Title Sequence Analysis I – Zombieland (2009 – Ruben Fleischer)

The title sequence to Ruben Fleischer’s 2009 zombie apocalyptic comedy Zombieland not only amuses but also effectively sets the tone for the rest of the film.

The titles waste no time in beginning; when the non-diagetic soundtrack starts, the audience is immediately greeted with our first action packed, slow-motion shot. The soundtrack is Metallica’s ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’ and it provides a distinctly jagged sound that fits with the atmosphere. The lyrics which relate to inevitable fate of death also add an extra layer to the sadistic black comedy that Zombieland’s title sequence runs on.

The first shot of Zombieland’s title sequence

This first wide shot we are given shows a man leaping from a building in an attempt to escape the zombie-esque creature behind him – as the man falls he knocks half of the title and it falls as well; this sort of title animation becomes a running theme for the rest of the sequence.
Everything about this shot conveys a sense of dramatization; The distancing and framing of this first shot makes us feel the distance that the man is falling, but we do not feel immersed in it. The lighting, the animation of the title and the slow motion effect all add to making it feel more artificial and synthetic, which breaks any real sense of immersion. The pacing of the slow motion with the rythym of the soundtrack makes the whole thing feel overly dramatic, which is utilized for comedic purposes.

All of the shots in this title sequence are paced to the soundtrack. The shots are slow motion, last for a few seconds then fade neatly into the next – this has been delicately edited to the music and increases the overall effectiveness of the ‘dramatized for comedy’ concept.

Zombieland is a comedy which takes place in an apocalyptic horror setting

This shot represents the multi-genre nature of Zombieland. In terms of Mis En Scene, we have some contrasting elements. The shot portrays a woman running away from an archetypal ‘zombie’- (complete with blood and undead makeup, easily identifiable as such) with a beverage comedically spilling in front of her. These two things represent the contrasting genre elements of horror and comedy in the same shot, the two genres which Zombieland uses conventions from. In terms of an overall narrative, this shot, and all of them together in sequence slowly begin to paint a picture – we see the zombies attack in a variety of locations, which gives a sense of overall scale. It becomes clear we are watching a dramatization of the final days of humanity that is played fully for comedic effect.

Circled: The title animation makes them a part of the scene rather than a distraction

All of the titles in Zombieland’s title sequence are animated to be interacting with the rest of the scene. A lot of action is taking place in every shot of this sequence, so this animation has been added to make the audience pay attention to the titles as well.

Zombieland does not attempt to create any genre-specific atmosphere with the lighting

The lighting of Zombieland’s title sequence is mostly high-key; most of the shots are fairly bright and considering the subject matter of the sequence this creates a polarizing effect. Despite having setting and genre conventions of zombie-apocalyptic horror, Zombieland is first and foremost a comedy and strays away from using an abundance of lighting and Mis En Scene techniques to detract from the comedy or mislead the audience in terms of genre.

The final shot provides a neat transition and adds a level of engagement

The final shot of the title sequence (with the director credit) arguably differs to the rest of the sequence, with good reason. While all of the previous shots felt very ‘observational’ and separated from the audience, this final shot draws the viewer into the world they have been watching by placing them within it. This last shot is almost a POV – the viewer is IN this car, watching in terror as the zombie crashes on top of them, spilling blood everywhere which then neatly fades to black. The audience is drawn in at the very last moment, right before the actual film begins. The title sequence has effectively;
1) Established tone and genre (A comedy set in the realm of a zombie apocalypse).
2) Shown titles and made the audience pay attention to them (through the use of title animation).
3) Drawn the viewer in right at the last minute via the use of an immersive shot distance.
4) Narratively, provided a prologue.

How can I use this title sequence as inspiration for my work?

Zombieland’s title sequence is effective and concise for a number of reasons, but two things in particular stand out that I could potentially use aspects of in my title sequence;
1) Editing Style – rhythmic editing
The title sequence of Zombieland works really well because of the way the slow motion shots have been edited to the soundtrack. This effect does not seem too difficult to replicate and if I found the correct soundtrack to accompany part or all of my title sequence the effect of music could be enhanced if the sequence was rhythmically edited.
2) Final shot – draw the audience in
There is something particularly effective about the final shot being more immersive than all of the previous shots. If I feel it to be appropriate, I may consider taking this approach to the shots of my title sequence.