Thursday, 22 October 2015
The Krays Opening Sequence
1>What words would you use to describe the atmosphere in the opening scenes? (setting, environment)
The atmosphere in the opening scene is very dark and dirty, the east end was a place of poverty. Furthermore the twins were alive during the war period so the city was literally like a bomb site.
2>how is a sense of community represented in the east end of london.
As this film is set during the war, many people have to 'make do' with what they have due to rations etc however they all appreciate what they have and club together in order to help one another out in times of need.
3>how have the twins personalities been shaped by events/circumstances, consider:
1 -their closeness to each other
2-their attitude towards weak snd vulnerable people .
3- their feelings of strength and invulnerability
The twins closeness has been formed from birth, naturally they were very close as they were twins however the behaviour of their mother had a massive impact on the twins and she was the main reason for their strong bond. Violet Kray instilled the closeness between the twins, she always told the boys that they needed one another. For example - hospital scene. Reggie Kray was hospitalised with an infection/disease which needed to be treated medically however Violet suggested that all he needed was to be at home with Ron, then she took him home.The fact she believed a twin bond would be better than actual genuine medical treatment shows how strong and close she believed the twins were. Also after the boxing scene where the two brothers had a fight Violet said to the twins 'we fight the others, not each other'. The twins are also treated as one person rather than two, their mother and their aunt tell them to do everything together furthermore they do everything together. Their aunt gives them both the exact same present (the crocodile), their individuality is taken away from them. Both of the twins tend to think that they are dominant over people, furthermore they feel that vulnerable people are inferior and actually a way to make money through protection rackets etc. They feel that their dad is weak and not a strong figure in their life unlike their mother who they admire greatly.Although, the twins may not like vulnerable people they equally they do not like dominant people either who may be a match for them, such as other gangsters/criminals. They like the fact that people fear them as they feel invincible and invulnerable so they will not get caught by the police, nor will anyone try to harm them / be of a nuisance in anyway to them.
Monday, 19 October 2015
Micro Essay
Explore how Mise-en-Scene and Sound is used to construct meaning and provoke audience response in the film 'The Shining'.
This essay will analyse how audience meaning and response is created in the film 'The Shining' (1980), Focusing upon the 'Danny Come play With Us Scene' featuring Danny and The Twins.
The focus micro elements in this essay will be sound and mise-en-Scene, -to explore how the film instils fear and mystery in the audience, by solely focusing upon the 'Danny Come Play With Us Scene' featuring Danny and the twins.
The Film is set in a hotel. Generally, hotels are associated with safety, somewhere you go for a break where you can relax and enjoy yourself. However, it is sparse and agoraphobic this creates a contrast to the stereotypes of hotels, creating an understanding for the audience that Danny and his family are alone in a place that is difficult to escape from. Furthermore, it makes this scene quite scary as it's an unexpected place for negative things to happen.
Danny, a young boy, is in a hallway. It's very bright which refutes the stereotypical lighting in a horror film. The room is very sterile, and old fashioned resembling the interior of a hospital. This creates a negative impression for the audience as Hospitals hold connotations of illness and pain.The setting has green/mauve colours which aren't very friendly and are quite dull. This heightens the dense atmosphere created they have a 'suffocating effect' such as decay. Furthermore these colours resemble that of camouflage as though Danny and his family are isolated.There are plates and metal cutlery to the side which looks a lot like a prison. The audience will question why a family with a young child are in such an unfriendly dull place.
The next hallways lighting is similar to a candelabra, it's quite dark and hellish notifying the audience that the scene is getting darker both literally and metaphorically. The decor is old, there is a vending machine which is empty. This shows the audienceRed exit signs and red alarms hung up around the hallway act as subliminal warnings to the audience, also stand out against the pale decoration. The props pre-warn for the audience of what's about to happen. A significant prop in this scene is Danny's bike. A bike requires him to sit down therefore making him smaller and emphasises his vulnerability to the audience. Bikes have connotations of fun, however ;this bike leads Danny to danger. Bikes are for outside use,however he is inside, trapped and excluded from the rest of the world. This intensifies the danger in the scene as the audience can see he is unable to escape outside. The bell on the bike is red which has connotations of danger, Danny must ring the bell as a warning sign.
