Film title: Witness Director: Peter Weir Plot: A young Amish boy is sole witness to a murder; policeman John Book goes into hiding in Amish country to protect him until the trial. Reviews: "beautifully written, the screenplay is flawless, the editing is flawless" - Wayne Penner (2004)
The low angle shot of the statue conveys how overpowering and new this landmark may seem to the young Amish boy. This is as he comes from a tradition where his style of living is a lot more basic, therefore when entering a modern city most unseen entities seem fascinating and strange to him. Furthermore, the tall, majestic figure with wings portrayed as a statue could suggest that it is the boy's guardian angel, protecting him from the world. The camera angle then changes into a high angle/ over the shoulder shot from the statue. This makes the child seem insignificant, conveying the idea that he is a small boy in a large and dangerous world. Additionally, the over the shoulder shot further promotes the idea that the statue is the boy's guardian angel, this is as it seems the statue is looking over him.
As Samuel goes to the toilet he becomes further and further out of site, showing a vanishing point within in the shot. This is very effective as it connotes the idea that Samuel is venturing into another world, or a different more hell-like side to the fascinating city he's been brought in to, it suggests that he won't be able to return to normality after entering. Additionally, it could further represent that he is crossing over to a dark place where his guardian angel can't even protect him. Secondly, although rather a large location Peter Weir portrays the idea of seclusion within this shot. This is as there are not many people around and therefore it's the perfect opportunity to commit a crime as no one is likely to witness it or stop it, furthermore, connoting what's about to happen.
The combination of quick cutting and various close-ups adds to the action and suspense of the scene. This is as close-ups only reveal parts of the action, therefore building tension and leading the audience to wonder what will happen next. Additionally, quick cuts between each close-up make the overall action more frantic and therefore keep us up to pace with the murder.
Weir establishes generic conventions of weapon by introducing a flick knife as the murder weapon. This is as the switchblade is commonly used within the thriller genre, possibly due to it's concealment and quickness to draw the knife. For example, in spy thriller "Eye Of The Needle" German spy, Faber, consistently uses a flick knife to quickly kill others. Weir may have used this weapon as it's speed does well in matching the pace of the action within the scene and furthermore increasing suspense.
This extreme close-up of Samuel's eye emphasizes the fact that he is watching the murder take place, captivated by the horrors he's seeing. This is because he comes from an Amish background and is used to peaceful ways of life, therefore the acts taking place stun him. The shot is effective in conveying this and furthermore engaging the audience with his feelings.
The next close-up is focused on the action whilst there are unfocused segments of the toilet doorway. This puts the audience in the boy's shoes realistically, as if they were genuinely witnessing the murder. The shot is therefore effective as it engages the audience and engrosses them within the action of the scene. Additionally, the out-focused door in front of the action could further symbolize how Samuel is in his own world divided from the rest of a corrupt society, whereas the action is slowly becoming a reality for him. Furthermore, Peter Weir establishes generic conventions of location within this scene as the toilets are a claustrophobic and dirty environment. The filthiness connotes the idea of criminality and corruption, reflecting the personas of the murderers' and the act of killing. Whereas the enclosed location connotes the idea of no escape/entrapment.
This close-up highlights Samuel's desperate struggle to try and bolt up the toilet door, the frantic action builds up suspense as the audience are left to wonder whether Samuel will manage to lock it in time, therefore keeping them on the edge of their seats. Furthermore, the shot could connote the idea of a nightmare in the way that Samuel is trying to shut the cruel world out but it is inevitably prising it's way. This shows how Samuel's peaceful way of living is finally being overtaken by reality and sooner or later he won't be able to shut it out.
The tracking shot of McFee's feet as goes from door to door of the toilet cubicles is very effective in building tension. This is as the audience know that he is getting closer and closer to the cubicle Samuel has locked himself into, therefore keeping them on edge. Furthermore, the low angle/close-up of McFee's feet and the toilet cubicles again highlight how Weir has used generic conventions of location in order to establish the thriller genre i.e. the dirty toilets/ the claustrophobic entrapment via McFee and the cubicles themselves.
