In depth analysis of opening scene of Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros 2009)
The first publication of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, was in 1887. The author and inventor Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock as a quick witted, highly intelligent detective, and the 2009 remake by Guy Ritchie, also utilizes the same characteristics in Sherlock Holmes (played by Robert Downey Junior).
The genre of the movie is Action/Mystery as opposed to the simple crime drama genre in the previous television series based on the detective. This is due to the direction of Guy Ritchie, who normally directs typical violent, masculine action thrillers that appeal to a male demographic, such as; his feature film debut “Lock, stock and two smoking barrels”, “Revolver” and “RocknRolla” this guidance intensifies the entertainment value, as well as bringing the character Sherlock Holmes to the modern day despite the film being set in 1891 London, because of this added action, a wider ranged demographic would appeal to the film, despite maybe not being aware of the prior novels or drama series, obviously an intention as it is a big-budget Hollywood movie being financed by Warner Bros; a leading studio producer of film and television.
The opening scene of the film starts with cobbled streets, a distinctive use of semiotics, as they were a
key feature in London streets during the 18th century; the logo’s of the key institutions are imbedded in the cobbling as the camera uses dolly movement to capture the different emblems. The track "Discombobulate" compiled for the film by German composer Hans Zimmer begins to play which sounds dramatic yet slow, however begins to build up. This is a crucial convention in action/mystery films as music is continuously used as a signifier, the music playing in the opening scene represents anonymity and generates apprehension in the viewers from just the first few seconds.
The camera moves upwards in a follow shot of a horse and carriage; the sound of the clomping horse hooves momentarily dominates the soundtrack, the camera moves rapidly towards the carriage and zooms inside, revealing two male characters with grave facial expressions and loading up pistols. This is another convention as weapons are fundamental in action films, because they project power and authority, as well as danger if used by a different character. Cut-in shots of the weapons in the hands of the men in the carriage are used, and a panning shot introduces us to a man running, it appears as if he is a suspect and the carriage is following him as he is taking short cuts and jumping over walls. The camera then close-up’s to his face and the audience realise it is the protagonist. A voiceover and flash forward is used as the leading character stands against a wall in a building, the scene flashes forward to when he leaps out and attacks a man using the fight moves stated in the voiceover, this attack scene is in slow motion and the music is muted this expansion of time exaggerates the detective’s strength and his line in the voiceover “full faculty of recovery, unlikely” represents the character Sherlock Holmes as a witty yet ruthless as opposed to the original highly intelligent pacifist character, however after attacking the man guarding the building he then takes the man’s hat and places it on his own head, the original Sherlock character was also a master of disguise and this action relates to the original Sherlock’s characteristics.
The camera then uses an aerial shot to track Sherlock descending spiral stairs and hiding in a shadowed corner of the crime scene; a man chanting in an eerie demonic language and wearing an oversized black cloak and is stood over a woman tied across a table wearing a full white gown and reacting possessed to the chant. The white gown of the woman is presenting a virgin, pure appearance, portraying the woman as a victim which is a common representation of women in this genre. The mise-en-scene in the scene parallels a demonic, church like setting, the framing reveals numerous altars around and four fire stands around the tied woman, the lighting is limited with a lot of shadows concealing the background symbolising an occult or satanic ritual. A close up of the demonic chanting man’s face and an extreme close up of his mouth reiterates his intimidating persona.
The camera move’s upwards into the shadowed pillars where Sherlock Holmes is hiding, a man slowly appears behind him and is about to attack him when Sherlock’s partner Dr Watson arrives and grip’s the man in a headlock; this presents Dr Watson as loyal and dependable, always saving Sherlock. The two characters’ then begin the first dialogue of the film; their conversation of Sherlock forgetting his revolver and leaving the stove on portrays them as a bickering couple (“bromance”). Although their relationship is not equal, Watson takes commands from Sherlock and is later called Sherlock’s “dog”. The pair then descend a staircase with the camera using a close-up on their feet and enter the demonic crime scene where another typical action convention is explored; a fight scene with the “bad guys” outnumbering the protagonists, whilst Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes are successfully defeating the adversaries, one opponent fires a bullet towards Sherlock which momentarily mutes the dramatic "Discombobulate" track and is another use of slow motion. Only sounds of screams of pain and truncheon battered against bodies are heard, Sherlock pushes another man in the direction of the bullet, and the music returns. Meanwhile, the demonic man is still chanting to the hostage woman, who is reaching for a dagger and aiming it to her torso, Watson aims his pistol to the back of the demonic chanting man (Lord Blackwood) then the scene is continuously edited to Sherlock grabbing her hand back, this suggests Watson as inferior or weaker to Sherlock, as he aimed a weapon whereas Sherlock was faster in intervening in the scene. The track "Discombobulate" has reached its crescendo and then ends as the fire is blown out of the torch stands surrounding the table; this suggests Sherlock has saved the day and the danger is over.
Lord Blackwood uses patronising dialogue towards Dr Watson to provoke him, and when he approaches him Sherlock hold’s him back from Lord Blackwood’s trap, holding a thin strand of glass towards his eye. This reiterates Sherlock as more intelligent as he states he knew he had the glass because he was looking for it, and Watson is depicted as impulsive. Inspector Lestrade and his troops finally arrive and Sherlock states “we have one for the doctor, and one for the rope”, after Lord Blackwood is taken away by the police the Inspector says to Sherlock “You didn’t wait for my orders” and Sherlock replies, “If I had, you would of been cleaning up a corpse and chasing a rumour” the dialogues continues Sherlock’s witty one-liners as well as inferring Sherlock is arrogant, he tells the inspector he was hired by the girl’s parents and not working on behalf of Scotland Yard, and sarcastically says “Why they thought you would require any assistance is beyond me” inspector Lestrade takes the comment as a compliment as Watson says “Congratulations, Lestrade” and hands him a cigar, a photographer then takes a photograph of the three men, as Sherlock quickly covers his faces with his sleeve, and the photo is then shown as the front cover of a newspaper with the headline “Scotland yard catches killer” and a subheading of “Sherlock Holmes aides police” the photograph and behaviour towards the Inspector portray Sherlock as modest and humble, a characteristic common in action film protagonists. The conventions used in the opening scene of Sherlock Holmes blend the original mystique of the novels with a new found “Hollywood” action theme that creates a successful hybrid without losing its origins and focus.
