Location:
The rule of thirds shot highlights the entrapment of the woods. A generic convention is used, which provokes claustrophobia by making the location appear enclosed. This can be seen in 'Jackie Brown' with the use of the trunk which is a small and tight area that makes people feel trapped. Also in 'Kill Bill Volume 2' where the Bride is buried alive. The Hunger Games chooses nature to make the location appear never-ending as if there is no way out. Much like 'Kill Bill' where the Bride starts to see the earth come through the coffin. The use of nature makes it appear out of our control, which highlights the entrapment.
Costume:
The contrasting clothing outlines the social divide of wealth. Bright colours are more prominent that the pale blue suggesting dominance. This can be seen in 'Jackie Brown' where Ordell is fully-clothed whilst Beaumont - who is opposite - is topless and therefore appears more vulnerable. These show binary oppositions which clearly outlines who is foregrounded in the shot. In this case, it is the wealthier person. A generic convention is also challenged here as a female protagonist is used. Similar to 'Jackie Brown', the role of the women is more influential. Male protagonists are predominantly used with roughly 3/4 (IMDb) of thriller films including a male lead cast and therefore the use of a strong and independent female lead challenges the generic conventions. However, the female protagonists are given masculine qualities to make them less vulnerable and more strong. For example in the Hunger Games, Katniss provides the food for the family and wears unfeminine costumes- apart from in the shot below. Jackie Brown too wears masculine clothing such as suits which can be stereotyped as showing wealth and business-like qualities.
Lighting:
The lighting is ambient which emphasises the poverty through the lack of technology and modernisation. It shows the poverty and the grim lifestyle in this area by making the scene look natural in order to show the underdevelopment. This is similar to 'Essex Boys' where the garage is unglamourous and appears grim and disgusting through the use of ambient lighting of the moon to hide the true features of the room as it provides limited lighting, but enough to imply that there is a room. Both these films use natural lighting differently, but they both use it to their advantage to present an uninviting and dreary atmosphere.
When you come to do your evaluation and reference research you need to be more specific when referencing films. For example you say.....
ReplyDelete... This can be seen in 'Jackie Brown' with the use of the trunk which is a small and tight area that makes people feel trapped....
Instead ..in the film Jackie Brown Tarantino uses the generic convention of claustrophobia when Beaumont is persuaded to get into the trunk by Ordell Robbie, just before Robbie assassinates him.
Regarding costume, Jackie doesn't wear revealing clothes as does Melanie who drifts around in very short shorts and sleeveless tops thus Jackie isn't objectified. She doesn't rely in her body but her brains, wit and shrewdness.
When discussing "Essex Boys", you need to be very clear that the shot you are talking about is at the beginning of the film. The shot of the garage immediately establishes the genre not only because it is claustrophobic and empty but chiaroscuro lighting is also used to add to the sense of menace.
I'm not sure what film your screen shot at the end of your case study is from. But it does look like a shot from the classic sci fi silent film "Metropolis".
Google Images "Metropolis the workers" and you'll see what I mean.
Your analysis reflects understanding of some aspects of genre and well done for beginning to make inter textual references informed by your independent viewing of films.