Strong Openings: IL CONFORMISTA
Opening scenes can shock, excite, confuse, foreshadow, introduce characters, establish world rules, and more. Beyond simply setting a tone, they start teaching the audience how to ‘read’ the movie — style, point of view, whether they lie or tell the truth (for example, if what a narrator says is at odds with images shown, the audience knows they are unreliable), are all crucial to forging the filter which colours how an audience processes and interprets the rest of the film.
No pressure.
Il Conformista‘s opening shot uses movement and mirrors for slow reveals, actor and camera blocked precisely to dole out new details from moment to moment, giving us (the audience) a new bite as soon as we’ve digested the last bit of info.
The opening on a blinking neon sign sets up the first minute, where Marcello sits in a room through blinking red to dull white to dimness. Without the establishing shot, the audience would be wondering “what’s the light source?" — here, we’re just in the room with him.
As the credits flash along with the lights, we see Marcello’s stress, we note his wedding ring, and we’re given no reason to think anyone else is in the room with him — then at 1:28 when the camera pulls back, we still see only him.
The shot hasn’t cut, but it’s from this pull-back the shot begins to really feel like the oner it is. Following Marcello across the room, the camera reveals a stack of suitcases and his toiletry kit to show-not-tell us he is ‘on the move’.
From his toiletry kit he pulls some shaving implements (expected) and a gun (much less expected). The gun is reflected in the first of many mirrors, ensuring we register its importance . . .
before the camera follows Marcello towards the bed, then moves up to peer over the frame, revealing a hat (expected, considering the time period) atop a naked woman (unexpected, both in the room and as a resting place for the hat).
The timing is coordinated so the moment we register ooooooh naked woman, Marcello removes the hat, then covers her with a sheet.
Takeaway
You could do a similar “what is Marcello up to?” with cutaways or a series of wide/medium/closeup shots, so why did Bertolucci choose a tracking oner
The shot isn’t merely for beauty, and a good fit with the score; it carries us and our curiosity along to the effect desired: slowly, carefully revealing Marcello’s circumstances: on the road, in possession of a gun, preparing to leave, but not alone.
Further Reading
The entire film uses colour incredibly well.