The opening title sequence of Bride wars starts off by showing the audience institutions which are involved in the film. Happy music is played whilst these are being shown which gives us our first indication of the genre of the film, (obviously not horror). The use of this happy music sets the mood of the film to be happy and light hearted.
Throughout the film’s introduction, names of actors and the cast are shown whilst the camera pans over various wedding related objects. In this particular film two well known actresses are used; Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway.
The first visual shot is a close up of a treasure box, labelled wedding things which instantly sets the theme of the film as wedding based. A second close up shot of the box being opened has a soft focus which gives the treasure box a soft, elegant, precious feel.
When the box is opened we see that the content is full of wedding related items strongly reinforcing the theme of the film. This use of mise-en-scene is a strong element to the opening titles of this film as many wedding related objects such as a lace veil, a wedding cake, a ring which is put on a finger, a tiara and a glittery girly bracelet.
There are several shots of a bride and groom figures which are being played with throughout the opening titles. Only hands are shown in these shots so no characters are introduced to the audience. The first reference to the bride and groom figure is a front view shot and shows the figures side by side as if they are walking down the isle of a church. This reference to the bride and groom figures is when they are stood facing each other as if saying their vows. The third reference is when they kiss. And the fourth is when confetti is sprinkled over them and the fifth and final reference is when they walk away from the camera as they supposedly walk back up the isle as a happy married couple. Despite the fact that these references are at different points of the opening titles it does tell a continuous story of a wedding.
So far in the opening sequence of this film we have had no introduction to the characters but it has been implied that they are children due to the playing shots of the bride and groom figures. The following shot of children’s crayon drawings of two brides supports our implication that the two characters are two young girls.
Through the use of mise-en-scene one of the items shown is a photograph of two young girls together; this is a subtle introduction for the audience to the characters. We are shown two children drawings/art pieces which are wedding related. This is the second subtle introduction to the characters as each of the art pieces has a name on; Emma and Liv. A locket with two girls in is a third subtle introduction to the two characters.
So far only music has been played throughout the opening titles. There is a slow zoom in on an image of a big stately home at which point a narration starts. This shows an introduction to the location of which the film is based around.
There is a sequence of images of the two young girls which are zoomed in on slowly. This is the first proper introduction to the characters behind the story line. Although these shots are still images with a soft focus a story is still told as it is consistent with the narrative.
Now that we are introduced to the characters and the story line we have a shot of the two young girls in an attic with childlike surroundings, playing together. This shows the location of the mise-en-scene shots of the wedding related objects at the beginning of the film.
From these opening titles of the film, the audience instantly know that this film is going to be a chick flick, girly wedding based film.
By Eloise Maidment
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