Textual analysis
- 1. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO Opening SequenceTextual Analysis
- 2. Connotations of Sound: • The contrapuntal and orchestral sound played through out the opening sequence connotes the negative aspects of winter. It also connotes the mysterious conversation the man is having on the phone. Lastly, it connotes the enigma of the film. • The diegetic sound of the phone ringing connotes the importance of the call the man is having since it started from the beginning. • The diegetic sound of the wind howling connotes the intense weather condition in the scene, a snow storm.
- 3. Connotations of these 2 shots:• These establishing shots and extreme long shots connotes that it is winter and that the house is most likely a country house that is isolated and near a lake or in a farm • The pan right during the first shot connotes the pace at which snow is falling and winter is occurring. • The quick cuts through out the opening sequence that started between these two shots connotes the quick pace of the phone call, quick pace that the evens are occurring in the film and relates to the visceral pleasure of the audience feeling the chill and thrill.
- 4. Connotations of this shot: • The still camera connotes the importance of the call and desire of the man to hear from the person on the other end of the phone. • The medium long shot shows that the man is inside a house in the kitchen and the fact that his back is facing the camera connotes his dominance and the secrets he is hiding. On the other hand this connotes that he is uncomfortable and his awkwardness being in a home which is supposed to be a safe environment.This then subverts the dominant ideology of a home being a place of safety and represents the opposition of safety vs danger • The dim lighting connotes the dullness of the weather and the emptiness the man may be feeling.
- 5. Connotations of this shot: • This medium close up showing that this man is in an office and on the phone connotes that he is the person the man in the beginning is talking to, the person on the other end of the line. This shot connotes that he is focused on listening to the person on the other side of the phone and connotes that he is listening intently. • The magnifying glass connotes that this man may be an investigator hired by the other man to get information on something or someone.This links to Propp’s character types as he represents the dispatcher or the helper who is working with and for the Hero (Protagonist). • Even if we never see the mans face connoting dominance and power, the fact that this shot is a high angle connotes that there is someone who dominates and controls him, possible the man in the beginning.
- 6. Connotations of this shot: • The pan right that occurred before this shot when he is walking connotes his eagerness to hear the answers of the person on the other end of the phone call • The pan to a still shot connotes his focus when the man on the other line gives him bad news and could connote the change of feeling from eagerness to disappointment • The close up of the mans face and low key lighting connotes his disappointment and sadness of not getting the answer that he hoped for.These feelings occurring early on in the film connotes the early onset of a disequilibrium which links to theThriller genre since this occurring early is a convention ofThriller films.
- 7. Connotations of this shot: • The tilt down to a still camera connotes the importance of the image in the picture to both the man and importance it has in the plot of the film. However, since it is a tilt down, it connotes that the image is something that brings back bad memories.This is evident with the dull lighting and grey mise-en-scene that surround an image of a flower. Even if a flower connotes sweetness, happiness and hope, the fact that it is surrounded by negative aspects subverts these ideologies of a flower. • The magnifying glass could be the dominant iconography due to the fact that it could symbolize mystery and suspense which ties into the thriller genre