Interstellar film opening analysis

Interstellar Opening scene

Director: Christopher Nolan

Studio: Paramount

Budget: $165 million

Worldwide earning: $675,120,017

Genre: Sci-Fi

The opening of Interstellar is a flashback/ dream the protagonist is having of a plane crash he was involved in. The first shot is a slider/ dolly shot in which is a spacecraft placed on a very dusty book shelf. This foreshadows the whole film and also sets the mood for the film. The interstellar title is overlaid in a very spaced out san serif font, this is a very modern and futuristic looking text which when linked to the spacecraft instantly reminds us of the Sci-Fi nature of this film. There is no sound which is a very prominent feature this film introduces following high tension moments with the sound of space, silence, this allows us as an audience to create our own emotions and feelings towards the shot and it further emerges us into the world created by Nolan. 

The mise-en-scene is a very futuristic plane suggesting a futuristic setting we later learn to be dystopian. The first shot is of a corn field, this is not part of the flash back we can tell due to the blue tint to the image suggesting a very depressed time in contrast with the warm tones of the plane in the sky almost dream like which we acknowledge as being a dream.

To enhance the action and tension in the first sequence Nolan uses "shaky camera" which immerses us in the action and also makes us feel uncomfortable which links to the intense force the protagonist feels in the plane. The sound of error bleeping and violent wind suggests conflict and further adds tension the the scene emphasising the stress in which the protagonist and plane are under. The protagonist "Cooper" is wearing a military pilot suit and there is an intercom voice controlling the plane suggesting further military involvement/ past. The use of  flashback gives us background to Cooper as a character, someone who is resilient and brave who, as we find out later, also cares a lot for his children.

Cooper is introduced to us with a close-up shot. Dropping us directly in the action with him and getting introduced to his personality through his facial expressions in this time of great danger. We get to know he is a very resilient and  well trained pilot as he wishes to keep control even though the system feels the plane is crashing.

The next shot is also a close up but looking up at Cooper in his position of command just before the crash takes place. We see Coopers face with the background of the cockpit strong in shadow tones, this shift from the shot before contrasts greatly as there is no longer light around out protagonist showing there is no hope and that his fate is sealed, We then hear the violent wind foliage become

more deadly as the commanding voice tells Cooper the power to the plane has been shut off out of Coopers control. Error sound still plays through the whole sequence of cockpit shots.

the sequence then cuts to an outside the plane shot similar to the one before however this time there is only the wind sounds as the plane plunges into the clouds. The camera is mounted to the plane also once again emerging us more into the environment. There is then another cut to an over the shoulder shot of Cooper who is experiencing immense turbulence and we are greeted once again with the loud error sounds and shaking from inside the plane. This difference between sound environments from inside the plane and outside the plane emphasises how Cooper has been abandoned by all contact and is practically left for dead as the plane dives through the clouds, giving us a sense should he survive that he will be against government and military for this reason. The plane sequence concludes with the over the shoulder shot as Cooper takes a big hit to the head which as an audience we would think was fatal but we are then confirmed of the dream nature of this flashback as the scene cuts to black and we instantly hear the voice of our second protagonist, Murphy.

The use of only daylight in this scene of the early morning suggests they are living in quite poor conditions as no other electricity has been activated for the duration of this scene. The morning daylight also links to the first shot before the plane scene as it also contains very cool blue shots which suggest a time of sadness as blue is a very solemn colour. Murphy is minimally lit looking down at Cooper who we now presume is her father. The shot of Murphy is a mid, look up shot portraying Murphy as a very strong character who is also caring as she is here to check on her father. She is not lit very well which also suggests there is more to Murphy than we can originally, a certain characteristic that we are not yet aware of. Murphy uses deixis referring instantly to " the crash " this creates further narrative enigma as we as an audience now know the crash has been dreamt of before but we also still don't know why Cooper was in the plane in the first place. Murphy is also wearing quite tatted clothes which enhances our idea of a poverish setting in a dystopian world. Murphy's reference to the "ghost" is also a foreshadowing moment as is later revealed there is a supernatural presence watching over them. The reference to the ghost also creates tension and increases are narrative enigma

The final shot is a tracking shot of Coopers silhouette walking towards the window. The use of the silhouette shows the dark times Cooper and the world is experiencing as we are later made aware of the food shortage. The tracking shot also follows over Coopers shoulder towards a very cold morning landscape seemingly in the middle of no where, setting the home scene for the film. The soundtrack is also introduced at this point and sets the genre of the film, containing strong organs typical for a Sci-Fi track. We then see the farm area which links back to the very first shot, Heli shot of the

farm which in hind sight could also be foreshadowing the "drone sequence" which was brought to their house by the forces surrounding it.

In conclusion the opening of the film is rather confusing creating a lot of narrative enigma which like most films makes sense by the end. The use of cinematography and sound design help break up the opening sequence between the action and peaceful wakeup to introduce this very iconic and frankly amazing film full of realistic science and fact yet at the same time, action packed and brilliant.