Sound in Opening Sequences Analysis

We analysed the sound in three opening sequences - Catch Me if You Can, Face Off and Panic Room. Catch me if you can had only non diegetic sound throughout the sequence. The pictures on screen related to the soundtrack that was playing with it. The music was made of orchestral instruments and was fairly fast and pacey. This seemed to relate to the whole narrative of the film where someone is running away from someone else. This was done discreetly and mysteriously though. The music also worked with the visuals when a scene changed as the music changed from the original soudtrack to a slightly different jazz theme. The music was fairly disjointed for example the music stopped for a little and then began again. This could represent the man running and then when the music stopped the man felt he was safe or changed his disguise. We feel that the sound did work with the sub-genre (crime/drama) as it was mysterious and discreet as well as being fast and dramatic.
Face Off had many differences compared to Catch Me if You Can. The sub-genre for Face Off was a crime, action thriller. The sound began as a non-diegetic soundtrack with deep strings which were slow and dark. The credits rolled onto the screen with a "sweeping" effect to possibly represent what was to come. While the soundtrack was being played there was diegetic sound of a child laughing over the top, which helped aid the visuals that were being shown. The "Face Off" title was shown on screen and the mood of the music changed becoming much more intense and dark than before. The mood of the music then again changed along with the visuals as the father and child we seen looking happy. After this breif scene the antagonist was seen with a sniper and the music changed back to the way it was before. We heard sound effects when the sniper was fired and then the music cut out completely when the man found out he was hit. The man on screen sees that his child has been shot aswell and sad, quiet strings begin in the background. Overall we feel that the sound does fit the genre well portraying a dark, intense crime thriller.
The last seqeunce we anaylsed for its sound was Panic Room. The non-diegetic music again was deep and dark using string instruments. The credits are shown around a well built up city while this music is playing. When the title of "Panic Room" is seen the music becomes much deeper and intense, similar to the Face Off soundtrack. After the title is shown the music becomes faster and more dramatic with a sinister ticking sound in the background which could have represented something in the film to come. It engaged the audience putting them on edge and creating suspense. After the credits have been shown the dialogue begins along with the visuals. We feel that the sound was very influentual in the opening sequence. If the visuals did not have sound the audience would not realise that the film was a thriller genre.