How is gender represented in Shallow Grave?

In this particular scene in Shallow Grave the theme of gender is represented in different ways. The costumes that the characters wear give the audience a clear image into whether the character is an innocent or a dangerous. The character of Juliet has quite a provocative costume. Her dress is low cut and about knee length. This could suggest to the audience that she is deliberately trying to be provocative and that she wants to draw attention to herself. Also she stands out from the other females that are at the due as they are wearing bolder colours where as she is wearing plain black. You also notice that the other women are all wearing full length dresses which could suggest that Juliet has a lack of class and elegance. The costume that Alex wears in very casual however they are not in a casual environment. This makes the audience feel more drawn to him as they are surrounded with people who are smartly dressed and then you have someone who stands out from them all because the audience naturally assumes that everyone is going to be elegantly dressed and not in informal wear. However David is the complete opposite to these two. He is dresses quite elegantly and is very professional. This shows the audience that he is very self conscious and that he feels the need to impress all the time which is very ironic as this is quite a feminine thing to do.

The props that are used are mainly the champagne glasses and the champagne. Also there are roses shown during the scene. This shows the scene to be very feminine and quite romantic. This is son as the audience mainly sees a female dominated place. However the audience are aware that the content is not romantic and is quite masculine. The setting is very elegant and very wealthy. This shows the audience that the environment is very dignified and that gives the audience something to relate to as they could imagine themselves in that situation.

The shot types that are used represent gender in a very specific way. The specific shot that contradicts the obvious stereotype is the POV shot when Alex is on the ground. This shows Juliet to be the most dominant character and in a way to be more of a masculine role. You can see this because traditionally the men have a higher authority than the women and this is turned around in this shot. This makes the audience feel intimidated by her too because she is the higher authority and is looking down on the audience.

There is also a two shot. This shows that the characters are close but also it shows the contrast between Alex, Juliet and David. They leave him on his own which could suggest isolation from them. This shows your typical lovers type relationship however we know that they are not. The camera angles make the characters look more aggressive and threatening which is normally why the director uses these types of shots. The point in particular that this angle is clear on is when David is shouting at another man. The angle on David is almost on a slight tilt and this shows authority and aggression towards that particular person.  The framing that Boyle has used makes it clear that when David is having an argument with someone that he is the only one out of the three that is in shot. This could suggest that he is more of a dominant character. However it is contrasted beforehand because he seems to be the more feminine figure as he seems worried and afraid and Juliet seems to be the more masculine figure as well as Alex.

The diegetic sounds in this scene are mainly the talking. The conversation that goes on between Alex and Juliet is very coarse in that type of environment. This is against your stereotypical image of a woman as you would expect a lady to talk properly and have the correct mannerisms. However you can see a clear contrast in our character and our stereotypical woman. Having the conversations in there make it more interesting for the audience because they can relate to the conversation as the characters are talking and joking as someone more common would talk. This could suggest that the film is aimed at working class people and also that it is aimed for both males and females. Also there is a clear diegetic sound in the scene as the main music is coming from the band that is playing in the background. This is obvious as you see the band playing in the scene. The editing differs throughout the scene as the tempo of the music changes and this speeds up the pace of the editing. You notice that it is very slow at the beginning at does a cross cut from one conversation to the other. This shows a contrast in the classes and in the gender of the conversations. 

Overall Boyle represents the men and women as being the opposite in personality. This makes the audience feel uneasy as they are not fully aware of what the characters are about and what their true intentions are. This scene shows the audience that the characters are contrasting to what we would normally associate being the typical male/female. 

 

Sub-Genre

Sub-Genre: genre within a genre                                                               Hybrid: genre mixing

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Action thriller: example- speed
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Science fiction thriller: example- Aliens, Inception
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Noir thriller: example- Sin City
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Crime/Gangster thriller: example-
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Religious thriller: example- The body
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Psychological thriller: example- Seven, Momento, The Silence of the Lambs
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Erotic thriller: examples- Basic Instinct, Eyes Wide Shut
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Supernatural thriller: example- Paranormal Activity, El Orfanato, What Lies Beneath
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Political thriller: example- The Ides of March, Enemy of State, In The Line of Fire
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Dystopia thriller: example- The Hunger Games, V for Vendetta, The Matrix

When you choose a target audience you have to consider
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Gender
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Age
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Level of education
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Life style
　
　
　

Film Noir

Film Noir was the first purpose made thriller. It was highly popular in the day (WW2) and was highly influential on modern cinema. The reason that this is so popular is because of the effective use of lighting and mise -en-scene.