This particular shot poses quite a strong intertextual link to the Indiana Jones movies, more specifically "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom". This is as, much like in Indiana Jones, Samuel grabs his hat at the last minute of danger. Therefore, this intertextuality may have been used to connote the idea of escaping deadly fate in the nick of time.
Ratings:
The demographic that rate "Witness" the highest are 'Females Aged 45+'. The reason why this group may have rated the film most favorably could be because of the main character John Book, played by Harrison Ford. This as Harrison Ford played many roles as a romantic hero within eras such as the 80's and 90's, and seeing as in the 80's most 45+ year old women would have been in their late teens/early twenties it is easy to see how that particular age group may have idolized/adored him.
Film title: Heavenly Creatures Director: Peter Jackson Plot: Two girls have an intense fantasy life; their parents, concerned the fantasy is too intense, separate them, and the girls take revenge. The film is based on the Parker-Hulme murder case, which shocked New Zealand. Reviews: " Heavenly Creatures is beautiful, haunting, thoughtful and incisive". - Theo Robertson, Scotland (2004)
Peter Jackson uses shot-reverse-shot in a quick succession in order to build suspense. Cuts between the mother and the girls are fast, and along with the different character expressions we can observe the tension rise. This is as the mother looks happy and is acting rather social able, showing her naivety
about the following the events. In comparison, Pauline has an emotionless and angry expression, portraying her impatience. The fast transitions between shots further communicate the difference in character emotion as we are shown the constant contrast between them. This builds suspense as we are watching back and forth between the rather awkward scene waiting for something bad to happen, which we know is imminent from Pauline and Juliet's expressions. Further, we can see that Jackson is careful in not breaking the 180 degree rule within the conversation, the fact that there is a wall on one side of the table may have aided him whilst filming as it could have acted as a block. Abiding by this principle shows that he has not disorientated or confused the audience.
This zoom shot on the clock is very significant and also effective. The zooming notion may be informing us to draw all our attention to the time, this is so that we know where all the characters were at that specific time. In addition to this, the shot directly after features the camera zooming in to Pauline's face, therefore further suggesting how impatient she is and maybe hinting that we should associate her in particularly with the time. Furthermore, Jackson portrays conventions of the thriller genre via the use of the clock. This relates to the genre as it connotes the time of death in relation to where all characters were, therefore adding tension as we know that something is definitely going to happen. Jackson may have been referencing films such as "High Noon", whereby shots of a clock are used to symbolize a notorious character out for revenge returning on the noon train. Although this use may not be used to specifically connote time of death, the cuts between character, clock and train build tension and make us wait in anticipation.
From this shot we can observe how Jackson develops generic conventions of location within the thriller genre. This is as the environment is not particularly claustrophobic or dark, as it's very open and at a sunny point in the day. However, the location still maintains isolation and therefore a sense of entrapment as there's no one else around to help the victim therefore leaving them stranded with their fate. Jackson uses this feeling of isolation to evoke anticipation within the audience as the girls have now entered their killing territory and we are waiting for them to strike. Additionally , the use of a high angle shot is effective in further representing the isolated environment. This is as it seems to go on and on, where by the shot is filled with vast forest, whereby the characters are minuscule in relation.
Jackson uses a series of close-ups which cut from one another as the 3 characters walk down the pathway. These different close-ups allow us to identify with characters' expressions and observe their movements, this is effective as the varied shots build up tension. For example, there are several close-up shots which go from shots of the face to the
hands' of the characters. The facial expressions communicate the determined and rather worried feelings of the girls, whilst their hand movements suggest their uncomfortable and uneasy emotions about what their about to do. Furthermore, the fluid cinematography holds the walk together beautifully and creates suspense due to the
continuous camera movements and shot variations, which in turn, keep us gripped as we see the girls plan finally coming together. In addition to this, the effect of slow motion and glaring light in some of the shots could indicate how unreal the moment is. This idea could be related back to the actual murder the film was based on, whereby New Zealand couldn't believe that two well brought up girls would commit such an act, as it doesn't pose as something that would happen in reality.
