Location is an important part of the mise-en-scene for the opening of Silence of the Lambs. The first location shown in the film is a forest.

Forests are often associated with running away or being lost. A cliche of horror films is that the protagonist or the victim runs into the forest in order to escape the antagonist, or that once a protagonist enters a forest, they create this 'dome' in which the antagonist will chase or attack the protagonist (anything outside of a forest is considered a 'safe zone', typically). With this preconceived idea of forests, when watching the film, the setting would have already made the viewer tense or uncomfortable.

But it isn't just the forest setting that creates this feeling for the viewer. You can have bright, sunny forests which has a pleasant atmosphere. The tense atmosphere of this setting is created by the mist and the use of colour.



A reason why mist or fog are used in horror films is because of the fact it creates an air of uncertainty - because the character cannot see very well, we are unsure if someone or something is going to pop out and attack them. Not having the ability to see is often an uncomfortable sensation for the viewer in general. This uncertain, uncomfortable feeling is something the opening may be trying to achieve.

The use of colour in this setting is prominent. All of the colours are very dull, and have a blue hue (even the warm colours that would usually be present such as the dirt or the leaves on the trees have a blue hue). Using dull or cold colours in horror films often has the connotations of being impersonal, which is often linked to the feeling of being scared because the viewer is being shown a setting that is cold, unfriendly and unfamiliar. It's also a colour choice often associated with being unhappy or depressed, which sets a serious tone for the rest of the film. More simply, denotations of using these cold colours shows that it is (as the name gives away) cold.

Focusing on our character, Clarice, we can see that costume is also an important part of the mise-en-scene during the opening. A small detail I picked up on earlier on is the fact she is wearing pearl earrings.



I thought to myself, why is she wearing pearl earrings? It's totally unnecessary, she's running. I then thought about how they could be used to show that Clarice is a character who is innocent and pure - something often associated with pearls and the colour white. But, it could also show that she is well-off, as pearls are often worn by the more wealthy. It could unconsciously give the viewer this idea. 

The costuming also comes in handy when giving context. Clarice is approached by a man in a FBI hat, and mid-shots of her show that her running outfit is embroidered with 'FBI Academy' -which handily points out the fact that she works for/is associated with the FBI. 



This is also backed up by the fact that the props in the setting show that she is in fact running an obstacle course, showing she may be training.

Most importantly I think is the outfit that Clarice is wearing compared to how the other characters are clothed. For example, the part of the opening sequence that shows her entering an elevator with other employees - all of which are wearing red shirts.



There's a lot to pick out from this. The use of Clarice wearing grey or a light jumper shows her innocence and fragility compared to the men. The shirts that the men are wearing are a colour that's often associated with danger, anger, and lust - this can show them as an oppressive force. 

Another factor to pick out are the employees facial expressions and body language. Although for the majority of the opening scene she seemed to be accepted and 'popular' with other employees who greeted her, when she got into the lift all the men appeared annoyed, angry or disgusted (probably to do with her sweating). This backs up the point that she is against an oppressive force.