Technical Elements

Cinematography – The lighting and composition in this scene adds to the surrealist and mysterious tone of the sequence. The character of the ‘cowboy’ is one that isn’t explained, so the shadow casted over his eyes eludes to his confusing and eerie character. Additionally the medium close up allows the spectator to be threatened by his presence, as he feels invasive and up-close, adding to the tension of the scene.

Mise-en-scene – Lynch portrays the mysterious and surrealist figure of power in the film industry through the dark and surrealists nature of his surroundings. Lynch uses curtains to symbolise mystery, as its unsure what could be behind them. The office is bare and dismal, almost sci-fi, indicating that this is a heightened interpretation of those industry CEO’s that are unseen but are all-powerful and threatening.

Sound – Lynch uses a contrapuntive score in this scene to highlight the absurdity of how this situation is handled. The score is upbeat and positive, whilst the situation is awkward and hard-hitting. The music leads the spectator to not expect this turn of events, and as a result ends up just as shocked as the director/husband.

Editing – The way in which these close ups are right before and after the shots fired is effective in emphasizing the heightened performance in the scene. The spectator is led to be shocked at the gun and even more shocked t its effect on the victims hair, the close ups being sandwiched with a long shot just emphasises the gruesome nature of the scene more.

Lynch as Auteur

Lynchian – Characteristic, reminiscent, or imitative of the films or television work of David Lynch. Lynch is noted for juxtaposing surreal or sinister elements with mundane, everyday environments, and for using compelling visual images to emphasize a dreamlike quality of mystery or menace.

Uncanniness – the fact of being strange or mysterious, often in a way that is slightly frightening, the producer’s body proportions is warped in this scene, making the spectator feel uneasy and fearful of him, allegorically commenting on the fearful and unfair nature of the industry.

Use of doppelgangers – Lynch does this to elicit confusion and a connection between two characters, in this scene the gap between Betty and Diane is closing and they are merging into one, foreshadowing to how their identities are about to be complicated and switched.

Ominous sound design – leading up to this scene, we can hear a gradually louder and more intense humming/ rumbling score, eluding to a build in tension following Betty finding out Diana isn’t her Aunts friend.

Heightened performance – The heightened performance in this scene elicits to how Betty is an extremely optimistic and whimsical person in the beginning, contrasting violently to her switch into madness. Lynch plays into the star struck actor in LA trope to amplify Betty’s innocence and naivety in the exposition. The grandparents in this scene also have a heightened performance, signposting them as a vital character in the film to be brought back later.

Themes of tarnished idealism – Lynch uses the concept of tarnished idealism to show the deuteriation of Betty/Diane at the hands of the detrimental and sexist industry. In the beginning, Betty presents as a very innocent and optimistic person, full of hope and wonder. But after the switch, following what she has endured at the hands of the patriarchal industry, she now is reidentified as Diane, a tarnished and broken individual who appears more worn-out and experienced.

Narrative

How does Lynch make use of or subvert traditional narrative techniques to tell a story?

By unravelling a seemingly complicated narrative, 

Lynch allows for a philosophical, self-reflexive investigation of the nature of film. The non-linear narrative is used to essentially prevent the viewer from being lulled into the fantasy, and to focus on the mood of a scene, and not the story being told.

This experimental way of directing is linear to surrealism, where the aim isn’t to fully understand everything, but quite the opposite. Lynch does this through the se of flashforwards/backs, in media res, macguffins and ellipsis.

Context

Industrial contexts – 2001 was the first time that two films released in the same year grossed more than $800 million at the box office, with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring surpassing the milestone.

The inaugural entries of the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings film franchises prompted a shift in both the film and literary communities by propelling fantasy into mainstream culture, popularizing young adult novels, and reforming the blockbuster to promote film franchises and cater to fandom communities.

Socio-political and cultural contexts –

This film was part of the post-modern film movement in 1990-2000s, and contains intertextual references, one being sunset Boulevard (1950) which became inspiration for the plot. Though predating movements against misogyny in Hollywood, Mullholland Drive still criticises this in it’s hyper-realistic depiction of Hollywood and parts of the industry.