From this shot we can establish that Jackson challenges generic conventions of weapons and gender. This is as instead of using a conventional weapon e.g. a knife or gun, the two girls murder the mother with a brick encased in a stoking. The use of this weapon is incredibly disturbing and would most probably evoke fear in the audience due to the fact that it doesn't kill straight away and the notion of beating the mother to death becomes therefore a lot more distressing. In addition to this, the weapon contains a resemblance and could be a reference to the soap wrapped in towels in the film "Full Metal Jacket", this is as the use of the weapon in "Full Metal Jacket" is to torture one of the characters. Although, this is not the girls aim, the weapon conveys the same meaning as it does not kill the mother instantly and therefore puts her through immense pain, which is why this reference may have been conveyed.
Furthermore, teenage girls being depicted as the murderers completely challenges generic conventions of gender. This is as in the most part of film, adult males and to some extent adult females are usually conveyed as the killers. Therefore, the effect of having two teenage girls commit such an act as murder is completely shocking and the idea of this shock may further relate back to the true murder case. Soundtrack:
During the ending scene the non-diegetic sound of Puccini's 'Humming Bird' is introduced whilst the two girls and Pauline's mother are sitting in the cafe, this song carries on right out until the tragic murder. The use of 'Humming sound' is extraordinarily significant as it references the opera Madama Butterfly, whereby a young Japanese girl falls in love with an American sailor. However, the sailor takes the relationship as a passing fling and ditches the girl leaving her very upset, to add to the pain he then returns back to her with the intention of taking possession of their child. Overall, the girl ends up killing herself due to the amount of trauma she's experienced. This strong reference therefore completely contradicts the action, where by Juliet and Pauline are so inseparable (resembling the mother and child) that they kill Pauline's mother for their own sake, in other words, they believe they will not be able to live without each other and therefore remove the only obstacle preventing this i.e. the mother. With this reference Jackson could also be suggesting that the story is worthy of a grand opera due to the incredibly tragic ending. Additionally, "Heavenly Creatures" further represents Madame Butterfly through the similarity of story and dialogue. For example, in the clip below a part of the subtitles read "You were sent down to me from the throne of Paradise!". This piece of dialogue could represent how much Pauline and Juliet mean to each other, believing that they were both meant for one an other as if their relationship is a gift.
Another piece of intertextuality that "Heavenly Creatures" portrays through the soundtrack, although not a strong reference, is to "A Clockwork Orange". This is as in "A Clockwork Orange" non-diegetic classical music (Ludwig Van Beethoven) is played in order to reflect scenes of violence, rape or torture. Furthermore, the same concept of classical music over a violent scene is conveyed in "Heavenly Creatures" with Puccini's 'Humming Chorus'.
Film title: A Clockwork Orange Director: Stanley Kubrick Plot: Alex DeLarge, a charismatic delinquent, carries out acts of "ultra-violence" along with his fellow "droogs". Subsequently, he ends up in jail but is given the opportunity to participate in a psychological experiment that attempts to solve abnormal and sadistic behavior. However, all doesn't go accordingly. Reviews: "Brilliant, stunning and disturbingly entertaining" - Wilson Huff, Boston (2005) How does Stanley Kubrick portray generic conventions of the thriller genre in "A Clockwork Orange"
The use of the tunnel indicates Kubrick's establishment of generic locations. This is as it is an enclosed location, which connotes entrapment and adds a sense of claustrophobia, the particular tunnel used further conveys this idea as there only seems to be one exit. Furthermore, the use of shadows and the diegetic sound of footsteps builds suspense. This is as the footsteps get louder and the shadows get larger, this implies the impending evil as the darkness from the shadows begins to fill the tunnel creating an immense amount of tension.
Leading lines are very effective in this long shot of Alex and his gang, they guide us to the main point of interest and further highlight how narrow the location is. Also, the vanishing point plays a big part in this shot, it could suggest that the gang have come out from no where, and that they are bringing their reality of "ultra-violence" to the old man. Additionally, Kubrick has established noir lighting through the use of a non-ambient source of brightness within the background, of which allows for a light to dark transition from the back to the front of the shot. This is effective in making the gang seem a lot more notorious and intimidating, therefore making their entrance even more powerful and suspenseful. Furthermore, two of the characters' shadows have engulfed the old man's figure which could be connotation to suggest he's in trouble as he's been overwhelmed by their darkness.
