There are many images that are dark and disturbing in the opening scene of the film: 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'. This creates an immediate mood to the film, that suggests horror and violence - perhaps giving the audience an insight into whats to expect throughout the rest of the film.
During the opening scene we see a bottomless see of dark water which promotes the fear of drowning. There are lots of images of the human form and in the first instance we see a prone body. The body has a metal collar with spikes on it which is almost like a restraining collar that perhaps a dog would wear. Another body is seen with oil or water being poured on the body - juxtaposed with this there is a computer keyboard which signals the genre and the plot.
This comes across clearly as a nightmare sequence and the continuous use of dark colours allow the opening to remain frightening. In one sequence a black liquid that looks very much like oil, gushes out of the mouth of a female figure as if she was vomiting and it is frightening and revolting to watch.
Many of the images are of knotted and twisted forms - tangled together in a confusing web which is a metaphor as to how the movie is going to develop - this is a visual code for movie content. This is accompanied by aggressive music to help add to the mood of the opening. The song being played in the background is called 'Immigrant Song' by Led Zeppelin. Click here to listen to the track played in the background to this opening scene.
New images are shown that are frightening and involves setting someone alight - we see a match dropped on oil producing large yellow and orange flames, two new colours never seen before in the opening scene. There is a clear image of a human skeleton, covered in fire until the charred remains are left which is quite horrific and gruesome to see.
We see a creature escaping from the flames and this is a depiction of a man and a woman showing a very violent relationship, possibly sexualised because neither are wearing any clothes. We start to see flowers un-budding and unfolding suggesting love and intimacy. The flowers morph into two pairs of hands, all of which suggest there is going to be a love story, with most likely, the inclusion of violence.
The continued figures are shown to be struggling and there are very rapid cuts suggesting restless quality of sleep which you would most likely experience during a nightmare.
The visual images (graphics) dominate throughout the film opening. The climax sees a head explode and mouths of each figure in the scene are open in anguish.
