Analysis stills from the opening of 'Shutter Island'

 

 

This is a extreme long shot showing a boat coming out of the fog. This instantly create a lot of mystery for the audience, as they  don't know where boat going, who is on the boat or why the boat is important. This is very common for an opening of a thriller as it makes the audience interested in what's going on straight away.  The lighting  for this shot if very dark, with no sun light just fog. This has been done to create the mood that not happy situation and suggest that where ever the boat is going it's a gloom, miserable place. the boat used in this shot is very important because is not a normal looking boat, it's not the type of boat that lots of people would get on nor does it look like a fishing boat.  This suggest that not a lot people use this boat and it is in fact used for a very spefice job, which the audience don't know yet- adding even more mystery to the shot.  Also the boat is gray in colour which again suggest that this is a happy place and it very dull and gloom.  There is some none-dieagetic sound playing the background of a very high pitched musical instrument, making the audience start to feel tension.

 

This is the next key shot in this scene, it is a long shot showing the main character coming out of the bathroom on the boat after being sick. This the first shot the audience see of the main character from head to toe. He is a very smartly dressed man and with the hat and rain jacket it suggest to the audience that he is some type of dective and the reason he is on the boat is to go to a crime scene.  Also he looks out  of place, he has just been sick and looks to formal to be on that boat. This tell the audience that this isn't what the man usually do, suggesting that there has to be a huge reason for him to be there. The composition for this shot is has been done so the audience can see the chains, not just the main character. This show the audience  that boat he is on is properly a prison ship making the man look even more out of place and  adding to the mystery and tension of this scene.  Also it suggest that the place the man is going to is a prison, which must be dangerous if you have to travel there by boat.  

This is a medium shot showing the two main character on the boat talking about being US Marshalls partners and going to the Island . There are a lot of two shots of the Marshalls throughout the opening sequences showing the audience that there relationship is important.  Both men are dressed very stereotypical for US Marshalls suggesting that they take the job seriously and that they have been doing  for a long time. The lighting for this shot, much like the rest of the sequence is very dark and gloomy. Suggesting once again that it's not a nice place they are going to (which makes sense as it is a mental hospital)  and it is a very serious situation. In fact the weather  pathetic fallacy. The conveshion  they have allows the audience to get a better understanding on what is going on, they learn that they are going to a metal hospital/prison and that the main character has be doing this for a lot long than the other man. This has been done so the audience can understand the story and character better, meaning that they will enjoy watching the film more.

This is an extreme long shot showing the Island that the two Marshalls are travelling to.  The island is very dark and gloom, like the other shots in the sense. It doesn't look very populated, in fact it almost looks desterdied suggesting that not a lot of people go to this island  and it not a normal place to live. This shot makes the audience  realise that only one way to get on the to the island and only one way to get off it- by boat. This adds to the tension because if something bad happened while at the Island it would be hard to escape. This short is a point of view shot, meaning the  character are seeing it as the audience does making the Island look over-powering and not inviting. While this shot is being shown there is some none-dieatige sound playing in the background of some low pitched musical instruments, this adds to the tension and suggest to the audience that bad is on that island.

 

This is a mid shot showing the Marshalls arriving on the island and being greeted by some guards. The fact that there are five guards, three who guns have guys with the Marshalls suggests that the island is a very dangerous place to be and that something serious is happening for the all to be there. The guards are all wearing a uniform and all look  very serious, showing the audience  that they are professionals in their job and  suggesting that this is the 'normal' on this island.  In the background of this shot we can see the boat that bought the Marshalls to the island  and a dock. There is no other boat on the dock which emprises the fact that there isn't a lot of people on this island and that there is only one way off the island which adds tension and creates creepy atmosphere.