Popular culture in 2001 saw the beginnings of the Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings film franchises, the development of the iPod and iTunes for music, and the release of three major video game systems. The year also saw the release of Mac OS X and Windows XP, as well as the launch of Wikipedia.

score: 9/10

Most Memorable Scene/ Key Moment:

I think this scene created the most impact on the spectator, sandwiched in between the very surrealist and often confusing nature of the ‘Silencio’ club, this scene is signposted for its raw emotion. The spectator doesn’t need to understand the meaning behind this sequence but instead shares the same feeling of melancholy and drama both Betty and Diane feel.

Iconic Image:

Technical Elements

Cinematography – The decision to have a dolly-like movement (probably filmed from a moving car) to open the film allows the spectator to feel immersed into the environment of Cameroon, as if they themselves are driving, in a way that is more natural and real than a stationary shot.

Mise-en-scene – The Mise-en-scene in the scenes set in Vera’s office is key to the concepts touched in the documentary. The setting establishes the economic state of Cameroon, specifically in a high status job like prosecutor, the decoration is still minimal, the facilities limited and overall look is simple.

Sound – The use of L-cut in this scene is effective in really understanding the depths of how serious his crime is. We, the audience, are allowed to see his reaction, and notice how he has little to no remorse for his actions and instead asks to be excused. This implements how the men in Cameroon are yet to be taught the consequence of mistreating women and girls.

Editing – The frequent use establishing shots in ‘Sisters in Law’ again adds to be verisimilitude of the film. Ensuring the spectator gets a real understanding of the economic conditions and culture of Cameroon, and how this relates to the somewhat outdated traditions and views the men have about ‘owning’ their wives.

Additionally, the shots almost always depict children running and having fun, this is done to show the beauty that Cameroon has to offer, showing the spectator that although the documentary depicts horrific events, Cameroon is still a place for potential freedom and individuality.

Task 3

Poor Things (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2023)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind ( Michel Gondry, 2004)

Un Chien Andalou

Synopsis

Luis Buñuel‘s legendary first film, Un Chien Andalou written with Salvador Dalí, created a scandal at its premiere and its startling eye-slicing opening sequence has continued to shock viewers ever since. Despite Buñuel and Dalí’s energetic rejections of any rational meaning in the film, Un Chien Andalou is an exploration of desire and the obstacles in the path of instinctual passion, equally indebted to Surrealism and Freud.

Context

The years between 1900 and 1945 were very difficult for humanity. In this period, not only were there two world wars to survive but also, some of the worst parts of the social, economic, and environmental challenges of sustainable development all began to make themselves felt. The idea of ‘development’, especially for the developing world, also evolved in this period. 

The most famous of images from Un Chien Andalou, Buñuel’s slicing the Woman’s eyeball in the first scene can be understood as a symbol of spectatorship, and its close association (from Buñuel’s perspective) with violence.

Ants symbolize death, decay, and the potential for destruction. Dalí repeatedly used ants in his work after seeing them eat the remains of small animals when he was young. Ants also symbolize a collective, a team working together.

This could symbolise Dali’s perspective on the exploitation of workers at the time, and where the ants crawl out and rebel, the idea of rebellion against the upper class or the controllers.

The rotting Donkeys in this scene is a reference to the popular children’s novel ‘Platero y yo’ by Juan Ramón Jiménez, which Buñuel and Dalí hated.

After the war, artists had a newfound sense of freedom in their expression of Art, the artists were now responding to Froyd’s concepts and ideas. The theme of rebellion in surrealism art is evident as young men in the early 20th century were stripped of any freedom or choice as they had no choice but to fight and be in enlisted in war.

Score: 5/10

I think the most memorable scene was the scene where the aggressive man was held back by the two pianos, in which two decaying donkeys were placed on.

This is down to the absurdity and shock value of the scene, where this is left complete unexplained and random.

 Rene Magritte (1936)

Max Ernst (1939)