5. How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques?
Within the film ‘Chungking Express’, we’re revealed two
stories, first about the night life and the second about life in the day. We
see similar themes within both anecdotes as the males, (Cop 223 and Cop 663)
from each story, are hung up over their ex’s and are heartbroken for their
separation. I believe the most distinctive scene that uses quality film
techniques is when the waitress tells Cop 663 that a women (his ex) had left
him a letter. Prior to her breaking this news there’s a recurring mid over-the-shoulder,
two-shot of them together. This concealing shot cuts out the big counter that
physically separates the two characters leaving us to believe they’re closer
and more intimate. Within the mise-en-scene the waitresses clothing of a big
love heart on her t-shirt is placed within the centre of them bringing the
possibility of them being love interests. However as this love heart is blue,
it could symbolise how Cop 663 is cold hearted and still upset over his ex and hung
over what happened in the past and he is frozen in time thinking only about
her. Moreover the diegetic song in the background from her stereo is blasting
out ‘California Dreaming’ by the Beatles, this has been used to illustrate the
mix of cultures within Hong Kong but the domination of Western culture, this is
further conveyed through the mise-en-scene as this mid-shot reveals a Coke
machine.
Moving on, as the waitress turns the music off it leaves the
atmosphere in the air more serious as the Cop rejects the letter. Then the scene
cuts to a wide angle, eye-level shot of the Cop facing away from the counter
and the waitress looking at the Cop. Also the mise-en-scene reveals the big
counter between them emphasising how the mood has become more intense, this has
been done to suggest he knows what the letter contains and that he doesn’t want
to face its content. Throughout this shot, a film technique called ‘smudge
motion’ is used and it gives the impression of time speeding up as if the focus
point, Cop 663, is still stuck in the past. This technique has been used to
portray how he can’t get over his ex-girlfriend and that he may not even notice
the waitress, let alone think of her as a possible love interest. Therefore
this film does benefit for its vast use of film techniques.
Sunday 20 November 2016
Monday 7 November 2016
Practise Question 'City Of God'
5. how far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques?
In the 'City of God' we see many situations where the characters are forced to make a choice, although their decisions are never listened to. In particular, a scene that conveys this is when a group of young kids are squashed-up, the mine-en-scene reveals them sitting in a fenced pig sty, as if they're locked in like animals and trapped. This is shown using hand held camera as they're dominating that area although the close-up, high eye level shots of the individual children emphasising the extent of they restriction, further suggesting it symbolises their whole life style, that the people living in the favelas are always going to be trapped and whoever tries to leave are doomed. During the kids group conversation, we're shown individual close up shots of the children's faces as they're talking, to emphasis the verisimilitude of them being trapped and their freedom gradually decreasing as the camera reveals cut in shots of Lil'Ze and his entourage approaching. This builds suspense as their swift walk to the young children allow the audience to assume something bad is going to happen to them. Soon after the hand held camera cuts to a high angled establishing shot of the children jump in shock, running as fast as they can from Lil'Ze, illustrating his power and how everyone has leaned to fear him as he's become more dangerous, the older and more defensive he's got. The casting of the children specifically were given to those already living in the favelas and the tears and fear shown from the younger boy, who was scared and intimidated, was his true reaction as he may have experienced that type of violence, or seen it, prior to the film. Therefore this highlights the sense of realism 'City of God' was aiming to connote as the shock factor, of the level of violence, impacts the film making it increasingly engaging.
