Opening sequence to a Sci-Fi/Action

Opening sequence to a Sci-Fi/Action

The film ‘Watchmen’ could be described as an action/ sci-fi movie, an adaptation of the comic book with a brilliant opening sequence. With the song "The Times They Are A-Changin” Written and Performed by Dylan playing in the background, an audience are exposed to a series of slow motion clips and effective still images all consisting of action and themes that overall create a back story, setting up the whole movie for audience who may have read or may not have read the comic book the movie has been adapted from. The songs lyrics and the paste of the many cross cut clips make it obvious to viewers that they are in fact representing a long period of time passing. Known as montage editing. Credits for the film appear in the opening sequence and text in newspapers and on TV screens is used to convey the time setting, for an example on the small TV it reads ‘Vietnam war escalates’. The costume, makeup and unrealistic settings like the Moon and space are all conventions often seen In Sci-fi movies. The explosives and use of flashing lights contrasted with black outs are also conventions of action and Sci-Fi movies, seen from the opening sequence, establishing the genre of the movie.