Noir lighting is very effective in this shot as it masks each of the characters identities, leaving their faces unreadable. This means that we are unable to identify with their emotions and rely more on the diegetic sound and action to establish what their feeling. Kubrick challenges generic conventions of weapons in "A Clockwork Orange" as instead of using props such as knives or guns to inflict terror, Alex and his gang use canes. We can see that these props are effective in asserting dominance and power particularly in this still, whereby the old man is forced under the cane showing that Alex is above him in the social hierarchy.
This is a great example of chiaroscuro lighting, it highlights Alex's face and therefore gives us a clear clarity of expression and emotion. From the use of chiaroscuro lighting and a close-up shot we can identify with Alex's sadistic manor, this is as his expressions show signs of pleasure and anger, as if he is getting enjoyment out of inflicting pain to the defenseless old man. Influences on other media texts: "A Clockwork Orange" has had a significant impact on a variety of films and television, it's brilliant cinematography and compelling characters have evoked a huge amount of intertextual references. For example, Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" directly references two scenes from "A Clockwork Orange".
Film:
This scene is a direct reference to "A Clockwork Orange" whereby Mr Blonde is dancing around and torturing the cop to a rather upbeat and unfitting song. Much like when Alex is singing a usually joyous and happy song whilst performing acts of violence and rape.
Another scene that Tarantino references from "A Clockwork Orange" is when Alex and his "droogs" are walking alongside the river in slow motion. Tarantino refers to this scene in the opening sequence by having the gangsters walking along in slow-motion aswell.
Television:
Matt Groening continuously references "A Clockwork Orange" in running family cartoon "The Simpsons", further proving how influential the film has been on modern media. Reception: "A Clockwork Orange" was released in 1971 with the rating "X", which means only suitable for over 18's, this was the most explicit rating of films within that time period. Furthermore, "A Clockwork Orange" received a lot of bad criticism when released, stating that it's incredibly graphic violence and rape scenes would damage society by influencing teenagers to recreate acts seen. Throughout 1972 and 1973, police linked cases of teenage violence to the film, therefore forcing Stanley Kubrick to withdraw the film from British distribution. The most shocking copy-cat case was the incident of a rape after the film had been banned, whereby in 1973 a gang of men raped a 17-year old dutch girl whilst singing "singing in the rain".
These user ratings from IMDB show how highly different age groups and genders rated "A Clockwork Orange". The results here show that males under 18 gave the highest rating for the film, this may because of Alex DeLarge, the main character being of a similar age. Therefore, posing as a relatable character to these audiences. This relation to Alex DeLarge could be the cause of such similar cases in reality as the character, although very sadistic, is quite charismatic and therefore seems less serious in his acts. This personal quality to the character may have lead those to re-create acts as they didn't see them as genuinely bad, this idea in particular applies to the "singing in the rain" rape case.
At the beginning of this scene we are introduced to the umpire of the corrupt game, the camera is level to his feet and then pans up to represent a low angle shot of the character. This is effective as it signifies how much power the character has over the game and therefore portrays to us his authority. His laid back body language, costume and even looks resemble and could be a sign of intertextuality to Tyler Durden, the nameless character's alter-ego in the film "Fight Club". They also both harbor similar roles as an overseer to illegal underground events. There is significant contrast between tones and furthermore character in this particular shot. The vast crowd of smartly dressed men are mostly wearing dark colours, whereas one of the players is just wearing a white t-shirt. This indicates how insignificant players are in comparison to the gamblers, almost as if they are animals owned and controlled by the men in the background, completely worthless to the world and purely a source of money and luck. In addition, the rule of thirds shot used draws attention to the player and further divides the boundary between player and gambler. Babluani challenges generic conventions of claustrophobic location here. This is as, instead of being trapped by walls or dead ends, players are trapped by people instead.
Babluani establishes an interesting contrast between generically used point of view shots. This is as apposed to an over-the-shoulder shot or a point of view shot from a character's eyes, Babluani features the character's out of focus head in the center of the mise-en-scene. This is effective as it masks the central action and therefore creates tension.
