In this opening sequence, we see a group of 9 men walking down a street, and the camera cuts to each of them, then the text says which actor is playing who. Then it cuts to them walking down to a road, and then the edits say the title of the films. Although it doesn't introduce the characters, it introduces the actors who are playing them and it also says who has made the film (the director). It shows five men in suits against a bricked wall.
- Narrative
The narrative isn’t introduced, giving a hint at most that it does involve the group of men in the first shot who most likely go through a series of events that include gangs/crimes. It makes a good opening sequence as it doesn't hint a lot towards what the actual narrative is, but focuses more on the character development
- Characters
The main characters are all introduced in the opening sequenced, the names being superimposed under the short 3-5 second shots of them. The editing gives each character an equal amount of screen time showing that they each consider each other as friends and equals.
The costumes which are worn by the characters are black suits with ties and sunglasses and white shirt. The black suits represent them as being serious people as black is a very enforcing colour, and suits are mostly worn when attending something important or they have serious jobs. It connotes that the characters, if they do not have a serious job, that they are a part of an organisation, which is more likely because of their sunglasses, creating an air of seriousness, charisma as well as danger. There are two exceptions to this in for two characters, one a young boy who wears a bright blue and purple sports jacket, connoting that he is the most inexperienced in the group, as he isn’t wearing what the others are. The other is an old man with a polo shirt on which connotes that he could be the one who plays the role of the “sage” (Propp’s character types) and is most likely retired or doesn’t do as much leg work as the others.
The superimposed graphics denoting the cast and crew in the film are done in no particular order although we first see the use of graphics being used to inform the audience that it is a film made by Quentin Tarantino.
- Themes/Ideology
Themes within the opening sequence would include violence/gang culture and possibly friendship as we see the group of men together throughout the opening sequence. Again the suit as well as the sunglasses establishes that this could be a gangster film, because of the use of black being very prominent in the shot, it shows it being a ‘no-nonsense’ type of film.
- Setting/Establishing Shot
There is a set location introduced, but we see the characters sitting in a café at the start, then the group walking down a road. This shows that it is probably set in a town, but the mise-en-scene looks like an American diner, so it connotes that the film is set in America and most probably in a town of a city in America.
- Music
The music is an upbeat pop song, which makes the sequence of the men walking down the road look charismatic and makes the audience anticipate what is to follow. The song itself talks about drugs (subtext) which connotes that these men in the opening sequence are possibly dealing drugs, or simply just on the wrong side of the law.
Title
In one of the shots, we see the title “Reservoir Dogs” which connotes violence/ gang crime because of the use of the word dogs. It reinforces their representation of being gangsters, making them sound stronger, intimidating and more masculine.
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