Lost Highway- Opening Scene Analysis

Lost Highway

Lost Highway is a 1997 French-American psychological mystery thriller written and directed by David Lynch.

Opening Credits 

The titles of the film are presented in a serif yellow font in the centre of a black background in to create a reverse block effect to make the title of the film stand out. A road is also used, which appears to be never ending, which mirrors and implies the meaning of the title lost, as the road leads to no where hinting at what the narrative is going to be about. The font is large and serif to attract the audience's attention and make them engage in the film right from the beginning. 

The titles read:

Bill Pullman

Patricia Arquette
Balthazar Getty
Lost Highway
Robert Blake
Natasha Gregson Wagner
Richard Pryor
Lucy Butler, Michael Massee, Jack Nance
Jack Kehler, Henry Rollins
Giovanni Ribisi
Scott Coffey
with Gary Busey
and Robert Loggia
Casting by Johanna Ray, C.S.A and Elaine J. Huzzar
Music Composed and Conducted by Angelo Badalamenti
Editor - Mary Sweeney
Production Designer/Costume Designer - Patricia Norris
Director of Photography - Peter Deming
Produced by Deepak Nayar, Tom Sternberg, Mary Sweeney
Written by David Lynch and Barry Gifford
Directed by David Lynch

Sound

In this opening extract, prolonged, deep non-diegetic sounds are used. This occurs when the character is moving within the house towards the door and window. This non-diegetic sound starts off fairly quiet, eventually developing into a crescendo, increasing the tension for the audience, whilst also suggesting that the character could feel confused and uneasy about the particular situation. This also suggests that the character in the frame at this particular moment is the protagonist. 

As well as this, the lack of dialogue in this particular part of the extract, along with the eerie music, creates suspense and tension for the audience, as they wonder what is going to happen next, due to the lack of detail creating a narrative enigma. Low pitched dialogue is then used during 1.06 of the extract, but for a short space of time. This is when a creepy, deep, eerie voice speaks through the intercom. This adds to the mystery of the narrative, but the deep, threatening voice suggests something sinister, perhaps suggesting that this voice will be a character presented as an antagonist. This also adds to the verisimilitude of the extract as well as the ambient sounds of the police car, and the fear of the unknown keeps the audience engaged.

Eerie dialogue is heard from the intercom.

Mise en Scene

During the very beginning of the extract, what the audience assume to be the main character is introduced using low key lighting. This makes it difficult for the audience to view the characters face, but the audiences attention is solely on him, perhaps suggesting that he has a main role in the community, but likes to remain anonymous for security reasons. The darkness of this particular part of the extract could mirror the way in which this character is feeling; scared and wanting to solve a mystery, but perhaps with elements of vulnerability.

Low key lighting makes the character difficult to identify.

Furthermore,  the character appears slightly dishevelled. He appears to have a middle class status. When he is sat down smoking his cigarette, his facial expressions and body language display signs of tiredness and stress, implying that this mystery could have been going on for some time. Towards the end of this extract, the lighting appears to be lighter. When the street is shown along with the house, nothing in particular seems to be going on. However, the lighter ambience suggests a more positive and enlightening feel to the narrative, almost as reassurance, but at the same time, the audience are made to wonder what is going to happen next. This adds to the narrative enigma, as the audience are still clueless to what is happening in the narrative due to the vague storyline so far.

Prop used; a cigarette.

Camera

When the character is introduced at the very start of the narrative, a close up shot is used. This displays the characters face to enable the audience to view the emotions of the character, for clues to what could be about to happen. The fact that the character is shown smoking a cigarette could convey that he is trying to relieve his stress about the situation. An extreme close up shot is used to show the character when the buzzer rings. The audience would expect him to jump, however he stays unnerved about the situation, but with a look of slight confusion. This could suggest that a similar situation has happened before. A close up shot presents the audience with the character pressing the intercom button, to allow the audience to hear the mysterious, eerie voice. Then, a mid shot shows the characters reaction, much to the audiences surprise, is calm and collected, again suggesting that this has happened before, or that this character is used to solving mysteries.

The character appears unnerved by the situation.

Then, a long shot accompanied by a point of view shot shows the sudden burst of action from the character, as he appears to be rushing around, eventually going to the balcony of the house. Diegetic sounds of police sirens are heard by the audience, and then the street is presented to us. Furthermore, this again suggests a mystery, keeping the audience engaged. The fact that the street appears to be very quiet, adds to the narrative enigma and eerie atmosphere, making the audience question why no one is around getting on with their day-to-day lives.  

A point of view shot

Editing

An eye line match is used towards the middle of the extract. This displays the intercom/vent buzzing. This allows the audience to see what the character is looking at. As well as this the editing cuts to the character, and then to the vent repeatedly, adding to the suspense and mystery of the narrative, as to who may speak through the intercom, keeping the audience engaged and creating sense of fear for the audience due to the character's actions possibly due to fear of the unknown.

Another point to note is that a long take is then used to portray the sudden sense of the characters panic, when the character is moving around his house to get to the balcony. This builds tension, as the audience don't know where he is going to go, or what he is going to do, and therefore putting the audience on edge as they ponder to what the implications of  his actions could be. As well as this, when the character is looking out the window, the camera shows his face through the use of a low shot. This could suggest he is being watched by someone else, but the audience don't yet know who, adding to the suspense and tension once more.

The clip analysed shown below: