Apocalypse Now - A Look at the Elements

I found my image at: http://www.hfg-karlsruhe.de/~jtolk/art-writing/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/apocalypse-now_01.jpg

It is easy to admit that Apocalypse Now is an intense story. Based on the Vietnam War, this movie’s script does a fine job of keeping the viewer interested. However, what makes this film even better is how various elements of cinematography are used to convey messages to keep the audience pulled in. More precisely, the way in which space is used and camera angles are used in this film, I believe, sets this film apart from other movies.
First of all, camera angles seem to be important in this film. The uses of high angled shots are most prevalent in my mind. Many of the fighting/action scenes were introduced by a shot that depicted an island, as if the viewer was flying overhead looking down onto the island. Obviously the scene that most accurately used high angles was the scene in which Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore and his men are flying over a village (so that they can surf of course). The viewer is first introduced through a ‘high’ angle because the scene starts with the helicopters flying overhead, the viewer up in the sky along with them. The scene proceeds with shots from the helicopters looking down, as if the viewer is part of the Lieutenant’s crew. Flying over the village, the viewer can see villagers scattering and fighting back, shots flying down towards the village, etc. My favorite shot of this particular scene in the film, however, is when the jet fighters come into the scene and blow up the village. This is yet another use of high angles in which the viewer watches the village explode from above. In all, I believe that high angles during this scene in particular were accurately used.
Second of all, specific camera shots seemed to play an important role in this film, particularly during the ending moments when Captain Willard finally meets Colonel Kurtz. When the viewer is first introduced to Colonel Kurtz, they are greeted with darkness, but with a little light showing on Kurtz’s face. However, the camera shot is a medium close up shot of Kurtz face and shoulders which allows for the distinct use of light and dark to half hide Kurtz’s face while half bringing his face to light. Had this shot been a medium shot or a medium long shot, I do not believe the same effect would have occurred. It would have been too difficult for the viewer to see the distinction between light and dark areas on Kurtz face. This shot, I believe, really keeps the viewer focused and interested in Kurtz. The fact that they are greeted with a shot of his face, half of his face in clear view, I believe satisfies the viewer’s initial intuitions as to what Kurtz may have looked like. Another important scene which uses a specific camera shot is the scene in which Kurtz is standing in the doorway before Captain Willard assassinates him. The use of darkness and light again is used in this scene but the fact that a long shot is used is more important. Kurtz is almost entirely black in this scene because of the use of light, and the world around him seems to be lighter. His entire body can be seen in this scene standing in the doorway looking out upon what he had created. He turns to return to his room where he awaits death. It is almost as if he is turning his back on what he had been working on for an extremely long amount of time, just so that he can find some sort of solace in the fact that he is going to die soon. Despite this, the camera shot that is used in this scene is particularly effective because had a medium shot or close up been used, one may not have been able to get the entire message during that scene. The viewer would not have been able to see that Kurtz turned his entire body around and the viewer would not have received the message that he was looking on his creation for one last time. In effect, this camera shot was successful in portraying the message that the director was trying to get across to his viewers.
In all, the intensity of the story line of Apocalypse Now was possibly more imperative than anything else used in this film. However, the director uses elements of cinematography effectively as well to keep the viewer interested. Particularly, the use of light and dark but more convincingly the use of camera angles and shots achieve a spectacular job of allowing this film to be influential. Apocalypse Now is a great example of a film in which elements of cinematography are effectively used and which develops a great story.

Apocalypse Now

I took this picture from: http://www.follow-me-now.de/assets/images/Apocalypse_Now-1.jpg

The first time I viewed this film was in high school, so I didn't remember much going into to Tuesday night's viewing. All I could remember was that the film was dark and a little scary but important to see. Coming out of Tuesday night's viewing of Apocalypse Now (1979), I can still say that the film was very dark, a bit scary but important to watch. Even though I left the viewing a little sick to my stomach, I still enjoyed this film very much.
What I liked most about this movie were the details and the use of color. There were many different colors used for every scene. In fact, it almost seemed as though each scene was a completely different color than the last. From yellow, to purple, to white, to black, etc, each scene was presented with a different color scheme.
Probably my favorite use of color/light and dark were the scenes in which the viewer was first introduced to Captain Kurtz. Almost the entire introduction, or the entire time the viewer first 'views' Kurtz, they only can see part of his bald head because his face is completely black. The viewer can only see half of his head which is also a bit of a yellowish color. It isn't until later that the viewer sees Kurtz in his entirety. I think that was smart because you, as the viewer, probably already know what Marlon Brando looks like, and even if you don't, you already know what his character is supposed to look like from the pictures shown of him previously in the film, so you're left in a state of suspense because you think you know what to expect, but do you really? But you can't tell because you can't see his entire face! But you DO know what he looks like! It's an extremely intense part of the film.
I also loved the details in this film. The final scenes in the jungle when Martin Sheen finally finds Marlon Brando are especially full of little details. From the chopped off heads on the ground and dead bodies in the trees to the 'apocalypse now' written accross the stones, the details give this part of the film a bit more of an intensity. I'm not sure you even need more 'intensity' at this point in the film, but it definately works.
In all, although this film was gruesome and dark and almost evil, it was a great film to analyze in terms of how color and details were used to invoke intensity or other emotions in the viewer. And, even though I could hardly sleep last night because of thinking about the message of the film and the darkness of the war, Apocalypse Now really is an important film for people to watch.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - on a personal level...

