Title Sequence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwvIzFqrd7U
I am analysing Catch Me If You Can which is based on a true story. Frank W. Abagnale was employed as a doctor, a lawyer, and as a co-pilot for a major airline company-all before reaching his 21st birthday. A successful con artist and master of deception, Frank is also a brilliant forger, whose skill at check fraud has netted him millions of dollars in stolen funds–much to the chagrin of the authorities. FBI Agent Carl Hanratty has made it his prime mission to capture him and bring him to justice, however Frank is always one step ahead of Carl, baiting him to continue the chase.
Catch Me If You Can provides a very different and unique title sequence for the audience, therefore they automatically focus on what’s happening because it’s different to a generic title sequence. The whole title sequence is animated, and focuses on a specific characters journey throughout the sequence. This title sequence is very specific and clear with what it wants to show the audience and how they want to depict the film in ways the audience would understand however would be unable to understand completely, therefore retaining the audiences’ focus. It also depicts a vision in the audiences head about what may happen in the film, and what the film is about which retains anticipation from the audience.
Camera
The establishing scene, a long shot is used in the title sequence to show the audience what is around the main character, and that it’s not much of a secret. This is shown through the use of planes flying across the screen on a blue background resembling the sky, therefore this could portray the film contains planes or escapes. The next shot used is a close up shot of the main character who transforms into one of the stewards he was observing, a close up is used to emphasise how sneaky the character is as we assume he wasn’t caught. It zooms out into a long shot where the scene is revealed to the audience, explaining to the audience the situation the main character is in. Next an extreme close up is used to reveal to the audience how the main character is feeling and what is thoughts are whilst he’s being chased down. This extreme close up shot also shows the main character looking back, this reinforces the idea of the main character being worried about something, however his worries haven’t been revealed yet. A birds eye view shot is used next revealing a car that seems to be a taxi, and another car which can be identified as an undercover cop car. The birds eye view shot is used to show the audience what is happening and what may occur later in the film. Long shots are used the most, this is to reveal the scene more to the audience, however if something directly involves the main character a close up would be used to show the audience that the main character is very significant in this aspect.
Mise en scene
The title sequence depicts the protagonist going from left to right, and another character chasing him. This helps represent the story of the film by implying the protagonist is going to be getting away from something or someone. The main character changes his outfit several times throughout the opening, suggesting that he is committing some type of crime, maybe fraud or identity theft. The titles are animated and the protagonist interacts with them as he makes his escape. Tall letters like ‘I’ and ‘L’ are continued with lines that create walls and objects for the protagonist to interact with. In the airport scene we see a detective style character wearing a suit and trilby hat sitting on a chair. This character is different to other because he has been animated much much bigger than the other characters, this makes him seem more powerful and shows how the man escaping is just a normal person. When the film title is shown, the word ‘me’ is animated as is blown away simultaneously when the plane passes, this represents that the protagonist is reluctant to get caught.
Sound
There is no diegetic sound; it is all non-diegetic soundtrack. The soundtrack has a ‘jazzy’ feel to it and also has a similar style to a soundtrack in the old Pink Panther films which helps represent the character as being a spy type character. This also helps set the mood and atmosphere of the film by suggesting that the film is going to have a lot of ‘crime and slyness’ throughout. The second style of music that plays suggests a change in class within the protagonist, suggesting that he is getting away with whatever he is getting chased for. The start of the opening starts with a sound that sounds like someone is clicking their fingers, which is quite “jazzy” which emphasises the mood as mysterious more. A trumpet is used to add mystery to the soundtrack as the tone and pitch is quite low.
Editing
Wipes from one scene to another help keep the transition smooth. For example the wipe from the airport to the car chase is an airplane flying out of the airport and then flying over the road. The sudden changes in location shows how the film is constantly going to be moving along fast, and how it won’t just be set in one place. Another wipe transition is from the police car chasing the taxi to the swimming pool scene. This is because the taxi wipes across the screen acting as a transition between the shots.
Interesting facts we didn’t know about Catch Me If You Can
The initial scene of the movie recreates the real Abagnale’s appearance on the game show To Tell the Truth. New footage of DiCaprio and other actors replaces the original contestants, but the footage of host Joe Garagiola and panelist Kitty Carlisle is from the original show.
One of the locations used was the old TWA Terminal 5 building at JFK International Airport in New York City, also called TWA Flight Center. The building, designed by Eero Saarinen, opened in 1962 and was an instant icon of architecture. It had been closed since TWA’s demise in 2001. In 2005, construction started behind the famed terminal to incorporate it with Jet Blue’s new terminal. It is set to re-open in 2008.
This is one of the few movies in Tom Hanks’ long movie career where he did not receive top billing for a starring role; it was his first since 1988’s Punchline that he took second billing.
To conclude, I have enjoyed analysing this title sequence because it has given me more idea and depth on the lengths title sequences can be taken to and how a title sequence can be represented, whether if it’s in animation or non-animation.
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