Drive opening textual analysis

In the opening sequence of "Drive" it is black and has the driver talking about what he does on the phone. As this is happening, it starts to fade into the scene and pan across the room giving the audience some information about the driver. the first object that is seen is a map with some drawings on, showing that he has planned where to be and the getaway in advance. as it starts to pan across the room we see the driver looking out the window on the phone, there is a red blinking light that can be seen being projected onto his arm. this could be giving the audience an incite into what is coming in the film as red connotes danger. As it pans further past him the audience are shown the tv, which has the basketball on, this is later played on the radio whilst he is waiting for the two men. the last thing that is shown in the room is a large duffel bag, throughout the sequence the contents of the bag are not shown. Throughout this scene, the driver is still on the phone until the bag is shown, then he hangs up and throws the phone next to the bag, he then takes the bag and leaves.

It then cuts to an over the shoulder shot, of the driver in the a car, the shot contains the the windshield and and the drivers arm holding the steering wheel, the camera is positioned this way to make it seem like the audience is like an accomplice, sitting in the back seats. It the cuts to a shot from the footwell of the passenger side, this is done to give the driver power and to show he is the protagonist. throughout this there has been a non diegetic pulsing sound which could be representational of the driver as the beat is steady. Like many film noir films, a lot of the film happens at night. This is no exception as when the driver is driving to the garage it is night and the low key lighting hides part of his face to keep him hidden.

Once he gets to the garage, another character, Shannon, is waiting for him leaning on a car. He gets up, comments on how the driver is looking unwell and asks him if hunts anything, listing prescribed drugs and nicotine. As they are walking down towards the car, they pass a few 'vintage' cars to get to the Chevy impala (the most popular car in California), this could represent the driver, plain and can blend in with crowds of people. Throughout the sequence, the techno heartbeat stays steady which tells the audience that the driver is experienced in this line of work and stays calm. Throughout the scene the beat does get louder and carry's on after this scene and into the next couple of shots. After this short scene it cuts to an establishing shot of the city where sirens can be heard.

Once the driver gets to where he is supposed to be, there is a panning, tracking shot from inside the car, in the passenger seat, following the two criminals that have hired him. in this scene the audience is shown the driver in his full costume; his scorpion jacket, tooth pick, leather gloves and the low key lighting acts as a mask covering his face slightly. Having the driver have a 'costume' conforms to the superhero genre making this film a hybrid between Film noir and superhero. during the scene he attaches his watch to the steering wheel and after this there is the exaggerated sound of the second hand ticking.