Dreyer quickly establishes an eerie atmosphere not only in the introductory scenes, but also in the opening credits sequence through the relationship between the music and the image. Composer Wolfgang Zeller has structured the music in a manner in which the mood and disposition shifts seamlessly from scene to scene. Zeller's powerfully majestic music is accompanied with the steady and undemanding movement of the camera, revealing subjects to the viewer in a sedated manner. The minimal dialogue and almost complete absence of diegetic sound throughout the film exemplifies the ghostly and preternatural presence felt on screen, allowing the actions, expressions and surroundings of the characters to guide the narrative. Dreyer and Christen Jul have constructed a narrative that can only be described by borrowing from the opening narration, it is a tale that ultimately illustrates how "the line between the real and the supernatural became blurred".
