Jigsaw Shot Analysis

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Shot 1: Dissolve from a establishing shot of Xanadu into a close-up of Susan working on a jigsaw puzzle. Susan looks up from her puzzle to the direction of Kane’s voice while the camera cranes away from a close-up to medium shot of her. This shot begins a shot-reverse-shot sequence between Susan and Kane. Shot 2: A cut to extreme long shot of the interior of Xanadu and Kane in the background standing at the archway walking forward. Once again in shot-reverse-shot sequence. There are Egyptian, Greek, and Chinese sculptures in the foreground to middle ground. Shot 3: A cut to same medium shot of Susan as in Shot 1. Once again in shot-reverse-shot sequence. Shot 4: A shot-reverse-shot cut to same shot as shot 2. The camera pans to the right …show more content…

Instead, she lets him answer his own question coming to the conclusion that she is working on jigsaw puzzles. This aspect of Kane asking and answering his own question towards Susan happens again later in the clip in shot 11. Susan looks at Kane but does not say anything when he asks her “What are you doing?”. He then questions why she keeps on doing the jigsaw puzzles by saying “ Susan gets annoyed with his comment and snaps back “It’s better than collecting statues”. Kane does not understand why Susan keeps on working on jigsaw puzzles and Susan does not understand why Kane collects statues. They both do not understand one another therefore alluding to the fact that they are growing apart and eventually going to separate. There lives are turning tragic due to the fact that they just stay at the palace all the time alone doing their hobbies. This is depicted by the six shots of Susan’s hands working on jigsaw puzzles. These scenes also have music playing over them sounding similar to a clock ticking. This shows that they are not happy and just trying to pass the …show more content…

Susan is redoing the same puzzles over and over again representing how mundane and repetitive her life has become with Kane. It also means that Susan has no control over her life but with the puzzles she can make the perfect picture. She is being manipulated by Kane by being forced to sing in opera even when she does not want to and forced to live isolated at Xanadu with Kane. Susan even asks about the time in New York and tells Kane she wants to go. Kane however just brushes off her interest and request to go to New York. She makes it obvious that she does not want to be kept in the palace all the time but Kane just ignores her. The power dynamic in their relationship is shown when Kane and Susan have conversations. During all of their conversations Kane is always standing over Susan. Kane is often not looking at her or placing himself away from her as if he is not really there or listening to Susan. Kane’s body language depicts that he does not really care for Susan or her needs. He treats her like a child when she speaks to him which is further depicted by the height difference in the shots. This aspect is also showing Kane controlling Susan’s life as if she is a

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