Analysis of a Gangster Movie Trailer:

The Untouchables

The first shot of the trailer for the movie ‘The Untouchables’ is introducing the viewer with the company that has produced the movie.

The second shot starts of with a bird eye view, eventually becoming a wide shot which is getting the audience familiar with the setting and time period for the movie.

The next couple of shots start introducing the characters that are involved by using shots like wide shot to present the audience with the appearance of the characters so the audience in a way becomes associated with the characters and how they look.

The next few shots in the trailer presents the viewer with different characters that are also involved in the movie but there is also shots that leave the characters in the shadows or not show there face and this uses close up shots to a particular area or not placing lighting on the characters face. This brings the mysterious element that infers to the audience that there will be a lot of mystery within the movie.

In these shots there is a introduction of violence by the placement of objects like guns and target posts that infer that there will be a lot of violence and possible action within the movie with the involvement of the police as the wide shot shows the setting which lets the audience know where the characters are with things like the writing on the wall that says ‘police academy’. The word ‘Academy’ may be also inferring to the manipulation of a individual who has just started a police school and is made to do things that may have serious consequences.

The next shots go back to the same character from the first few shots which emphasizes his importance in the movie. Furthermore the shots used such as over the shoulder which looks upon the people at the front shows the power this one individual has, also his smart clothing shows the wealth and his upper class status.

These next two shots are close up shots on the faces of a women and a man character. This may be introducing the audience with some romance that may be involved as the expressions on their faces are full of passion and affection towards each other which is complemented by the smile the male character is giving towards the female and the females eyes holding an adoring type of look.

The next few shots are going back and forth between different scenes at a fast pace which again reminds the audience of the action and violence involved as in these wide shots there is a male character holding a gun, another being questioned in a very forceful manner which brings the audience out of the little romance they saw, back to the more violent aspects of the film. There is also a change of the setting which is now showing the chase that is happening in the movie.

The last few scenes go back to the same character who is again showing his dominance as the wide and birds eye view shots are showing him standing at the front of the table, holding a bat in a casual manner which infers that he is fearless and has a attitude of being careless. He is standing at the front of the table which infers the power he posses. The other men are also showing respect towards him by clapping to what he is saying which emphasizes this idea. The fact that it keeps going back to the same character really points out his significance in the movie and that he may be someone that is placed to move the plot along.

The trailer ends with the name of the movie which might be a trigger for the audience to want to watch the movie. It also shows the audience who was involved with the making of the movie and this is to give credit for the people or companies that have put a lot of hard work into this movie.