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10 Rillington Place (1971)
The setting of the first 10 minutes. 

Scene Rating: 6.4/ 10
Overall Rating: 8.5/ 10 (AMAZING)

This is the main character in 10 Rillington Place, Richard Attenborough

Although this can be argued that this film is very controversial, the fact that the film is illustrated to be about a true story creates an automatic setting and an opinion. The opinion that is faced is that we cannot believe that something so horrific could ever be true. The setting especially at the beginning creates a dramatic start, this is when the music is playing in the background while looking at the sign of Rillington Place. This created suspense within the setting as we got the impression all was not okay and that something may happen right then. This was also demonstrated by the use of  low key lighting as it created a danger and mystery before even meeting the character. There is a lot of sound that is used at the beginning, the music that is in the introduction sounds like police sirens and then it drastically changes to the sound of an ambulance. This creates a story without even having an image, the setting that is created is so powerful that it gives us impression of what the main character's personality is about. During the low key lighting, you start to hear footsteps and this then gets louder and louder. During this you believe that danger is coming towards you and this then urges you to see what is about to happen. There is also a flash light that is used and this then indicates that the person is looking for something and cannot wait for day time.

While taking the first look at John Christie, we get a full understanding on why everything was so dramatic at the beginning. The daunting look that John prevents as, makes us feel as a audience that there something that is not completely right about him. When looking at John's image we can see that he is dressed in very dark clothes, the dark clothes can illustrate that he is a depressed middle aged man. Realising that John is middled age can then make us a viewer assume that he is going through a middle life crisis, however when we listen to what he has to say this couldn't be so wrong.

When John answers the door, his house is in complete darkness. This can then demonstrate how he is portrayed as a character. Due to John's house being completely dark and even when the light is turned on from the darkness there is still dark tells us a lot about him before getting further into the film. The setting right here shows that there isn't a lot of happiness in the house, the reason for this is that in a happy home there are normally bright colours and pictures that create joy. The contrast when looking at John's house again also brings of an atmosphere that no one is welcome, when walking into this house you would get the sense that not many people will be here for happy occasions like a dinner party.

John even when talking seems shaken and then creates a greater atmosphere in the scene.The atmosphere that is shown is that John seems a bit nervous about what is about to happen. There is a lot of casual conversations during the beginning of the film but nothing that is seemed to be friendly. In the scene when John is talking to Muriel seems that he is trying his hardest to keep things in order, this is shown when John offers a cup of tea as a friendly gesture. Normally a cup of tea is seen as a warm gesture while in someone else's home, during drinking tea conversations are normally so natural. However even when there is tea involved the setting is dark.

During this scene John is stood up, while Muriel is sat. Although without knowing these characters may come across normal, when getting to know one another it can be seen as John dominating Murial when realising what happens. Muriel has gone to see John for help and then been killed as a consequence. John has taken all his knowledge for granted instead of using it to help others, so when seeing that John is stood while Muriel is sat down it demonstrates how John is preying on the weaker and more vulnerable women. When Muriel tries to resist, John forces her to breath and this shows how John becomes an angry person in a setting where things aren't going right for him.

After Muriel takes her last breath, John takes his jacket off. Although this is such a small thing to do, it can show in the setting that John means business and is ready for anything now. After this it then goes straight to John digging in his garden where he is planning on putting Muriel in. However the setting becomes more dramatic when you can hear a dog in the background. The dog can then show John's paranoia when he looks around wondering if anyone is watching him. The dog alone shows the character of John. While John goes to pick Muriel up we get a close up of his shirt, the shirt is dripping with sweat and this creates a setting where John is seen as nervous about what has happened. Throughout the introduction, John can be seen as a pure mystery. We never know in any setting whether the darkness is him or he is just a very shaken character.

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