I have chosen this scene from the joker because I think the mise en scene really stands out. The director has chosen to use composition, as you can see the Joker is a vivid image and is in the foreground of the shot. However, the two police officers are blurred but you and just about still see their figures at the top of the staircase. This draws attention to the audience as it expands their viewing of the scene as the focus is on the Joker until the unfocused figures of the police offices appear in the background. The relationship between the costume and the stairs makes the iconic outfit stand out. The dull background of the stairs makes the joker in the foreground pop.
This scene shows the make-up aspect of mise en scene. As the joker is in the reflection of the mirror you can see him doing his make-up. In this scene he is getting ready to do his original clown job on the streets. Seeing him do his make-up in the opening scene will create an impact on the audience as it reflects on how he looks in his iconic costume.
The lighting is this scene shows several different types of creativeness. The lighting has both high key and low-key features. The main lights are off, but the above lighting is shining brightly down on Authur. The stage lights shining down is causing a shadow effect onto the black wall. This shows us he is the main subject of the scene.
This scene is in Murray’s studio. In this moment we are waiting for the Joker to out from the wings. The set design is very over the top and has high key lighting. You can tell the set is a tv because of the stage lights, the sofas and the vast number of cameras on set. The audience also helps to create the atmosphere of a tv show.
This scene is near the end after he has shot Murray. This scene represents makeup for a mise en scene aspect. The face paint around his mouth is originally red however, this time he is using blood to draw the smile. This shows the Jokers evil behaviour.
Todd Philips has a wide range of aspect ratio in this shot. This wide shot shows the amount of people who disliked Murray as they are all cheering for the Joker because he shot him. The wide shot encourages the audience to look around New York city and see how busy it is and how many people follow the Joker.
The film stock has used a grain over the scene to give it an eerie feel to it. This scene is with his therapist, and they are talking about his problems. The grain shows that this isn’t a positive scene between Arthur and his therapist.
I selected this moment from Joker (Phillips, 2019), to show how mise en scene can be utilised in film. It is set in the last segment of the film, just before chaos is unleashed, misleading the audience into believing that things will go right this time.
1) This scene was shot in a built set, in the frame there are colourful curtains and vanity lights in the background, the camera clearly focused on Arthur Fleck who is in the centre of the shot holding a cigarette. His serious demeanor and dark appearance, being dimly lit in comparison to the surroundings, stands out; this indicates to the audience that something awful is about to happen, wherever he goes he brings a darkness with him.
2) In this scene I find that the makeup is coinciding with the transformative aspect of Arthur’s character and physical appearance from the beginning of the film to the end. This scene is shown at the beginning of the film, showing how he goes from Arthur to ‘Joker’, and as the film progresses his personality and behaviour becomes more impulsive and bolder, lashing out in fits of casual violence. For the audience, the makeup can show that he’s finally coming into his own skin and embracing his nature, when the makeup is on, he gains a surge of confidence in his actions, an example of this would be during the talk show scene with Murray, Arthur simply shoots him on camera.
3) This scene shows the audience a good usage of location filming, as well as giving us an infamous scene which will forever be associated with that location. West 167th Street Step Stairs in the Bronx (New York) was used to film this scene, adding authenticity to the scene, and the film overall even though this world is fictional. For the audience, it could convey a realistic tone to the film, especially if they’re from that area, keeping them drawn into the storyline. Filming this stairs scene in the Joker in a real location, not a studio, successfully portrayed authenticity and a ‘too-close-to-home’ feeling for a portion of the viewers.
4) Using a wide shot, the camera is unsteady, moving slowly as if it’s a person watching Arthur, effectively making the audience feel like they’re in the room with him. It’s unnerving to watch as Arthur lethargically empties the fridge, followed by crawling into the newly vacated space himself. Additionally, the perspective is shot just outside the room he is in, indicated by the doorframe obstructing the sides of the frame.
5) The costuming in this scene purposely highlights the growing riots in Gotham city; The crowds all wearing the same clown mask, unionizing the hatred towards the overprivileged rich population of Gotham. Another thing to point out is that Arthur stands out especially, bright red suit jacket in the centre of the shot as he’s running away from the police, a costuming design choice made to highlight that Arthur does stand out amongst the general population, even out of his joker attire he stands out as a person.
