Legally BlondeOpening Analysis

What themes are put across?

• Concern with appearance

• Interest in boys

• girly-girl character

• Romantic comedy (genre)

Concern with appearance• Concern with appearance is immediately portrayed within the film as the initial titles are placed over a shot of the protagonist shaking and brushing her hair, therefore representing concern with appearance as a central theme within the film.• Also the opening two minutes of the film cuts between the movement of a letter addressed “Elle” and shots of the protagonist, each time within the two minutes the girl is still adjusting her appearance. This compared to the large movement of the letter allows the audience to know that the protagonist has gotten ready over a long period of time•Concern with appearance is also represented through a long shot of an exercise room crowded with women and a long shot of a bathroom crowded with women doing their make up frantically, therefore showing a concern with appearance among women.

Interest in boys• Interest in boys is represented as a theme within the first two minutes due to handy cam shots to represent the female gaze which is focused on males at two points therefore signifying that her interest in boys is important.• Also the expression of the girl on the bike is happy and confident (shown by her smiling expression and good posture with her chest puffed out), another long shot shows a couple of girls staring at the boys therefore the use of long shots shows the girl’s body language therefore representing an interest in boys.• Finally within the house a girl is shown to be embracing a boy and the use of mid shot allows the audience to see her facial expression as smiling therefore connoting happiness due to the embrace therefore representing interest in boys as a common theme within the film.

Girly-girl Character• There is a large use of pink, mainly used to colour the protagonist’s possessions such as clothing and cosmetic products. Pink is associated with being ‘girly’ therefore representing the importance of girly characters within the film•Also the first shot on which the protagonist is identified with a full name, it is written in pink which introduces the character as ‘a typical ‘girly-girl’.• Finally, the fonts used for the titles is a swirled font which connotes femininity, also the use of pink in the titling represents femininity as a common theme, therefore emphasising the importance of ‘girly’ characters within the film.

Romantic comedy (genre)• There is large use of bright and high contrast colours, this is common within romantic comedy as it contributes to the tone being bright and positive.• Large use of romantic imagery such as hearts within the font and the actual shots therefore connoting romance as a theme.• Use of high key lighting contributes to a positive and bright tone which corresponds with Romantic comedy as a genre.• Use of mise-en-scene (e.g. make up) signifies a ‘girly’ character which is commonly found within romantic comedies.• The body language used and facial expression gives the film a positive tone – the actors are all smiling and have good posture connoting happiness therefore corresponding with romantic comedy.•The song refers to a ‘perfect day’ this contributes to a positive tone which is usually identified within romantic comedies.