The setting is old fashioned in decor, allowing the audience to prepare to go back in time, to the twins who are from the past. The fact that its in the same setting frightens the audience as the massacre was in a nice supposedly safe setting and happened to innocent children. Finally the setting is of major importance as it takes the audience on a journey, the transfer through the different hallways represents the shift from safety to danger, the danger aspect worsens the further Danny travels down the hallways. The fact that the murder scene and present day has the same setting warns the audience that nothing has changed, implying it could happen again, and the twins are still present in spirit.
Another aspect of mise-en-scene is makeup, hair and costume. Danny is wearing modern clothing- suitable for the time setting of the film. His costume is jeans and a t-shirt. The twins costume allows the audience to recognise that they are from a different time period. They are wearing blue victorian dresses with lace frills, the fact they are wearing the exact same, warns the audience they are twice the danger.When the girls are dead their neat pale clothing becomes ripped and full of blood, this major contrast is more drastic and shocking for the audience connoting a brutal murder.
Facial expression and body language in this clip allows the audience to understand character motive and emotion. The twins stance is very awkward, they are stood up straight and very still, making the audience on edge as this is a rigid posture for children, making the twins appear emotionless. The girls are also holding hands, this shows the audience that the girls are united as a team and are 'unbreakable' as they are linked together as one. Their facial expressions are blank, making it difficult for the audience to read their emotion. The body position of the murdered twins appears unnatural and staged, as their arms are twisted in an awkward manner across the floor. This tells the audience that their death was very brutal and forceful.
Danny abruptly stops on his bike as he is faced with the twins murdered bodies, the audience see the shift in his body language as he braces himself in a tense manner. The audience empathise with Danny and feel motherly towards him. The fact that he peaked through a hole in his hands further encourages the protective instinct in the audience. The difference in body language between the twins and Danny highlights Danny's vulnerability as the audience can see he is exposed to unexpected dangers. The props on the wall are knocked sideways which represents the disruption of peace and shows the panic and anger as it has been knocked during an intense murder. The main colours used within this clip is Red and also pale cream colours, these contrasting colours act as a permanent reminder to the audience of flesh and blood.
Both diegetic and non diegetic sound is used in this clip to create suspense and affect the audience. The diegetic sound of Danny cycling down the hallway is accompanied with a very high pitched violin strings crescendo which increases in volume. It is an uncomfortable sound which creates tension and prepares the audience for a build up to an event. This noise continues until a loud low pitched piano chord is played suddenly. This abrupt contrast shocks the audience, preparing them for danger. The loud crash of a cymbal signifies to the audience that Danny has come to the end of his journey. A low pitched drum beat sounds like a rumbling noise along with this is a very low pitch brassy noise. The low tones create tension and instils fear into the audience.
The twins both say in sync 'Hello Danny' in an expressive tone. They then say 'Come play with us' in a whisper tone. Their voices sound very sinister allowing the audience to understand that they are dead. The fact that a rumbling noise is played when the twins speak shows that the twins are very negative and adds to the suspense and tension.
A non-diegetic piano chord is played loudly, which represents the dead scene as its an uncomfortable noise. Music shows the difference in the twins being alive to them being dead. The sound is very dramatic and unexpected which would scare the audience and help them to understand the change in scenes. Again there is a low drum rumbling noise which is played underneath the twins speaking. A spiralling violin crescendo sound is heard as it gets louder and higher in pitch. This tells the audience the situations getting worse and is a build up to what they're about to say.
The diegetic dialogue of the twins whispering 'Forever' in unison has an echo effect which is further exaggerated by the repetition of the words 'and ever and ever'
Danny then says 'I'm scared' in a child-like innocent tone allowing the audience to hear his vulnerability, making them respond with sympathy. He starts talking in a low croaky voice using his finger as though it is a pretend person talking to him. The tone of his voice is lower than usual, representing his alter ego - Tony. This forewarns the audience of his alter ego, allowing them to understand his complex character.
