Salaam Bombay, Ali and 8 1/2-effective opening sequences.

How effective are the opening sequences in Salaam Bombay, Ali and 8 ½?

Salaam Bombay, Ali and 8 ½ all propose compelling and engaging openings which effectively capture the essence of the films. In all three of the clips the film maker never gives away too much so the audience don’t loose interest. In doing this the film maker has fully engaged us so we begin to ask questions based on what is going on in the opening. An effective opening should raise questions but also introduce key aspects of the film. In Salaam Bombay the first thing established is a young boy is working on some sort of fair ground, which is mistreated and working in rough conditions. Similarly, Ali indicates that the main character has perhaps had a difficult life due to racism and segregation during the 1950’s. We can gather this due to the flashbacks that take him back to his father doing a speech on injustice within this time period. However in 8 ½ initially not much is given away because it is a dream sequence. Later we are made aware that this dream reflects the main characters inner thoughts and feelings. Salaam Bombay provides more key information because we instantly are made aware that this boy is mistreated by workers and left behind. Ali and 8 ½ are slightly more ambiguous.

In Salaam Bombay what I fount interesting was the technical features such as camera. An extreme long shot is used when the boy journeys from one destination to another. As he returns there is an unexpected twist as he is left behind. The fact that he is left behind is not instantly revealed, there is a long pause before the audience see the empty vast land that was once were the fairground was. There is action and reaction as he stops to discover they have left. A following striking camera technique is incorporated in Ali which shows a point of view shot. A point of view shot has the ability to show him boxing from his perspective. 8 ½ holds the camera shots, which contributes to everything being still and motionless. It effectively distinguishes the eerie silent atmosphere. Ali and Salaam Bombay both use there camera to help contribute to the narrative and give us a better insight of the main characters. Whereas 8 ½ uses camera to establish the atmosphere. To conclude, all three clips watched in class showcase effective openings.