In the film “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” directed by Lasse Hallström is a film about the problems and responsibilities of Gilbert Grape and how he overcomes these problems to find happiness and delight. In the scene that I am analyzing, Gilbert Grape, the protagonist of the movie is seen with Becky watching the sun set over Endora (the town where they live). Gilbert remembers that he has to go home and give his (mentally disabled) brother Arnie a bath. Gilbert leaves Arnie in the bath and runs off to meet Becky once more. He gets back home to see Arnie still in the bath, shivering. Hallström uses this scene to show how careless Gilbert was with his brother and also to signify the special bond between Gilbert and Becky. He uses four techniques …show more content…
to show this - facial expressions, different camera shots, colour, and lighting. Hallström uses facial expressions to show Gilbert’s carelessness for his brother Arnie. When Gilbert came back home to give Arnie a bath (something he did every day) he is shown with a blank expression on his face and it appeared as if he was thinking of something else (most likely, meeting again with Becky). This is a common reaction when someone is not thinking of the task in front of them (or being careless about it) rather of something or (in Gilbert’s case) someone else. Later in the movie, when Gilbert is apologizing to his mum for leaving Arnie in the bath, he (yet again) has a blank expression on his face and does not appear to be affected by leaving his brother in the shower. Gilbert’s facial expressions (or lack thereof) during the ‘bathing scene’ proves that Gilbert was careless with his brother Arnie and didn’t have any thought before leaving Arnie alone in the bath. The scene where he apologizes to his mum furthermore reinforces this idea and also shows that he had no regrets. Facial expressions were also used to signify a special bond between Gilbert and Becky. Both of the characters in this scene have a happy expression on their face. This suggests that they are enjoying each others company and are happy and comfortable with each other. They both look like they are cherishing the moment together and look as if there’s a special bond/connection between the two. Hallström uses different camera shots to signify the special bond between Gilbert and Becky.
In the start of the scene, Gilbert and Becky are sitting together watching the sunset. Closeups were used to show the facial expressions of the characters. The close up allowed the audience to understand the characters’ emotions and to feel empathy for them. The close-ups showed us that Gilbert and Becky were happy with each other as they had happy (and positive) expressions on their faces. The close ups made us feel personal with the character and tried to show us how Gilbert and Becky were feeling and how they responded to each other’s company. When Gilbert and Becky are watching the sunset, sitting next to each other, long shots were used to help signify a special bond between the two characters. The longshot shows the two characters sitting alongside each other, facing the sun. They seem quite relaxed and problem free. The long shot also shows the beauty of the land around them which (through most of the movie) seems very dull and “like a dance without any music”. Gilbert’s life was (mostly) dull and non-eventful until Becky had entered his life. Endora had not been expressed in such beauty until this scene. This could imply that when Becky had entered Gilbert’s life, the beauty and true nature of Gilbert started surfacing. These different camera shots allow us to see the special bond between Gilbert and Becky and foreshadows an even closer relationship between the …show more content…
two. Hallström also uses a harmony of colours to symbolise the bond between Gilbert and Becky.
In the scene where Gilbert and Gilbert are sitting down watching the sunset, the whole frame is filled with orange light. Although this is commonly the colour of a sunset, I feel that it had a deeper and more profound meaning in this scene. The colour orange makes us feel optimistic and uplifted. It also relates to social interaction and communication. Gilbert and Becky were most likely feeling very uplifted during this scene. This was mainly shown through their facial expressions as they seemed very happy and delighted. They seemed really uplifted and full of ‘warmth’. The colours of the sunset helped reinforce the idea of their happiness and uplifted spirits which were a cause of them being together. Gilbert and Becky were socially interacting in this scene through speech (dialogue). The orange in this scene could have been used to imply the positive social interaction between Gilbert and Becky. Their facial expressions had also backed up the idea of positive social interaction as they seemed quite happy together (a special bond was forming between the two). The colour orange used in this scene strongly implies a special bond between Gilbert and
Becky. Hallström uses lighting in this scene effectively to create a sense of happiness and serenity during when Gilbert and Becky are watching the sunset. Our brains are hardwired to relate brightly or well-lit environments to happy memories and happy thoughts. Dark or dimly lit scenes and environments causes feelings of sadness and causes the scene to be eerie. In this scene, when the camera was showing Gilbert or Becky’s face, the lighting was bright and soft. This suggests that they were probably ecstatic during that time. When the camera is behind them (capturing a long shot of Becky and Gilbert watching the sunset with their backs turned) the lighting is quite dark and there is a lot of shadows. Dark lighting is related to sadness and generally negative thoughts. The director could have been trying to imply that Gilbert’s sadness and ‘dark times’ were put behind him after he had met Becky. He was focusing on the good times and what was happening then and there instead of dwelling in his seemingly sad. Becky was an escape from reality for Gilbert. The lighting in this scene represents the happiness of Gilbert and how he has a special connection with Becky. In conclusion, Hallström uses a combination of facial expressions, different camera shots, colour and lighting to show the carelessness that Gilbert had for Arnie as well as to signify the special bond between Gilbert and Becky. The director made the character of Gilbert and Becky look to be comfortable and happy in each other’s company and implied in this scene that a special bond was being formed.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape portrays a family dealing with the trials, misfortunes, and also great times of having a member with a disability. The Grape family consists of Gilbert, Ellen, Amy, Mama (Mrs.Grape), and of course, Arnie. They live in an isolated town of Endora in a house that seems to be in shambles since their father died, causing their mother’s depression and becoming morbidly obese. Considering that there is only one parent left, their family structure single parenting and trends in a laissez-faire family pattern.