What is Film Noir about?
· A hero with a past
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Fatal woman
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Always set in big American cities
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Most popular immediately after WW2
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Themes- sexual politics, deception, crime

Hero
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Man of middle years- about 30’s-40’s
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Embroiled in a plot not of his making
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Helpless to resist the sexual advances of female fatale
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Usually dies at the end

Female Fatale
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Sexually liberal woman
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Gets the hero into trouble
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Double crossing
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Murderous
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Hair draped over one eye

The City
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A place where sin is rife
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An impersonal setting
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Capitalist
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A dark place
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Unfriendly
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Modern

Post WW2
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Male insecurity in returning to a female dominated world
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Women have to use their wiles to regain control
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Man is no longer a hero

The Influence
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German expressionist cinema

Features of Expressionism
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Archways (portals and doorways)
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Shadows (often bars)
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Mirrors
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Windows
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Sharp angles and lines dividing the shot
　
　
　

How does Wilder convey the character and their relationship in the penultimate scene in Double Indemnity?

In this scene of “Double Indemnity” Wilder uses film noir to show the relationship between the two main characters. Using film noir helps Wilder to create a dramatic effect which makes the audience question the characters motives.

One of the most important aspects of film noir is the use of shadows and in this scene Wilder uses it right at the beginning when you see a silhouette standing in the doorway of the room. This gives the scene a moment of mystery because you are unaware of who the person is that is standing there. It creates the tension between the characters and the audience. This is a classic technique used in film noir and makes the audience on edge and at a constant state of catharsis as the audience feels like they are not safe but they know they are. Another use of shadow that Wilder uses is when Walter is walking to close the shutters his face is constantly going in and out of the shadow. This could suggest to the audience that he is quite a mysterious character and that he shouldn’t be trusted. However there is a lack of shadow on Phyllis’ face which could suggest that she is innocent but we know that she is not as Walter talks about her killing her husband. This could mean that she is open about what she has done but Walter is more enclosed about it. This could suggest that the characters relationship is strained and that they are having a hard time during this scene due to conflicting emotions.

At the beginning of the scene when Walter emerges from the shadows into the room you notice a big black chair that is sitting in the corner of the room. The chair is very prominent in the shot which would suggest that this was once the husbands chair and also because the colour of the chair is very dark it could suggest that this represents his death seeing as there is no light on it. The chair is empty which creates quite an eerie environment and I think that this was why Wilder used this in the composition. Also the chair represents the lack of authority that is there now because the chair is empty and is also in the corner towards the back of the room. In a way the chair overlooks the scene and the events which follow because it is one of the largest objects in the room and this makes the room look more intimidating and more frightening in quite a mellow way.

The camera angles that Wilder uses create a tension between the characters. This shot in particular of Walter going behind the chair that Phyllis is sitting on; the camera is on a low angle. This makes Walter more intimidating towards the audience because he is the authoritative figure. Also this makes the audience feel threatened because they have to look up to the actors and this is quite a vulnerable position for the audience to be in because they feel like they are being looked down upon by Walter.

The framing of the scene is very interesting because in the first part of the scene they are in the same frame however when the topic turns quite serious the framing changes and then they are not in the same shot for a while. This creates a tension between the characters because you can see that their relationship is strained but also it creates a tension between the characters and the audience because you are not sure what the other character is doing at that point. Wilder has used this to create a wall between the audience and the actors and this makes the audience feel uneasy because they feel like in a way they are being excluded.

The shot types are quite basic and yet they create a lot of tension. One of the more dominant shots used is the close up on Phyllis’s face before she gets shot. You can see the emotion in her face and the lighting is very clever because is emphasises the tears building up in her eyes. Wilder has used this shot to make the audience feel sympathetic towards her because she is made to look quite innocent and vulnerable. The emotions on her face are in a contrast to what her character is like normally because she is quite a strong willed person who doesn’t seem to be moved and affected by a lot of things. However in this shot Wilder has made her look like she is scared and afraid. This could suggest that this is her true emotions coming out and she feels as if she needs to be comforted by someone, which again is in contrast as she is alone before. In a way she is almost childlike in character here because when a child is scared the first thing they do is cling to the older figure and that is what she is doing here. This again is a classic technique used in film noir as this character clearly falls into the feminine fatale state as she is quite manipulative and aggressive towards the character of Walter.

