Task 2 - Forrest Gump - Opening Sequence Analysis

The opening shot of ‘Forrest Gump’ shows a feather falling. This could have multiple meanings – that Forrest stands out against everyone else, Forrest is the only one of his kind when everyone around him is the same, or that Forrest is alone and is ignored by all around him.There is no sound in the opening scene. This "emphasises" the fact that Forrest is alone and doesn't stand out in society.

The feather is tracked falling, and is seen going over a town, people and traffic, only to arrive by Forrest Gump. This sends an enigma code to the audience – why does the feather land by Forrest?  Mise-en-scene includes his shoes, which appear old and dirty. This tells the audience that he is disadvantaged, and something new - even if it is just a feather - is appreciated and Forrest saves it. As the feather nears Forrest, the sound becomes audible. It is subtle piano music - this is normally used when emotions are portrayed as it is quiet and people focus on it as it is the only thing to listen to.

The next shot is a high angle shot, and shows Forrest putting the feather that fell by him in a book that he places his special things and memories in. The mise-en-scene is Forrest's case of personal belongings. This suggests that he doesn't have many material objects, and what he does have he treasures and takes everywhere. They may carry memories that Forrest does not want to forget. The piano music is ongoing, but it is quieter to show that Forrest is focusing on something, even if it is only a feather. A normal cut is used to go from Forrest analysing the feather to actually putting it away. This allows the scene to have a smoother flow and not distract the audience from what is happening.

The final shot of the opening sequence in 'Forrest Gump' is a long shot. The frame is quite empty and only shows Forrest sitting alone on a bench on the outskirts of a park. Although there are a couple of people around, they are showing no sign of talking to him. This then links back to the single falling feather at the opening of the sequence and the fact that it is also telling the audience that Forrest is alone. The only sound is diegetic and ambient, being the bus braking as it is stopping by Forrest. The screeching brakes make the audiences' concentration fall as it is the opposite to the piano music which was used to set the gentle scene.




Annabel