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The Shining: Steadicam and Symmetry

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The use of symmetry within The Shining plays to the outcome of the characters well,  often indicating the presence of the hotel’s effect on events occurring. This can be identified within this scene of The Shining, when Jack is encountered with the waiter in the bathroom, who is positioned opposite him with a mirror behind.  The idea of symmetry can somewhat suggest to the audience that the events are parallel, perhaps going in sync, therefore strengthening the supernatural control around the Overlook Hotel. The mirrors also imply that Jack is in fact gazing into a reflection, and the idea that the character opposite him is real is challenged, displaying the true detriment of Jack’s sanity.

 

 

An example of both Steadicam and symmetry in the Shining is highly prominent in the scene with Danny encountering the twin sisters in the corridor. Firstly, in relation to the use of Steadicam, the tension built whilst the camera follows Danny’s journey on the tricycle through the Hotel is transcending and thus has become an iconic moment in cinematic history. It was successful in placing the viewer’s perspective directly as Danny’s, raising the tension of the scene and sustaining the horror to an empathetic degree, thus retaining verisimilitude. The sisters also exemplify the connotation of reflection, therefore intertwining the supernatural quality that is also represented in the movie, such as the mentioned scene in the bathroom.

Reflection is quintessential in the  connotation embedded with symmetry within the movie.  Two imperative examples include:

 

Image result for redrum the shiningImage result for jack nicholson shining reflection breakfast

The use of “REDRUM” with symmetry, which backwards spells murder toward the culmination of the movie, strongly suggests the importance of reflection, and conveys the idea that the representation of reflection in regards to the hotel could be a symbol of a different timeline of events undergoing. For instance, in the second image when Jack wakes up in bed, the camera alludes the audience with the whole shot in the mirror, however when panning to the right it is proven the shot was just a reflection. Therefore, this could be suggesting that what the audience is watching is very much an alternated form of events, engulfed with supernatural ambiguity.

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Shallow focus in Film

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Shallow focus is a photographic and cinematographic technique incorporating a small depth of field. In shallow focus one plane of the image is in focus while the rest is out of focus. Shallow focus is typically used to emphasize one part of the image over another.

Shallow focus is an effective shot that can gravitate the attention of the audience to a specific character or object, often aligning to the canon of the narrative, subliminally highlighting the significance of the chosen focus in a scene.

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Deep Focus in Film

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Deep focus is a photographic and cinematographic technique using a large depth of field, invented by the cinematographer Gregg Toland. Poland introduced the new method own the critically acclaimed Citizen Kane, and has remained a prominent voice of technique.  Depth of field is the front-to-back range of focus in an image — that is, how much of it appears sharp and clear. In deep focus the foreground, middle-ground and background are all in focus.

 

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Use of soviet montage techniques in Strike

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There are five important soviet montage techniques, these include:

Metric editing

rhythmic montage

tonal editing methods

over tonal methods

the intellectual method

In this essay however i will only need to cover three of them:

The “Intellectual Method” (Eisenstein’s favourite,) rhythmic editing, and tonal editing.

First I will discuss the use of rhythmic editing. Rhythmic editing is when cuts are made based on time, sometimes it is also coupled with music and this shows a deeper meaning than metric editing does. It helps to keep the fluidity of the film as the cuts are in places you would expect. One example in Strike (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925) is when the building is burning down at the end: cuts are being made however it is not being cut mid action like in metric editing – where it doesn’t matter what is happening it must still cut. Here, cuts are made thoughtfully and create a sense of fluidity.

Next it is important to look at tonal editing. Tonal editing is when the emotional meaning of shots is considered – the tone of the film. For example a sleeping baby would emote calmness and relaxation. In Strike, tonal editing is used towards the end when a speech is being given at the time of the burning building. The civilians are being persuaded and pushed into rioting by fellow residents of the town. Here multiple close-ups of the person giving the speech is used, the tone of each shot here shows the determination and confidence that is emanating from him. The tonal editing of cutting between him and the crowd  entices the audience and brings them into the moment. It makes the audience feel as if they are there and being cheered on. It further creates a sense of determination and power that the civilians have over the police / government / people in charge.

Finally i will explain the intellectual method of montage. This is the combination of shots to create a meaning. By themselves they may not be very meaningful or easily understandable however when combined, a greater meaning is produced. For example in Strike when the shot of the striking workers is shown it creates a sense of violence, however it is not bringing anything new in. No new ideas have been brought up. However when combined with the shot of the cow being killed it creates a metaphor to show that the workers are being treated like cattle. This relates back to the core meaning of the meaning – showing how poorly the workers are being treated.

At this time, many movies were closely managed and in some cases used as propaganda for the government. Strike is a prime example of this. It is almost saying to the people “if you think it’s bad now remember what it used to be like, or what it could look like” It shows the audience what is happening from the worker’s perspective. For example more of the film is based on the workers and their point of view rather than the upper class. This film was meant to connect to the audience. Since much less of the film is focused on the authorities it almost dehumanizes them, which once again helps the audience to connect with the workers. This was a way that the government could idolize the Russian revolution and gain the support of the lower class.

