Textual Analysis: American Beauty.

By Emerald McNamara. 

The first two minutes of the movie begin with the film title ‘Dreamworks Pictures presents’ in a bold, red Serif font. After the opening title, the film fades into the opening scene. The opening shot is a close-up of the female main character lying in a bed. This is shot with a video camera giving a less defined effect, making the scene more realistic. The camera is still  on the character for two seconds or so in silence. The female then talks towards the camera. Her expressions are defined making her emotions clear to the audience. The male character who is filming the girl then speaks back to the character. In response the female sits up in the bed, of which the camera follows. The shot is then of the girl at a mid shot, the mood of this is almost at suspense as there is a tinge of horror as they have just been discussing killing her father.

The scene then fades out to the main title, ‘American Beauty’ this appears in the same red serif font as the title before. No music is played at this point. The main title then fades out to a black screen. Non-diegetic music then begins to play. The music is that of a typical opening slow but grounding to the viewer.

The scene then again fades into an establishing shot of a typical American neighbourhood. As this is being perceived the introduction of the main male character, the father of the female at the beginning is directed through narrative speaking over the top of the establishing shot, this is of course non-diegetic dialogue.

The scene then cuts to the bedroom of the male character shot at high angle overlooking his room, however the main focus being the character asleep in bed. The lighting is dim allowing the viewer to understand it being early morning. The music which is playing then fades to a lower volume as the alarm clock rings at the side of his bed, this is emphasises in volume. Once he has turned the alarm off, the dialogue of him talking over the top then restarts as well as the music. The camera then jumps to a close up of the characters face as he turns over in his bed. After this the camera then follows his routine starting with a close up from under the bed as the character puts on his slippers. The scene then cuts to him in the shower once again shot at a close up. The camera then cuts to a mid shot and pans to the right of the character. Throughout this the same music is being played whilst the character narrates.

At this point this is the first two minutes of the film. Throughout these two minutes, we have already been introduced to the two main characters of which the male has given us an insight into his life which in fact tells the ending of the story altogether.