A frantic Amelia bursts out of the door leading to the basement and into the living room, looking about, panic-stricken as the lights flicker rapidly with an overwhelming sense of foreboding. Glass bulbs explode in the chaos as Amelia backs away, the camera following her movement, tracking into a claustrophobic close-up. Slowly she turns to look over her shoulder; everything is now still, revealing the true subject in the scene as a huge, dark figure glides out of the darkness across the kitchen floor towards a petrified Amelia. This pivotal scene in the 2014 film, The Babadook by director Jennifer Kent outlines several key motifs and ideas that define the film’s narrative and communicate its themes. Starting off, the first 10 minutes of …show more content…
the film we understand the situation at hand. This is a widowed mother suffering from depression, is repeatedly exhausted and stressed out - key points that are evident in her make-up and minimalist wardrobe. Her relationships with those around her are tense, especially with her son, Samuel. We are shown an ongoing struggle to keep him under control that appears endless with his notable behavioral issues. Unable to forget about her deceased husband Amelia’s denial of his departure is very real. Throughout the film we are shown this as she insists that nobody bring up the husband’s name. Ironically, her denying the belief in the otherwise fictional Babadook is the thing that brings The Babadook across the threshold between make-believe and reality. I quote “I’ll wager with you. I’ll make you a bet. The more you deny, the stronger I get.” From start-to-finish, this brief ten shot excerpt presents mise-en-scene that expresses the deep, tormented psychosis that Amelia is enduring. When she firsts bursts out of the basement, after her confrontation with what we understand to be is the husband we are put in her shoes. No music is audible yet, only the ominous presence of static noise, failing electricals and a dull droning wind. Instantly we are told by the film, not what to feel, but what to do. Listen. A absence of music with only ambient/atmospheric sounds encourages us to focus deeply on the scene at hand rather than being wooed by intense horror/thriller music which would typically warn us of an impending evil. Notably, we are too focused on the action in the mid and foreground to notice the imposing figure standing in the background, almost completely obscured by the shadow of the doorway. The use of starkly contrasting shadows to portray the ever looming creature acts as an archetype of horror conventions. The tension continues to climb as Amelia frantically scans the room, her breathing rate increases and becomes more audible with the sound of cicadas steadily becoming more intense. We are made aware of the severity of the situation with shot 2. The wide, establishing shot of the living room from behind Amelia makes the other paranormal occurrences seem irrelevant. Where previously it had only been one or two lights flickering, the entire room is now being affected. By dramatizing the scale of an event which when isolated is symbolic of horror tropes; we are made to realise the coming culmination. While often over used in films, most notably in Carol Read’s, The Third Man (1949) the Dutch tilt is used as a symbolic framing to show crooked things are happening. Kent’s choice of a Dutch tilt in the shot of the chandelier bulbs exploding gives the scene away. The majority of the film, The Babadook is shot on seemingly neutral shots; by comparison the use of a Dutch tilt is the last straw for Amelia as there is no escape. While the high contrast lighting and the use of Dutch tilt is a testament to Noir cinema and its connection to the modern day stereotypes of horror/thriller films, it is clear that the appearance and portrayal of the Babadook was influenced by German Expressionism. Among the first of the Expressionist films to convey the distorted imagery and irregularities was Nosferatu (1922), an unauthorized adaptation of the novel Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker. We are shown the full extent of the Babadook in shot 6 + 8, a disturbing appearance that resembles parts from The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari (1920) and Nosferatu. The black top hat and long spindly fingers have become iconic and are defined within the horror genre. Kent’s knowledge of classical horror conventions is shown in The Babadook and helps to give the film historical backing and merit. In connection to the rest of the film this excerpt tells us a lot about the themes of the story by drawing a line between what is real narrative and what is metaphorical.