Eisenstein’s work is incredibly influential on modern day cinema. His montage techniques that i have discussed in this essay can be seen in countless modern mainstream films. One example is in “Rocky IV” (Sylvester Stallone, 1985) in the famous training montage. Continually using Intellectual montage, cutting between Rocky and Drago – showing the good and the bad, these quick cut shots create tension just like they do in Eisenstein’s work. Additionally, just as Eisenstein’s work was idolizing the communist system, in Rocky, capitalism is being idolized int he form of Rocky Balboa. It is as if Eisenstein’s techniques are being used against him / for the opposite purpose. Additionally Eisenstein’s use of montage influenced one of, if not the, greatest films of all time “Raging Bull” (1980, Martin Scorsese) “Raging bull” is shot in black and white as an homage to  European silent films. Not only that but during a very important fight, Scorsese cuts from Black and white stills from the fight to full colour home videos, which, just like in Eisenstein’s work, provide great contrast and show the two sides of him. Showing how he works like an animal during the fight, but also how loving he is with his family.

Finally Eisenstein’s work in montage has influenced modern day music videos immensely, the technique of cutting the beat came from Eisenstein’s work, if it wasn’t for him, music videos would probably look incredibly different.

 

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The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari – Micro Elements

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The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is different to many other films at the time as it was not produced by a large company or studio, and therefore had limited or no funds for sets, costume, lighting, etc. One immediately noticeable element of mise-en-scene is the costumes and make-up. The characters are portrayed in very over the top make up, but fairly normal clothing. For instance, Dr. Caligari wears a long coat and top hat,along with a walking cane which makes him seem higher up in society. Many of his actions are overly dramatic and extreme compared to the films of today, although this was fairly common for films of the time. The use of paint and make up for creating was also extremely innovative.

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As the movie had such a small budget, sets were painted to create the effect of shadows, and the same was done with make up, and is especially prominent in the character of Cesare. As the film progresses, there are more cases of slanted sets. Slanted sets would include windows,doors, walls and other props at a slightly skewed to subtly show mental deterioration and instability. Cameras at the time of filming were heavy and cumbersome which meant that moving them around to change the shot and focus on specific people or things happening on screen was much more difficult than it is today. To combat this, an iris shot was used to show so something important without moving the camera. by closing down the iris in the lens, it would block out the majority of the shot, leaving only something of importance in the shot.

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Make up was not only used to show shadows, and darkness, it was also used to tell the audience about the characters, as well as reflecting the emotion for the scene onto the audience. For instance, Cesare’s make up shows his inner turmoil and conflict in emotions and feelings. As well as the black makeup used, his costume is primarily black, which is a further look into his unstable and dark mind. The combination of costume and make up helps the audience draw connections to him being the villain, and helps establish his character as a whole.

Image result for The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

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Example of a Long Take – Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990)

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Image result for copacabana long take goodfellas

 

During the scene in which Ray Liotta playing Henry Hill and his soon to be wife Karen enter the Copacobana Nightclub  through the back, the Steadicam follows the couple all the way through to the front of the dining area. The long take is fluid and seems so effortless, in which exemplifies how cinematography involving the perspective of the action can mirror how the audience perceives the character in focus, as the effortless capture of the highly active scene symbolizes the accessibility Hill had due to his connections,. Henry Hill is demonstrating to Karen how effortless this complex turn of events can be as he is a powerful figure in the underground crime scene, breezing through layers of the building. The various greetings from extras also adds a layer of notoriety that strengthens the intended demonstration of the protagonist.

The Steadicam strengthens the captivation of the events occurring on camera, with the fast, winding route Henry Hill and Karen journey through being captured in perspective of following them, adding verisimilitude to the scene and emphasizing the reality of the protagonists life.

 

 

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The Cabinet of Dr. Calagarie – Mise- En-Scene

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The Cabinet Of Dr.Calagarie and the use of German Expressionism 

 

The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920) was a film directed by Robert Wiene. This was one of the most influential films at the time it was made, for many reasons. 

 

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-12.jpegFirst, throughout the film the Mise-En-Scene of the film was unique compared to anything that had come before it. Objects in the scenery, such as buildings, chairs and doorways are made to look extremely distorted, compared to reality. This was mainly done to reflect what Germans people’s minds were thinking at the time. They had just come out of World War one with a massive loss. Everyone in the country felt like the world was distorted, with poverty and a lack of jobs. It’s also done as part of the film, as it’s revealed at the end of the story that the protagonist is actual insane. He makes up everything in the story, we’re seeing his distorted view on reality. This is all done in order to put the audience off and make them feel uneasy intently.  

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-13.jpegAnother good example of things not looking how they should, is the character Cesare. His facial features look weird compared to everyone else in the film. He’s very pale with round black eyes. This was used to influence other characters in the future, such as Edward Scissor Cesare also seems to have a thousand-yard stare, sometimes staring straight into the camera. This use of breaking the forth wall is another use of Mise-En-Scene that makes the audience uneasy. When Cesare is reveled to the audience, it is shown through a close up. Allowing us to see all of his facial details, the dramatic make up and odd-looking face give the audience a feeling of being uneasy, and unsettle them, it lets the audience guess that Cesare is an odd character, there isn’t something quite right about him. 

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-14.jpegThe cinematographer for this film, Willy Hameister, famously uses an iris in this film for certain shots. He uses an iris in order to force the audience to focus in on a certain character. For instance, there’s one time the camera focus in on Dr.Calagarie. This is to let the audience know that he is the center of the shot, the main point of focus, by only allowing us to see Dr.Calagarie. As well as that, there is another scene where an Iris is used when focusing on Cesare. This shot is suddenly cut in out of nowhere, which is meant to shock the audience. This ’close up’, along with the iris giving the audience the feeling of being pulled closer to Cesare. This use of cinematography with editing, was revolutionary for the time, and shocked audiences. 

As well as that, there was a Technique used called an ‘Iris Wipe’ which was commonly used in silent films. The technique is basically, an iris closes on the lens of the camera as far as it can go, and then a blank piece of card is placed in front of the camera to give the impression that it closed all the way.