No Country For Old Men: Opening Scene

 NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

In the opening sequence, we are introduced with a voiceover of a mysterious character who we don’t know yet, however, it is evident that he’s going to be a significant character in the movie. Diegetic sounds are clearly used such as the sounds of the police officer and the closing of the police car door, as well as the sound of the protagonist placing an object on the front seat of the car. The non-diegetic sounds of the wind blowing softly emphasize the isolation of the setting and atmosphere, which as a result, makes the placement of the characters strange. The lack of soundtrack during the killing of the policeman illustrates the lack of importance of the character’s death, mirroring the lack of empathy the main character has. Moreover, Chigurh's first dialogue is threatening along with his expression. His voice is monotone and he slightly smiles as he shoots the police officer. This gives the audience the impression that he also may be a psychopath. 

The mise-en-scene in the opening scene shows the audience that the location of the film is set in a remote location because all that is portrayed to the audience is desert horizons and no sign of civilization. From the mise-en-scene we also learn that this is set in America, indicated by the police officer’s costume and car, making him look like a stereotypical American sheriff. Additionally, the police officer is wearing beige (hood) whilst Chigurh is wearing black (evil) which illustrates binary opposites. 

In the cinematography of the opening sequence, we are immediately presented with an establishing shot of a remote desert location, which shows the audience the type of surrounding the film will be in. Further, this adds a sense of curiosity for the audience as they aren’t completely sure where they are and are unaware of what will be taking place. Straight away, conventions of a Western Film have been conjured, despite no characters yet appearing on screen. There are long shots of hills and a close-up shot of a barbed-wire fence. This further implies that although it is a remote location, there are indications of civilization.  

In the opening scene, Chigurh is placed in the dark with his face kept in the shadows, making him seem mysterious and eerie. The audience immediately feels empathy due to this since the police officer represents order whilst Chigurh represents chaos. The audience would naturally feel encouraged to form an allegiance towards the police officer since he is the force of good. 

When we are first introduced to the main character (Chigurh), we are shown a wide shot of him taken to a police car, then further on he is facing away from the camera. This represents the lack of alignment with the character as we only see his back and the weapon. 

There’s a close-up shot of a man pretending to be a police officer using a compressed air tank. The close-up of the tank emphasizes how it’s a significant piece of evidence. We know that it becomes important because the following scene shows him using this object as a weapon to kill a man.