The mise-en-scene shown in The Babadook is effective in communicating the story to the audience. The Babadook is a metaphorical representation of Amelia’s grief and despair for her husband, it embodies true human fears. Amelia insists no one say her husband’s name, she repeatedly burns the book even though she knows it will keep coming back, this is a woman living in denial. Being a film about grief it is expected that Amelia would go through the 5 stages of the grief process. In essence this short scene is her total mental breakdown. As the tension builds towards the main culmination/climax in Amelia’s narrative so too does the angle of the shots, we start off with neutral shots set at her eye level, but then jump to a slight high angle that increases as the scene develops. This combined with the audio in the shots shows us who’s in control in the scene. The sounds when The Babadook approaches is emulative of the high pitched ringing and the metal warping heard in the car crash scene, drawing a stronger connection between this scene and the underlying narrative
themes. Choosing to go somewhere crazy in order to convey the deeply traumatized emotions that this character (Amelia) is suppressing makes this film stand out. At first glance the film comes across as a conceptually dull, paranormal horror film, but viewing is an embellished approach to the psycho-depressant nature of the narrative. The film is so haunting because of this and it is a real fear that stays with us well after leaving the cinema, not a ghost story. Trying to block the door is pointless as it is an extention of her, so can go where ever she is
As I mentioned earlier, the clutter in the Gunderson’s home does speak volumes about who they are as people. Well very proud and honest people, they are very flawed and blue collar. This clutter is continued on in the kitchen. The shelf behind the kitchen table is filled with pictures and other nick-nacks. This clutter is eerily reminiscent of the middle class household portrayed by the MacGuff’s in the film Juno. These families both are not going to make sure everything in their home is pristine, but their way of life is really not too uncommon. It really does embody a lot of blue collar America. Another good use of mise en scene in this sequence was the very gray and desolate skyline during the murder investigation. Murder obviously is not a light topic, so the dark atmosphere in the sky very much fits into the theme of this scene. The last thing I’d like to mention about mise en scene and staging takes me back to the opening zoom of this sequence. Along with the visual theatrics zoom, the sudden appearance of nondiegetic music also insinuates this is quite an important scene in the film. Once we hear the dramatic strings, we know something dramatic is about to happen, especially because the music is clearly not coming from something on the screen. This nondiegetic sound can be a useful tool to setting a scene and properly utilizing mise en scene and at the end of day, setting the scene is key in a naturalistic
The mise en scenes in this film are unique because it gave viewers the ability to have a sense of how the characters are feeling. For example, low lighting was used throughout the film to express a sense of the unknown and/or fear. Another great example of how mise en scene was used is how human shadows for night shooting were used to increase the feeling of mystery and a threating atmosphere (Awjingyi). And one of the most important examples of mise en scene used in this film is in the last scene where mirrors were used (aka the “funhouse”) to
A large portion of contemporary film and theatre has been lacking in substance. More often than not, we are presented with a “been there, seen that” scenario. One such exception to this rule is Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a film by John Cameron Mitchell that was released in 2001. Set primarily in post-Cold War America, Hedwig is a film that characteristically breaks convention. Our story follows Hedwig, a forgotten and confused homo…trans…well, human being. Growing up in East Berlin during the Cold War, Hansel Schmidt (John Cameron Mitchell) lives what I would call a horrible childhood in the bleak landscape of communist occupied Germany. He falls in love with an American soldier, and undergoes a sex change in order to marry him and leave East Berlin. The operation is botched, leaving him/her as a physical contradiction. Not quite a man, but not yet a woman, Hansel (now Hedwig) has what she describes as an “angry inch.” When describing it in lighter terms, she calls it a “Barbie doll crotch.” Upon arriving in America, the soldier leaves her the same day the Berlin wall comes down. Destroyed, Hedwig spends some time discovering her new self and eventually finds a soul mate in a young boy named Tommy Speck (Michael Pitt). They collaborate musically and romantically, but upon discovering Hedwig’s secret he leaves with all of their music. He becomes a huge rock star, living Hedwig’s dream while simultaneously leaving her in the dust. From then on, Hedwig and her band “The Angry Inch” follow Tommy as he tours the nation while Hedwig tries desperately to gain the notoriety she deserves for her music. Viewing this film through the lens of a feminist gender perspective, I find that Hedwig is a pioneer on the forefront of changing the gende...
