Malcolm X [1992] Genre: Biographical Director: Spike Lee Actors: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall Focus: Spike Lee as an Auteur Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T66WAKY64c Spike Lee is a critically acclaimed American director who is primarily known for films looking at race relations, poverty and other political issues of the time. One of the most acclaimed of these is Malcolm X, a biopic detailing the life of the African-American rights activist, Malcolm X. While I have not personally seen the film, in just a few clips I instantly recognised many elements that seem to be recurring techniques used by Lee in other films of his such as Do The Right Thing. One of the most logical sequences to look at to establish whether Lee's style of directing as an auteur is instantaneously recognisable is that of the opening scene. The opening sequence is set near Dudley Street in Roxbury in Boston and firstly focuses on Malcolm's friend Shorty (played by the director, Spike Lee) as he travels to the barbers to give Malcolm (Washington) a 'conk' haircut. There are multiple elements in this sequence that I believe are a common feature of Spike Lee's films, and that show his style as an auteur particularly clearly. The scene opens with the train going past in the station, with the camera then panning down to give us an establishing very long shot of the area, before tracking into a close shot of Shorty's shoe being shined. The way Spike Lee establishes a shot is particularly interesting in this film and is definitely present here. Lee often seems to begin a scene with a close-up and then track out to give an establishing shot of where the action of the scene will be taking place or, as with this scene, do the complete opposite and start with a very-long or long shot to establish where the character we are about to see is before tracking in and giving us something to get more familiar with a character. This way of setting a scene is very interesting as it doesn't overload the viewer with too much information at once with Lee instead deciding to let the viewer focus on one element, either setting or character before introducing the other. I believe this is very effective on a viewer, as it allows them to take in the tone and atmosphere of a shot, by the expression or the mis-en-scene of the setting before establishing something else. This in indicative of Lee's relatively slow pace with his films, taking his time to establish something and not just throwing it all at the viewer at once. The next particularly interesting point that I have noticed in this clip and in Do the Right Thing is the movement of the camera to follow a point of focus. From this clip alone, there is a clear major example to give. The most obvious example of the camera following a focus for the viewer is the camera following Shorty as he walks to the barber shop. Spike Lee uses both his signature style of tracking the camera back while the character moves forward here but also tracks the camera to the side to follow Shorty on a different axis of movement. This gives a really interesting feel to the film in a number of ways. Firstly, it helps establish some more familiarity with the character. If the viewer themselves is taking the journey along with Shorty, it helps for the viewer to learn more about him, just from the way he moves, his costume and the expression on his face. If Lee had decided to have Shorty walk off screen and then cut to the barber's shop, the viewer loses so much in terms of learning Shorty's character. The second feel it gives is that of an almost natural feel, as if someone had just started filming Shorty's life suddenly. This gives a natural flow to the film but also allows Lee to take some liberties with his directing style, moving it around to give the viewer a better view of not only what is happening in the foreground but the background also. This is a very interesting technique that is similarly mirrored by Lee in his other works such as Do The Right Thing, in which a similar camera movement follows Mookie (the central protagonist of that film) as he crosses the street. This again provides a similar effect, allowing us to focus on the urban background in Brooklyn rather than being purely focused on the foreground of the character in Mookie. This technique gives a very smooth style to the camera work of Lee and is certainly a perfect example of his auteur shining through. Linking this to Do The Right Thing is the prevalence of music in the sequence. While it is slightly quieter in the scene in the barber's shop, it is still a noticeable element of the entire sequence, being used as a sound bridge between all the scenes. The tune is a jazz tune, which is also a genre of music that has been used in Spike Lee's other films as well. However, what is particularly interesting with Lee's directing in these segments with music so prevalent (seen also in the opening sequence of the Do The Right Thing) is the almost rhythmic movements of the characters in these scenes. Perhaps more blatant here than in Do The Right Thing, but the movement of Shorty as he walks towards the barber's shop has a musical feel to it, with over exaggerated limb movements and the movement from side-to-side has a slightly musical edge to it. This is also backed up in my opinion from Shorty's costume, which is quite bright and outlandish, especially with the hat, which continues this musical idea, as it is quite a common feature. This musical point is highlighted even more at the end of this clip when Shorty walks with Malcolm with their movements almost becoming dancing at certain points. Again, this creates a really vibrant feel to Lee's films and really gives them a sense of style that is very interesting to the viewer. While I don't