Pre-Production - Sound Analysis of BSR Opening Sequence

Trainspotting Opening sequence - SOUND


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Naf_WiEb9Qs

The initial soundtrack of the opening sequence is a song called Iggy Pop- Lust for Life, which was released in 1977. This songs helps to save money on the budget by helping the audience to gather an idea of the time the film is set in - the 70's and also the location of where the film is set - in an urban British location, in this case, Edinburgh. The Rock and Roll theme of the film gives us an idea of some of the themes of the film as it represents the idea of being out of control and not caring about what goes on in life.

This image gives a small representation of the previous explanation. It gives a an idea of the bleak life that 'Renton' lives through the result of drug abuse and a lack of care for life.

This idea is later supported by the dialogue that is introduced to us through 'Renton’s' voice who is the main character. "Choose life, choose a job, choose a career, and choose a family ... I chose not to do that ... and the reasons, who needs reasons when you've got Heroin." This dialogue is just a small selection of the 'wise words' that Renton gives us throughout the sequence. The dialogue fills the audience in as to who the main character is, where he comes from through his accent and dialect, and what the general plot of the film is about. This saves money for the producers as they can spend less on filming sets and props to gives us the same information. Instead, we get told this information by Renton which is not only cheaper but also provides us with a much more realistic approach as we are being told about his life in an almost face to face approach.

Synchronous sound is used when Renton falls to the ground twice in two different frames in the opening sequence. The sound of his head hitting the floor almost becomes a Leit Motif in the first part of the film. Once when he takes a draw on his 'Heroin Spliff' and once when the ball hits his head in the five-a-side football match. The diegetic sound creates a representation of failure for 'Renton' which again introduces us to the key plot of the film which is about his failure in life and climbing out of the drug scene to avoid failure.

These points in the sequence are illustrated below.