On a tiny snowflake floating through the air, exists the town of Who-ville, home of the Whos. The town is joyously preparing for the coming of Christmas. The opening scene is full of noise and excitement with the townspeople hustling and bustling about shopping for gifts. Cheerful Christmas music plays in the background while the countdown until Christmas Day is announced over the town’s loudspeaker. Bright colors combined with unusual hairstyles are seen on the people of Who-ville. The town itself is covered with a multitude of lights, decorated trees, and wreaths.
Book of Genesis in the Old Testament or from the Hebrew Torah. What may be less familiar to
The Kite Runner focuses on the relationship between two Afghan boys Amir and Hassan. Amir is a Pashtun and Sunni Muslim, while Hassan is a Hazara and a Shi’a. Despite their ethnic and religious differences, Amir and Hassan grow to be friends, although Amir is troubled by Hassan, and his relationship with his companion, one year his junior, is complex. Amir and Hassan seem to have a "best friend" type relationship. The two boys, Hassan and Amir, are main characters in the book titled, The Kite Runner. The two boys have a relationship that is significantly different compared to most. There are many different facets that distinguish the relationship the boys possess. The boys do write their names in a pomegranate tree as the "sultans of Kabul" (Kite Runner 27) but, their friendship is not strong and it is one sided. Hassan has love for Amir. He loves him like a brother. Hassan is exceedingly loyal to Amir. The relationship between the two boys is emotionally wearing and rather gloomy for the most part. The main reason for their complicated relationship is the fact that Amir is Pashtun, and Hassan is Hazara. The Afghan society places Hassan lower than Amir. Hassan is Amir's servant. The placement of Hassan in the Afghan society disenables Amir from becoming Hassan's true friend. Amir sees Hassan as lower than human. Amir ruins the chance for friendship between himself and Hassan because he is jealous of Hassan, he thinks of Hassan as a lower human, and because Amir possesses such extreme guilt for what he has done to Hassan. Amir is an unforgivable person overall.
Washington Irving’s short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” was adapted into a movie titled “Sleepy Hollow” directed by Tim Burton nearly two centuries after the original publication. When the story was adapted as a film, several extensive changes were made. A short story easily read in one sitting was turned into a nearly two-hour thriller, mystery, and horror movie by incorporating new details and modifying the original version of the story. The short story relates the failed courtship of Katrina Van Tassel by Ichabod Crane. His courtship is cut short by the classic romance antagonist-the bigger, stronger, and better looking Broom Bones. Ichabod wishes to marry Katrina because of her beauty but also because of the wealthy inheritance she will receive when her father, Baltus Van Tassel and stepmother, Lady Van Tassel die. However, the film tells the story of Ichabod Crane as an investigator who is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the recent decapitations that are occurring. These modifications alter the original story entirely, thus failing to capture the Irving’s true interpretation of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The film and the original story have similarities and differences in the plot, characters, and setting.
Early in the film , a psychologist is called in to treat the troubled child :and she calmed the mother with a statement to the effect that, “ These things come and go but they are unexplainable”. This juncture of the film is a starting point for one of the central themes of the film which is : how a fragile family unit is besieged by unusual forces both natural and supernatural which breaks and possesses and unites with the morally challenged father while the mother and the child through their innocence, love, and honesty triumph over these forces.
