Shutter Island opening analysis (thriller, mystery genre)

Within the opening of Shutter Island it is clear to the audience that it is a thriller/mystery genre through the use of mise en scene. One aspect of mise en scene which is used in the opening sequence is costumes. We are fist introduced to men in uniform, you can tell that they are all in some way related to authority and the law. What I mean by this is that that the men in police uniform implies that they work in the police. In addition the badge on their hats also suggests that they are involved with the police. The idea of the authorities makes the audience aware that the film is a thriller because the police/authority is a common convention of the thriller genre. There is also conflict that is created through the use of clothing because the other men are dressed differently in a way that they are in stereotypical detectives uniform, the stereotypical trench coat and trilby hat which are associated with 1950’s detectives. This creates suspense because the conflict suggests that something is going to happen between them. Another aspect of mise en scene which is highlighted in the opening sequence of Shutter Island is props. There is a significant importance when the guns are introduced into the opening, The guns highlight who has authority, and in this case it is the police, this further crjeates conflict between the two because it infers that there is a fight between who is the dominant maple, in addition guns are a stereotype of the thriller genre. This is why the camera focuses on their expressions a lot. The use of mise en scene in the opening sequence of Shutter Island highlights to the audience that it is a thriller genre.

Another way that the opening suggests that the film is a thriller/mystery genre is through the use of sound. There is music that is powerful and mysterious which is introduced from the start of the opening. With having mysterious music the audience is almost being shown that something is going to happen, it builds up suspense and also highlights the genre of the film. This is the use of non diagetic sound, the music is also very climactic this almost foreshadows what the film is about and what is going to happen in it. There is also the use of diegetic sound which is the sound of the guns and the footsteps of the men. These sounds are being highlighted through the lack of speech. The sound of the guns are used to further suggest that they have the power in these scenes. There is also the sound of birds in the background when they are in the car, this could create the idea of freedom because in the next couple of scenes the idea of imprisonment is being introduced which then allows both of them to juxtapose each other. The use of sound suggest that the film in a thriller/mystery genre.

The use of camera angles and camera movements are used in the opening of Shutter Island to suggest to that audience that the film is a thriller/ mystery genre. There are close up shots which are used to emphasise the reaction on the people faces. Why these shots suggest that the film is a mystery is because the audience sees the reaction but then don’t see what they are looking at, but there is one close up shot which shows a sign saying “Remember us for we have too lived, love and laughed.” This creates mystery because the audience doesn’t know the significance of it but they can speculate what it might mean and what its importance is.  There is also a low angle shot which is used when the prison is introduced. The shot is a dirty shot and is positioned behind one of the detectives, is shows a wall which surrounds the prison and the prison its self. The reason why I think they decided to use this shot to introduce the prison is because the prison is then highlighted as being powerful and a important aspect within the film. You can tell it’s a prison because the high walls that surround it suggest that it isn’t supposed to be easy to escape from and also there is barbed wire that tops the walls, this is a stereotypical convention of a prison. The idea of the prison suggests that the film is a mystery and a thriller because there has to be a reason why they are going to a prison and a reason why it is so secluded therefore there are numerous unanswered questions that the audience is thinking throughout the opening. There is a high angled shot which is used when the car goes past the prison wall, the camera is placed on the inside of the wall so it allows the audience to look through the barbed wire at the car. This creates the idea of the audience being trapped within the prison almost spying on the people who are about to arrive. The camera also focuses of the barbed wire changing the depth of field when the car leaves the shot highlighting its importance. Another shot that is used in the opening is a point of view shot which is from the car as they approach the prison gates, the use of this shot emphasises how big and powerful the gates are this then implies that whatever is on the other side of those gates is just as powerful. This again creates suspense and mystery highlighting to the audience that the film is a mystery/thriller genre.

Editing is also used to suggest that Shutter Island is a thriller/mystery genre. The shots are edited together so there is a gradual zoom into the main characters face and his emotions. This creates an idea entrapment because as the shots get closer it creates the idea of being enclosed and imprisoned this reflects what might happen in the rest of the film.  

In conclusion Shutter Island is clearly being presented as being a thriller and mystery genre because of the use of props, shots, editing, locations and mise en scene.