OPENING SEQUENCES AND SETTING - 'BLADE RUNNER'

The second film I am going to be analysing how the introduce setting and how this creates meaning and expectations for the audience is the film 'Blade Runner'. 'Blade Runner' is a Sci Fi / Action genre film.  

The opening sequence of the film 'Blade Runner' opens with a dark, dystopian, Los Angeles skyline punctuated by fires and explosions. This establishes right from the very start a futuristic yet decayed world, with a gritty, dystopian vision of what the future brings. It has striking visuals to immerse the audience in this version of the world. This has a strong effect on the audience as they begin to resonate with the setting and therefore the story. The setting also establishes themes. It brings the ideas of technology overpowering humanity and the power it will hold over human beings. It also shows the loss of individuality as all the buildings look the same. the fires may symbolise that the world is beginning to crumble, and the explosions suggest violence. These things all impacts the audience's experience of watching this film. This opening sequence effectively establishes a world where technology is the governing force, and human life seems secondary. For the audience, the setting not only serves as a backdrop, but it creates a mood and feeling of isolation and ambiguity that prepares viewers for what the film will bring; what it means to be human in an artificial, hyper-commercialised world. The setting of Blade Runner' invites viewers to feel both wonder and fear as they will witness the central questions the film proposes such as identity and humanity.