This opening

scene, shot from a

bird’s eye view

allows the viewers

not to focus on the

people involved in

the scene but

rather the object

that is centred

figuratively and

literally.

The quick zoom-in

takes the viewer by

surprise, also

directing or forcing

all the attention on

the backdrop.

The jump-cut to this scene

indicates the opening of the film-

as if to show how the story (which

is contained in the book) is now

coming to life

Another title-card to continue the

story-book motif.

This establishing shot displays

how the Tenenbaum family stand

out amongst the others in their

neighbourhood, through the flag

and the bright colours.

The use of a omniscient narrator

[Orchestral of Hey Jude]

[tilt downwards to reveal Tenenbaumchildren in their rooms as seen

through their windows]

The characters’ positioning and framing on the

screen are contradictory. They are shown

collectively, as if to show their union, however,

they have candlesticks in between, as if to

suggest how although together, they are still

distanced from one another.

The reverse shots in this scene

almost depict a sort of rally (like a

tennis match). The characters are

very distant. In this shot, the

character is made a lot more

distant by how he is framed: the

chairs on either side imply

isolation.

I like how the

characters were

given introductory

scenes like this in

the ‘prologue’. It

gives viewers an

insight to their roles

without really

revealing what the

story is.