believe there is as much to say about the interior scene in terms of Lee's style as an auteur, I do think there is a few things to say about the editing style in this scene in particular that is present in Do The Right Thing. Firstly, this scene was particularly reminiscent for me of the pizzeria scene from Do The Right Thing, particularly at the beginning. Lee opts to use primarily medium shots on each character, cutting between them as they speak. This means that very little dialogue takes place without the character that is speaking it being shown. This results in quick cuts as each character speaks creating a fast flow to the conversation. The other specific element I wanted to talk about was the smooth edit present from the end of the interior scene to when it cuts to Shorty and Malcolm outside once more at 4:21 in the clip. The stroking of Malcolm's hand by Shorty inside is then matched when he does outside, creating a smooth feel to the edits and stops it from feeling to jarring for the viewer, as a change in setting can often be. This was really effective to me, and was used many times in Do The Right Thing also. These types of edits prevent the cut being too confusing for the viewer and can also be used for comedic effect in Lee's other films. The final point I wanted to express that I won't go into too much detail on is the dialogue in this sequence and Do The Right Thing. Lee clearly makes sure that the actors let a strong accent come through with their dialect also being particularly noticeable. The way the characters speak therefore also feels natural and the dialogue doesn't feel too clunky. This is very similarly put forward in Do The Right Thing with all the dialogue feeling as if it could be said in natural conversation rather than feeling out of place. I personally believe that Lee is a fantastic screenwriter in this regard, as he makes what could be a clumsy and messy conversation into one that feels free-flowing and realistic. Overall then, the impact of Lee as an auteur on this particular sequence is very clear as you can see. His ability to make the film flow so well is absolutely marvellous and to be able to create such a sense of familiarity with location and character so quickly into a film is frankly an achievement that cannot be overstated. Spike Lee, from what I have seen of his films, is a brilliant director, screenwriter and actor that explores such rich and interesting issues without making it seem forced and I will be sure to watch more of his work in the future.
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Blade Runner 2049 [2017] Genre: Science Fiction Director: Denis Villeneuve Actors: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Jared Leto Following up on a great film is extremely difficult. Appealing to the fans of the original as well as drawing in new viewers who can learn to love the world previously built is a feat that many talented directors and screenwriters have tried and failed to do. A new challenger to this task is Denis Villeneuve, director of previous films such as Arrival, which was a visually stunning science-fiction film with a deep and interesting message that was one of my favourite films of last year and Sicario, a crime thriller that provided a well-directed and exciting look into the fight against a Mexican drug cartel by the FBI, who has now taken on the daring trial of directing the sequel to Blade Runner, Ridley Scott's 80s sci-fi cult classic. If anyone could capture, in particular, the visual ecstasy of the original, Villeneuve seemed like the right director for the job. Making a sequel to Blade Runner would never be easy, but I'm extremely pleased to report that Villeneuve's aims of making a sequel that lives up to the original was a resounding success. Blade Runner 2049 tells the story of K (Gosling), a replicant working as a blade runner, who uncovers a secret (which I will not mention – it's certainly better to go in unspoiled) which causes him to hunt for Rick Deckard (Ford) from the original film who can help him with the fallout. Rounding out the list of character is Joi (de Armas), K's girlfriend and Niander Wallace (Leto), who provides a threatening side to the story as the antagonist. In seemingly all reviews of this film, the first thing almost everyone has mentioned are the visuals. This film looks astonishingly beautiful. Roger Deakins, the cinematographer who has worked with Villeneuve on films like Sicario in the past, provides us with some absolutely unbelievable shots, telling us so much about the characters and the landscape, that should finally cement an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for him. The dark and dingy city of Los Angeles from the original film is explored even further in this film in a very interesting way. It is important to remember that thirty year has passed in-universe since the original and the development of the city is evident to see. Large holographic advertisements take the place of the large billboards, which take the place as the artificial lighting for the shots, even providing a lot of interesting thoughts for the viewer in the later parts of the film. An example of one of my favourite scenes from a cinematic standpoint takes place in a desert landscape with the ruins of an old structure standing in the sand. Clear indications of Villeneuve's inspiration from texts like Ozymandias, as well as other film ideas portraying a dystopian landscape such as Planet of the Apes and Mad Max to give us an idea of the lack of nature's presence not only in the city, but outside too. On a more interpersonal level, the technical genius of the syncing of a virtual character and a real character is absolutely mesmerising, and praise should be given to the visual effects team for this also. There is