In the 'City of God' we see many situations where the characters are forced to make a choice, although their decisions are never listened to. In particular, a scene that conveys this is when a group of young kids are squashed-up, the mine-en-scene reveals them sitting in a fenced pig sty, as if they're locked in like animals and trapped. This is shown using hand held camera as they're dominating that area although the close-up, high eye level shots of the individual children emphasising the extent of they restriction, further suggesting it symbolises their whole life style, that the people living in the favelas are always going to be trapped and whoever tries to leave are doomed. During the kids group conversation, we're shown individual close up shots of the children's faces as they're talking, to emphasis the verisimilitude of them being trapped and their freedom gradually decreasing as the camera reveals cut in shots of Lil'Ze and his entourage approaching. This builds suspense as their swift walk to the young children allow the audience to assume something bad is going to happen to them. Soon after the hand held camera cuts to a high angled establishing shot of the children jump in shock, running as fast as they can from Lil'Ze, illustrating his power and how everyone has leaned to fear him as he's become more dangerous, the older and more defensive he's got. The casting of the children specifically were given to those already living in the favelas and the tears and fear shown from the younger boy, who was scared and intimidated, was his true reaction as he may have experienced that type of violence, or seen it, prior to the film. Therefore this highlights the sense of realism 'City of God' was aiming to connote as the shock factor, of the level of violence, impacts the film making it increasingly engaging.
Tuesday 1 November 2016
Practise Question 'La Haine'
5. How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques?
Throughout the film 'La Haine', we see a consistent theme of the three French teenagers and the environment in which they live being a very Westernised culture. We're constantly reminded of the juxtaposition of what we expect of France and what we're being shown of their poverty culture. For me the distinctive techniques used in 'La Haine' are in the scene where a youth is blasting music out from his window, I believe this scene does justice for the opposition. We're revealed a mid shot of the lad mixing two significant songs. This shot reveals some of the mise en-scene highlighting the mixing table and the very large speakers suggesting he's about to be disruptive towards the neighbourhood. Leaving us to further assume where he got the money to pay for this equipment, resulting in committing a crime. He continues mixing the song 'Sound Of The Police' which is iconic as there is a recurring motif of the diegetic police siren throughout the film conveying what their cultures is used to crime and seeing so much violence as the 'norm'. The camera then cuts to a forward tracking, low-angled establishing shot while the music is the background. This is significant as it is emphasising where this particular life style, this class comes in society, which is at the very bottom on the socio-economic scale, also known as the underclass. This establishing shot reveals the emptiness and dirt of their culture as its something we don't expect France to be like. Mixing this typical gangster song with the old traditional song 'Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien' by Edith Piaf creates a clear juxtaposition as this French song is what we would expect more so of the French culture rather than what this film depicts as a whole. This distinctive use of songs portrays the contrast and the symbolic initial expectations of French culture shown through the traditional song by Piaf, and how La Haine reveals what really happens in the underclass class of society and successfully highlights the level of violence that occurs through the film techniques and the use of the 'Sound Of The Police' song.
Throughout the film 'La Haine', we see a consistent theme of the three French teenagers and the environment in which they live being a very Westernised culture. We're constantly reminded of the juxtaposition of what we expect of France and what we're being shown of their poverty culture. For me the distinctive techniques used in 'La Haine' are in the scene where a youth is blasting music out from his window, I believe this scene does justice for the opposition. We're revealed a mid shot of the lad mixing two significant songs. This shot reveals some of the mise en-scene highlighting the mixing table and the very large speakers suggesting he's about to be disruptive towards the neighbourhood. Leaving us to further assume where he got the money to pay for this equipment, resulting in committing a crime. He continues mixing the song 'Sound Of The Police' which is iconic as there is a recurring motif of the diegetic police siren throughout the film conveying what their cultures is used to crime and seeing so much violence as the 'norm'. The camera then cuts to a forward tracking, low-angled establishing shot while the music is the background. This is significant as it is emphasising where this particular life style, this class comes in society, which is at the very bottom on the socio-economic scale, also known as the underclass. This establishing shot reveals the emptiness and dirt of their culture as its something we don't expect France to be like. Mixing this typical gangster song with the old traditional song 'Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien' by Edith Piaf creates a clear juxtaposition as this French song is what we would expect more so of the French culture rather than what this film depicts as a whole. This distinctive use of songs portrays the contrast and the symbolic initial expectations of French culture shown through the traditional song by Piaf, and how La Haine reveals what really happens in the underclass class of society and successfully highlights the level of violence that occurs through the film techniques and the use of the 'Sound Of The Police' song.
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