Looking Closely at Film: A Favourite Scene
Choose a favourite scene from a film. Mention two film elements used in the scene. Why are they used in your opinion? Write a short paragraph and post as a comment to “Favourite Scenes” at the blog. Bring a DVD copy of your film to class next Wednesday. If you have no copy, try to find the scene on YouTube so you can share it with us. Paste your URL (link) into your comment to this post.
See some examples from last year's class.
Film Analysis (Yale University): film vocabulary with short examples to view. *Note: Only use the left side menu and do not try to use the "go to" box (it won't allow you in!)
18 comments:
Film Technique in Michael Radford's film, 1984
The composition of a scene in 1984 where Winston Smith is accused of being a "thought criminal" by his neighbour's son is a personal favourite because it, although only seconds long, communicates a great deal of important information to the viewer. In the shot, the dominant (where our eye goes first) is on Parson’s son, staring at Winston suspiciously. The subsidiary contrasts are Parson’s daughter, who is intently watching the telescreen, which displays a shot of people’s bodies rotating after being hung on multiple gallows. The shot feels claustrophobic and helps show how propaganda techniques influence the young. In this dystopia, even the children are corrupted.—106 words
To see this short clip go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4rBDUJTnNU#t=0m30s (note that the scene is only a second or two. Click "pause" to see what I'm talking about.
If you’d like to link us to YouTube scene (exactly the scene by the minute and second), go to and follow the simple instructions at http://www.youtubetime.com
I must admit: I hated watching the film “1984,” but it had the most impactful film I’ve ever watched. I watched it last term and I haven’t realized until now that the film had, I think, the most lighting effects. One of them was lighting from the below which created the most horrific character. Especially when Winston Smith attends the big assembly and sees “Big Brother” on a telescreen, and when he returns to his home to find “Big Brother” on a telescreen, he looks threatening and even horrific to us. And even in O’Brian’s office, he, the “Big Brother,” is looking at Smith, he looks frightening by making lighting from below. Another lighting effect the movie used was, I think, low-key lighting because when he writes his diary on his chair, the movie used low-key lighting to make him, I don’t know, afraid of “Big Brother.”
-151 words.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdyKJ1xXph8
The opening scene from”Apocalypse Now” ranks up there as one of my all time favorites. It’s an eerie dreamlike representation of the Vietnam War experience, through the mind of a drunken, sleep deprived high ranking officer confined to a small hotel room. I like the way the camera moves and fades into different colorful shots, sometimes 3 at once – the smoke, ceiling fan, helicopters flying, Jungle burning and his upside down face just staring into space all give dramatic effects that flows perfectly with the audio. The soundtrack is also a prominent element. The use of the song “The End” by “The Doors” gives it a dreamy mood together with the intermittent flutters of the ceiling fan blades (or helicopter blades?) The audio and cinematography for this movie is classic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b26BD5KjH0
This scene from the Drumline by Charles Stone III is one of my favorite in the movie. This is the part of the final battle (marching bands) and the Atlanta A&T band is the last to perform. During their performance, the camera is on high angle shot most of the time. This is used because there are different formations that the band has made and most seen in this view.The camera commonly moves as a pan. It shows different detailed actions of the band in different area, starting from the drums, to trumpets, then to the dancers. Camera view really affect the point of view of each scene
-110 words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM6YxPZ8oRE&feature=related
My chosen scene is from “Notthing Hill” where the camera and continuity editing visually express a year passing by. Firstly, the camera zooms in at William (Hugh Grant) and then follows him in a long shot at our eye level. The set is cunningly prepared to capture the change of seasons, as well as a few events that have happened – a newborn baby, a relationship break-up – that guides us through time. The story-filling background song “Ain't no sunshine” paces Hugh Grant on his walk in his neighbourhood (in the opposite direction than most other people move) and we follow him visually and emotionally until the next spring.
-107 words
Source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlP89pMc3UM&p=B9501703E8AF5002&playnext=1&index=12
I choose this scene from the movie Edward Scissorhands by Tim Burton (1990). The opening scene from this movie is one of my all time favorite movie. In the beginning, the perfect use of zoom lens and wide angle shot. In this two shot scene, when grandmother starts telling the story to her granddaughter at cloudy snowing night, and movie begun. The camera working as a bird’s eye shot. This scene touches my heart; I heard so many stories in my childhood from my grandmother. The camera commonly moves on a track. It shows different detailed actions in sequences. The cold or blueish lighting is also conveys the sense of cold (while snowing outside). The soundtrack in this scene is the Sound Bridge. The camera really affects the point of view shot in this scene.