The panning camera movement could be symbolic of the spinning revolver cylinders. Aswell as this the panning movement is also effective in portraying the different characters expressions, for example, there is a huge contrast between the emotions of the first character focused on and the second. The first looks determined and not phased by what's about to happen at all, whereas the second looks terribly frightened.
This particular shot further symbolizes the amount of power the umpire wields. We can see this through him being portrayed on the same level as the raised weapons, therefore indicating his force as being identical to that of the revolvers.
Babluani establishes generic conventions of noir lighting, we can note the indicated connection through the dimly lit and shadowy face of the player. This adds suspense and heightens the tension of the game. In addition, Babluani could also be referencing noir thrillers, particularly through the combination of the pointing gun and lighting. For example, Harry Lime aiming his gun at the police in "The Third Man".
The close-up of the light bulb symbolizes how much of an important component it is for characters in relation to the game. Where by as soon as it lights up it will reveal each players individual fate be it relief, death or the reality of killing another man. Furthermore, the panning camera action and shot reverse shot cuts between bulb and players shows the amount of focus everyone has on the light bulb. Aswell as this, the atmosphere suddenly becomes completely quiet with only a few nervous breathes, this combined with camera movement creates an enormous amount of tension and leaves us on the edge of our seats.
As the light finally turns on, quick camera cuts move us from player to player. Suspense is further utilized throughout these transitions as non-diegetic sounds of gun shots are used that don't correlate with the shots in the mise-on-scene, therefore leaving us to wonder who's dead and who's alive. Furthermore, in this particular shot smoke could be a symbol of the spirit escaping the characters body/mind.
The movement of the camera zooming in to the eye could indicate to us how shaken the character is by what he's seen, the transition from close-up to extreme close-up effectively emphasizes this. Furthermore, this could be seen as an intertextual reference to Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho", whereby the camera reveals an extreme close-up of Marion Crane's eye. However, the movement is zooming out as apposed to zooming in.
The overall idea and process of the game proves to be a more contemporary version of Russian roulette. Therefore, I believe 13 Tzameti makes a wide intertextual link to a late scene within "The Deer Hunter", where by characters Mike and Nick play Russian roulette in a rather similar situation.
Main components to the Action/Adventure genre: - The targeted audience are usually boys between the ages of 12-18 years. - Action films usually defy what would happen in a real-life situation. For example, In the bond film ''Casino Royale" characters jump from crane to crane and then the ground without incurring any injuries. In reality, if people tried to do this they may be seriously injured or even die. - Most plots of the action/adventure genre don't rely on its dialogue and instead lead their film with actions e.g. explosions, fight scenes, etc. - The plot line of films in this genre usually follows a linear narrative.
Main components to the Thriller genre: - The targeted audience are usually adults between the ages of 18-30 years. - As apposed to the Action genre, Thriller films are usually character led and rely more on the dialogue. - Thriller films usually follow a more complex narrative. For example, in the film 'City Of God' a non-linear narrative is used as the film begins at the end and then works its way from the beginning. Aswell as this once important characters are introduced, the film takes you through their lives at select points in the film. - Another difference between the Thriller and Action/Adventure genre is that, where most Action films defy reality, Thrillers stick to what could actually happen in certain situations. There aren't any subtitles in this clip, however, the main character Rocket is caught up being the unofficial photographer for a notorious gang who end up getting into conflict with the police and another gang. In this moment Rocket is trapped between the two forces in a tense moment and a lovely camera transition reverts the film back to his early childhood.
