The project I’ve been hinting at is live! I am one of the co-hosts of the Marvel Movie Minute, an in-depth, minute-by-minute exploration of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  This season we’re talking about the 2011 film, Thor!

In this minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film ‘Thor,’ we start with the studio titles and then transition to New Mexico.

Thor 001: Has Marvel Earned Its Wizards?

Minute One: From Titles to Typing

In the first minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor…

• We start with the titles for Thor. The title screens for both Paramount Pictures as well as Marvel Studios remind us we’re still in a different era.
• While they play, Patrick Doyle’s fantastic first track “Chasing the Storm” gets our juices pumping.
• This helps us transition to Puente Antiguo, New Mexico on a moonless night. Does this have anything to do with the end of last season? 
• It may be moonless, but it’s noisy. Night insects chirp and a distant vehicle idles.
• Inside the vehicle, three people work on very scientific equipment. Well, two of them. One just sits there in the darkness.
• But who are these scientists? Well, we meet Jane Foster played by Natalie Portman and Erik Selvig played by Stellan Skarsgård.
• But why isn’t Jane a nurse? It’s the first big change from the comics.
• Turns out Jane’s not a nurse but an astrophysicist and has a screen up on which displays information about the Van Allen Belt.
• We like that Branagh wanted to start on Earth and not in Asgard with Thor. It grounds the story for us.
• Branagh favors dutch angles because of time as a youth spent reading comic books.
• Also, Branagh and his cinematographer seem to really like handheld camera work.
• As we said back in the first episode of Iron Man, you have to earn your wizards. Marvel certainly has done that.

With all of that, there’s a surprising amount of things to discuss in this first minute. Tune in!

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Film Sundries

• Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+
• Join the conversation on Discord
• Script Transcript
• Theatrical trailer #1
• Theatrical trailer #2
• Poster artwork
• Source Material