OpeningEG5: Hidden Agenda

Hidden Agenda (Ken Loach, 1990)

box office:
budget: unknown
Gross: $1m (USA)

trailer:


Length of opening sequence: 4.19

The idents shown at the beginning of the film were 'Metro Goldwyn Mayer' and 'Hemdale film corporation'. 

00.38 opening/establishing shot

The opening shot (00.38) is an establishing shot of the location which we can presume the film is set in. It is a rural countryside view and the camera is slowly panning across the vast landscape. 

00.45 northern Ireland quote

A quote then comes on screen (00.45), it is talking about northern Ireland, this is now known to be the setting or at least presumed by the audience. The shot is still the same panning across the countryside. There is non diegetic music playing, very traditional music giving quite a relaxed setting.

1.11 first titles

Titles then start to appear on screen, the initial one being 'John Daley and Derek Gibson present for' All the writing in the opening sequence is in capital letters and a very traditional serif font. The names are in slightly bigger font to the words that accompany them, for example 'and' and 'present for'. This is at 01.11.


Other titles then start to be shown such as 'Hemdale film corporation' and 'An Initial Production'. 

1.30 city view

At 0.1.30 the shot suddenly switches to a city view. Completely opposite to the original shot we just saw. 






The film title is then shown 'Hidden Agenda' again in capitals and centred in the middle of the screen. All the font used as titles in this opening sequence are in white. I think this is so they stand out against the darker colours in the background as it isn't very bright and they need a contrasting colour so the writing is visible.

1.44 marching band

At 1.44 diegetic music starts and there is a shot of what seems to be a marching band a crowd. The music and setting is creating quite a happy and lighthearted atmosphere.

1.50 another quote

Another quote then comes on screen talking about Northern Ireland and the UK which definitely suggests that it is set in Northern Ireland and sets the scene that these quotes will be somewhat relevant to the plot of the film.

2.04 close up

2.04 a close up of people in a band.

2.07 protesting

2.07 there is a picture of what seems to be a member of the marching band holding a sign. The sign says ' NO SURRENDER BELFAST' this is an example of mise-en-scene and this suggests that the marching band are protesting something to do with Ireland and the UK referring back to the quote at 1.50.

2.10

Actors names then begin to be shown on screen starting with the more important on there own and centred in the middle of the shot. After the main characters have been shown they then show the less important ones in groups of three and alternate what side of the screen they are shown at. They are also in a slightly smaller font.

2.29

More titles are then shown such as:
'screenplay...'
'photography...'
'Editor...'
'Designer...' 
'Costume...' 

2.56

'Casting...' 
'Sound recordist...'
'Original music...' 
'Executive producers...'
'Co-producer...'
'Producer...'
'Directer...' 

4.02 changed setting

 The setting then suddenly changes with no transition and the directors name is shown then the caption, 'Belfast: A few years ago'. This finally sets the scene and the audience then know for definite where the film is set. This is where I think the opening sequence ends as the film then goes into the main plot and dialogue and no more titles or transitions are clearly shown into the main plot. 

4.09 end of opening

Stuart Hall's theory of preferred reading is very relevant in this film. As I have very little knowledge about Northern Ireland I don't follow the preferred reading and I am more likely to be oppositional reading as I will not understand any of the intertextuality.







Useful links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_Agenda_(1990_film)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_McDormand