How does Hitchcock use cinematography to create tension in the Parlour Scene in Psyco

Hitchcock uses a number of techniques to create tension in the parlour scene. He uses framing to create a barrier between Marian and Norman because they are never in the same shot together. This creates tension between the audience and the characters because you are unaware of what the other person is doing in the scene. The use of framing becomes apparent as soon as they go into the parlour because from then on you don’t see them in the same shot. That physical barrier between them makes you feel distant from the characters that are not in shot because you find yourself searching for them and trying to figure out what they are doing and whether or not they are in danger or planning something. You are never quite sure what the other person is doing and this makes the audience feel uneasy also it makes the characters a bit mysterious. This also makes the scene more intense.

The lighting that Hitchcock uses is very interesting in this scene. You can see that there is only on source of light and that is from the tiny lamp on the side table. The shadows that are created make the room look more cramped and more claustrophobic than normal. You notice the shadows the most on the characters faces than anywhere else. On Marian, there is no shadow. This shows her as being more innocent and that she only has one side. But we know that she is not 100% innocent because of the money she stole. However, Norman has a large shadow running across his face. This makes us feel anxious because he almost has another side to him that we can’t see; a darker side almost. This makes us feel threatened by him because he has a different side to him that we don’t know about which could also say to us that he is not innocent like Marian and could possibly have a dark past.

The shot types that Hitchcock uses don’t really change throughout this scene however when they start talking about Norman’s mother the shots drastically change into a close up and suddenly everything gets really tense because Norman also leans forward. The reason this makes us feel uneasy is because you feel like Norman is getting in your face and he is at an uncomfortable position in front of the camera. This also makes Norman the dominant figure in the shot because when it cuts back to Marian she is intimidated by him and is still in the same shot and in the same position. His tone changes too, its sharper and to the point. The fact that Hitchcock uses a close up shot shows the emotion on Normans face and also it makes his face the main focus in the shot because there is not a lot else in frame at that point. Also the light on the shadowed side of his face gets a lot darker which shows he is more intense and that his darker side is coming out. The tone in his voice changes too and this makes him sound aggressive towards Marian. However when he sits back in the chair again the shadow grows less intense which shows that he is back to his normal self again.

The composition in this scene matter a lot because they all play a part in making the tension build. One of the more dominant objects in the scene is the owl in the top left had corner of the frame. The reason for it being one of the more dominant objects is because the owl has its wings fully extended which show us its size and already makes us feel intimidated. This shows that the shot is being dominated by a predator. However you also see that the owl is looking directly into the camera. This makes the audience feel like they are being watched at all times and makes them feel intimidated because they are being over powered by the owl because it looks a lot bigger than them on screen. It is also the second biggest thing in shot, the first being Normans head. However there is not much in it which shows us that there are two dominant figures in the shot. Also in the shot there are two picture frames. The pictures that are on them are of two naked ladies and fully clothed men. This could possibly foreshadow the upcoming events of the shower scene.

The camera angles don’t really change that much in this scene. However when Norman gets angry with Marian the angle only slightly changes. It goes from a pretty neutral to a very slight high angle shot. The reason that Hitchcock did this was because he wanted to make Marian look intimidated and vulnerable to the audience. Also this would make the audience feel more like the dominant figure as they are looking down on her. This shot creates tension without the audience realising what has happened because the way the shot changes is almost unnoticeable. I think that this was a good decision to only have a small change in shot because it wouldn’t look right if both of them had really elaborate shot changes because it would make it too dramatic. Using different angels makes it visually more interesting for the audience because it keeps them interested for longer and it engrosses them deeper into the story and also makes them feel more intimidated and overwhelmed by the shots.



　

How does Thompson create an atmosphere of threat in the school yard scene in Cape Fear (1962)?

In this scene of Cape Fear Thompson creates the subject of threat the main feature of the scene which is created by the character Max Cady. Thompson has used many techniques to show this with his use of cinematography and mise-en-scene. The shot types that he uses are clever and make you feel sympathetic towards the character of Nancy. He uses a tracking shot to follow her when she gets out of the car and starts running. This gives the audience the sense that she is being followed and that someone is getting closer to her. This shows the character of Cady to be very threatening because he has made her feel uncomfortable and scared without really doing much. This could suggest that he is also quite a dominant character as he shows quite a threatening posture and facile expressions.

