The Shining Analysis

Scene 1: “RedRum”

The scene opens with a steady tracking shot which then pans out to show a larger section of the room. There is a clear presence of low-key lighting which is then justified by the lamp which is placed on the bedside cabinet. The focus of the scene is the child Danny, who is of a significance as his psychological visions allow him to understand the situation with his Father better than his Mother.

Interestingly the lamp highlights the door which is a key prop within the Mise-en-scene. As the camera pans to the left we see Danny’s mum lying in bed. This initially foreshadows danger as we know Jack has escaped from the storage cupboard and is determined to kill Wendy. Danny then picks up a knife and then holds it upwards to exaggerate its’ significance and danger. The camera then tracks Danny to the mirror, then the sequence cuts to an eye level shot of Danny. In which we can see his facial expression, and the fact that he is looking down at the knife. This connotes that he is inspecting the knife; as he is only a small child and this is likely to be the first time he has held a sharp knife.

This is an enigma code because at this point we are not sure whether he intends to use the knife himself or this is a psychological warning to his mother. Meanwhile in the background on the dressing table there is a single red rose. The rose itself carries many connotations of love; however it may represent the broken love between Jack and Wendy. Furthermore the red itself also foreshadows death which then links in with Danny holding a knife, this enforces the enigma code of Danny holding the knife. However the fact that it is implied that the Rose would most likely have chamfered Jack this points towards Danny foreshadowing that his Wendy will die. This is presented further by the fact that the knife Danny is holding is perfectly clean. Although this seems insignificant at first when we take in the later established connotations this is the final implicit clue that Danny is no threat to Wendy.

We then hear the diegetic sound of Danny chanting “RedRum”. He says this in a demonic voice which suggests he is possessed in some form. Additionally we know that he can see psychological visions and is telepathic. Meaning that if there are any ghost or demonic spirits present (which we know there is) then he can hear them. Staying with the same shot which tracks his movement as he picks up red lipstick. Once again continuing the connotation of death and broken love. He holds the lipstick up against the knife suggesting that they are equal in their significance. He then turns and makes his way to the door the camera stays at the same level and tracks him. Interestingly never showing him from the front only from the side. This enforces the pre-established enigma code as we are slightly in the dark. The door then comes into shot. However this time there is more of a shadow cast upon the door by the lamp, meanwhile the non diegetic sound of the soundtrack that creates tension and sounds extra terrestrial. As the camera continues to follow him he begins to write “RedRum” on the door.

At this point i felt suspense as i had already inferred that the door will play a significant role in the scene, especially as Danny had previously seen “RedRum” in a vision. At this point the camera pans out so we can now see Wendy lying in bed asleep. This creates a sense of fear as it leaves her vulnerable. As Danny moves closer towards the bed the camera stays with the trend of tracking his movement, the tense music continues to be played. In fact all that can be heard is the non diegetic sound of the music and Danny shouting “RedRum” as he approaches the bed . Soon he is screeching so loud he awakes Wendy who bolts up and screams. Simultaneously the music crescendos.

Meanwhile in the foreground of the scene on the bedside cabinet the lamp which creates the only source of light in the room is now wonky; this represents a disorganised and dangerous version of reality which as no logic. Further on the table is what appears to be a toy army tank, this represents both the violence which will soon come and the innocence of Danny as it is a children’s toy, yet this itself could be seen as a oxymoron.

Scene 2: “Here’s Johnny”

This scene uses intertextuality for both the reference to the tonight show (“Here’s Johnny”) and the three little pigs

The scene opens with a steady tracking shot which then pans out to show a larger section of the room. There is a clear presence of low-key lighting which is then justified by the lamp which is placed on the bedside cabinet. The focus of the scene is the child Danny, who is of a significance as his psychological visions allow him to understand the situation with his Father better than his Mother.

Interestingly the lamp highlights the door which is a key prop within the Mise-en-scene. As the camera pans to the left we see Danny’s mum lying in bed. This initially foreshadows danger as we know Jack has escaped from the storage cupboard and is determined to kill Wendy. Danny then picks up a knife and then holds it upwards to exaggerate its’ significance and danger. The camera then tracks Danny to the mirror, then the sequence cuts to an eye level shot of Danny. In which we can see his facial expression, and the fact that he is looking down at the knife. This connotes that he is inspecting the knife; as he is only a small child and this is likely to be the first time he has held a sharp knife.