6) The set dressing in this scene shows the stark contrast between Arthur and everyone else; he doesn’t belong there. In the frame here is him and his mother, he is a looming presence even though he’s looking after her, the pink floral wallpaper and the warm lighting is nothing like him at all – it’s his mother’s space. This sense of exclusion is a common theme throughout the film, driving home the point that Arthur does not belong, and he comes to accept that in the end.
7) In the opening chase scene there is a good use of sound effects in the background, this was made using sound stages. As Arthur is chasing down the group of teenagers who stole his sign, there can be taxis honking and V-8 engines heard blaring in the background, stacking onto the adrenaline in the scene, making the audience get a better understanding of how he is feeling.
In this shot, the light from the fridge acts as a key light, casting light on Arthur’s scrawny physique. The dark room is illuminated solely by the blue light from the fridge, creating a dark, uncomfortable atmosphere. The room is in low key light, making the scene more dramatic. This scene succeeds the scene where Arthur finds out he is adopted, so the dark and blue also help build a tragic, depressing atmosphere.
Space
This shot utilises space to show the relationship between the clowns at the office. None of the clowns are close together despite the size of the room. The room also features a lot of empty space, creating a dull atmosphere in the shot.
Composition
This shot of Arthur attempting a performance at the comedy club is a good example of composition in the film. The lamps and people in the foreground are out of focus, making the audience focus on Arthur on stage. The people in the foreground are also silhouetted, creating the sense that you are in the club with them watching Arthur mess up his show.
Hair + Makeup
In this scene, Arthur is opening the door for two of his old co-workers midway through putting on makeup. His face is halfway through the clown make up process, giving him a patchy white face, which unnerves the viewer. His hair is freshly dyed green as well, making Arthur look unnatural and not human. It also represents where Arthur is in his character arc, as he is not yet the homicidal maniac in full makeup he is at the end, but no longer the anxious man just trying to scrape by in life like he was at the beginning.
Costume
The Stairway Dance scene is a great example of how costume is used in this movie. First there is Arthur in his full “Joker” persona’s outfit. It is wild and colourful and extravagant: there’s a lot going on, from the warm colours on his overcoat and waistcoat, to the decorated shirt, and the full clown makeup and green hair. He stands out and is very easily seen as eccentric. Meanwhile the detectives attempting to book him for the murders of the men on the train are in much more standard and boring clothing. Brown and blue coats, plain white shirts, ties: they resemble the men on the subway. They are dull and like everyone else, and Arthur’s outfit contrasts them by being loud and noteworthy.
Aspect Ratio
Joker is usually shot in 1.85:1, giving the shots of the grimy Gotham streets more focus and importance. The above shot, for example, shows off the grimy streets of Gotham, showing the rubbish, the homeless, the sporadically placed cars etc. The wider aspect ratio is also useful in closeups as it gives us a better look at the actor’s facial expressions and movements.
However, for the scenes showing the Live With Murray Franklin program, the aspect ratio is shrunk to 1.33:1, making those shots feel like you’re watching them on an old CRT screen, thus putting you in the shoes of somebody watching the show, not a movie.
Film Stock
The camera in Joker is very sharp. The shots are very clear, and the camera shows detail as well as it can. Take the shot above: You can see Arthur’s face in extreme detail; the viewer can see the white makeup fading away, the smudging of the eye makeup, the lines in his face formed by his grin, the light reflecting off his hair. It’s a clear picture that shows a lot of subtle detail. Even the shine on the side of the police car and the reflection of the neon lights in the window are shown in a very high quality. However, similar to the aspect ratio, I love the changes made to the film during the Live With Murray Franklin segments.
Like how the aspect ratio was shrunk to simulate a CRT, a grain is added to the camera, these bars across the screen, as well as dampening the colours, to further emulate the style of an old TV set. This definitely adds to the impact of this intra-diegetic shot, as you are made to feel like you are watching this live on TV, not as part of a movie. It puts you in the shoes of the people in Gotham who have watched this beloved figure get murdered live on air. I love this detail of the CRT Franklin segments, as it adds some individuality and unique style to the film.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
