Opening Sequence to Skyfall (2012)

This opening sequence is extremely effective as the viewer is captivated within the mind of Bond as he sinks to the bottom of a riverbed after being shot by friendly fire during the film’s opening. Set in the background of his own private thoughts and memories, the sequence contains a combination of many themes: his past and current emotional state, his uncertain future, his many indistinguishable misdeeds and duties flashing before his eyes. It is the first Bond sequence, and the first Bond film, to dig into 007’s psychological past, both using his childhood home as an emotional safehouse and a prison, giving his character greater depth and a vulnerability more in step with creator Ian Fleming’s incarnation of this gallant, yet flawed, superspy. While the content and construction of the Skyfall titles are novel, darkening the tone significantly from past sequences and employing a Z-oriented digital camera without brakes, it does however stay true to the Bond title tradition, apparent both in its tempo and in the use of familiar images and typography. Adele’s theme song gives the sequence a dreamlike quality, acting both as a contrast to the abrasive subject matter and a complement to its sinister tones.

 The first thing that we see is a man that appears to be unconscious or dead sinking in deep water, presumably the sea.

  

As the sinking man falls and falls we realise that it is James Bond.  We also notice that his shirt is covered in blood. This may be foreshadowing the moment that his fellow MI6 agent, Eve inadvertently shoots Bond, allowing the person they are chasing, Patrice to escape. Bond then falls into a river and goes missing, presumed to be dead. 

 This shows the production company that is in charge of producing the film. While this is happening, we see what looks like another hand pulling Bond even further down. It looks like a women’s hand. This signifies how badly injured he is and that it was a woman that had shot him, that the order to shoot was given by a woman, and that to an extent Bond’s vulnerability as a character came from a woman’s betrayal.

 We then realise as the actor who plays Bond's name is displayed, that it is in fact a giant hand that is pulling him down by his ankles.

 The person who created James Bond, Ian Fleming, has his displayed so that he has some credit for the film because without him, there would be no Bond. We then also see the world from Bond's point of view and he continues to be dragged further and further down.

 The name of the film is displayed in white so that it stands out over the background. We then see Bond being dragged through an opening in the sand which symbolises the fact that he going through into a different world.

The name of the actor who played the villain in the film is displayed.

 As the names of the actors in the film are displayed, we see a gun target. The gun target which we later see is a picture of Bond, represents the fact that he is a targeted man in the film. Also, the fact that it is 'leaking' blood represents that Bond is attracting dangerous attention. 

We then see a female body in the water and we presume it is the famous 'Bond Girl' that is featured in every Bond movie.

The knives and guns falling down in the graveyard foreshadow when the villain is killed near the end of the film in a graveyard.

The fact that M's name is shown in the graveyard also foreshadows her death

As the sequence progresses, it is obvious that the camera seems to be moving forward all the time.

The change in setting during the sequence is achieved by moving through a portal of some description, for example an open door, the iris of Bonds eye.

In this frame, the camera is moving forward through water. The red substance is similar in appearance to seaweed or kelp but is the colour of blood and so signifies the violence and death within the film.

The camera keeps moving forward and we go through the gun into the next scene.

This is a reference to the scene where Bond sails through a river covered in Chinese lanterns

You then see Chinese Dragons as he continues across the water. The name of the Special Effects and Miniature Effects Supervisor and the Stunt Coordinator are displayed on this frame, which itself uses special effects to bring the dragon to life. 

 Bond sees his own reflection and shoots at it, a reference perhaps to his own self doubts. 

Foreshadows the use of violence within the film and sets the scene for the thriller (Bond's childhood home) by causing expectation of violence and death which is typical in a Bond movie.

The sequence finishes by zooming in slowly into Bond's startlingly blue eye so that we know that it is in fact Bond. 

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/skyfall/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4gdhsVKTcs

http://movieline.com/2012/11/15/skyfall-james-bond-title-sequence-danny-kleinman-007/