Get Carter is a thriller/crime movie based in Newcastle. It stars Michael Caine and was directed by Mike Hodges in 1971 and is considered by many to be the UK's greatest crime thriller.
0:17: With driving jazz music (by pianist and composer Roy Budd) we are introduced to the main character on a train reading a book. He has time to kill – it is a long journey. Even with this simplistic shot we are given a good introduction to the film: the man has a stern look on his face maybe suggesting he is a very serious and possibly dangerous. He is also wearing a suit which gives the impression to the viewer that he is a professional of some kind.
0:26: Following a pan from the main character to another man it shows certain similarities between the two characters. They are both wearing a suit and have stern facial expressions. This could suggest that the two men are in the same business or profession. He is also smoking a cigarette inside the train, which instantly tells the viewer that this is based in the past.
0:31: The opening cast credits come up over a POV shot of the train entering a tunnel. This is an interesting shot as it goes from light to dark very quickly. It is also a very clever and efficient way of displaying the titles in the opening sequence without disrupting the flow of the scene. The titles are also white on a black background giving a simple way of displaying the titles, this also aids the shots inside the train in giving an stark 'gritty' feel to the start of the film.
0:45: The main character is then fully established as we have returned to him. It shows him leaving his cabin and shutting the door. This then adds slight interest as the audience is slightly curious as to where he is going on the train and where the train is going. Again, he has a very serious concentrated expression which emphasises the points made before.
0:57: He walks to the toilets and sniffs something out of a small bottle. We are not fully informed what this particular substance is therefore probably bears little significance to the plot. This then narrows down a lot of possibilities and conclusions the viewer could jump to, for example, it is unlikely to be illegal drugs as that would be a significant aspect to the plot and the character. However as there is very little emphasis on this moment it then suggests to the audience that it may be smelling salts to keep him awake on his long journey or something along those lines.
1:07: This recurring shot of the train entering and exiting tunnels is not only a clever and efficient way of putting in the titles without disrupting the rest of the opening, it may have a deeper meaning. The relatively consistent 'inconsistency' of the change between dark and light may be foreshadowing the rest of the film. It may be subtly telling the viewer that there will be many ups and downs throughout the film.
1:33: Our main character finds a seat in the Dining Car. It looks fairly upmarket suggesting our protagonist might be financially comfortable and perhaps with some style. This is also a perfect example so far of how the introduction has established many of the character's traits without any dialogue on his part.
1:44: A close up shows him looking side to side intently. Either he's looking for something suspicious or he's checking if anyone's looking at him. We're intrigued. This is also aided by the music as it becomes more erratic in this part of the introduction.
1:54: A big close up (BCU) shows him taking some sort of tablets or pills. As there is no immediately visible reason for the tablets (painkillers) we are forced to think of something else. This same theme in the character has been repeated now which adds emphasis to the theme. There are many different things they could be, for example, pain-killers, mentally related drugs, illegal drugs, vitamin tablets. This adds intrigue and curiosity to the character immediately engaging the viewer.
1:58: A tight close up shows the main characters hand, it looks like he is cleaning some sort of cutlery. This is later revealed to be a spoon shortly after this shot. This could link to the pills he was taking. This suggests he may be a bit obsessive about his well-being, and as a result takes vitamin tablets and thoroughly cleans his eating utensils before using them.
2:46: We see the man who was smoking, reading a newspaper with the headline: 'GAMING CHIEFS WARN OF GANG WAR'. This is an example of 'narrative exposition'. This shot develops into a pan back to the main character, establishing a link between them. This adds a cyclic structure to the opening as it started with the two men and finishes with them. The Director places emphasis on this mysterious man, which may mean something later on in the film.
3:08: 'NEWCASTLE' simply and clearly tells the viewer where we are now in the story. We 'have arrived'.
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