Analysis of Trainspoting

Analysis of Trainspoting

"Make a close analysis of a film segment you have viewed and describe

the use of mise-en-scene and editing."

I have chosen to analyse a small segment of the film "Trainspotting".

The particular scene I have chosen is called "Spuds Interview" and

shows a character (Spud) attempting to appear as if he is trying to

earn the placement at a leisure facility. The catch is he is trying to

appear to be trying without actually having to get the job and

therefore work. Spud appears to be drugged and his hyper-active,

exuberant personality which does a little more than simply shine

through shows. The most important aspect of this segment is the

mise-en-scene as it is this which gives the greatest effect.

The interview is set in a simple room. The room appears unfriendly and

un-welcoming as it has cold, bare dull yellow walls and a dark blue

carpet. Throughout the interview this carpet is seen as a simile for

the sea, it is a deep blue/ turquoise. This is because during the

interview we see Spud,in effect, drown as he is digging himself into a

deeper hole by lying and trying to outsmart the interviewers.

There is an escape for Spud from the blue carpet to a thick beige

border around the edge of the icy blue, however his seat is placed on

its own in the centre of "the sea". The interviewers however are

situated at the edge of the blue carpet in a "safe zone". This "zone"

becomes apparent when we see from Spuds eye looking to them, they are

close together as if there is strength in their numbers.

The whole interview is very impersonal, however the room introduces a

powerful image, a large mural on the wall of a...

... middle of paper ...

...hat I am (straight cut) right?

(Straight cut) That I am? (Straight cut)

Interviewer: Mr. Murphy, do you mean you lied on your application?

It is clear that all of the editing used makes Spuds speech fast and

hard to keep up with. This is an excellent way of creating an image of

confusion for the viewer. We see this editing throughout the scene and

compares incredibly accurately with the character and language the

character is using.

The reason I felt this scene was as effective as it was, was because

of the clashes of social backgrounds and the humor this presents

especially as we as an audience know Spud is under the influence of

drugs. An tightly controlled scene provides an interesting analysis

with the added bonus of taking a brief look into some-ones potential,

or of course in Spuds case, the lack of it.