This is an enigma code because at this point we are not sure whether he intends to use the knife himself or this is a psychological warning to his mother. Meanwhile in the background on the dressing table there is a single red rose. The rose itself carries many connotations of love; however it may represent the broken love between Jack and Wendy. Furthermore the red itself also foreshadows death which then links in with Danny holding a knife, this enforces the enigma code of Danny holding the knife. However the fact that it is implied that the Rose would most likely have chamfered Jack this points towards Danny foreshadowing that his Wendy will die. This is presented further by the fact that the knife Danny is holding is perfectly clean. Although this seems insignificant at first when we take in the later established connotations this is the final implicit clue that Danny is no threat to Wendy.

We then hear the diegetic sound of Danny chanting “RedRum”. He says this in a demonic voice which suggests he is possessed in some form. Additionally we know that he can see psychological visions and is telepathic. Meaning that if there are any ghost or demonic spirits present (which we know there is) then he can hear them. Staying with the same shot which tracks his movement as he picks up red lipstick. Once again continuing the connotation of death and broken love. He holds the lipstick up against the knife suggesting that they are equal in their significance. He then turns and makes his way to the door the camera stays at the same level and tracks him. Interestingly never showing him from the front only from the side. This enforces the pre-established enigma code as we are slightly in the dark. The door then comes into shot. However this time there is more of a shadow cast upon the door by the lamp, meanwhile the non diegetic sound of the soundtrack that creates tension and sounds extra terrestrial. As the camera continues to follow him he begins to write “RedRum” on the door.

At this point i felt suspense as i had already inferred that the door will play a significant role in the scene, especially as Danny had previously seen “RedRum” in a vision. At this point the camera pans out so we can now see Wendy lying in bed asleep. This creates a sense of fear as it leaves her vulnerable. As Danny moves closer towards the bed the camera stays with the trend of tracking his movement, the tense music continues to be played. In fact all that can be heard is the non diegetic sound of the music and Danny shouting “RedRum” as he approaches the bed . Soon he is screeching so loud he awakes Wendy who bolts up and screams. Simultaneously the music crescendos.

Meanwhile in the foreground of the scene on the bedside cabinet the lamp which creates the only source of light in the room is now wonky; this represents a disorganised and dangerous version of reality which as no logic. Further on the table is what appears to be a toy army tank, this represents both the violence which will soon come and the innocence of Danny as it is a children’s toy, yet this itself could be seen as a oxymoron.

 

Reflective Analysis

My task was to create a horror or thriller sequence using original images and to then edit the clip using premier pro. First of all I had to find a suitable location to shoot the sequence. This meant a setting with the facilities to produce low key lighting and ideally  thin corridors with old rooms. I found a old section of college which was part of the original 200 year old block.

This was the perfect location, it contained old fashioned windows empty and storage rooms and exposed floor boards. Along with cob webs and spiders could be seen along with out dated admin equipment; which after inspecting was no where near old enough to feature in the sequence. However, there was plenty in which the rooms had to offer.

Two rooms caught my attention, a room on the left of the landing and a room around the bend then right. The first was a old classroom, the second appeared to be an old bedroom or bathroom. Crucially though it contained a filthy old sink, boarded old windows and a old fashioned empty sideboard.  Meanwhile the classroom contained a chalk board and a storage room which was full of clutter and a dummy placed on a chair.

After assessing my options I decided to film entering the room containing the sink, where I got some close ups of a dripping tap and a cob webbed spider, I used lighting to exaggerate shadows and added in sound effects in the editing process. I then filmed a tracking shot which led into the storage room with the dummy.

The editing process was rather simple as I added a dripping sound for the tap and a horror soundtrack for the rest of the sequence. I the arranged the clips in a logical order. However if I was presented with more time I would’ve added separate audio tracks to each clip and I would’ve included fast paced cuts from each clip and rearranged and repeated some clips to create tension and fear.

Kill Bill Vol II: Personal response

The scene starts with a shot that contains low key lighting and is filmed in black and white to create high contrast between the dark wooden church and the light decorations and the desert land. This represents the split between her family life and dangerous past which is coming back to haunt her. As she walks forward a backwards tracking shot is used at an eye level to show her facial expression as she moves towards the exit. Not only is it a reaction shot but it also reveals more of her surroundings and allows me to understand that she is it a wedding, this is an example of the mise en scene being used to give me information.

As she hears a sound she focuses on the outside; as she holts so does the movement of the camera, this is to emphasise a casual movement to create a dramatic effect for the audience. The scene then cuts to a long shot; in which we can see the outside. Therefore I can infer that the sound she has heard is from outside. As she begins to exit the church we switch back to a forwards tracking shot. This suggests that what lurks outside is dangerous, the camera staying behind creates an enigma code as we find out what is there after she does. Furthermore the choice of camera angle is a slightly high angle shot, this contradicts the implicit connotation of the tracking shot that she is brave enough to walk outside, as the high angle shot diminishes her importance and makes me feel as though she is vulnerable and in the dark as much as I am.

