Compare the opening sequence of 'The Italian Job' (1969) with the opening sequence of 'The Italian Job' (2003).

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Jonathan Willington 10LC

Compare the opening sequence of ‘The Italian Job’ (1969) with the opening sequence

of ‘The Italian Job’ (2003).

In this essay I will be comparing the opening sequences of ‘The Italian Job (1969) and its modern-day remake ‘The Italian Job’ (2003). The original was directed by Peter Collinson and starred famous actors such as Michael Caine. It was a huge success and gained a massive cult following.  The remake in 2003 was directed by Gary Gray and stared Mark Wahlberg and Seth Green. Again this was a huge success and introduced the film to a new generation. The opening sequence is a very important one as it gives the viewer a feel for the movie and what’s to be expected from the film. Keep in mind that the remake did not follow the original storyline but brought the original more into the twenty-first century. Both films rest in the Action/Crime Genre and both films manage to keep a sense of humour.

In the 1969 version the first thing you see is a red sports car gracefully cruising around mountain top roads with Frank Sinatra style music playing in the background. All seems to be well as the car enters a tunnel. Before it comes out the other end it’s blown up by some explosives at the other end which is an unexpected turn of events. The next thing you see is a group of people watching the car get pushed down the mountain side into the river with the driver inside. They look very sinister and you can tell that they had an involvement with the tunnel incident. There is a strong indication that they are the Mafia with their dark suits.  As it rolls down the cliff the film is put in slow motion so you can observe the damage which has been done to the car. This is good use of special effects as it creates an almost dreamy effect. It ends up in a fast flowing river and is swept away. One minor flaw is the amount of damage actually done to the car, all the paint work seems to be in immaculate condition with some light body damage- not what you would expect from a massive explosion. You then see Charlie Crocker getting released from prison. This immediately gives you ideas on this person’s personality as he has been in jail.

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In the  2003 version the action is quite different; as the credits are rolling, fast paced orchestral music is playing in the back ground with shots of plans of what you presume are for some type of crime. The music builds up to a climax before stopping and going into the movie. A man in his mid sixties walks out of the shop on the phone to his daughter as they talk about where he is and if his Parole Officer knows about it. Within the first few sentences you can tell that the man has something to do ...

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