To conclude, sound and miss-en-scene are used within this clip to provoke audience response. Both emotionally and physically. The micro elements create both suspense and mystery, a constant theme throughout the clip. Furthermore, this clip is a constant battle of trying to break free, subliminal messages are hidden throughout that Danny is trapped, from the rest of the world and also within himself with his alter ego (Tony) all of these aspects add to the effect of verisimilitude of the scene and create the illusion of reality.
This essay will analyse how audience meaning and response is created in the film 'The Shining' (1980), Focusing upon the 'Danny Come play With Us Scene' featuring Danny and The Twins.
The focus micro elements in this essay will be sound and mise-en-Scene, -to explore how the film instils fear and mystery in the audience, by solely focusing upon the 'Danny Come Play With Us Scene' featuring Danny and the twins.
The Film is set in a hotel. Generally, hotels are associated with safety, somewhere you go for a break where you can relax and enjoy yourself. However, it is sparse and agoraphobic this creates a contrast to the stereotypes of hotels, creating an understanding for the audience that Danny and his family are alone in a place that is difficult to escape from. Furthermore, it makes this scene quite scary as it's an unexpected place for negative things to happen.
Danny, a young boy, is in a hallway. It's very bright which refutes the stereotypical lighting in a horror film. The room is very sterile, and old fashioned resembling the interior of a hospital. This creates a negative impression for the audience as Hospitals hold connotations of illness and pain.The setting has green/mauve colours which aren't very friendly and are quite dull. This heightens the dense atmosphere created they have a 'suffocating effect' such as decay. Furthermore these colours resemble that of camouflage as though Danny and his family are isolated.There are plates and metal cutlery to the side which looks a lot like a prison. The audience will question why a family with a young child are in such an unfriendly dull place.
The next hallways lighting is similar to a candelabra, it's quite dark and hellish notifying the audience that the scene is getting darker both literally and metaphorically. The decor is old, there is a vending machine which is empty. This shows the audienceRed exit signs and red alarms hung up around the hallway act as subliminal warnings to the audience, also stand out against the pale decoration. The props pre-warn for the audience of what's about to happen. A significant prop in this scene is Danny's bike. A bike requires him to sit down therefore making him smaller and emphasises his vulnerability to the audience. Bikes have connotations of fun, however ;this bike leads Danny to danger. Bikes are for outside use,however he is inside, trapped and excluded from the rest of the world. This intensifies the danger in the scene as the audience can see he is unable to escape outside. The bell on the bike is red which has connotations of danger, Danny must ring the bell as a warning sign.
The setting is old fashioned in decor, allowing the audience to prepare to go back in time, to the twins who are from the past. The fact that its in the same setting frightens the audience as the massacre was in a nice supposedly safe setting and happened to innocent children. Finally the setting is of major importance as it takes the audience on a journey, the transfer through the different hallways represents the shift from safety to danger, the danger aspect worsens the further Danny travels down the hallways. The fact that the murder scene and present day has the same setting warns the audience that nothing has changed, implying it could happen again, and the twins are still present in spirit.
Another aspect of mise-en-scene is makeup, hair and costume. Danny is wearing modern clothing- suitable for the time setting of the film. His costume is jeans and a t-shirt. The twins costume allows the audience to recognise that they are from a different time period. They are wearing blue victorian dresses with lace frills, the fact they are wearing the exact same, warns the audience they are twice the danger.When the girls are dead their neat pale clothing becomes ripped and full of blood, this major contrast is more drastic and shocking for the audience connoting a brutal murder.
Facial expression and body language in this clip allows the audience to understand character motive and emotion. The twins stance is very awkward, they are stood up straight and very still, making the audience on edge as this is a rigid posture for children, making the twins appear emotionless. The girls are also holding hands, this shows the audience that the girls are united as a team and are 'unbreakable' as they are linked together as one. Their facial expressions are blank, making it difficult for the audience to read their emotion. The body position of the murdered twins appears unnatural and staged, as their arms are twisted in an awkward manner across the floor. This tells the audience that their death was very brutal and forceful.
Danny abruptly stops on his bike as he is faced with the twins murdered bodies, the audience see the shift in his body language as he braces himself in a tense manner. The audience empathise with Danny and feel motherly towards him. The fact that he peaked through a hole in his hands further encourages the protective instinct in the audience. The difference in body language between the twins and Danny highlights Danny's vulnerability as the audience can see he is exposed to unexpected dangers. The props on the wall are knocked sideways which represents the disruption of peace and shows the panic and anger as it has been knocked during an intense murder. The main colours used within this clip is Red and also pale cream colours, these contrasting colours act as a permanent reminder to the audience of flesh and blood.
