The Life of Pi - Pi and Richard Parker - Friendship Conquers All

The Life of Pi – Pi and Richard Parker

They say “love knows no bounds”. Does this mean friendship knows no bounds? Even if you are friend with someone who could kill you at any second? In the fil Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee, we are introduced to a relationship between a boy and an adult Bengal tiger that is taken to stand the test of survival in the open waters. Lee uses cinematography to show how Pi and Richard Parker’s relationship has developed into a true friend ship, he does this by mainly using close-up to show intense emotion between the two which has developed through time and creates an intense mood for the audience.

Instead of looking at the first scene of the two meeting or the scene we are introduced to them I am looking at the scene where Pi has accepted their fate of dying “We’re dying Richard Parker.” He is ultimately having the last interaction the two will have before being saved. We are shown a close-up shot of Richard Parker’s face and he is exhausted and weak from hunger, there is enough room in this shot to see Pi’s hand reaching you to touch Richard Parker’s face, reassuring him. This shot holds a big moment in the movie because for the first time Pi is able to touch Richard Parker without the fear of being killed. The audience is shown the twos relationship has reached a point where they have become equals and feel for one another.

In a similar shot we see close up of Pi place Richard Parker’s head in his lap, as he holds him there he begins to cry. At this point it is the tiger’s turn to comfort Pi. The close-up is necessary to show the audience the small nudging movements Richard Parker uses to comfort Pi as he cries. This development is crucial in their relationship because he is using the last of his strength to comfort his new friend as they both face the reality of death. The following shot is a wide show which shows their small boat in a vast foggy sea. This gives the scene emotion and tranquillity and symbolises the peace the two have found with one another. This shows the audience that the two are finally together in peace and able to part from this situation and friends, finally after waiting so long.

The use of close-ups in this scene helps show the emotion between the two as they have come a long way together and experienced a lot together which is how they are able to have such a strong relationship and a peaceful relationship which is represented in the scenes show. This creates a moving viewing experience for the audience to enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfUZoRN1Xo0

Corrigan, Timothy and White, Patricia. The Film Experience: An Introduction. Third Edition. 2012. Boston, New York. Bedford/St. Martin’s. Textbook.

The Life of Pi. Dir. Ang Lee. Fox 2000 Pictures. 2012. Film

The Great Gatsby - Nick and Jay - The Magic of New Friendships

Great Gatsby – Jay and Nick

True Friends are hard to come by.  True friends that you can trust with absolutely anything are even harder to come by. In the film The Great Gatsby directed by Baz Luhrmann, we are shown a relationship between two friends, Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby. Although their obvious differences Jay befriends Nick to gain his trust and ultimately reveals to him his love for Nick’s cousin Daisy. With the help of Mise-en-Scene we are able to experience the way Nick would feel meeting this mysterious stranger who lives next door to him and take the audience along for the ride of first meeting each other, as Corrigan and White said “In many way, we respond not only to physical settings and material surfaces and objects, but also to the sensations associated with them.” (Corrigan and White, 64.)

In the scene where Nick first meets Gatsby he is initially unaware he has met Gatsby. There is a shot of a man talking to Nick but the use of a prop, in this case a serving tray, shields the audience from seeing the face of the stranger. The reflective material of the prop acts as a mirror as though Luhrmann wants us to see ourselves in Gatsby. This symbolic feature is effective in helping the audience gain Gatsby’s trust. The camera also directs us to a piece of costume that will help identify us with Mr Jay Gatsby because as opposed to following the characters face we follow his ring and therefore his hand up the stairs. This creates an essence of mystery around Gatsby which through this simple technique both the audience and Nick are able to feel.

This leads to banter between Nick and the unrevealed Gatsby which leads him to turn to Jay on the Balcony and finally reveal to Nick that He is in fact Gatsby. The shot is a medium close up where the setting behind him which is that of a grand party filled with upper class aristocrats creating a colourful, fun backdrop. This makes the newly introduced Gatsby to seem magical and intriguing. As Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays Gatsby, raises his glass he smiles invitingly, this bit of acting creates a welcoming presence that surrounds Gatsby which gives the viewer and Nick reason to trust this new stranger even though they have just met. And to add the icing to the cake and spectacle of fireworks then surrounds Gatsby. This wonderful use of setting symbolises that the new friendship will be like that of fireworks, bright, sparked but all too soon it will be over, so you have to enjoy it while it lasts.

This display of Mise-en-Scene is an effective way to give the audience a scene of joy in the meeting of these two new friends. It also helps sets up the intrigue into the story that will follow their friendship because even from the twos meeting there is a sense of mystery and excitement which is effective backed up by features such as costume, setting and acting. This creates an overall performance that will be highly enjoyed by many viewers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBdoyPY1ELo

Corrigan, Timothy and White, Patricia. The Film Experience: An Introduction. Third Edition. 2012. Boston, New York. Bedford/St. Martin’s. Textbook.

The Great Gatsby. Dir. Baz Luhrmann. Village Roadshow Pictures. 2013. Film.

Boy – Boy and Alamein (Shogun) - I'm your dad...

