Legends film trailer analysis

Legend trailer

Legend is a gangster film based on the two famous gangsters “The crays”. The trailer opens with an establishing shot in which shows the setting of a bar. Bars and pubs are common conventions in gangster films, this is denoted in the shot as in the background we can see around 50 tough, well dressed , classy men who look like gangsters from the 1900’s. The trailer also opens with synchronous sound. The non diegetic music is played synergitcally to an attractive young female shaking her hips on stage. This links to the male gaze theory as men will want to see this film in order to get glmises of the attractive women characters. A jump cut is then used as the trailer jumps to a zolly of a close up of one of the main characters. The character is well dressed and looks to be wearing an expensive tuxedo. This denotation is the high quality clothing he is wearing, this connotes he is a wealthy man and that gangsters in his time had class.

Diagetic sound is used as the same character is asked by his female guest if he “likes being a gangster” the non diagetic sound then turns Asynchronous and another jump cut is used switching the scene to a more dark and gloomy setting in which see a dark figure lurking through a gloomy tunnel. The audience can vagly make out the character is wearing one of them luxury tuxedos from the previous scenes which leave the audiences wondering who these gangsters really. The non diagetic sound in this scene turns a lot tenser and time lapping is used when the character slowly walks through the tunnel. This connotes that something bad is going to happen in the film and that this character may possibly have something to do with it. The camera in this scene stays static and does not move throughout the characters short walk through the darkness

The scene then changes to another establishing shot of London during an evening sun set. Non diagetic sound is placed over this shot of a voice over introducing the audience to the main characters in the film. The scene then jumps to a medium close up of the two main characters sitting in the back of a car. The fact they are being driven by somebody e could connote that gangsters in that  day and age were very controlling and often got what they wanted. The two characters are very authentically dressed , both are once again wearing classy and luxury tuxedos with their hair very neatly combed over, this connotes that gangsters did still care about the way they looked and that they want to show off to people the income they earn from there illegal on doings.

The next part of the trailer introduces us to the violence and serious gangster aspects of the movie. Synchronies sound is used in this part of the trailer as the music changes its intensity after every punch, which is thrown, and after every bottle smashed over someone’s head. At this part of the film a steady cam has been used as the cameraman is following the gangster round as he assaults numerous people in the bar he is in.

The next shot shows one of the twins looking out of a massive window in which opens a perfect view of the city of London. The connotation of this long establishing shot could be that the gangsters are meant to be in charge of the city. The denotation of them looking down at people through the window of a very tall building connotes that they are the top dogs and people should look up to them.

Throughout the rest of the trailer the typical conventions of a gangster, thriller film are continued. Colours such as grey and black are used more often than not in this trailer, this connotes that the film is a dark mysterious film in which is filled with large amounts of danger and possible death. The colour red is also used rather frequently in the trailer in which connotes that in the film there will be themes of danger, blood and death but also themes of love and possible betrayal.

The trailer finishes with numerous parallel sound during gun shots.. Head butts and fist fights. The speed in which the non-diegetic sound is at increases drastically through out the last 30 seconds of the trailer. The trailer also ends after a montage containing some sneak peaks of the action and fighting scenes in which they will get to see in the full film. This will cause the audience to go and watch the movie as they will know from the trailer of how dramatic and entertaining the film is.