Analyzing the Opening Sequence of the Film Twister

Analyzing the Opening Sequence of the Film Twister

The title of the film is “Twister”. It comes from the action/drama

genre. The director of the film is Jan De Bont. The film “Twister” has

a very short story line but has incredible scenes of special effects.

The film is about the young girl Jo who grows old and becomes

interested in hurricanes because her father died in a hurricane. Jo

and her ex husband Bill who is a meteorologist chase tornadoes. He

decided to give up chasing tornadoes to become a weather man. Bill

gets the divorce papers signed by Jo. But Bill is drawn back to

pursuing tornadoes because Jo decides to use his idea of sensors.

Bill’s idea was tracking tornado activity using small sensors. They

get caught in danger dropping the tub of sensors and escaping out of

the way of the tornado at the last moment.

The opening credits are made up of three shots of titles and one of

the main title. The backgrounds of the titles are dark and gloomy.

Clouds swirl around faster and faster and some lightening. These

features emphasise the gathering thunderstorm. This background runs

throughout the opening credits. The music throughout the opening

credits is a menacing rumble which emphasises the danger, power, force

and something is going to happen. Special effects are used on the main

title. The main title “Twister” appears in large block capital

letters. The letters suddenly disperse like leaves all over the screen

and only the impression of the word remains. This emphasises the

hurricane destroying and blowing away everything in its path. This

gives the viewer an image of the hurricane. These opening credits show

a quick, dr...

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...hut. The strain becomes

terrifying and the door suddenly gives way pulling the father with it

as he disappears in to the twister. The mother and the daughter look

and scream in horror. The daughter runs towards the door way flailing

her arms shouting “daddy, my daddy” the mother pulls the daughter her

back preventing her getting pulled in to the twister. The dog howls

and barks.

The shot is of the mother and the child fades to the next shot which

is of the landscape early the next morning. After the excitement,

tension, and exhilaration of the storm. The shot of the landscape

calms the viewers down because of peacefulness and quietness. The

music dies down to also calm the viewers. This is done so then they

can build the tension up again later because tension cannot be built

up when the viewers are already tense.