Movie Opening Analysis - Conventions and Subversions

Opening Scene Link

This is the opening of "It" (2017), a supernatural horror film. The scene with the kid Georgie looking into the sewer and finding the clown pennywise is w classic horror/thriller opening setup; innocent people fall for some sort of bait, they get taken by the antagonist and then the movie revolves around them being avenged or end up becoming news to attract the main group with the protagonist to the place of action.

Genre: Horror, Thriller (Psychological / Suspense)

Thriller Conventions

The opening scene of It clearly follows a lot of typical thriller conventions through its use of sound, mise-en-scene, camera work and editing to build tension. 

The sound starts off with a slow build-up of suspenseful non-diegetic music, alongside realistic diegetic sounds like rain and water flowing, which makes the scene feel real but also slightly unsettling. There are also moments where the sound drops or becomes quieter, which helps build anticipation before anything major happens. 

The mise-en-scene adds to this through the dark, rainy setting and the confined space of the sewer drain, creating a sense of claustrophobia and making Georgie seem small and vulnerable. 

Camera work also plays a big role, with close-ups of Georgie showing his emotions and hesitation, and point-of-view shots into the drain putting the audience in his position, which increases the tension. 

The editing is quite slow-paced at the start, allowing the suspense to build gradually, and the use of continuity editing keeps everything feeling realistic. The delay before the attack, followed by a sudden shift in pace, is typical of thriller openings as it heightens the overall tension.

Subversion of Thriller Conventions:

At the same time, the scene also subverts some typical thriller conventions to make it more unsettling. For example, the sound doesn’t immediately suggest danger, as Pennywise speaks in a calm, friendly and reassuring way, which is unexpected and creates a false sense of security. 

The mise-en-scene also subverts expectations because the scene takes place in a normal suburban street instead of a more obviously dangerous or high-stakes setting, and the focus on a young child instead of a more capable adult character makes the situation feel more uncomfortable. 

The camera work is especially interesting, as Pennywise is shown from a high-angle shot looking down into the drain, which would normally suggest that he has less power. However, this is subverted because his direct eye contact, stillness, and the darkness around him still make him seem dominant and threatening. This creates confusion for the audience, as the visuals and the actual threat don’t fully match. 

The editing also avoids fast cuts at the beginning and instead takes its time before introducing clear danger, using a slow-burn approach. Overall, the scene subverts thriller conventions by hiding the threat at first and slowly building tension instead of showing it straight away.