However, he is so young to handle such big responsibilities alone and feel himself buried under them. Similarly, Bonnie is not fulfilling her motherly duties, and she has become a burden for the family ( Wolz). On the other hand, Ardnie needs an extensive care and supervision that is not possible for a disturbed family, who has lost its balance after the death of the father. In these circumstances, it is important that the family should seek the aid of a professional person who can help and guide them in resolving their family issues which are negatively affecting attitudes and lives of the family. As a local human service professional, I can help the Grapes family by enhancing their motivational energy and make them understand about their particular roles in the family system through psycho education. It will also educate them to handle the stress of their surrounding issues. By counseling, I can assist Bonnie to effectively perform her duties and play her role in strengthening her family. Gilbert needs to consider him free from household duties and try to identify his personal identity that can give him inner peace and solace. Moreover, family needs to be emotionally trained, so they can effectively control the abrupt behavior of Ardnie. Whereas, Ardnie can also be taught to execute routine
Should others be able to control what we eat? Should they tell us what to eat or what not to eat, or should we be responsible for our own eating habits? In Wendell Berry’s essay, “The Pleasures of Eating”, he argues that people should eat responsibly and to eat responsible is to live free. According to Berry, one way to eat responsible is to live free. He explains how people are not free if our food and sources are controlled by someone else. I disagree with Berry’s argument, because it is up to people to decide whether they want to eat responsibly and live free. Many people do not care where their food comes from and others do not have time to learn about their food and its origin.
After experiencing a traumatic car crash, Michelle, the protagonist of director Dan Trachtenberg’s film 10 Cloverfield Lane, wakes up in an underground bunker owned by a man named Howard. Howard claims to have saved her from a widespread chemical attack that has contaminated the air, with his bunker being the only place to take refuge for the next couple of years. Yet as the film progresses, Howard’s controlling and threatening demeanor eventually brings Michelle to escape, allowing her to come across the actuality of the situation outside the isolated bunker. Throughout the production, Trachtenberg arranges close frames, manipulates the camera’s focus, and chooses specific lighting to create an ominous tone that mystifies and disturbs viewers.
In the iconic book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a story about a wealthy man chasing the fantasy of being with his former love, colors expressed more than what was on the page. Over the course of events narrated by Nick Carraway, one could easily identify that colors meant more than they appeared. Colors like red indicated emotions like anger and others like yellow indicated multiple concepts, one of them being danger. In The Great Gatsby, the name “Daisy” and her character’s personality/actions can be interpreted as the colors and structure of a daisy flower to shed the dynamics of her character.
Paper Towns is about a boy named Quentin Jacobsen and his childhood friend Margo Roth Spiegelman. When they were kids, they spent a lot of time together, but as they grew up, they also grew apart. Then, one day, Margo shows up at Quentin’s window, asking him to help her. They then spend the night seeking revenge on Margo’s high school friends who she says have wronged her. The next day, Margo disappears, which isn’t uncommon for Margo. But this time, Quentin gets involved in the mystery until, eventually, he’s the only one still looking. Quentin believes Margo wants to be found and has left a trail of clues for him. After searching for a while, Quentin finds the clue that leads him to Agloe, New York, where Margo is. Quentin and his friends take a road trip there, to find out that Margo isn’t what Quentin expected at all.
In this movie, much emphasis is placed on simplicity, spontaneity and directness, so we can focus on the true story without being distracted from the normal every day routines these characters have. A degree of realism is achieved in this movie, because the fact remains that Ben is an alcoholic, although he does drink in extremes where the normal human being would be unconscious, and Sera is a prostitute, so the intense situations and decisions in this movie are reasonably depicted. One of the first scenes is an extreme long shot of the city of Las Vegas, because this sinful city was very carefully chosen as the setting of the story to preserve realism. Full shots are often used to show the protagonists on their daily routine, such as when Ben goes shopping at the supermarket for liquor. Figgis mainly used multiple shots to emphasize the two protagonist’s interactions with each other. The two shot and the over-the-shoulder shot were used often to build a sit...
F. Scott Fitzgerald utilizes the color yellow to symbolize moral deterioration and depravity. F. Scott Fitzgerald writes, “The lamp-light, bright on his boots and dull on the autumn-leaf yellow of her hair (18).” F. Scott Fitzgerald is referring to Tom and Daisy Buchannan and he is signifying that Tom is slowly progressing towards moral decay. In the novel, there are several incidents that prove Tom is in fact, progressing towards moral decay. First, Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson. Second, Tom does not like Jay Gatsby, and several times he attempts to prove that Gatsby is not who he claims he is. Tom even goes as far as to hire a detective in his attempts to prove that Gatsby is not who he claims he is.
