Die Hard Opening Analysis (up until 02:00)

Narrative Function – this opening sequence subverts my expectations. From my analyses of of other sequences, it appears that almost all others use a montage and contain little dialogue, whereas this is a scene involving an entire conversation and, with the exception of the inclusion of credits, could have been placed anywhere in the movie and not be out of place. However, there are small elements to the sequence that conform to the conventions of opening scenes: the main character is introduced, and through the dialogue we also learn he is a police officer which helps rounds him as a character. 

Conventions Displayed -  this opening sequence subverts what I know to be codes and conventions from opening sequences entirely. It does not use a montage as the others do; instead, it jumps straight into a scene and we meet the main character that way. This however, could be considered a convention as we still meet the main character. Another convention is the establishment of a locatiton. 

Characters Introduced –   like Saturday Night Fever, this movie introduces the main character and also a couple of non important characters to allow us to see how the main character interacts and helps build a more rounded character. 

Cinematography –  Similarly to Saturday Night Fever, this sequence also uses a mode of transport (this case a plane, in SNF a train) to suggest that the character will also embark on some sort of personal journey. This concept of planes and airports also means that this movie establishes a location for the rest of the movie. The lighting used in the scene is standard: it is artificial lighting, but it aims to create a sense of verisimilitude and so it presents a light atmosphere as opposed to creating intentional shadow. The colours are used in a similar way; the scene is not dressed to impress, but rather is just trying to replicate an actual plane flight. The main character's outfit is a casual one meant for comfort rather than a suit, like the man next to him. This suggests that the main character is not here on business, but to relax, and hints that perhaps this relaxation will be disturbed.