Analysis of Film Openings.

                                      Menace II Society.

Within the first two and a half minutes of the film, conventions of a Crime/Drama are clearly shown, Violence, Theft and Swearing are prominent; as two of the main characters, Caine and Kevin, are involved in a fatal robbery of a Grocery store. From the early stages the audience can easily see the themes of the film beginning to come through, its evident that violence and hatred are going to be the backbone of this movie. Stereotypical views of poverty ridden Black Gangsters are also shown clearly, as the clothes they wear, their hairstyles and the words they use in everyday conversation allow the viewer to come to conclusion as to what types of lifestyles these individuals live.

 The denotations shown in the beginning of Menace II Society are Black Americas carrying Weapons, which instantly brings up the thoughts of Gangs. Another denotation of the first scene would be the costumes that Caine and Kevin are wearing, as these allow connotations that also relate to Gangs, and poor Americans.

In my opinion a good movie opening should get the viewer intrigued, forcing the viewer into wondering what the outcome will be, it should also introduce some of the Main Characters, which this opening does. The first scene also uses a range of appropriate shot types which allow the reader to imagine that they were there in the store, as the murders took place.

The opening scene has many connotations such as Gangs members in the poor, Ghettos of America, also known as the Projects, which are mentioned in the movie by numerous characters. Set in South Central Los Angeles, from my own knowledge i know that LA had some of the most Poverty ridden neighbourhoods in America during the 1990's.