[ I recieved this image from: http://aycu27.webshots.com/image/44106/2005242261641953671_rs.jpg]

After reviewing some of the specific scenes in the film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, I was able to more closely analyze some of the specifics of the film. I believe the most compelling part of this film was the fact that a majority of the film was based on a point of view shot which the book The Film Experience – an Introduction written by Timothy Corrigan and Patricia White tells us is a camera shot that “re-creates the perspective of a character and may incorporate camera movement or optical effects as well as camera angle in order to do so” (88-89). In The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, point of view shots are used effectively to portray the feelings of the main character, Jean-Do so that the audience could feel or get some sort of sense of what Jean-Do was going through.
Most of these point of view scenes were more towards the beginning of the film. They were used so that we, as the audience, could be introduced to what Jean-Do might have been feeling those first few days he woke from a coma and realized that he had gone through a major stroke and could no longer speak or move. Probably the most excruciating part for Jean-Do and for the audience was the scene in which the doctor sews Jean-Do’s eye shut. The camera shot is again, a point of view shot, but literally it is as if you are Jean-Do; your eyes are Jean-Do’s eyes…it is almost as if your own eye is being sewn up. You want to fight along with Jean-Do, to yell at the doctor and tell him to stop. But, similarly to Jean-Do, you cannot do anything because you are the audience, the viewer and the doctor can not hear you. This helps you to experience the feelings of Jean-Do even more because all he can do is observe; he cannot speak or move to encourage the doctor to stop.
Throughout the rest of the film, the audience is taken away from Jean-Do’s perspective so that you can see Jean-Do through the perspective of other individuals in the film. However, towards the end of the film, when Jean-Do is beginning to creep towards death, the shots again turn to point-of-view shots in which the viewer is again Jean-Do, experiencing death. In the final scenes, the viewer is Jean-Do with much clouded vision. Low angles, point of view shots are used to give the effect that you are Jean-Do lying in bed, hardly understanding the words of the visitors who come to see you, waiting for death. It is an extremely difficult scene to end on, mainly because your vision, the vision of Jean-Do, is so clouded and unclear. However, it is effective because it once again brings the viewer back to the point of no control. You can not yell at Jean-Do’s wife for only visiting him when he is almost dead. You can not reach out and touch any of the visitors. Jean-Do can not do any of these things, either, therefore you are brought back to the sincerity of Jean-Do’s condition and the viewer is once again in the shoes of the main character, pulled from their own reality into the reality of Jean-Do.
In all, I believe the most effective part of this film were the point of view shots. They created feelings, in me and in others I’m sure, of confusion and frustration not only for Jean-Do, but for yourself because you could do nothing to speak or yell at the other characters in the movie for Jean-Do’s sake. Without these camera shots, the film would not have been quite as moving or effective. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was a deeply emotional, intimate, and personal movie that I will continue to love and view again in the future.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

The first time I ever viewed this film, I could barely get past my tears...which were basically flowing throughout the duration of the film. However, this time, there were less tears and I was able to focus on some different elements of the film. The entire film was moving, touching, etc etc. I thought it was fantastic how almost the entire film was shown through Jean-Do's view. The camera shots, specifically the almost fish-eye views through Jean-Do's blurry eyes were particularly convincing and influential. This film intrigued me in some similar ways that Psycho did...it really put the viewer into the main character's position. This film, however, was a bit more convincing because it is based on a true story.
Something that really stuck out to me in this film was how the director was able to make a large portion of the film seem like an advertisement. This aspect of the movie did not strike me the first time I viewed it (probably because of my overwhelming emotions). However, in many of the scenes in which Jean-Do was remembering experiences he had, much of those specific memories were played out in an advertisement fashion. Specifically, the photo-shoot scene with the models, the driving scene depicting Jean-Do's girlfriend's hair blowing in the wind, and the scene in Lourdes, when Jean-Do is walking down the street looking at the shops. A lot of these scenes seemed like advertisements. But they were also supposed to be the images in Jean-Do's head. Much of the music during these scenes were similar to upbeat music you might see in a commercial and, once that particular scene was over, the music would always end abruptly. I don't know if this was because the director was trying to make it seem as though Jean-Do was a successful editor because much of what he sees in life is in 'advertisement' mode, or if was simply for effect. Either way it was effective and I really love this movie...I could watch it over and over and not only recieve the same emotions, but probably find something new every time.

Psycho Remake Review

This remake of Psycho definitely does not even compare to the original. I did not feel the connection I felt with the original Marion (Janet Leigh). In the original version, especially during the car scene, I felt as if I could relate with Marion, especially with the feelings she was experiencing while she was driving away. In the second version, Marion was not as expressive with her facial expressions and her eyes. The scenes that she imagined in her mind were not as detailed. In the original version, Marion went through more scenes in her mind. I also did not feel as connected with Norman. In the original film, when Marion was talking with Norman and Norman expressed how everyone goes a little crazy, etc, I almost felt myself relating with Norman. In class we even talked about how we ended up sympathizing or feeling bad for Norman in the original version. In the remake, I simply felt that Norman was nuts and I could not feel bad for him because I did not feel as if I knew him as well, or felt sympathy for him.
A final disappointment was the fact that I was not as surprised that Norman was the killer in the remake. This could possibly be because I now know the plot of the movie, but I think that it was pretty obvious that Norman was the killer in the remake. He was much more psycho and his character was portrayed as an extremely creepy and perverted man. In the original, Norman was portrayed as a bit more innocent and “boyish” so that when you did finally realize that he was the killer, you were a bit more shocked or upset that he was the killer. In the remake, I almost felt myself wanting Norman to be the killer so that he could receive his punishment because he was such an extremely guilty, awful character.