Joker Mise En Scene

Example that uses all elements of Mise En Scene well

This scene/shot, which takes place directly after Arthur kills the ‘three wall street guys’ (as they are called in the film), is when Arthur flees into a dingily lit bathroom and melancholically slow dances to a moving score of cellos. The lighting within this scene is low key, which is most likely used to add to the dark mood of the scene. As I said earlier, the score accompanying this scene is very simplistic, with just a cello playing long drawn-out notes. This is once again to add to the poignancy and dark mood of the scene. In terms of composition, Arthur’s reflection is in focus, where his actual self is not. This may symbolise him seeing himself as this new persona of the Joker. Another element of the shot that may support this is the space of the scene, and where his real self and his reflection are positioned. His reflection is in the background, with Arthur, in the foreground, out of focus, looking upon it. This once again tells us that he is realizing that he is becoming something new, something that may gain him recognition in his world, which throughout the film he constantly craves. Furthermore, his pose is one of triumph, with his arms spread out, as if he’s receiving applause. This once again supports that he feels like the killing of these men is perhaps the first meaningful thing he’s done in his life. His costume and makeup are another element that symbolises his transition into the Joker persona, as compared to his makeup and red suit in the stair scene, and the last act of the film, his outfit and makeup here are partially complete and unfinished, showing he has not fully transformed into this joker persona.

Set Design

I think this shot is one of the best examples of Set Design throughout the film. It is taken from the scene in which Arthur is stalking the woman who lives in his apartment block. The things it does well in terms of Set Design is that it establishes a real sense of verisimilitude, as it is not only the real-world location of William St. in Manhattan, but the features that the Production Designer has assumingly chosen, the lack of lighting, the damage on the building, really pushes home the message that this city is uncared for, and unloved.

Costume

Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker wears an outfit that still calls back to the Jokers of old, whilst bringing a uniqueness to the character, which this film, and Joaquin’s performance, perfectly does. Within in the film, Arthur’s outfit and appearance are one of the major visual tools which signify his transformation from the mentally ill Arthur Fleck to the maniacal symbol of the riots as the Joker. The costume consists of a red suit, a mustard waistcoat, and a blueish-green button-down shirt. He wears his peak lapel suit undone, which could perhaps signify his mental state.

Lighting

This shot uses lighting in an interesting way, as within the shot there are three different colours/types of lighting. The first and most eye-catching to the audience is the bright, white light shining down on Arthur as he writes his stand-up material. This probably used to bring Arthur’s frail body to attention and re-emphasise the poor physical condition he is in. The other types of lighting are blue neon light in Arthur’s kitchen, and an almost orange light coming through his window assumingly from the street. The use of these lights is up for interpretation, but I think they have been used to show the rundown state of Arthur’s home and the orange street may be used to foreshadow the rioting that will happen later in the film.

Space

Spacing is used effectively in this shot to show how, not only Arthur is disconnected from his fellow employees, but how they are disconnected from each other. This is shown by Arthur being isolated from the rest workers, but also the workers are spaced out from one another implying that they do not have any close connections with one another, which reinforces this theme of the city being rundown, and in a depressive state.  

Composition

In this shot, which takes place during the scene in which Arthur flees from the police officers on the subway station, the director unbalances the shot to bring the clown mask into focus, with the chaos of the mob beating up the police officers ensuing in the background, out of focus. The composition of this shot, I think, is trying to portray to the viewer the power that this clown movement can cause to society, which foreshadows the rioting that this movement will carry out later in the film. It also reinforces the idea of Arthur being the unknowing leader of this movement and how his actions, namely shooting Murray, a man in a position of power, lead to the climax of the film and the riots.

Hair and Make-up

Arthur’s ‘Joker’ makeup is the most obvious thing to talk about in terms of makeup, and that’s because it shows the audience so much. It shows us Arthur’s acceptance of this Joker persona, and that he now feels like he is finally his true self within society. The imagery of the clown makeup/mask that Arthur wears is that it hides his mental illness/inner struggle, which is why whenever we see Arthur as this Joker persona, he is much more confident.

Film Stock

The movie uses a grainier film stock throughout, to perhaps portray and build the atmosphere of this rundown city, which could reflect the state of Arthur’s mind and life.

Moonlight Review

Moonlight (Jenkins,2016)CRITICAL SCORE: 8/10 My first thought of the movie was that the story line was very interactive with the audience. I think this because they cleverly broke the 4th wall within some scenes.Memorable Scene: the most memorable scene in my opinion was when Chiron’s mum was shouting at him for money. This scene happened when he was a teenager years after he went to see Teresa. In the seen his mum (Paula) breaks the 4th wall making it more memorable. The way she acted made this seen so emotional as you can see the hurt in Chiron’s eyes. The way her voice becomes significantly louder shows her drug problem causes immense stress and has changed her for the worse.

