AH: 3 opening sequences (horror)

Dawn of the Dead (Snyder, 2004)
http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/06/30/dawn-of-the-dead/

• The clip begins with evidence of montage editing, it includes pictures of 'zombies' and other pictures you would typically associate with the 'infected' story-line. The fast-cutting rate reinforces the genre, this is as it builds tension and frightens audiences.
• The next cut reveals the typography which is red on a black background with a larger font size for 'Dawn' and 'Dead', this creates emphasis upon those two words. There is an extremely quick cut to a bloody picture, and then the font explodes in blood. 
• After this a narrative forms as a sound bridge between titles and pictures of the infection. The narrative is from what seems to be a man from the government explaining the infection, this could be seen as an enigmatic code as audiences want to see what the infection is. 
• This dialogue/narrative is then replaced with a song by Johnny Cash as what seems to be war-torn footage from previous riots around the world. Most zombie horrors have metaphors within them. This says how 'Holy War' will be the cause of the apocalypse. 

Deadwood (Bryant, 2007)

http://www.artofthetitle.com/2007/12/21/deadwood/

• Begins with a slow panning shot of a muddy puddle. The typography is an over-lay upon the shot. The font used has an authentic look and gives an impression of age, this is then reinforced as the music comes in which has a wild western sound.
• Furthermore this 'western' impression is further reinforced by the shot of a bonfire and a galloping horse.
• Not many enigmatic codes are present within the clip, audiences would only know it was a horror if someone told them. One of the only code could be the emphasis on the dripping blood after the butcher had sliced some meat.
• Finally at the end of the clip there is a shot of the horse reaching its supposing destination and we see it through the reflection in a puddle. This shot is a visual link from the beginning shot with the final one. 

Alien Resurrection (1997)

http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/05/14/feature-alien-quadrilogy-analysis

• The clip begins in what seems to be an organ and travels around it not showing what is moving inside. This is a use of enigma to keep audiences watching and guessing.
• The typography hits the screen quick and becomes an over-lay to the panning shot of this organ.
• The font is typical of the franchise of 'Alien' and uses the logo to reinforce the story line which is about to unfold.
• The organ doesn't look human as it is in a shiny gold colour with crater like objects embedded into it. Its almost like it is a hybrid between human and the alien, another example of the use of enigmatic codes.
• As the camera pans across the organ the focus becomes distorted and it takes the shape of an aliens face. Then turning into what seems to be part of a human face (eye).
• The sound is very typical of the era in which it was made in and doesn't create any impression upon the audience simply acts as a sound bridge to link the transitions.
• The clip ends with a spaceship coming into scene.