Conventions of film openings - Chakushin Ari (着信アリ)

Chakushin Ari (着信アリ) which translates to 'One Missed Call', is a Japanese Horror film directed by Takashi Miike in 2003. The Japanese Trilogy was made long before the American Remake. Chakushin Ari (着信アリ) is a trilogy, however I'm only going to be using the opening of the first film to illustrate the conventions of film openings.

     Chakushin Ari (着信アリ) What is it about?

During a get together with friends, Yoko Okazaki's mobil phone rings in an unusual tone. Yoko doesn't pick up the phone and recieves a voice maiil or Chakunshin. She sees that it is from her own number, 2 days into the future. Yoko and her friend Yumi Nakamura listen to the message. They hear the sound of train station gates closing and voice of Yoko 'Oh no its raining' followed by a horrendous scream.

Yoko and Yumi try to laugh about the message, they even share it with their friends. Two days later, at the time the voice mail was sent (11:04pm) Yumi recieves a call from Yoko, in which we hear the sound of train station gates closing and voice of Yoko 'Oh no its raining' followed by a horrendous scream. Before Yumi has the time to warm Yoko, Yoko is violently thrown by an invisible force through a chain link fence onto a speeding train below. Yoko's body is run over, and her arm is separated from her body, but her severed arm manages to dial someone else... the next victim.

Conventions of film openings

• introduce production company logo
• introduce distribution company logo
• often carry a title sequence
• mood and tone established with sound
• intended to hook the audience into the film, done through narrative
• introduced to key characters, in the opening of the film

Chakushin Ari (着信アリ) Opening

In the opening of Chakushin Ari, Production and Distribution companies logos are not introduced. However a title sequence is used, in which words flicker across the page conveying loss of signal from a Mobil phone. In the background we can hear static and a voice mail tone, we see people dialling phones but effects have been used to create a static illusion. The clips of the people are squashed down as if there are technical errors, constantly blinking. The unnaturally scary mood is established in the title sequence by a non-diagetic electronic drone at the beginning.

Yoko Okazaki Receives a phone call whist in the bath room, it isn't her usual ring tone, so she doesn't pick up. When she answers the voice mail, the view is switched to something peering from the cubical door. The camera shakes in its view and we hear a growling drown, this helps to create the mood of fear in the opening. It is this point that hooks the viewer onto watching the rest of the film, as suspense and fear are starting to be created here. Coincidentally as the voice mail ends with Yoko's screams, the door slams shut, it also acts as a transition.

Then a few days later when Yoko is violently thrown by an invisible force through a chain link fence onto a speeding train below. Yoko's body is run over, and her arm is separated from her body, but her severed arm manages to dial someone else... the next victim. The audience are hooked on, wondering how or what dragged Yoko off the bridge, and how her severed arm was able to make the next call.