Boy – Boy and Alamein (Shogun)

Meeting people is hard. What’s harder you may ask? Meeting your dad after he has been gone a few years with nothing, not even a phone call. In the film Boy directed by Taika Waititi we are presented with a boy who idolises his father until he actually meets him and realises he wasn’t at all what he thought he was. Waititi uses sound to help portray to the audience the tension and differing view on a son and fathers first meeting and their alien relationship. It also helps pull the viewer into the world of Boy best described by Corrigan and White “Film sound, because it surrounds and permeates the body of the viewer in a way image alone cannot…” (Corrigan and White, 204)

Before even meeting his father yet, we are presented with a scene of Boy sitting in a broken down car. In the distance we can hear a diegetic ambient sound of dogs barking which prompts dialogue from boy “There’s a storm coming.” This foreshadowing creates an effective first impression of how destructive Alamein is going to be in Boy’s life. As though he were a storm. Waititi then presents a black car containing Alamein and his “mates”. He makes sure we hear the car first. This would be a sound effect of a car’s tyres on gravel. This naturalistic sound helps pull the viewer into the film and is able to make the viewer feel the curiosity of Boy and also his excitement to meet his dad.

But Waititi is able to warn us yet again from Alamein and the deep rumbling of the car gives off a dangerous vibe from the strange men in the car. This is a way of making them seem very alien from Boy. And also shows the present threat they are to him. Soon after the engine cuts and we are plunged into an effective awkward silence and father and son look upon each other for the first time. The audience is able to feel the tension build between the two and the silence goes on. Boy with much more excited that his deadbeat dad.

There is then and exchange of dialogue between Boy and his Father. This is able to show the carelessness of Alamein for his son but also shows Boy’s eagerness to have his father in his life. “Who are you?” This is a question for Boy from Alamein who cannot even recognises his own son.

“...Alamein.”

“Alamein… Oh yeah, I’m your dad.”

 This dialogue is deliver very casually from Alamein and his Vanity is shown through as he only recognises Boy because he carries his own name. There is no exchange of a hug or any affection during this moment. The only affection being the excited reaction from Boy “Whoa! Hey dad!” Because he craves an older male to guide him and to have idolised him for so long Boy is readily willing to accept Alamein into his life, despite his apparent distance.

Through sound we are able to distinguish that Alamein is a threat to Boy and has no enthusiasm towards being a father or any kind of role model for Boy. Waititi is also able to show us Boy’s desperate hunger for his own family relationship and specifically his thirst to have a male figure in his life even from someone who is now very alien to him.

Corrigan, Timothy and White, Patricia. The Film Experience: An Introduction. Third Edition. 2012. Boston, New York. Bedford/St. Martin’s. Textbook.

Boy. Dir. Taika Waititi. New Zealand Film Production Fund Trust. 2010. Film.

August: Osage County - John Wells - Violet and Beverly's Relationship - Their Marriage Contract

August: Osage County – Violet and Beverly

Everyone has a family. Whether it be big or small. Whether we love them unconditionally or move half way across the country just to escape them. The film August: Osage County directed by John Wells and adapted from the play by Tracy Letts presents to audience a peek inside a dysfunctional family through one of the biggest and toughest obstacles a family can endure. Addiction and death. Through Wells’ use of Cinematography we are able to experience life for this family. An interesting and thought provoking relationship to look at is that between Violet and Beverly, husband and wife. In the opening scene we are introduced to a very real look at a relationship that, at this point, is not standing against the test of time.

The film begins with wide shots of the scenery, which is open dry plains – this is to help establish the setting of the film. However over this we are presented with a voice over of Beverly saying “life is very long – T.S. Elliot.” You can connect the dialogue used with the scenery to get a visual idea of the situation. The situation being that after a long marriage the affection and worth of the relationship between Beverly and Violet has died away, just like the dead plains. Furthermore they still have a long road ahead of them because “life is very long”. This helps give the audience an understanding of why Beverly’s reach the end of his patience for this destructive relationship.

Next we see an over the shoulder shot which is subjective of Beverly talking to the new maid. The camera is angle side on to him so we are able to see his desk which is filled with books his “only salvation”. But this also introduces the viewer to a nearly empty bottle of whiskey and a glass of whiskey in his hand. This shot is used to show the audience that he may possibly be an alcoholic. We then switch to a close up of part of his desk with old and new photos, a new photo of a young girl and an old photo possibly of his wife Violet. This symbolises him being a family man for a long time with grandchildren, but has seen much stress and has needed way to comfort that stress.

Eventually we find out that Violet is a drug addict when Beverly says “My wife takes pills and I drink... a paragraph in our marriage contract.” The way he speaks about his marriage with no affection helps portray their dying relationship which has obviously been affected by drug use. To emphasis this point Wells uses a wide shot of the interior of the house where we can see upstairs and into Beverly’s office where Beverly is. At the top of the stairs we are able to see violet’s pyjamas and legs, but her face is cut out of frame. The use of this shot is to show the contrast of lighting and mood between the two, which seems to be split between Beverly and Violet. Beverly’s office is lit by the sun outside whereas Violet’s side of the shot up the stairs is cast in darkness and shadows giving the static shot a yin yang effect to emphasis their polar opposites and how they have grown apart. This eventually leads to Beverly having enough of dealing with this relationship and he commits suicide to free himself from his wife.

Through these shot it is conveyed to the audience the struggling relationship that goes on between Beverly and his long time wife, Violet. The shots are used to emphasis the dramatic decline in the love and affection for one another. This causes them to argue, be very distant and separate and ultimately cause Violet to lose her mind and for Beverly to take his life. This is Wells and Letts way of presenting to an audience a look into the lives of a highly dysfunctional relationship.