rarely a dull or bland shot in the film, and despite not matching the distinct cinematographic style of its predecessor, it is almost impossible to criticise the beautiful looks of the film. Every shot could, and should, be considered a work of art. The next aspect of the film certainly worth talking about are the performances. My personal stand-out of the film was Harrison Ford who brings the character of Rick Deckard to life once more and in my opinion, gives a performance superior to his in the original. Other supporting actors like Robin Wright, who plays K's stern but sympathetic boss give a compelling and interesting performance and even an actor like Jared Leto, who has given some shocking showings in a film such as Suicide Squad, brings to life the character of Wallace well, creating a creepy, threatening and menacing character as well as subtle actions and movements that make him seem real. Unknown actors like Ana de Armas give an emotive performance that makes the audience think about many engaging ideas in the film, as well as Sylvia Hoeks who removes all emotion from her character, yet still shows so much, gives a praiseworthy performance as Luv, the antagonist of the story, yet doesn't quite manage to match Rutger Hauer's stellar acting in the original. Interestingly enough, one of the weaker performances in my eyes was that of the lead, Ryan Gosling, who unfortunately I found to be a little bland and boring (as I have found of his acting in films like Drive in the past) in the film, with the interesting arc of his character saving him from becoming a protagonist I felt apathetic to. Before I get onto some negatives of the film, there are some other things that are certainly worthy of discussion and praise. Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch collaborate to give a score that is fantastic not only in the context of the movie but also as pieces of music as a whole. Zimmer continually manages to impress with his score in films after creating my favourite score of the year so far in Dunkirk and Wallfisch has done some impressive music in the past, particularly in Hidden Figures. The combination of the talents of these two create a score that keeps the viewer interested through the audio of the film, as well as the aforementioned visuals. One of the more overlooked relationships in the film is that of K and Joi and, without going into details, I believe the dynamic between these two characters explored so many interesting ideas. Some of the earlier scenes highlighting their relationship are some of the most beautiful and moving I've seen in years and will be some of the most memorable in years to come. Unfortunately, this film wasn't perfect in my eyes. Firstly, the nearly three-hour long running time can be a bit daunting at first, and although the visual and auditory masterpiece kept me thoroughly entertained, a few scenes did drag ever so slightly. My main issue, however, comes with the narrative of the film which I found to be comparatively weaker to the original. While the original's story felt fresh and interesting, actually telling the story in a rather minimalist way, with little dialogue and a lot of emotion shown through acting performances, the story here felt a little generic. While there were genuinely surprising turns along the way, it didn't feel entirely fresh, and didn't resonate with me in the same way as the first. I also would have been more interested to see some of the themes explored a little more, as some of the more interesting ones, such as the dynamic between K and Joi, were relegated to the side-plot a little in the film. While these themes were there slightly, the film instead decides to focus on K as a character a little more, which was slightly disappointing to me. It's not that the narrative is poor – I just felt a little more could have been done. Overall, Blade Runner 2049 is a success, despite its minor flaws. The cinematography, the visual effects and the melodic score all combine to make a film that will be remembered for its beauty for years to come. Ford's performance will also be seen as one of his best of his career and I hope will garner him some awards towards the end of the year. The issues I have with the film however, namely Gosling's performance and the slightly weak narrative, do stop me from calling this film a perfect masterpiece. There were hints of something more to the story of the film, trying to break free, but unfortunately, for me, it just didn't come through. Despite this though, Blade Runner 2049 is the best film I have seen so far this year, and will be seen as a worthy successor to the original that, too, will be remembered for years to come. Villeneuve cements himself as one of the great modern directors, and proves that he was up to the challenge with this one. Rating: 8/10 Blade Runner [1982] [The Final Cut: 2007] Genre: Science Fiction Director: Ridley Scott Actors: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young Focus: Cinematography One of the highest praises you can give to a film is that it sticks with an audience for days, months or even years to come. Films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Inception or Citizen Kane all come to mind for various reasons, whether it be an ambiguous narrative, an ending that leaves more questions than answers or a film where nearly every scene is perfect. Even thirty-five years after the original release of Scott's Blade Runner, the question of 'Is Deckard a replicant?' is still brought up interviews, articles and discussion. However, in the endless debate about the narrative of a film, sometimes the technical aspects can sometimes be missed out in praise. The primary focus of this blog post will be on the work of Jordan Cronenweth, the cinematographer of Blade