Textual Analysis- The Hitcher

By Maud Start

The first two minutes of the movie begin with a set of three film titles. They include; Rogue Pictures, Intrepid Pictures and Platinum Dunes. This fades into a black screen containing a fact which hints at the ambiance of the movie.
'According to the U.S. department of transportation an estimated 42,000 people are killed on highways every year.'
An establishing shot of a desolate wasteland fades up, accentuating the loneliness of the area, as the cast credits begin to roll, and the camera pans to a rusty abandoned car. A slight sepia wash has been used to create a feel of lifelessness yet natural light is used. The movie is silent at this point, aside from quiet diegetic sounds, of the breeze and crickets, and we can see a small hare, which runs into the road. A long shot of the road shows us the car advancing and the diegetic sounds become louder, as the hare is brutally killed by a car that comes from off screen, and the main title 'The Hitcher' comes up. The car wipes the screen to a bubblier scenario, of a college, the natural light is brighter, and there are people bustling about. However a graphic match of a car links the two scenes, making us aware that they are connected. Non-diegetic happy music is introduced at the start of the change of setting and we can hear the dialogue of both sides of a telephone conversation between the main guy and girl. This is important because the conversation is vital for the audience to hear, as it initiates the scene. The characters are represented in a very typical way, the girl wears a skimpy dress and the boy a shirt and jeans, this confirms the normality of college life and adds contrast between this atmosphere and the wasteland. As the couple advance towards each other and begin to hug the camera looks over the mans shoulder, this shows the difference in size of the two people and the closeness they share together. A long shot shows them both climbing into a car. As this is only the first two minutes of the movie and we have already seen 4 cars, that have been focused on, it is obvious that they are a vital part of the storyline.