Charlotte's Blog ;-)

My Essay On How The Tudors Title Sequence Gives You A Sense Of Drama!

In this short essay I will be using connotation and denotation to show the ways in which the title sequence to the Tudors makes you feel a sense of drama.

The title sequence begins with fast close-up shots of what looks like his family to show us it leads down to this point in time were Henry becomes King. This is signified by the voice over saying how to know the story you have to go back to the beginning. We then see an wide angle shot of a thrown with the crown on it to suggest he is coming for his crown there is fast medieval music when he is riding his horse as if to add to how quickly things are moving. For the viewers it gives a sense of power and wealth, it leaves us wanting to know what else happened in his life.

Shots of women undressing and him throwing water over his face shows us perhaps a wake-up call and he knows he has to get a wife. We then see a clip of his wife holding a cross sitting on a thrown. Trying to hold his hand but whilst a member of the church walks past behind, and another woman wanting his attention behind him. This is shown through a wide angle whilst the music is still building up. This shows us viewers what we already know of Henry that there is yet more women to come.

Next we see the same member of the church again playing with money. In a mid shot we can also see his smug facial expression and in his costume of a red robe makes us draw more to him and the fact that it looks like Henry has payed him off in some way. When you see the black knights you have a sense of trouble and danger. Also they have put him in a black knights costume which signifies death, because black is the colour of death. With a birds eye view of him on the floor shows us weakness and defeat.

A sword is also being swung around which also signifies death but this time for someone else. As we see women undressing and laying on beds wearing barley anything signifies the fact he only wanted them for sex. The cameras never showing there faces suggests that there identities did not matter. Also with other clips of a priest with a bible in his hand. In a mid-shot looking peaceful but also defensive as if Henry has to get past him first. All of a while the music is still building up and it is still non-digetic and its building up to a point where we are back again looking at a close-up of Henry's face. As if to suggest that was his life and it's his decision what to choose.

In conclusion this title sequence shows us fast moving shots and non-digetic sound. Building up the tension but also by using the quick shots of people it has shown us key dramatic events he went through in his life. All up to the point were we wanted to know more and with the close-up of Henry's face at the end makes us feel more connected to him, and more importantly makes us more determined to carry on watching the show. To see just how the scandal in the title sequence is played out.