteriorating mental states of the characters, foreshadowing their descent into drug addiction and the destructive nature of their pursuits; effectively setting the tone for the film's dark and harrowing journey. 

 

Film #3: The Virgin Suicides

Analysis: The credit sequence of The Virgin Suicides by Sofia Coppola ends with a camera tilt into the sky, emphasizing that the story is about the Lisbons, not the boys. The sequence shows the boys standing across from the empty Lisbon house, and the camera shifts to a sidelong view of the boys alone. The camera then tilts up into the sky, where Lux's face appeared in the opening scene. The opening shot is focused on Cecilia in the hospital bed, highlighting her vulnerability and the gravity of her suicide attempt. The establishing shots of the neighborhood showcase manicured lawns and seemingly idyllic houses, creating a stark contrast to the turmoil happening within the Lisbon family. The repeated imagery of the elm trees being sprayed with insecticide, a futile attempt to save them, symbolizes the Lisbon girls' inevitable fate and the inability to prevent their tragic trajectory.