10 Hidden Details In Opening And Closing Movie Scenes You Completely Missed
Gone Girl. Parasite. Whiplash. What are some other hidden details in opening and closing scenes?
Some say that the opening and closing scenes of films are two of the most important elements when it comes to crafting a feature. Think about it, the opening scene is the thing that will hook viewers into watching the whole film, while the closing scene is the thing that will leave a lasting impression long after the film has ended.
There have been many, many great openings over the years. The sort of scenes that will beautifully establish themes, characters and plot threads that are going to be prevalent throughout the film.
There have also been a ton of terrific closing scenes. These are the kind of scenes that wrap everything up and conclude the film in a (hopefully) brilliant fashion.
A great opening and closing scene is important. However, some directors go the extra mile by actually connecting the two scenes. It’s an interesting storytelling trick that many directors (including Bong Joon-ho and David Fincher) often use. Here, we will cover hidden details in 10 opening and closing scenes that you probably missed.
10. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes - Caesar Has Changed Forever
The 2011-17 prequels to the classic 60s Planet of the Apes franchise have to be one of the most underrated film trilogies of recent times, particularly notable for Andy Serkis’s motion capture performance as the lead ape - Caesar.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (the middle film in the trilogy) centres on the inner conflict between Caesar and his tribe of apes, with a lot of debate rising between the naive idealist, Caesar, and his more brutal friend, Koba (Toby Kebbell).
The film begins with a brilliantly directed opening sequence, in which Caesar and his tribe go hunting, and starts with an extreme close-up of Caesar’s eyes. It closes in the exact same fashion, just after Caesar has been forced to kill Koba for the safety of his tribe and his family.
Oftentimes, the similarities between an opening and closing scene showcase that nothing at all has changed, however, with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, it is done to show exactly the opposite; Caesar has made a drastic transformation and one that he can never go back from. By breaking his forbidden rule of “ape not kill ape”, Caesar has officially hardened into a tougher leader, one that must be willing to take drastic actions to save himself and his family.