As she leaves she takes a position towards the right of the shot, at this point in time I did not know why, but this soon becomes clear. Meanwhile I began to notice that she was wearing a wedding dress. This is because she fiddles with her veil, this would’ve been intentionally included to allow me and other viewers to be sure that she is a bride before we enter the crucial dialogue.

We cut to a low angle shot. Of which in the foreground is an elderly man and in the background is the bride. Interestingly the man is in dark clothing, which completely contrasts with the light setting of the church canopy and the desert in the distance. However the bride blends in with the surroundings; this carries connotations of purity and peacefulness. Throughout the dialogue there is only diegetic sound of the speech itself. Also in spite of the man appearing to be dominant by the first shot. As the beginning to speak a low angle is used on the bride to assert her dominance, along with slow cuts to present the tension of the dialogue and to create a sense of realism. It is also worth noting that as the speech moves on the two characters move closer to each other. To make this crystal clear we see a still shot of her feet stepping forwards, this once again presents the tension of the scene.

 

 

 

The Untouchables analysis

The first shot is a mid close up of the main protagonist, it shows him reacting to the time on the clock and to a woman running through what we assume is a station. It shows him holding a large black gun, which contrasts to the white background, and his light blue suit. Interestingly, both the gun and the hat are the same shade of black; this could represent how the gun interlinks with his thought process of balancing his job of shooting the antagonists or saving the baby. The character in this scene is wearing clothing from the 1920’s-1940’s era. At the time of suits, trench coats and fedora hats. Also, the colours of the suit he wears help the audience to differentiate who are the good characters and the bad ones. Considering the flamboyant style of colouring and patterns of the suit, the contemporary audience know that no one of the current era would wear anything like this.

Once again the majority of the scene is light white. With just the doors and the clock contrasting. The clock is one of the key props in the sequence as the whole scenario is structured from time. As he has to complete a job within a time limit and contemplate if he has time to save the baby. Meanwhile the doors also contrast with the background; this is because they are the entrance to the station and the key to the outside world. My personal opinion is that they connote that the outside world is dangerous (as they are a dark shade) and that the inside of the station is a safe place of luxury.

 

The next shot we see is another mid close up of the man’s face, this time he is reacting to a man leaning against a pillar. This is an example of eyeline editing, as we see what he is going to look at and then we see the image from his point of view. This is also the first time we see his full face, this could be significant as it could suggest that he is only half focussed on completing his time related task. Also, the fact that this is the first time we see the characters full face, allows the audience to see more of him, rather than him just looking at other places.

 

This particular shot is displaying a man standing beside a pillar, waiting. He is standing in a reserved and blatantly waiting position. This scene has been shot from a high angle, which suggests that he is a particularly vulnerable character and perhaps doesn’t possess much power. The pillars also diminish his height and emphasise his size. Also, pillars carry connotations of power, strength and regalness, therefore these connotations can show that this man is feeble is comparison, and could be destroyed easily. The lighting within this scene, however, can suggest that he is an important and good character, as the light coming in behind him implies an ‘angelic’ connotation. This particular type of lighting is a fill light. If this angle was shot at an eye-level angle, the character would be almost like glowing due to the light behind him.

This shot is significant as it’s the first time we see the character move, and break his hawk like stance. This is also shot as a mid close up, but his face is now central and he has lowered the gun. This could suggest that his thoughts are changing from violence, to other things that are going on, such as innocent people in the station, and probably the most innocent of everyone, the baby. His expression has softened as he looks down at the child, suggesting that the character has a caring and vulnerable side, which in turn conveys that he is the hero in this sequence. This shot is also filmed from a slightly low angle, emphasising the power he holds over everyone else in the room, and gives him a god like authority as if the people he is looking over are in his care, and he can choose if they live or not.

In this shot, we can see a woman carrying a baby with a pram behind her as she is carrying a suitcase. This shot is taken from a high angle which indicates her weakness and vulnerability as a character. Also, with this shot, the audience cannot see her face therefore it creates a theme of suspicion as he doesn’t yet know whether or not to help her as he doesn’t know who she is. The lighting within this particular shot is quite dark compared to the other ones. This is due to the shadows being quite prominent. This could emphasise her vulnerability as she is caught up in the darker part of the scene on her own. Perhaps, she is caught up in the shadows. The character is wearing a red cardigan, which could possibly be foreshadowing the bloody events to come due to her (to an extent). Also, the blanket inside the pram is red, which again could be foreshadowing.