Runner, and how his work alongside Ridley Scott helps to bring to life the dystopian city of 2019 Los Angeles. It is important to note that before posting this, I watched the Final Cut of Blade Runner so some of the shots I talk about may be exclusive to that cut of the film. In my opinion one of the most crucial elements to nearly every shot in Blade Runner is the lighting. The usage of light in only select parts of a shot help to create a dark and dingy view in the exterior shots, with the light only seemingly coming from artificial sources, such as the large advertisement screens, the lights from the Spinners (the flying police cars in the film) or the lights from the Tyrell Corporation's buildings. These objects are usually in the background of the shot, leaving light to shine in from the side or back of the shot, rather than being right at the front. The backlighting of Blade Runner is used in many of the most discussed shots. For example, in just one of the first shots of the film [Shot 1], we see a shot of Holden smoking a cigarette before he performs the Voight-Kampff test on Leon, a test subject, to see if he is a replicant or human. The foreground of this shot is intentionally dark, with only the light of the computer screen providing any light at the front. However, from the background of the shot, the light shines through the windows, lighting up the room slight amounts. Cronenweth likely worked with Scott on this shot to allow the viewer to focus on certain elements. While the only character in the shot is that of Holden, he is mostly shrouded in darkness, perhaps allowing the viewer to note other elements of the scene further. Directly in the centre of the screen is the equipment used for the test. This allows the viewer to focus on this equipment, helped by the light from the computer screen, and to query what it all may be used for. This shot creates mystery and intrigue in the viewer's head and creates interest to what may be about to happen. Cronenworth does this really successfully and helps to build the concept of the film. Another use of cinematography in Blade Runner is to focus the viewers on the symbolism. One of the shots [Shot 2] where this is used is an extreme close up near the beginning of the film of an eye, which reflects the landscape it looks upon, with the lights from the spinners, the fire and the lights from the building. This, even without the idea of symbolism, is a beautiful shot, giving the viewer an idea of the industrial landscape of Los Angeles. Some have also noted that this shot makes the landscape look almost hell-like, with the fire and lights really standing out in the shot. I personally agree with this interpretation of the shot, which links to other symbols in the film. However, the eye as a whole, as many have noted, seems to be a recurring theme in the film, being analysed in the Voight-Kampff test to decide if they are a human or not, here at the beginning in the film and with the tint in the replicant's eyes. Many critics have speculated that the eyes are being used as being able to see into the soul, which would explain why it is used in the test to look for emotion, as it is almost being used to see whether the soul is there (which would, in their view, make them a human). If Ridley Scott did want to put across this message, Cronenworth's shot really helps to back up this point. Near the end of the film, we see another shot that puts across some really interesting symbolism [Shot 3] which shows the antagonist, Roy Batty, bloody, holding a white dove. Again, this shot also provides backlighting from artificial sources providing some light to the scene, and also places the character close to the camera, making him and the dove the centre of attention. I personally believe that the dove is meant to be a religious symbol here, linked with the idea of the soul and hell mentioned earlier, that this is to represent his soul going to heaven (as a dove is used in the Bible to show the holy spirit). I strongly believe that the religious symbolism in Blade Runner is very important to the meaning of the film, but perhaps the beauty of Blade Runner is that you can get many other interpretations watching a different way. Whatever the meaning of the shot, the placing of the dove is very interesting, Batty placing it close to his body, and the appearance of it at this point of the film intrigues the viewer, and promotes discussion. The lighting in this shot combined with the placing of the character and bird is thought-provoking for viewers. Overall, I love Blade Runner. From a pure cinematography element, Cronenworth excels himself, providing some beautiful shots, even with the narrative meaning removed. The visuals are exceptional for a film of the time, astonishing and surprising me on the viewing. Cinematography is used in the film fantastically for both symbolism and narrative. Looking at the film as a whole, the direction and narrative is thought-provoking and creative, giving us a real insight into this dystopian universe. Performances are generally good, with Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty being a particular standout for me, and personally, the monologue from Batty near the end of the film is one of my favourites of all time. Blade Runner is phenomenal and its influence can be seen in sci-fi films decades after from an animated film like Ghost in the Shell and even in other genres, like Batman Begins. The influences from Blade Runner can be seen now, and will likely be seen for decades to come. Rating: 10/10 Shot 1 Shot 2 Shot 3
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InfoBlog for A Level Film Studies. Consists of critical analysis of films from different time periods and genres. Archives
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