What Inspired Me?

My love for the mystery genre actually began with my passion for mystery novels. Often times, mystery movies are adapted from books, so I usually find interest in mystery movies by either first reading the book or knowing about it. This occurred quite recently when my friends and I decided to go see "The Murder on the Orient Express". This movie was adapted from the Agatha Christe novel of the same name. I have always been a fan of her work, so my interest immediately piqued because I knew at least the plot would be enthralling. What I didn't expect was how incredible every element of the movie was. All of my friends, myself included, sat in awe, confusion, and suspense throughout the entirety of the movie. From the very beginning, the movie plays a mind game with the viewer as they wonder what is to become of the plot. based upon the title of the movie, audience members anticipate that the movie will start off on a train. However, this is not the case; instead, the shot begins as a birds-eye view of the Wall in Jerusalem, a place where three of the most prominent religions gather. The camera then follows a young boy who is fetching eggs for this meticulous, mustached man (who is the detective). The whole time, the audience sits in wonder as to how this exposition will play into the rest of the film. This, in of itself, is representative of the mystery genre, which keeps the viewer on their toes and is never straightforward. What I love most about the mystery genre is that I, as the audience, am drawn to actively participate in the plot, albeit in my head. While viewing "Murder on the Orient Express", every single one of my friends and I were engaged at all times and emotions ran high as initial ideas were foiled and the real answers began to slowly and confusingly appear. We all left the theatre abuzz and spinning from the complexity of the plot and the sheer beauty of the camerawork and characterization.

I also drew inspiration from watching "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", which I had read beforehand. The opening sequence for this movie is dream-like, almost nightmarish, and is completely in black-and-white, besides the imagery of a match. The shots only last about two seconds and depict fluid matter, figures drowning, figures appearing out of oil and electronics, and an assortment of other very confusing mysterious images. They pass by so quickly and are devoid of color, which heightens suspense and immediately has the viewer in shock and confusion of what's to come.  While the shots themselves are quick and sharp, the theme of dark, mysterious fluids enveloping objects and people, flows, juxtaposing the editing with what is evoked.

Ultimately, the mystery genre allows the viewer to actively engage with what they are watching, which is one of my favorite things to do. If the viewer is encouraged by default to pay attention and anticipate future events, they are more likely to watch the entirety of the film and not grow bored. The mystery genre is one of my favorites and movies like "Murder on the Orient Express" and "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" give me inspiration.