Opening scene analysis for "No country for Old Men"

From the offset, the opening seen includes a very long introduction which includes a voice-over from possibly the main character of the film seemingly talking words of wisdom. However wise the words, you still feel almost intimidated by the tone of this speech. On the screen however, it's a total juxtaposition. You can see hills and meadows for miles from the first scene. It shows of the beautiful countryside, possibly desert landscape. It is hard to make out whether it is dusk or dawn at the start however it is still a beautiful view.

This picture shows the dark area. You can recognize the confusion between dusk and dawn.

Further on, you can see that it gets lighter so it was actually dawn on the previous image.

Their is a complete cutaway to an American Policeman walking with a person in handcuffs. This gives you a good reliable idea of what style/genre of film this is going to be. Possibly a crime/police drama?

As the arrestee is put into the police car, the directors make a point of showing you an object put down on the front passenger seat of the police car. The close up tells you that this object may be of some importance.




Towards the end of the opening sequence, it takes a turn 'to' the worst.  You can see a policeman on the phone to the sheriff talking about the oxygen tank in the screenshot above when all of a sudden a handcuff chain is placed round his throat and he is dragged to the floor and brutally asphyxiated, so severely that blood is forced from his windpipe. You can see the criminal walking towards him in the background out of focus but you have no idea of his intentions. Suspense is built when you can see him going from sat down to standing to stretch, possibly building up to this event, much like preparing himself to murder. On the floor you can see the whole struggle and the efforts he makes to escape.  When watching the early scenes with the voice over, showing the meadows and the hills, you do not expect to watching a murder two minutes later.

Overall it is a very powerful opening scene with many juxtaposing ideas. Their is a huge contrast in this short 3 minute opening scene.