Nick Carraway says: “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together and let other people clean up the mess they had made…” (Fitzgerald 170). Nick makes this observation about his family in the novel “The Great Gatsby” by F.Scott Fitzgerald. In the spring of 1922, Nick moves to West Egg and meets a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby; there he witnesses Gatsby longing for a life with Daisy Buchanan and failing to achieve the American dream. Tom and Daisy initially show their carelessness by deciding to marry each other when neither of them were fully committed. Their thoughtless behavior carries on through their marriage as they both partake in affairs and emotionally torture their partners. When the Buchanans show their next act of carelessness it results in the death of three people. In “The Great Gatsby”, Tom and Daisy continually show how careless they are and there are many repercussions to their actions.
Mise-en-scene is used to convey friendship in scenes such as the rooftop scene and for many of Andy and Red’s conversations in the yard. When Andy and Red are together and are enjoying their friendship the setting and arrangement of props is often very open, with little bars or imposing walls to look intimidating or dominating. This displays how together they are as free as they can be while imprisoned in Shawshank. When Andy is alone, the bars and walls tower over and confine Andy, making him appear constrained and vulnerable. This is a direct contrast to many of the scenes with Red and Andy together, this is to show how alone they are powerless but together they have some control over their lives. Camera shots are used to show their friendship in many scenes, there are many examples that have Andy and Red in a mid-shot together in the same shot. Often facing towards each other or facing the same direction. These shots that show them together close up creates a sense of intimacy between the two, as these characters are the sole focus of these scenes. Darabont has placed many scenes like this throughout the film to highlight their friendship and differentiate their relationship as special compared to relationships with many of the side
I have decided to write about the movie Cloverfield because the scenarios remain etched inside my head. I can replay certain parts of the movie, especially violent or gory scenes, vividly in my head over and over again. For example, the part that is the most clear to me is when Marlena claimed that she did not feel well which led to being taken away and restrained by paramedics. She was dragged behind a curtain and just basically popped and blood just splattered everything. That scene made me cringe for a few minutes because it was so shocking. The reason I think this happens is because of the gross and violent scenes incorporated into this movie. In the beginning, a group of friends and acquaintances gather together to host a goodbye party
Themes of hope, success, and wealth overpower The Great Gatsby, leaving the reader with a new way to look at the roaring twenties, showing that not everything was good in this era. F. Scott Fitzgerald creates the characters in this book to live and recreate past memories and relationships. This was evident with Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship, Tom and Daisy’s struggling marriage, and Gatsby expecting so much of Daisy and wanting her to be the person she once was. The theme of this novel is to acknowledge the past, but do not recreate and live in the past because then you will not be living in the present, taking advantage of new opportunities.
The “Bad Girls Club” display groups of women who are obsess with drinking and violent behavior to handle their situations, shining the light on negative stereotypes, defining a “bad girls” and the influencing young girls in today’s society. The way these girls act on TV is the way the media portray women as vulnerable and in need of male attention. By depicting women solely as physical objects, we rarely see them as powerful. Women have often seen each other as competition in many realms of their lives and so have become adept at quickly sizing up their female competition as to what makes a women’s woman (Kramer 210).The show 's has a foundation of seven women with personal, social and psychological problems, who consider their self to be
The movie, “Whats eating Gilbert Grape” is about a family that goes through hardships in a small town of Endora, Iowa. The town is super small and everyone knows each other business. Gilbert's family consist of his mother and siblings who live in the same broken down house. The movie starts with Gilbert as the narrator and just in the first few minutes of the opening it is learned that Gilbert's dad committed suicide and his brother Larry left to pursuit higher education. Larry was the only one to break the poverty line and never to communicate with his family members again. Gilbert described Larry as the one who got away, in the opening of the movie. Bonnie Grape has 5 kids but only 4 of the 5 lives with her in their shack. The kids are mentioned from oldest to youngest: Larry, Amy, Gilbert, Arnie and Ellen. Bonnie Grape is extremely obese and suffers from depression ever since her husband(Albert Grape) committed suicide in the basement. Albert Grape was described in a brief mention of the movie as an alcohol who hang himself in the base...
“Driving Miss Daisy”, is a great movie that depicts patience and an unusual quarter-century friendship that grows between a queer elderly Southern Jewish widow and her submissive, black chauffeur. The movie is set in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. The plot focuses on two characters, an elderly Jewish widow named Miss Daisy Werthan and Hoke Colburn her chauffeur. Although the main theme of Driving Miss Daisy is the friendship and trust that grows between Miss Daisy, the strong-willed elderly Jewish widow, and Hoke, her indomitably spirited chauffeur; prejudice, racial and religious tension of those decades are other themes portrayed in the movie. The movie is centered on societal conflicts from 1948 to 1973 that takes place before, during,