Opening Sequence: Girl on the Train

 

Shot	Description	Sound	Length (in seconds)
1	Point of view shot (establishing shot): looking out the window as the train is moving; flashing trees and sun filtering through.	Train horn blowing; sounds of the wheels on the track following the initial horn	9 Seconds
2	Medium shot (panning): shows train from the outside this time as it moves down the tracks; the camera then pans to be parallel to the tain itself and the title pops up on its metal surface; then it continues to pan down until the back of the train	Same “whooshing” of the train moving	6 Seconds
3	Medium close up shot: we look into the train window from the outside and see a woman’s figure through the fog; she draws an “x” on the window and we can see her eye and a bit a her face clearly	The woman shown in the shot begins to speak, a narration over the film, not dialogue	5 Seconds
4	Point of view shots: looking out of train window once again, but this time it shows houses as the train passes; each house is shown in a bit of its own separate shot, but is clear that it is part of the same train ride	Same narration as  the shot before, faint music in the background	8 Seconds
5	Black screen; the name of the main character “Rachel” pops up on the screen in very simple, thin font, all capital letters	Same narration and music	3 seconds
6	Medium Shot: Rachel is now shown clearly from inside the train. The camera focuses on her head peeking up the the seat as it rests a few seats in front of her (looking back at her)	Slight eerie music	2 seconds
7	Medium Shot: Rachel  is seen from a profile view; looking into her seat from directly across the aisle her waist and up is visible; she is writing something into a note	Slight eerie music with Rachel’s narration over it	2.5 Seconds
8	Close up shot: Rachel’s face; it is clear that she is looking out of the window of the train	Same sounds as shot before (narration, music)	2 Seconds
9	Panning point of view shot: the train moving slowly as it focuses on the back of a white house along the tracks; a blonde woman stands on the balcony of the back of the house looking at the train	Same sounds as shot before (narration, music)	2.5 Seconds
10	Same medium shot as shot 6: Rachel is now shown clearly from inside the train. The camera focuses on her head peeking up the the seat as it rests a few seats in front of her (looking back at her); this time she is looking out the window at the white house	Same sounds as shot before (narration, music)	2 seconds
11	Medium close up shot: two businessmen sitting next to each other in a double seat on the train; water and hills can be seen through the window along with construction workers on the tracks; the train comes to a stop	Non diegetic background music; sound of train coming to a stop	3 Seconds
12	Panning close up: Rachel’s profil looking towards the hills and water as the train car stops; follows her head as it turns toward her closest window and she looks out toward the white house again	Same narration and music	7 Seconds
13	Medium long shot: Shows the full body of the blonde girl on the balcony; she hangs her head low; the full balcony is in sight; she picks her head up and looks out into the distance	Same narration and music	3 seconds
14	Close up: Rachel’s face looking out face the window	Same narration and music	3 seconds
15	Medium long shot (moving): Shows the full body of the blonde girl on the balcony; camera moves away with her (somewhat like Rachel’s point of view as the train leaves its stop)	Same narration and music	4 seconds

 

This opening scene has an undoubtedly fast pace with the longest single shot not reaching more than 9 seconds in length. This quick compilation of shots over a continuous narrative gives us, the audience, a preliminary feeling of angst, portraying through both her dialogue and the visual movement of the train car, that the main character (Rachel) is dealing with a conflict, though the nature of that conflict is uncertain. Typical elements of the psychological thriller manifest themselves within this opening sequence through its references of obsession; Rachel seems to not only be obsessed with the train itself, but also the houses and people she observes from the train as it moves. As she takes a particular interest in the blonde woman who lives in the white house, making it apparent that she will be included in the rest of the film, but the filmmaker is careful not to reveal her significance. This, infact, seems to be a general theme in the scene as a whole: The director hints at many storylines but fails to explain in detail, leaving the audience to eagerly await the unravelling of the plot and question in which direction the story will go.