Analysing Opening Sequences and Characters - 'Trainspotting '

The second opening scene that focuses on introducing character and character traits that I will be looking at is from Danny Boyle's 'Trainspotting' starring Ewan McGregor as Mark Renton.

The film opens with Renton running away from the police, immediately establishing to the audience that he and his friends are not conforming members of society and are in trouble with the law. 

The audience are also immediately positioned with Renton through the use of voiceover, as he reveals his ideological beliefs (pro-hard drugs, anti-capitalism). Renton then runs into a moving car and laughs as he gets hit, further indicating to the audience that he is extremely irresponsible, reckless and a danger to himself. 

We immediately get a sense of his nihilistic attitude, but it also suggests to the audience that he does not take his situation seriously and sees everything as a joke. The next shots of Renton reveal his drug addiction and take place in an extremely run-down location suggesting to the audience that his drug habit has gotten out of control and that he does not lead a regular life, something that is further reinforced by his monologue which tells the audience that he has rejected a conventional lifestyle and has chosen heroin instead. 

This introduction illustrates him as reckless, rebellious and not to be trusted by the audience. The opening sequence also introduces the film's other significant characters, also with freeze frames which instantly capture each character's traits in a single action.

Sick Boy, for example, is shown arguing with a football referee, showing that he is devious and confrontational and that he cannot be trusted to play by the rules. Begbie is shown tackling another character with both feet off the ground, instantly foregrounding his violent nature, whilst Spud is shown cowering in front of goal, implying that he is weak and non-confrontational. All of these traits, for each character, are seen frequently throughout the rest of the film.