This is another long shot filmed from a high angle, which again shows the vulnerability of the characters in the frame, and perhaps how they could possibly be in danger. This shot also contains the first physical human contact in the sequence, and the fact that it so loving, could contrast with the harshness of the main character. When the main protagonist sees the affection and kindness between the two, this could trigger something within him, making him want to help the mother and child. Also, during this scene, the sound of a baby’s lullaby is non-diegetic, which suggests that the baby is prominently on the protagonist’s mind. It is also there because it is building up tension as the protagonist will have to later decide whether or not to help the mother and baby.

Once again we have a shot that focuses on the mother and baby. However this time they are positioned differently in the shot; they are towards the left of the scene and the suitcase is positioned on it’s own. Not only is this because the mother has moved the case for convenience; it allows the audience to focus on the mother and the pram. This is to highlight the effort she is dedicating to pulling the pram. Furthermore this is the first time we see a detailed shot of the baby’s face. This is to illustrate his innocence, whilst his facial expression seems to be distressed. Not only does this represent his personal emotion it implies that his mother shares the same emotion. This is further implied by her unnatural stance.

Once again this shot focusses on time, or lack thereof, as the time has changed rapidly over the past few frames. We also have the introduction of more people into the scene which fits the stereotypical busy station scenario. Most of the characters are dressed in dark red, grey, brown or black clothing which again, contrasts with the light marble or the station walls and floor, which could foreshadow the oncoming blood shed. Also, the fact that these colours that they are wearing are drab and not bright, implies that they aren’t important characters and therefore the camera doesn’t focus on them excessively. The shot is also filmed from a low angle, to emphasise that these characters are powerful and strong. Considering everyone else in the scene is also wearing 30s/40s type clothing, the era is established and more securely confirmed. This is because the protagonist could have just been dressing up in clothes from the era for a different reason.

Another medium-long shot of the woman and her baby, except this time, people are rushing past her. The theme of time is ongoingly prominent. The non-diegetic sound of the lullaby is still playing, but now only stronger and louder. The lighting in this scene becomes more and more darker as the people are all wearing dark and drab clothes as they are all passing her. Not only that, but there are far more shadows entering the scene, making it more and more dark, emphasising her vulnerability and her loneliness. Also, the addition of these new shadows, puts the baby in darkness too, which could suggest, that corruption and impurity is learnt from adults around us.

Again, we see a medium close up reaction shot of the main protagonist, however, this time he looks on in disbelief, as no one stops to help the young lady and her child reach the top of the stairs, he stops and watches for a few seconds before turning his attention back to the clock, this transitions through eyeline editing, as we see him turn to the clock, and then we see the extreme close up of the hands striking twelve, which shows how key this time is to him.

Time is of the essence during this scene. This shot is an extreme close up of the clock as it ticks to the time he has been anticipating it to get to. The non-diegetic sound of the lullaby is still prominent, this is because the issue of the mother and baby is still on his mind. Also, considering this is an old-style clock, it helps to secure the time period of the

film being the 1930s.

 

 

We see a sequence of shot reverse shot editing between the main protagonist and the mother and child struggling on the stairs. We see her only ascending a couple of stairs before we return to the man’s face, which emphasises how long it is taking her to reach her destination. The main protagonist displays an almost uncomfortable facial expression at the thought of helping her, and he can’t help but think it over for a few seconds, as if he is weighing the price of her life from his god like podium. We see him finally make up his mind, and run to the woman and child’s aid, showing that he is at least partly good, if not the hero of the whole film.

This two-shot is shot from a low angle. It is shot like this because it allows the audience to feel as though they are part of the scene and watching from the bottom of the stairs. The audience can clearly see the two characters and the main feature of the scene, the clock. Considering the woman is in this scene, it is still particularly dark because it is still emphasising her vulnerability. He is finally acting upon the decision that took him a while to make. When looking at the clock, it is slightly blurred, this is because there is a shallow depth of field, which allows the camera, and audience to focus on the two characters, but it could still represent the blurring of time, and how everything is happening at such a high speed. The hands also look at if they are positioned as if they are and exclamation mark, which could show the urgency and haste in which he has to get the woman to the top of the stairs. The main protagonists clothing is much darker in this shot, which could show that the woman and child are far more innocent compared to him, and although we are now viewing him as a hero, he has done bad things.