Both diegetic and non diegetic sound is used in this clip to create suspense and affect the audience. The diegetic sound of Danny cycling down the hallway is accompanied with a very high pitched violin strings crescendo which increases in volume. It is an uncomfortable sound which creates tension and prepares the audience for a build up to an event. This noise continues until a loud low pitched piano chord is played suddenly. This abrupt contrast shocks the audience, preparing them for danger. The loud crash of a cymbal signifies to the audience that Danny has come to the end of his journey. A low pitched drum beat sounds like a rumbling noise along with this is a very low pitch brassy noise. The low tones create tension and instils fear into the audience.
The twins both say in sync 'Hello Danny' in an expressive tone. They then say 'Come play with us' in a whisper tone. Their voices sound very sinister allowing the audience to understand that they are dead. The fact that a rumbling noise is played when the twins speak shows that the twins are very negative and adds to the suspense and tension.
A non-diegetic piano chord is played loudly, which represents the dead scene as its an uncomfortable noise. Music shows the difference in the twins being alive to them being dead. The sound is very dramatic and unexpected which would scare the audience and help them to understand the change in scenes. Again there is a low drum rumbling noise which is played underneath the twins speaking. A spiralling violin crescendo sound is heard as it gets louder and higher in pitch. This tells the audience the situations getting worse and is a build up to what they're about to say.
The diegetic dialogue of the twins whispering 'Forever' in unison has an echo effect which is further exaggerated by the repetition of the words 'and ever and ever'
Danny then says 'I'm scared' in a child-like innocent tone allowing the audience to hear his vulnerability, making them respond with sympathy. He starts talking in a low croaky voice using his finger as though it is a pretend person talking to him. The tone of his voice is lower than usual, representing his alter ego - Tony. This forewarns the audience of his alter ego, allowing them to understand his complex character.
To conclude, sound and miss-en-scene are used within this clip to provoke audience response. Both emotionally and physically. The micro elements create both suspense and mystery, a constant theme throughout the clip. Furthermore, this clip is a constant battle of trying to break free, subliminal messages are hidden throughout that Danny is trapped, from the rest of the world and also within himself with his alter ego (Tony) all of these aspects add to the effect of verisimilitude of the scene and create the illusion of reality.
Thursday, 1 October 2015
Dances With Wolves
Dances With Wolves:
Dances with wolves has are many generic signifiers which determine that it is a western. Such as the characters, there are different tribes, a cowboy, the cavalry soldiers and a lone cavalry soldier. These are all characters typical to this genre. The film is set in the southern states of america during the 1860s, in a dusty landscape without much infrastructure. The Native Americans live in wig-wams/ Teepees in large tribes and speak tribal languages. The main themes portrayed in this film are discovery and betrayal. John Dunbar wants to find out more about the sioux tribe who visit him occasionally and likewise the native americans feel the same towards john. The sioux want to know when the soldiers will be coming furthermore why. Also both John Dunbar and Stands With An Iron Fist discover love for one another. Betrayal is hugely centred around John Dunbar as he betrays his own soldiers for the native American tribe the sioux.
The Native Americans are stereotypically represented physically through their appearance; their costume and features. They have long hair and wear animal skin clothing, furthermore they ride horses and live in teepees/ wigwams. However the sioux refute the stereotypical mannerisms and behaviour that a western would usually portray them to be like. Usually they would be portrayed as violent, non-merciful, animal-like savages with little/no respect for anyone. However 'Dances With Wolves' the film portrays them as loyal and respectful for not only their kind but for John Dunbar also. On the other hand the Pawnee (the opposing tribe) are represented stereotypically as savages.
