Die Another Day Title Sequence Analysis

In order to create an analysis of this opening sequence I will examine the micro elements and how the conventions of opening sequences are used in order to introduce the film's characters, genre and narrative.

Die Another Day was the twentieth James Bond adventure film to be released in the collection and therefore and a conventional style that the production is now expected to follow. Many of these conventions can be seen within this opening sequence, for example the main character is the secret agent, James Bond. The is established to the audience by using having a camera shot clearly showing James Bond in the water when being tortured. This kind of focus and attention is not given to any other character within the opening sequence and therefore easily distinguishes the main character. This character is always featured within the film to have an interest in beautiful women as their is a romance featured with every film, however James Bond remains to be a bachelor and in order to create sex appeal for female viewers. The females featured in James Bond films are consistently used as objects of seduction and in the title sequence are created as powerful images using impressive graphics that integrate women of fire into the sequence. The representation of fire creates the sense of danger that women have tendencies to lead the agent into.

The themes featured within the opening sequence create the film's genre of action by displaying the dangers Bond comes into from the missions he is given. The opening sequence is a little unusual for Bond films as in others he is seen to have the advantage and usually features and grand escape from a dangerous situation that puts him in control. However here, Bond is in danger and being tortured with the use of scorpions as a main visual of torture, using the threat of their deadly stings to put Bond under pressure. This creates suspense for the viewer and makes the opening sequence incredibly effective to draw in the audience's attention.

The opening sequence of films are also used to introduce the cast of the film. Here it is displayed using a simple and clear font to reflect the mood of the film with various names and titles faded in and out of the sequence over the graphics.

The soundtrack to the film is Die Another Day by Madonna, the beat and rhythm has been used to great effect in the opening sequence as it is reflected by the images as the movements of the graphics follow the musical progression. This is a convention used in many sequences and the lyrics used emphasize the strength Bond has against the torture that he is enduring. By displaying different methods of torture in succession with each other it gives the audience faith back in Bond that he will escape this situation. This is pattern that all the Bond films follow where Bond is seemingly invincible from whatever situation is given to him.