analysis of a crime drama opening

Film: The Usual Suspects (1995)

This film is known as a neo-noir, and has the genre of a crime mystery drama. The main plot consists of a crippled con-man being interrogated about events leading to a massacre and massive fire that have just taken place on a ship. Through flashbacks and narration, the man explains why he and his partners-in-crime were on the boat.




Well there are a lot of close-ups to make sure the viewer will see certain things, such as the expression on the face of the man who we hear called as Keaton, the lighter and gun that the mysterious man takes out, and also a couple of close-ups of I think two different corpses though it might be the same one as it is important that you see these things (that Keaton looks surprised/angry, that the unknown man offers him a smoke, that it's a scene of a crime). The music is quite low and sinister; it immediately gives a sense of doom or danger - the viewer is aware that Keaton is in danger.

The mise-en-scene of the opening is quite conventional for the genre of crime: the unknown attacker is dressed in typical gangster/mob clothing (all in black, the old bowler hat) and the two men smoke cigarettes, also very typical. They are onboard a ship, which is different from the more common street-setting, but still not unheard of. There isn't any representation of ethnicity or disability in this opening, but it clearly shows that the two are men which isn't anything surprising as the crime/thriller genre is mostly dominated by men.

The narrative of the opening may be confusing to some people. It shows something has happened on this ship as you can see corpses, and Keaton looks worn out and is clearly injured. Most viewers will probably assume he is the sole survivor of a long fight/shoot-out, and the fact that you cannot see the face of the other man suggests he will be the 'man-behind-the-curtain' character. Also, the expression on Keaton's face when he looks up at him and the man knowing his name and offering him light for a quick smoke (sign of friendliness/politeness) suggests that they have been previously acquainted. It ends with seeing a man in custody; most viewers will assume he will be interrogated about this event and have something to do with it.