Film Opening Research #2 - The Karate Kid

1. How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
     There were seven titles displayed during the opening sequences: COLUMBIA a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company, Overbrook Entertainment, Columbia Pictures Presents, An Overbrook Entertainment/Jerry Weintraub Production, In Association with China Film Group Production, A Film by Harald Zwart, and The Karate Kid.

2. What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
     Some of the images prioritized in the opening scene was the door frame in the main character's childhood home. There were several close ups of it in which the viewer could see that the door frame was used to keep track of not only the main characters height/age but also important events that occurred in his life such as his 9th birthday, his first homerun in baseball, his father's death, and more recently their move to China.

3. What connotations do the images carry?
    The images are a significant glance at the character's past as well as the emotions this move might evoke in him. He's grown up there and experienced his highs and lows in that house, the door frame symbolizes this. They hold a rather neutral connotation of reminiscence.

4. How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
    Genre is reinforced through a main scene in the opening, the film is meant to be mostly a drama so to make it feel like one they make the character's departure dramatic. This is done by setting a gloomy scene by having it be rainy as they are leaving. The genre of drama is also reinforced when Dre's friend tries to give him his skateboard but he refuses at first making the goodbye longer, but then his friend insists and he finally accepts it. Then after their exchange Dre's friend briefly chases their car before finally waving goodbye.

5. How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
     The film establishes an enigma through the main character's negative attitude towards having to move to another country. This is established especially in the scenes where Dre expresses discontent with the situation, including his unwillingness to practice Chinese in the plane as well as his comment about how everything in China is old. This leaves the audience to wonder how he will cope and adapt to being thrown into a completely different culture, language, and lifestyle.

6. What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
     Some strategies used to appeal to the film's target audience (young kids) are music, the skateboard gifted to the main character upon leaving which could signify youth, as well as the the main character's outlook of China and calling everything old which could resonate with what other children could associate it with.

7. How has technology been used effectively? 
     Technology has bee used effectively through the use of special effects in the fight scenes.