The representations of different cultures and conflict hold messages for us today in modern life. The fear of the unknown between the native americans and John Dunbar represents that of society today. People are prejudice and unsure of other cultures due to their differences. In modern society today religion causes mass conflict amongst people as they don't understand properly and are feared of the differences in their religions. The two tribes fighting is also another very important example of this. People of the same culture clashing due to their uncertainty of one another, although they share the same culture. However respect and loyalty is gained between John and the tribe eventually, they go on to learn each others languages and ways of life. This still happens in society today as people are constantly learning new languages and cultures and sharing ways of life which may not be natural to them. A difference between the native americans and modern life today is the respect they hold for the land and nature. They don't damage the land and only use the resources when needs be, whereas today we abuse these privileges and use them profusely for example, land is constantly getting built on furthermore trees are being chopped down, whereas the sioux only kill buffalos when they need to for the sake of their survival.
The first constitutive contradiction of Rick Altman's is individual freedom and community action. John Dunbar represents individual freedom as he is alone surviving on his own, furthermore, 'community action' is portrayed through the tribes. John then becomes part of the community in which the native americans form. His second contradiction is respect for the environment and industrial growth. The Native Americans have major respect for their land, and the nature around them, whereas the soldiers have come to fight for the land as they want to build upon it and develop the country. His third contradiction is reverence for the past and desire to build a new future. The tribes live very traditionally and will have lived like this for a long time, john brings his new ways of living into the tribe for example, the rifles and clothing. Theres a massive difference between the natives and soldiers as the soldiers were much more modern in comparison to the Native Americans.
Dances with wolves has are many generic signifiers which determine that it is a western. Such as the characters, there are different tribes, a cowboy, the cavalry soldiers and a lone cavalry soldier. These are all characters typical to this genre. The film is set in the southern states of america during the 1860s, in a dusty landscape without much infrastructure. The Native Americans live in wig-wams/ Teepees in large tribes and speak tribal languages. The main themes portrayed in this film are discovery and betrayal. John Dunbar wants to find out more about the sioux tribe who visit him occasionally and likewise the native americans feel the same towards john. The sioux want to know when the soldiers will be coming furthermore why. Also both John Dunbar and Stands With An Iron Fist discover love for one another. Betrayal is hugely centred around John Dunbar as he betrays his own soldiers for the native American tribe the sioux.
The Native Americans are stereotypically represented physically through their appearance; their costume and features. They have long hair and wear animal skin clothing, furthermore they ride horses and live in teepees/ wigwams. However the sioux refute the stereotypical mannerisms and behaviour that a western would usually portray them to be like. Usually they would be portrayed as violent, non-merciful, animal-like savages with little/no respect for anyone. However 'Dances With Wolves' the film portrays them as loyal and respectful for not only their kind but for John Dunbar also. On the other hand the Pawnee (the opposing tribe) are represented stereotypically as savages.
The representations of different cultures and conflict hold messages for us today in modern life. The fear of the unknown between the native americans and John Dunbar represents that of society today. People are prejudice and unsure of other cultures due to their differences. In modern society today religion causes mass conflict amongst people as they don't understand properly and are feared of the differences in their religions. The two tribes fighting is also another very important example of this. People of the same culture clashing due to their uncertainty of one another, although they share the same culture. However respect and loyalty is gained between John and the tribe eventually, they go on to learn each others languages and ways of life. This still happens in society today as people are constantly learning new languages and cultures and sharing ways of life which may not be natural to them. A difference between the native americans and modern life today is the respect they hold for the land and nature. They don't damage the land and only use the resources when needs be, whereas today we abuse these privileges and use them profusely for example, land is constantly getting built on furthermore trees are being chopped down, whereas the sioux only kill buffalos when they need to for the sake of their survival.
The first constitutive contradiction of Rick Altman's is individual freedom and community action. John Dunbar represents individual freedom as he is alone surviving on his own, furthermore, 'community action' is portrayed through the tribes. John then becomes part of the community in which the native americans form. His second contradiction is respect for the environment and industrial growth. The Native Americans have major respect for their land, and the nature around them, whereas the soldiers have come to fight for the land as they want to build upon it and develop the country. His third contradiction is reverence for the past and desire to build a new future. The tribes live very traditionally and will have lived like this for a long time, john brings his new ways of living into the tribe for example, the rifles and clothing. Theres a massive difference between the natives and soldiers as the soldiers were much more modern in comparison to the Native Americans.
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