Film title: Once Upon A Time In America (1984) Director: Sergio Leone Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller Plot: Atale of New York from the period of the early 1900's through prohibition, and climaxing in their subsequent reunion in the 1960's. Loyal child friends enter a life of crime together that inevitably leads to tragedy. Reviews: '' A profound expression of truth regarding friendship and betrayal'' - Robert Cartland, Los Angeles (2000) The movie begins with opening credits, during this the song ''God Bless America'' quietly fades in. By doing this Sergio Leone is portraying irony as the song depicts America as being a peaceful, justified and all round perfect place to live. However, just after the song is played Sergio Leone leads us to the killing of Eve by some corrupt cops. This shows us that Leone is trying to communicate his views on the real America by introducing what people want to believe and then contrasting it with a more authentic and negative interpretation. The use of this could also be seen as an inter textual reference to Drama/War film 'The Deer Hunter', where by characters sing a rendition of the song at their friends funeral. This interpretation of 'God Bless America' is also used in an ironic context linked to the tragedy in the film. Furthermore, the sound of footsteps can also be heard in the opening credits getting louder and louder this then proceeds to the noise of a door being unlocked and opened. The benefit of these sounds being inserted into the opening credits is that it creates tension and makes the audience wonder who is coming through the door as they are not yet visible. Once the opening credits have finished we are introduced to a dark figure in the doorway, this is a good example of chiaroscuro lighting, a frequently used element in noir films. Chiaroscuro lighting inflicts mystery, particularly in this part of the movie as we still don't know who the character is yet, aswell as this the noir lighting establishes the genre as it is frequently used in classic
thrillers. As the scene continues light is shed on the character's face in a close-up shot, this type of shot is effective as it allows the audience to identify the character's emotions. We can then establish that Eve is the femme fatale due to her pretty face, glamorous hair and pearl necklace (which also symbolizes teardrops) Whilst the background of Eve shows that she is deviant due to her relationship with gang member Noodles.
Eve proceeds to turn on a lamp in the room, brightening the setting up. Sergio Leone may have used this non-ambient lighting to further establish the noir lighting as the unnatural light source is commonly used in the thriller genre i.e street lights, flashlights, etc, this is as it can be used at night or in dark places to show that the character is vulnerable. The camera is still focused as a close-up shot on Eve, however, the change of tone brought on by lighting connotes even more that Eve is the femme fatale as the shade of light carries out across her person and further highlights her elegance.
As Eve lifts up the covers she discovers bullet holes outlining the shape of a body in her bed. This refers to when a line is drawn around the body after a death, usually within cases developed by the police. Therefore, this sign is an indication of danger as the warning suggests that the outline will be where the dead body of Eve may lie. In addition to this, the camera moves in order to portray a high angle shot. This is significant as it indicates that Eve is much more vulnerable.
This shot contains three corrupt policemen. We can infer the the three men are corrupt officers as the main officer is holding a gun, this shows that the men are going in with an unorthodox approach by intimidating Eve and threatening death upon her, as apposed to just questioning her. This further highlights the ironic portrayal of America as it sees policemen whose jobs are to enforce the law and safety of citizens completely breaching this order and using their own unlawful methods. Sergio Leone also establishes the thriller genre in this scene through the costumes that the policemen are wearing i.e. long trench coats and trilby hats. This is as garments like this were very typical for men throughout classic noir thrillers. For example, Harry Lime in 'The Third Man'.
This shot further expresses the amount that the corrupt policemen are intimidating Eve. This is as their positions are trapping her in a claustrophobic place and therefore connoting that she will not be able to escape. The contrasts of lighting and tone in this shot particularly highlight the divide between the powerful and the helpless. The darker clothing and longer range from the light source shows the policemen as being more iniquitous, where as Eve's clothing blends with the lamp and she is a lot closer to the light source. Therefore, she could be perceived as the more hopeless character due to her brighter image.
Furthermore, in this shot we are left with an out of focus shot of Eve whilst the cops surround her in the background. Sergio Leone represents the tradition of the femme fatale in the way that Eve's deviance i.e being in a relationship with a gang member, has lead to her deadly fate. Also, the cops are perfectly framed in the archway, suggesting that they are all involved in this murder together. Maybe to insinuate that no matter who killed Eve they are all responsible.
"beautifully written, the screenplay is flawless, the editing is flawless" - Wayne Penner (2004) 
The camera angle then changes into a high angle/ over the shoulder shot from the statue. This makes the child seem insignificant, conveying the idea that he is a small boy in a large and dangerous world. Additionally, the over the shoulder shot further promotes the idea that the statue is the boy's guardian angel, this is as it seems the statue is looking over him. 