----------135words
Source:
htt://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKCGrf2w2As
The prelude of the film “After shock” is quite impressive to the viewers. The bird’s eye shot of the city in the beginning is just like a large grave, with no indication of any life, only a stretch of grey and isolation. The atmosphere of chiliness and mystery is enhanced by the rain. The attention of the viewers is caught by a cough of a girl, following the close-up of the camera, a girl in rags is found lying in the mud, with some others lying beside her. The girl is waken up by the rain, slowly she sits up and seems amazed to see the scene around her. Every shot becomes a shock to the viewers, who can not help wondering what has happened here and why the girl lies there with no family members together with her. This introduction of the film background aroses the viewers’ interests and leads them into the tragic story. (156 words)
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDjWcuzzyCc
In the movie “Angels Fall,” by Nora Roberts, Reece Gilmore was escaping from her life as the only survivor of a massacre at the Boston restaurant. She hit the road and drove about a year until she stuck with her car. “Very long shot” was used in the beginning of the movie when the tiny car was surrounded in the mountain. Right after the shot, the technique was changed into the “Dollying or Tracking” to follow the car as the driver`s eyes go. There are many “Close up” shots, Reece`s eyes to express her feeling of this aimless journey and her hand on the gear which hinted a problem of the car. She found the repair shop and they were talk about the broken car with the “Over- the- shoulder shot” while they were talking. The camera was behind Reece and faced the mechanics. When the sputtering engine started to make a noise, the viewers would know immediately there is something wrong in the middle of the mountain.
168 words
Source http://www.youtube.com/v/fGjU1LLqE-0?fs=1&hl=ko_KR
“Under the Hawthorn Tree”, a recent heartwrenching movie of
puppy love in China, authentically reproduces how young people in the 1960s repressed their sincere emotions and didn’t dare to fall in love.
I’m deeply impressed by one scene, in which the long-shot technique is applied to reveal the sentimental departing of the speechless hero and the heroine. Standing alone on either bank of the river and eagerly gazing at each other, they can’t help shedding tears of sadness. The very long shot seems to be lengthening their reluctant isolation. A subsequent close-up shot focuses on the two lovers’ tearing faces. Later, a mobile frame shifts to their heartfelt cuddling gestures while the heroine is looking around for fear that their secret behaviour might be discovered by others. The soundtrack of her sobbing, accompanied by a heartbreaking violin solo, falls upon the calm riverbank. At this parting moment, an immeasurable melancholy and thickening yearning rows across the sea of their sad hearts -- the harrowing melody is beyond any description.
--- 168 words
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJkYx6sk36o(bilingual)
I watch the scene of the reunification of a long lost son and a mother. The scene was taken from 1998 movie “The Man in The Iron Mask”. When Philippe pretend to be the king of France, the wise musketeers kidnapped his identical twin brother (real king Louis the XIV) who was very furious and evil ruler. It was Philippe’s opportunity to meet his mother for the first time. With the aid of some elements of the film, the scenario became very convincing where you will able to forget that you are watching a movie. They used “shallow focus” and “close up” to show their feelings and expressions, like the queen mother has her misty eyes while Phillipe was trying to hold his tears not to be obvious from the crowd. The use of “non-diegetic sound” also serves as a contributing factor. Like the moment when the queen mother walks toward Philippe, the music intensifies the feelings of the viewers where you will be guessing on what would be their reactions when they cross each other.
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axPAwLaRYPc
Movie:Fight Club
Director: David Fincher
The Concluding scene of “Fight Club” is my favourite in the movie, because its when the unnamed protagonist takes control of his life by killing his ultra ego, Tyler Durden, and Marla Singer is finally able to see him as his true self, all the while project mayhem (the collapse of financial history, achieved by blowing up the head quarters of ten credit card company’s) is about to unfold. The director uses different film elements such as camera work, and mood and soundtrack to emphasize the significance of the scene. The scene begins with a sound bridge used by Tyler Durden to let the viewer know that the up coming scene is important. A non-deigetic deep, gradual tempo is heard to symbolize the unnamed protagonist taking control. The unnamed protagonist realizes he must shot himself in order to stop Tyler Durden. When he pulls the trigger the shot is an extreme close up with slow motion, not only for visual effect, but to emphasize him taking control of his life. At the end of the scene as Marla is seeing the unnamed protagonist as his true self, a non-deigetic soundtrack is heard to make the viewer feel the moment. He says “ everything is going to be fine,” Just then the up beat soundtrack picks up to emphasizes the epic moments that are project mayhem, ironically the lyrics are “where is my mind."
