Opening Title Detailed Analysis

Genre

Dystopia

• Locations
• Colour
• Image
• Credits
• Fonts
• Sound 

American Horror Story is an American anthology horror television series. There are 5 seasons that each have a different theme, time, setting and narrative but all consist of the same actors. The opening credits for AHS are all very similar in style and technique with visual key themes from the narrative of the specific season. I personally think the opening is clever in the way it portrays the seasons and idea of horror, including the traditional techniques of the genre. The genre is very similar to our project as from peoples perspective Sugarcoated could be classed as a horror. The series have specific time eras with characters linking to the horror type historical events of that year/decade. This is comparable to the concept of Sugarcoated in the exaggerated present era with its unique individuality of genre and style. In the opening titles, pieces of the short montage clips show a dystopia version showing extreme fears within the idea of each season; murder house, asylum, coven, freak show and hotel. The fears are heavily influenced on the visuals of the opening that link to the narratives key horror themes. 

Location


The locations of the clips are set in different kinds of room set ups that represent the subject narrative. The locations are very distinct but recognizable, this is important as location sums up the narratives culture. The location may create a stereotype from the audience for example, an abandoned extensive indoor environment with identical spaced rooms and departments would give the stereotype that the narrative (being a horror) takes place within a public required business that had a fault in the past, being part of the narrative, maybe suggesting a medical centre, hotel, airport etc. This is a defined interpretation the locations serve to the audience. The locations are very classic horror which questions Sugarcoated's opening location. The locations do have a sense of classic horror as they involve bleak shots of a cellar and a strangely inviting dining room, shaped with crisp juxtaposed shadowing. 


Colour

The colours are suffused with a grunge type atmosphere. Dirty as if beforehand everything was in colour but have been infested in darkness. This represents the idea of utopia turning into a dystopia, a clear narrative link within our genre of film. The colourisation is slightly de-saturated and makes the visuals seem drained with the key features, this associates to how the narrative is perceived by the audience. Something our opening has, a mix of two opposed theme colours of inviting and uninviting. However the bland tones compliments the chaos of imagery as well as the harsh theme song. The shadowing and airy blue tones is very similar to the tones in Spartacus (1960), focusing on main featured objects. This is especially seen within the first two seasons opening; Murder House and Asylum. 

Image

The images are very sinister, unexpected and almost disturbing. The different timing and speed that are in the opening are linked perfectly to our project, the dark exposed clips mixing into the utopian scenery. The pace flicks through a dramatic amount of memorable visuals with props presenting the main elements. Everything is very distorted in the transitions of burning flashes and odd footage the eye cant quite pick up on. There is a sense of old film as there are little imperfections that joins the genre of horror as the narrative will carry a constant sinking of disaster. However, AHS has a constant aura of riveting horror from the cinematography perspective.




Credits


The credits are exposed in a very traditional horror type way, striking out in unexpected moments. This suggests the series involve traditional fears that the genre of horror typically has. The position of the credits are all centred, large and bold which nicely slows it down from the fast pace of footage. Again, the transitions for the credits have a burning film fault effect which blends into the footage and colourisation.

Young Frankenstein (1974) a style of bleak old seasoned horror. The credits are bold and old, a very dramatic opening with classic deserted locations and gloomy sparkling weather. The stereotypical list of detail is considered within the opening of AHS revealing the credits after scenes of iconic links to traditional narratives.

There is a source of similarities that AHS has within their opening with The Exorcist (1973), the themed visual link of mise en scene and editing of colour.





The Exorcist (1973) is very similar to Insidious (2010). Insidious (2010) contains the classic chilling shock as the title appears, although the film is more recent they still carry out the blood red sharpness filling into the entire screen. This shows how horror and playing with peoples fears haven't changed.

The credits, in Hotel, also involve a selection of quotations from the Ten Commandments which are from the bible, this is something that suggest a deeper meaning and is something that would connect well with our opening title due to the idea of utopia/dystopia. It shows humanity as religion can be seen as something beautiful in people, but a dark history of blood and death representing the dystopia side. This is also shown in the opening as we see scenes of blood suggesting murder.

Sound


The sound is very traditional as well as syncing with the credits being shown, elements of different volume as well as exaggeration in different kinds of instruments. This also links to the editing of distorted time, distorted sound. Even within the sound there are clear links to the openings such as the horror mentioned especially Insidious (2010). However, the instruments are harder to pick up on and don't involve strings which is a classic representation of horror. This may suggest there is more of a contemporary theme to the horror as the theme song seems to be computerised rather than composed.


Overall, through research of the dystopian horror our credits, location, mise ene scene, colour, sound etc. really fit into the genre with further inspiration from the original horror films/television shows.