Thrillers [Serpico]

Sound

• sound starts very quiet and high pitched
• within the first 20 seconds it gets to it's full volume
• the sound is a very loud, high pitched siren that continues through the titles
• rumbling of car engine
• you can hear the sound of the windshield wipers moving
• scribbling of pen/pencil
• you are in a police car-that's why it is very loud and there is no Doppler Effect
• traffic and rain mix in pathetic fallacy sounds
• siren winds down as they approach the hospital
• as you go in, you hear a baby crying, doors moving, people talking [typical hospital sounds]
• the sound of the nurses stripping off Serpico's clothes is accented-it's noticeably loud
• stripping off clothes, cutting the shirt fabric, taking off boots (zipper)
• a slow, violin song [tragic] plays as a flashback of Serpico shows when he was being inducted into the police force
• music continues say they talk about the dead police officer

Editing

• black screen-names flash
• every change in picture is a 'cut-to'
• car-phone-car [20 secs] each
• camera shakes a little bit in the car scene as if you are there
• up until the hospital scene it was 'cut-to'
• once inside the hospital, camera moves smoothly, following him
• quick-cuts in hospital when cutting clothes and checking vitals

Titles & Mise en Scene

• font is sans serif
• tall font size [reminds of NYc/Italian gangster]
• white font on black screen
• dark colour palate [light is used to establish places]
• raining [connotation of sorrow and remorse]
• costumes appropriate for 1973
• short, fast paced titles
• all men on phone seem to make Serpico important
• they wouldn't call in the middle of the night concerning a regular police officer
• camera in the hospital acts like a doctor
• man talking to the new police officers has visual hierarchy
• clear definition shot between Serpico injured and Serpico when he was brand new
• 1st man on the phone has visual hierarchy
• POV shot of audience for hospital
• frantic feeling accompanied by fast paced hospital scene

Narrative

• everyone seems shocked that the police officer was shot theregore, he's important
• the film gives the name of the man shot

Genre

• Action/Thriller movie

Enigma

• Why wasn't her wearing a uniform?
• Why did he get shot?
• Who shot him?
• Why is he so important to everyone?