Mise-en-scéne is something that we see in movies all the time. It’s translated from French and means the staging the different aspects of a movie such as setting, lighting, subjects, or almost anything else. Any common movie, such as Inside Out, shows Mise-en-snéne in it. Three big parts of Mise-en-scéne that are shown in the movie Inside Out are cinematography, sound, and editing. Inside Out uses all of these by describing a plot in which there are feelings in our brains which connect to different memories that we can remember at any time. There were five main emotions that controlled the person on the outside whose name was Riley. The five emotions were named, Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness. They helped Riley as she moved away from
It is likely for one to assume that a classic piece of literature set in a fantasy oriented stage will have no merits to the youths of today. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, however, with its crafty of usage symbolism, displays its relevance to issues that often trouble teens. As the story progresses from a children’s tale to an epic, the main character Bilbo undergoes a series of development, his experiences often overlapping with ordinary people. Reading the Hobbit will provide teens with opportunities of exploring the importance of several common but serious topics. People may encounter many of the themes presented in the book elsewhere repeatedly, but it’s possible that they never appreciated the applications it might have on themselves. When teens read the Hobbit, they perceive it as a simple fiction of adventure. Under proper guiding, they will be able to recognize and utilize the lessons of the Hobbit, and improve their attitudes and ideas about life.
Samuel is not only an example of the classic distraught child characteristic of a troubled family, but also is a reflection of Amelia’s true desire. Samuel acts as the traditional dominant male figure in the relationship, because there is no dominant figure to take control. Samuel is constantly seeking attention which represents the archaic idea that woman needs to abide to the needs of a man. Amelia is frightened by these constraints as they begin to control her life. Samuel’s destructive behavior makes it increasingly difficult for Amelia to have a normal life. Instead she sacrifices everything to take care of Samuel, even going as far as to alienating herself from family and friends. When Samuel is kicked out of school for almost injuring another child, “A dart could have ended up in the eye of a child, or worse … Samuel will be separated from other children,” Amelia begins to alienate herself from others (Babadook). These chains that bind Amelia to the social norms of motherhood makes Amelia feel as if she has no control of her life. Samuel destructive behavior can be linked to Amelia as if he is a negative image of herself that she wants to control, but cannot, which is further exemplified by Samuel’s mannerisms. As the movie progresses, Amelia and Samuel’s roles become reversed as Amelia is able to defeat the Babadook and regain control of her life, while Samuel reverts to the ideal
Thesis: Engulfed in darkness and surrounded by sounds both familiar and frightening, Josh Malerman’s novel, Bird Box shows that in order to survive the unknown one must continue to believe that they will find their safe haven.
Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story is a timeless tale of adventure, imagination, and self-discovery. The story revolves around Bastian Balthazar Bux, an innocent but awkward, socially outcast, and greatly misunderstood pre-teen boy of a widowered father who finds himself metaphorically and literally lost within the pages of a magical book entitled The Neverending Story.
I spent a lot of time considering what movie I would watch to write this essay. I listed off the movies that I would like to watch again, and then I decided on The Notebook. I didn’t really think I could write about adolescence or children, so I thought that, maybe, I could write about the elderly. The love story that The Notebook tells is truly amazing. I love watching this movie, although I cry every time I watch it. The Notebook is about an elderly man that tells the story of his life with the one he loves the most, his wife. He is telling the story to his wife, who has Alzheimer’s Disease, which is a degenerative disease that affects a person’s memory. She has no recollection of him or their life together, or even her own children. She wrote the story of their love herself, so that when he read the story to her, she would come back to him. There are three things that I would like to discuss about this movie. First, I would like to discuss their stage of life and the theory that I believe describes their stage of life the best. Second, I would like to discuss Alzheimer’s DIsease and its affect on the main character who has it and her family. Third, I would like to discuss how at the end of the movie, they died together. I know it is a movie, but I do know that it is known that elderly people who have been together for a long time, usually die not to far apart from one another.
Being invited to a friend’s house the other day, I began to get excited about the journey through the woods to their cabin. The cabin, nestled back in the woods overlooking a pond, is something that you would dream about. There is a winding trail that takes you back in the woods were their cabin sits. The cabin sits on top of a mountain raised up above everything, as if it was sitting on the clouds.