-----230
Forrest Gump is probably the best movie I have ever seen. Its most impressive scene illustrates how Forrest runs across America. This scene uses flashback several times during the conversation between Forrest and an old woman. Each part of the flashback is used to connecting the whole running process together. Forrest says he just feels like running, so he runs for no particular reason; however, I think he runs because he becomes lonely and confused after Jenny’s leaving. Long shot is used frequently in his running scene because it can show us the broad surroundings. The shot gets closer while he is talking to someone during the journey. The change of framing depends on what the movie wants to emphasize. (119 words)
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN8kAjbuCIA
I chose this scene from the movie “ Transporter 2 “ directed by Louis Leterrie and Corey Yuen casting Jason Statham because of his heroic action scenes . In this scene the camera is chasing down the Lamborghini driving at a ridiculous high speed . There are two helicopters one he is chasing and another is a news helicopter above which is filming a stolen car chase and is seeing the Lamborghini fly down the freeway to get to the helicopter before the criminal boards the jet. The camera is filming the car in all different angles . Before the Lamborghini crashed in the bill board Jason Statham hooked on to the front tire which was a unbelievable scene how he risked his life to get into the jet.
-----133 Words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG1FTD5Rty0&feature=related
I chose the kissing scene from “The Notebook” because it was my favourite part in the movie. There is just so much emotion and passion that goes on with the famous kiss. The rain just tops it off, especially with the Diegetic sound of thunder in the background. The movie went on to win the 2005 MTV Movie awards for the “Best Kiss.” The scene starts of where Noah takes Allie out on the lake in a canoe to a nice setting amongst ducks and they begin to talk. Before the conversation can end, it starts to rain. On the way back after reaching port, Allie gets upset and demands to know why Noah never wrote to her. Noah tells her he wrote to her every day for one year. He says to her "It wasn't over, it still isn't over." He pulls her face to his and starts to kiss her. When they kiss the camera does a big close up of their head to emphasize on the kiss and, to show their important expressions.
--178 words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju5-l4lO85I
This short scene from the movie Slumdog Millionaire by Danny Boyle is one of my favorite scenes because it reflects the way of life of two orphan siblings through different kinds of shots. The opening scene starts with two shots and point of view that “I’m starving.” After they flee from Maman who exploited them for profit, they took the train as a place for living, and numerous shots were taken like wide shots to show the gorgeous landscape in India. Besides, close-up and extreme close-up shots were taken too when they were enjoying eating and selling goods for surviving. In addition, it was interesting how one of the brothers was gripping the rope and the other hanging to steal the food, and how the camera shifts quickly from a bird’s eye shot to a low angle shot. Then, the camera followed the train (Track) after they were screaming to show the point of view shot again. In addition, diegetic sound accompanied the scene to make it lively.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV912uiRM_A&feature=channel
One of my all time favourite scenes is from an old movie which came out in 94’
Shawshank Redemption starring Morgan freeman (Ellis Boyd Red) who also happens to be my favourite actor! (Andy Dufrense) played by Actor Tim Robbin a banker who is wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and soon after is sentenced to prison for life.
The setting takes place at shawshank prison in the 1940’s. The camera capturing the inmates at a close up or a zoom shot. It also gives you a real impression of real inmates having to face the crucial and strict consequences in prison. Throughout the movie you will notice the sheer magnitutde of this daunting prison being so dark, gloomy and lonely and also the harsh and brutal beatings by other inmates.
The opening scene where the camera views the prison while the music is playing in the background and the (voice over)narration by Morgan freeman helps you convey the brutality of prison.
This part of the movie at 1:53 (dvd time only) is my favourite scene because that’s when Norton throws a rock at the poster and makes a whole. Soon after he comes to find out that Andy had escaped the prison not knowing he had used a rock-hammer to dig a whole which had taken Andy a decade to do. It’s such a great movie from beginning to end.
--228words
to watch the clip copy this link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUhZuEtYWSo&NR=1
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