The composition in this scene is very interesting because at the start of the scene all of the actors are going in different directions across streets and around the town. However the intensity starts to build up is when Cady starts to walk towards Nancy in the car and everyone starts to walk away from her. This makes the audience feel uneasy because you feel like he is bearing down on you and this makes him more threatening towards not only the audience but towards the character of Nancy. Because he is walking towards the car in quite a calm fashion the threat begins to grow because he is walking with a purpose but you are unsure of what that purpose is exactly. This is a kind of contrast from what Nancy is like towards him as he comes closer because she starts to panic and run and is quite a fast paced where as Cady stays at the same pace.

The shot types that are used in this scene differ a lot to create a threatening atmosphere in the scene. The main shot that causes a lot of effect is close ups because you can see the characters expressions and see their emotion which makes them more relatable to the audience and you feel more attached to them. The shot where you find Nancy looking quite vulnerable is when you first realise that Cady is walking towards her and the camera is on a high angle on a tilt. This makes her look very vulnerable and makes the audience feel sympathetic towards her because you know how young and how oblivious she is to the world at that point. There is a very clever shot that Thompson has used and it is an over the shoulder shot. This shot in particular makes the audience feel catharsis towards the character of Nancy because you are aware of the threat that Cady lingers on her however she is not aware that he is coming towards her. It makes the audience panic because they almost feel helpless to her and you feel the urge to help her and warn her of the opposing danger.

The use of shadows in this scene is very important. There is one specific scene where Nancy is in the car and her face has a lot of shadow on it. This foreshadows the fact that she will be over powered by Cady and the shadows could represent his looming figure that is hovering over her. This again makes her look more vulnerable and more child like because it shows her innocence.

The sounds that you hear in the scene differ from diegetic to non- diegetic. The most dominant diegetic sound that you hear is the footsteps of the characters. Cady's footsteps are very calm and at the same pace all the way through this scene. This creates quite an eerie sound because his calmness in a way makes you feel uncomfortable. However Nancy’s footsteps are very childlike and clumsy when she runs because she is afraid and you can hear that in the heaviness of her footsteps and how uneven the beat is. Another sound that you hear is the hissing of the fountain. We generally associate hissing with snakes and in Christianity the snake is a symbol of the devil. This sound is only present when Cady walks passed the fountain. This could suggest to the audience that he is the devil and is pure evil. The non- diegetic sounds that you hear are in a minor key which gives it a very uneasy feel about it. The tempo is a staccato and this makes it very fast paced and because it is like this it helps to create a threatening atmosphere because it is almost like a very fast heart beat. The dischord notes and the staccato help to create a dramatic tension between the characters and the audience. The reason that this makes it threatening is because they are quite dangerous sounds.

The costumes that the character wear are really important to the idea of threat in this scene. The character of Cady wears all white. This would stereotypically be on someone who is pure and innocent; however we know that this is not the case. It is ironic for this scene because you would expect Nancy to be wearing white as she is the most innocent person there. Nancy’s costume is again really important because she looks like a 15 year old child who goes to school. This brings out her innocence even more because she looks like your stereotypical 15 year old back in the 60’s. This makes Cady’s presence even more threatening because she is a young girl.

Thriller conventions

Thriller Conventions

Camera Shots- mid shots- reactions, emotions,

                       - close ups- involvement, concealment, claustrophobic

 Editing- typical transitions- dissolves to link events, fades to black/ white to show flashbacks/time movement, quick cuts to create tension

Thriller Opening Conventions- titles- actors directors camera, etc,

                                                - Ident- film company

                                                - Introduce key characters

                                                - Create an atmosphere

                                                - Plot introduction (key event)

Sound- music or soundtrack to create the atmosphere

          - enhance plot

          - ambient style

          - avoid dialogue, perhaps a voice over?

Mise-en-scene- props hint at the plot

                       - setting need realism, something that looks realistic to the audience

                       - characters- male dominance (hero/villain) women- generally the damsel in distress

                       - lighting- use of light and dark for atmosphere

Narrative- ideas about revenge, justice, crime,

               - time sequences often change, chronology- psychological effect

Sub-Genres- techno, supernatural, crime, religion, action, psychological, film noir, science fiction, conspiracy, disaster, Eco, medical, mystery, political, romance, spy