I have realized that extensively analyzing film openings has made me start to obsess over the tiniest details in films, but I truly wanted to divulge into the film opening of Forrest Gump and analyse it to the fullest of my abilities.
The first few seconds credit Paramount Pictures by introducing their logo in its typical style. Considering that Paramount Pictures is a production company that already has a large fanbase, the film itself would receive more exposure.
The screen then fades to a pitch-black colour, and the opening is started by revealing a feather flying around in the sky along with credits fading in and out in a serif font which is easy to follow and read. We can see that it is daytime, although the first few seconds are relatively dark, but as time passes, the scene gets brighter. This shows that the lighting used is natural sun lighting, giving a rather calming and peaceful effect, and doesn't make it seem like anything out of the ordinary.
The soundtrack that plays alongside has a gentle rhythm, which adds to the calming mood set in the opening. The strokes of the piano sound pleasant, with a pace not too fast nor too slow. The soundtrack is non-diegetic, and there is no dialogue or narration throughout the opening.
We see the camera pan, and follow the feather. In doing so, our location and setting are established. We see the eagerness of the feather to get to the ground, with the angles shifting from high to low constantly. The white of the feather represents purity in its true essence. It shows us how the film will probably be based on either the innocence of a character, or a loving relationship with another character.
Till 01:56, the camera simply follows the feathers' journey without any editing cuts whatsoever., therefore we can tell it is shot by a crane. The feather was in fact moved in front of a blue screen according to the behind-the-scenes documentary; "Through The Eyes Of Forrest Gump", and it was later edited onto the shot of the location.
We then see the feather fall right on someone's shoes. These shoes are muddy, showing possibly adventure, or lack of care and chaos, however as the camera pans up, we see a man relatively well dressed in a professional-looking suit. This is contradictory to his choice of shoes, which seem rather childish compared to the rest of the outfit.
In the character's suitcase, we see well-packed everyday items (possibly for organization or traveling, the audience cannot tell yet), and even a children’s book, which truly makes the audience curious about the personality or character type of the man shown. The fact that he puts the feather inside the suitcase indicates that it may become an important part of the story later on. The feather is brushed away by all the other characters in the world of the film, yet somehow, it lands right in front of the man sitting on the bench, who is assumed to be the main character.
The perfectly packed box of chocolate with a bow indicates that it is a gift, possibly for a woman that the man is about to meet. This hints towards a romantic plot, because chocolates are generally associated as romantic gifts for women.
Finally, there is a cut at 02:40 where a bus appears, and curiosity develops in the mind of a viewer, who is eager to find out where this man goes. One could guess that he is on a journey with a suitcase, but given the limited information, it is hard to surely determine what will happen next.
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