Romantic Comedy Opening Analysis

Love Actually:

·         Title is used as a slogan

·         Monologue about love

·         Opening credits gently fade in

·         Hugging and kissing (affection)

·         Real people (not actors)

·         All types of love are shown (boyfriend and girlfriend, mother and daughter etc.)

·         Last 1:12 Seconds

Notting Hill:

·         People meet in a normal or everyday situation (book shop)

·         The person finds a love interest in that situation

You’ve Got Mail:

·         Business Rivals

·         Online relationship

When Harry Met Sally…:

·         Interviews old couples who have been together for most of their life

·         Love song

·         At school…young love

·         Introduced to Harry and Sally straight away, but they are not a couple

·         Driving for a long period of time together

Brief Encounter (Romance):

·         Main dialogue shared between two central characters

·         Character saying goodbye

·         Narrator

Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging:

·         Very/Typically British

·         Don’t see the whole body main character

·         Funny as soon as the film starts

·         Embarrassing to the main character

·         Playful title font

·         Travelling shot

·         Awkward situation

·         Upbeat love song

·         Turn of events

·         Misfortune

P.S. I Love You:

·         Arguments over love and having children

·         The audience see both the man and woman on screen at the same time.

The Last Song:

·         Dramatic

·         Didn’t see actors face

Letters To Juliet:

·         Golden/Posh Font

·         Pictures of love through different periods of time

·         Romantic Music

·         Pictures of animals in love (kissing)

·         Different style to other RomComs

Juno:

·         Music Video (Love Song)

·         Cartoon

·         Different Style

·         Follow the main character on a “journey” in the style of a music video

Remember Me:

·         Sad

·         Slow dramatic music

A Walk To Remember:

·         Upbeat music changes to increase tension

·         Typically American

·         Opening Credits Explode

A Cinderella Story:

·         Follows the classic story with a modern day twist

·         Turn of events (happy story turns to misery and then ends with a happy ending)

All of these opening sequences reflect the genre, however they are in different styles. Juno is set out like a music video and is upbeat and fun, however P.S. I Love You starts of in a very real situation of people arguing. Furthermore all of the openings I analyised had a love song or romantic music in them.