Moonlight First response

Scoring- 8/10 

I feel that moonlight is a beautiful and emotionally strong movie. I found myself connecting with these characters a lot and really getting attached to them throughout its runtime. the writing and interactions felt very real which helped with getting me engaged with them and their struggles. The way that the audience grows with Chiron and goes through his struggles really makes this a stan doubt coming of age type movie, where most stick with characters through one point in their lives, we follow Chiron through multiple. 

Stand out scene: 

While I feel there are multiple standout scenes in this movie, I think the one that stood out to me the most is when Chiron is getting arrested. While it isn’t really the scene, I find the most moving, it is the shot where Chiron is looking at Kevin, I find to be the most devastating. The way they were able to capture the pure sense of betrayal he must have felt in that moment really moved me.

Monaco article

What does Monoco mean by the term “The Spectrum of Arts”?  

There is no simple way of answering this question as there are hundreds of things to say about “the spectrum of arts” as it is so wide, and everyone has their own perception of the various forms of art such as:  

  • History – recorded the story of race and cultures over time, leading not only the modern social sciences but also a broad narrative  
  • Poetry – this form of art has been a widely loved and explored form of art ever since the roman days, recognized in those times as either: lyric, dramatic or epic  
  • Astronomy – this was known as the art of “searching the Heavens” and it represents the vast range of modern sciences at the same time as it suggests one other aspect of social sciences in its astrological features, values and functions of production and interpretation  
  • Dance – this form of art and many variations of it have been around for millions of years, it is a very expressive form of art, requiring skill, endurance and commitments however it was and is still used today by humans to celebrate and be able to express their emotions without the use of words  
  • Music – humans have been creating music ever since the beginning of time, maybe not with a variety of instruments or music editing apps but with either objects, their voices, instruments or even the nature around them as music has been a symbol of celebration and essentially what makes people happy as there is a very large spectrum surrounding music because everyone’s ‘music taste’ is different making it the amazing art form it has come to be allowing people to express how they feel through music  
  • Comedy and Tragedy – both these types of performing arts have mainly come around over the century for the entertainment of society (plays, musicals, movies etc.), these are both admirable components in performing arts as many people modernly use these as inspirations for their own future  

In conclusion, Monaco explains that Art is such a broad spectrum, meaning every person may have a different way of viewing art depending on the individual’s personality and what they view as “good” or “bad” art.  

Joker first response

Critical score: 7/10  

I personally really enjoyed this movie as it was great at portraying the mental health issues the main character (Arthur) was dealing with as the contrast between scenes was very noticeable and impactful. For example, some scenes seemed more calm and almost eerie as they were slow-moving compared to some of his more hectic and rapid scenes, making Arthur seem out of control and manic in some cases making it scary for the audience as we don’t know what he will do next but it also allows the audience to make their own assumptions about what the Joker is capable of.  

Memorable scene: In my opinion this movie had a lot of amazing scenes, however my favourite scene was the staircase scene when Arthur was first introduced to the audience as the “Joker”. I enjoyed this scene because it was a huge contrast to the first time we saw him on the same staircase (gloomy and dark) contrasting with the ‘iconic’ staircase scene with the Joker looking happier (singing, dancing and bright colours). 

Categorizing Films

Battleship of Potemkin 

  • Historically significant film  
  • Date – December 21st, 1925 
  • Director – Sergei Eisenstein  
  • Genre – war/historical drama  

A bug’s life 

  • Mainstream film  
  • Date – November 14th, 1998  
  • Director – John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton  
  • Genre – animation  

The shape of water 

  • Art film  
  • Date – December 1st, 2017 
  • Director – Guillermo del Toro  
  • Genre – romance/fantasy  

The seven samurai  

  • Historically significant film  
  • Date – April 26th, 1954  
  • Director – Akira Kurosawa  
  • Genre – action  

The breakfast club  

  • Mainstream film  
  • Date – February 15th, 1985 
  • Director – John Hughes  
  • Genre – teen drama  

The wizard of Oz  

  • Mainstream film  
  • Date – august 25th 1839  
  • Director – Victor Fleming  
  • Genre – musical/fantasy  

The magnificent seven 

  • Mainstream film  
  • Date – October 23rd, 1960  
  • Director – John Sturges  
  • Genre – Western action  

Love Simon  

  • Mainstream film  
  • Date – March 16th, 2018  
  • Director – Greg Berlanti  
  • Genre – teenage melodrama  

Fitzcarraldo  

  • Mainstream film  
  • Date – October 10th, 1982  
  • Director – Werner Herzog  
  • Genre – music/action drama  

Alphaville  

  • Historically significant film  
  • Date – May 5th, 1965 
  • Director – Jean-Luc Godard  
  • Genre – synth pop  

I think that some of the films from the table such as ‘The breakfast club’ and ‘A bug’s life’ (films I categorized as mainstream) have many different features to them which make them be considered ‘mainstream’ such as being easy to watch and follow along, suitable for a wide age range and also being loved by the audience as they are entertaining and sometimes even relatable.   

