Analysis of the opening scene of Maltilda

The opening scene begins with the credits and title of the film (Matilda). These are shown with coloured background, changing colour for different credits. Also despite the name, Matilda being female, the film is immediately portrayed as being suitable for a unisex audience as there are different colours used, instead of female-stereotypical colours such as pink. Consequently there is a very childlike, cheerful feel to the movie, which relates to the theme of childhood, and the challenges that everyone faces, this gives us an idea of the theme the film. The font of the title 'Matilda' looks as though it is handwritten making it look child-friendly, so it appeals the audience. The soundtrack that is on at the same time is very soft and cheerful which creates happy notions to the audience.

The first camera shot is a close-up of a baby's face - the main character, this shows the significance of the character to the audience. Secondly, an aerial shot is used to show all the babies in the room, this highlights to the audience the idea that the the babies are all the same, which is in contrast to what is going to be revealed in the film. The fact that the main character is in the centre of the screen indicates her significance. The genre (fantasy) is unknown at this point, giving a mysterious approach to the movie.

Through the use of camera angles and diegetic music, the audience is shown the binary opposites, with Matilda's family members being the 'villains' and Malitda being the 'hero'. The binary opposites demonstrate the moral to the story for children to idenitfy with. This indicates the role of Maltilda's character being the focus in the movie. Everything the audience is being told revolves around her, this is shown through the mise-en-scene, such as the close-up camera shot of Matilda dressing herself, indicating her intelligence from an early age. The audience has begun to get an understanding of the storyline, the fantasy genre and can identifty with the main character.

The location of the opening is set at a hospital and a family home. This would be relatable to the audience as it would be something that the majority of children have experienced. However, the fantasy element of the movie is made aware because the narrator gives comments throughout the opening to guide the audience as to what is happening. This is very useful as it is a straightforward way of engaging the audience, to allow easy understanding and to keep the audience interested. Also, the use of a narrator is relevant to the target young audience as it reinforces and makes the elements of the story line easy to follow.