Analysis of credit/title sequence (chick flick)

The title sequence open up to an extreme close up of swishing blonde hair in very soft focus/blur, non-diegetic sound is playing in the background whilst this is happening, the sound being "Perfect Day" by Hoku, the song itself being very feminine, peppy and upbeat (the song also being of the pop genre – this linking to the genre of the film), this is effective as immediately sets a very positive 'cheery' atmosphere for the audience. This is effective as fact that music itself is also girly set's a very good mood for the film, making it easy for the audience to recognise that this movie is a chick flick, as chick flick movies are associated with being very feminine.

After this, we (the audience) then see some text, which is evidently the text of the title sequence. The typography of the text is in hot pink with some white, which appear on top of the out of focus blonde hair, the handwriting of the text also being purposely designed in a way that appears stereotypically feminine, for example the 'I' in the text (when the actress 'Reese Witherspoon' gets introduced) is dotted with hearts – this being an effective technique in signifying the genre of it being a chick flick! This could also be a way to draw and indicate who the film's target audience are, which would be teenage girls!

Very soon, the then soft focussed and blurred background image of the blonde hair does a gradual zoom to reveal that someone is brushing her blonde hair with perfectly done French tipped fingernails, which is effective as it links heavily to genre of it being a chick flick as the main character (who by now is evidently the girl with blonde hair) is clearly quite girly and cares about her appearance. To add on to that, the blonde hair in the background also directly links with the name of the film which is a good technique as as soon as the text 'Legally blonde' comes up that's when we get a clear, full focus view of her hair.

The opening sequence includes a series of quick cuts between Elle's morning routine in her bedroom, such as the continuation of her brushing her hair, shaving her legs and coating her nails, this just further showing how much of a 'girly girl' she is (especially as her bedroom is in stereotypical female colours such as pink), to add on to that, the fact she spends so much time on her physical appearance could be a hint at the narrative implying that the story line would be based a lot on the idea of physical appearance and how others perceive you.

We are then introduced to other shots of a girl riding her bike encountering different people on what appears to be a college campus and Elle getting ready, where at this point, diegetic sound is included such as conversations between people and the sound of the bike. Whilst this is happening the hot pink title sequence continues on, introducing more and more actors/actresses. The use of this fast-paced cutting technique could have been used to possibly convey the idea that we as the audience might be following two different peoples lives/story lines, one being Elle and the other being the blonde on the bike.

We then are shown that the girl on the bike now bikes off to a private drive, most likely to see Elle, with the camera just focussing on the 'private drive' sign for a few seconds before cutting to the next shot. This possibly being a way to hint the narrative that the main character of this movie is also very high in social class and probably very popular in her college cause the place where she is staying at has its own private drive, this indicating that this particular character is different from other characters some way some how. We soon find out at that Elle Woods is infact the president for a sorority and we then see that the blonde on the bike came to Elle to deliver her a note/letter.

Elle then turns around and that is when the camera starts tracking/following her, this giving the audience the chance to see and take in the mise-en-scene and setting of the sorority living space whilst the text/title sequence of the actresses/actors carry on. The location is extremely stereotypical feminine, almost everything being in pink, with framed pictures of dogs being there, alongside nail varnish, artificial glittered flowers, feathered pink pens, perfumes & make-up, so overall, a very exaggerated and over the top version of what society views as feminine. We then see the character Elle walking around with what now looks like a notebook and getting people to sign it, which is later revealed to be a notebook associated with her being homecoming queen.

One thing interesting about the title sequence however, is the fact that at 2:19 when the 'costume designers' names are shown, a shot of Elle putting on pink glitter heart heels is shown in the background which links to the current people being addressed in the title sequence as they are the costume designers.

The clip just follows on to show now more and more girls with notebooks and getting people to sign them, which could possibly hint at the narrative that the plot will be linked to girls wanting the “crown”.