The setting during the set up is portrayed as very mysterious. The boat revealing itself from the mist makes the audience have to really think about what is going on. The hospital itself looks prison like with electric barbed wire surrounding it suggesting to the audience that there is going to be escape.
2) What does the set up reveal to the audience about characters?
Teddy is a mysterious character right form the beginning. His reaction to the water whilst on board the boat suggests that water is something we need to consider later on which does show importance further on in the film about his past. He also mentions how he's seen barbed wire before but can't answer where when questioned about it making the audience wonder where he has seen this barbed wire. He also wears a ring even though his wife is dead highlighting his difficulties coming to terms with the loss.
3) What does the set up reveal to the audience about the interrelationship between characters?
Teddy's relationship between the officers is immediately shown as very tense. As soon as he approaches them they show their fire arms equipment and look very on edge almost like they have previously seen or heard about him. Teddy and his assistant ( the doctor) is told to hand over his fire arms to the officers. Whilst Teddy whips his gun out and hands it over, the doctor struggles to get his out looking unexperienced. This later reveals that the reason for this is because he isn't even a detective but is an act on behalf of the mental hospital.
As well as this we realise that Teddy, alone is known to be a dangerous character therefore handing over his fire arms was because he was a killer.
4) What is this world like?
we are given important information right at the beginning that this is a mental hospital and that Ward C is for the most dangerous patients. When teddy is first introduced to the hospital he comes across prisoners with chains wrapped round their feet and hands suggesting the danger these patients. As an audience we only receive a negative view in the set up of what this place is like; a dangerous, isolated prison.
5) What possible conflicts or strains are there that will become part of the story later on?
The main conflict that is revealed through the set up is the flash back he has of his wife. Originally we believe that his wife was disastrously caught up in a fire and was killed. His flashbacks juxtapose with the real world in that it's all bright and joyful colours with happy faces and laughing together in his flashbacks contrasting with the eerie music and grey colours in his reality. Therefore the audience get a sense that his life with her was better and he was in love with her however later on we understand that he didn't ever have time for her which made her go crazy and result in killing their own children. As well as this she is always be dripping wet which again relates back to water being a key theme. She was supposed to be killed in a fire but every time she confronts Teddy in his flashbacks she is always wet.
6) How does this film opening fit with the codes and conventions of Thriller films?
Shutter Island fits well with the codes and conventions of a thriller. For example: the grey colours and the weird mist in the opening scene. The colours used have connotations of mystery which is perfect for the Thriller genre. The flashbacks also fit as this confuses the audience about time and makes us work hard to think about what is going on. Even before the opening scene, the title sequence is hidden with shadows suggesting that there is mystery to come. The use of close ups at the very start showing Teddy's reaction to the water fit well with the codes and conventions. This helps us place him as the main character to look out/ watch out for throughout the film. Another example of a convention is the use of slow motion of the prisoner and teddy first meeting eyes. She is a mysterious, weird-looking character that we almost feel will have a significance throughout the film when she does the "sh" signal like there is something to hide however she turns out to be red herring. Finally the dramatic angles throughout the sequence such as the low angles looking up and P.O.V of teddy arriving at the gates along with the dramatic music over the top creates tension and suspense which is also important for a thriller to work.
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