Monday, 25 November 2019
Synopsis
Film one
A private investigator by David Doyle has been approached by a woman, whom we never see, to solve a case shrugged off by the police, this case, although seems plain, is an enigma to those who look deeply into it. Is is a "suicide" and Doyle is apprehensive to assist the woman, exposed through his narration, but the woman persists and so he plans to solve it. This is all prior to filmingDoyle has an informant known as Bogart Bates, he is asked by Doyle to come with him as he sees it as an opportunity to crack the case, however Bates takes him to an undisclosed location.
Bates is then seen leading Doyle on a trail that eventually leads the duo to the train station, upon entering the lift the two speak briefly before Doyle is knocked out unconscious and dragged away.
He is then next seen waking up in an art studio where Bates photographs him as a prisoner. The film ends without resolving the dispute, it is unclear what Bates has in store for Doyle.
Film Two
· Bates is shown murdering the kid. His motive is unclear but supposedly he is insane and looses his temper. There is a scene of gratuitous torture and violence.
· Doyle gets called regarding the "suicide" and from Bates’ perspective he sees his chance to cover it up by requesting to assist Doyle. He leads him to an undisclosed location and we see him attack Doyle in the train station lift and drag the body away.
· Bates finally gets to torture Doyle, he gags him, beats him and eventually murders him.
· Finishes with a similar scene to the beginning and therefore has an almost circular narrative.
· Film ends with a blackout after looking at Doyle's dead body on the floor of the art studio Bates used to frame his masterpiece artwork in, the murders. As he is not captured the ending is ambiguous on whether he will continue on this path or he has finished with his murderous ways.
Monday, 14 October 2019
With close
reference to one scene from pans labyrinth explore how cinematography and mise
en scene creates meaning?
“You are going to a very dangerous
place. So be careful.” This dialogue foreshadows the horror of the
scene that is about to follow. Upon Ofelia’s entering the place where the
Pale man lives, the camera is moving away from her, so that a part of the room
she is about to enter could be viewed. The pale man is a clear
representation of the fascist like leader Vidal. He is a symbol of the brutal oppression
in Ofelia's world as he is an obstacle preventing Ofelia from completing her
task, which juxtaposes with Vidal oppressing the people in
Spain. Ultimately Vidal is a mirror of Franco’s rule over Spain in
(1936-1939) the cause of having 2 parallel worlds allows del turo
to criticize society by representing the cruel nature of
each character. Fortunately we are able to make a
clear connotation to Vidal and the pail man witch
makes analyzing this scene more elaborative. the shot of the close up
to the hour glass emphasizes her leaving safety building tension and
anticipation to if ofelia will make it back to the real world On first sight
the pail man is sitting at the end of the table echoing the banquet with Vidal
on the end with fire emerging from being symbolizing anger
and danger. In the first instance a tracking shot is used to move the camera
away from Ophelia as she enters the pail mans lair this conveys how ofelia is
insignificant and is swallowed by the overwhelming surroundings which signifies
Ophelia’s charter under Vidal’s rule insignificant and small. Del Toro
uses this tracking technique to emphasize a dolly out
tequneque to capture Ophelia’s wonder and curiosity is on a wider level and
allows us to see the world that is hidden resembling that it is hidden because
it’s dangerous. Furthermore a cross dissolve is used to further dolly out to
emphases that there is more that meets the eye the meaning behind this is to
deeply create illusion, this is hand in hand with the low key lighting that
adds an eerie atmosphere with is setting up the scene for horror as suggested
by the over head lighting witch has connotations to horror movies.The
non-diegetic eerie music playing in the background signifies the
anticipation of the feeling of horror that Ofelia is to encounter.
The film represents children as being innocent vulnerable in despair
clinging for help in need. it is a metaphor of how the young are consumed by
fascism which ties into the overall theme of the film. the sound design mirrors
it with the sound of distant screaming children being heard I
personally believe this is a non-diagenetic Foley sound due to the nature of
the sense. The is a great use of the Mise en scène,sounds and
perfectly creates tension evil and fear through make up and costume and the use
of digests exams creating and intimidating tone The tracking shot during the
chasing scene makes the audience feel uneasy as the audience see the
fantasy world being spin around through the extreme close-up shots of the
running with a constant reference of vidals reign.The close-up of the chair
shows the unsteadiness of the contrast between the real world and the Fantasy
world. It divides the easy escape of the chair between both worlds. The chair
was brought from the real world symbolising that because it is not of the
fantasy world cannot remain in the fantasy world without obstructing Ophelia‘s
escape. The Pale Man serves as a very intriguing allegory and
monster which represents the fetishism of innocence, material pleasures,
and gluttony.
Wednesday, 25 September 2019
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