Research No Country For Old Men Opening Sequence

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The sound used in the opening of No Country for Old Men is mainly diegetic, having the sounds of the car, the man talking, etcetera - the only non-diegetic sound used is the narration over the scene by the character Ed Tom Bell.

The shots used are also mainly long shots of the environment, at least whilst Ed is narrating. This part has the occasional close up however to introduce several elements, like the face of the policeman and the captive bolt pistol of Chigurh. The scene then relies on close ups of the action during and just before the strangling scene to focus the audience on the expressions of the characters – both fear in the policeman and the seemingly guilt-free expressions of Chigurh. These appropriately introduce the audience to the setting and the character of Chigurh, as well as the narration expressing the feelings of one of the protagonists, Ed Bell.

The credits, just like Dawn of the Dead, are kept to a black screen – though, surprisingly, the only credits that are given are those of the distribution companies (Miramax Films and Paramount Vintage), which keeps the audience focused on the events of the opening sequence rather than the credits.