Moonlight first response

Barry Jenkins 2016 

Critical score: 7/10 I found the film had a good concept as we watched Chiro through three stages of his life (child, teenager and then an adult) I feel this was mostly executed well apart from the jump between being a teenager and adult as Chiro became unrecognizable which became confusing. Similarly, the plot was also harder to follow but I still enjoyed this film more compared to Joker as I think there was a better emotional connection to the characters and many people relate to Chiro compared to Arther. 

Stand out scene: 

I picked this scene of Chiro waking up from a nightmare about the traumas of his childhood. This scene is significant as it is the first scene of the movie portraying Chiro as an adult and being unrecognizable to his teenage self. Additionally, I think this scene portrays a powerful message that despite being grown up and the person his younger self would’ve wanted him to be he is still haunted by his experiences through childhood. 

Moonlight, First Response

Barry Jenkins 2016 

Critical Score 6/10 

I rated this movie a 6/10, but I still enjoyed it. The cinematography really stood out to me. One memorable moment was when Chiron runs across the grass—the camera mimics the frantic movements of a child, which I think adds a personal touch to the movie, helping the viewer understand the child’s perspective better. Another technique that caught my attention was the lighting, particularly in the scene where Chiron’s mother stands under a pinkish light. It really highlights the power she has over him and the impact she has on his life. The social issues the movie touches on are incredibly powerful and add depth to the characters, delivering a meaningful message that really speaks to people. While I don’t want to take away from the importance of that message, there were times when I felt overwhelmed by the fast-paced nature of the story. However, it was still a deeply impactful film. 

This scene was the most memorable for me. The way the waves moved felt like they were reflecting the bond between them, highlighting how special the moment was. The waves washing over the camera was also an interesting touch. 

Moonlight – First Response

Critical Score: 9/10

Thoughts: In comparison to Joker, Moonlight delivers on all aspects that dragged it down in my initial ranking. Moonlight does a fantastic job of using sound design to drive its story, by having the child and teen parts of the story mostly tonally isolated, illustrating how alone and empty Chiron feels in his adolescence. In his adulthood, sound features a lot more prominently, and his environment feels more lively and cluttered compared to his past, showing how he’s moved on from the struggles of his childhood and he’s gained control of his own narrative. Moonlight does a much better job than Joker in dialogue, as where I found some of the dialogue in Joker to feel artificial and stressful, Moonlight’s dialogue flowed beautifully and enveloped me in the setting of each and every part of Chiron’s story. My biggest gripe with Joker was how it was paced, having a clunky first half and a rushed ending, and Moonlight greatly improved on my pacing issue, spending just enough time on each shot and segment of Chiron’s life. Each shot felt impactful and important to the story because it did not feel as if the scenes were dragging on or even rehashing the thoughts and feelings Chiron had already displayed. Heavy themes were displayed across the entire film, themes of substance abuse, homophobia, peer pressure, and the struggle of being black in America. I think the film masterfully navigates these themes and tackles them tastefully whilst also giving an insightful view into each issue, culminating in a fantastic piece of film that will forever be used as an example of some of the best political storytelling to come out of the 21st century.

Favourite scene: What’s a faggot?

As someone who is LGBTQIA+, This scene resonated deeply with me, as it encapsulates the scared and depressing thoughts that go through the head of a young child having to deal with homophobic attack. This scene really impacted me because of the sudden nature of the conversation, and coupled with the movie’s pre-established use of silence and pauses, really shocks audiences. “Faggot” is such a strongly taboo’d word, and it’s use to break the silence shot right through me when first watching, and it fully engaged me with what Chiron was trying to navigate at that time. Mahershala Ali and Janelle Monae do a fantastic job of playing these authority figures in Chiron’s life, and their performances in this scene act as my highlight of the movie. The nuanced expressions that Juan displays when trying to formulate answers to Chiron’s questions do an amazing job of portraying the relationship between a parent and a child dealing with homophobia.

Moonlight: First Response

Moonlight first response 

Jenkins, 02/09/16 (release date) 

Critical score: 7/10 

Thoughts: I really enjoyed the pacing of the film, how it was split up into three time periods: Child, teenager, and adult. The usage of colour grading and camera work paid off largely, making the storyline enticing for the audience, making us want to keep on watching as it told an important story of real-life issues such as racism, homophobia, and drug usage. One issue I had was that the child and teen casting were perfect, but the adult casting of Chiron felt out of place. 

Memorable scene: I chose this scene because it managed to convey the harsh reality of living with a parent who’s an addict, the disdain shared between Chiron and his mother; I’d also like to note that there was no dialogue at all, just silence and music to cover up the noise when his mother yells at him just after.