This blog posts links to my Minor as I will be focusing on props and cinematography, and also exploring more in depth how films give emotional responses through Mise-en-scène. I feel like this will enhance my filmmaking decisions as well as my Minor presentation as it can back up my points and also explore topics I have covered.
Consumerism is a huge theme explored in Fight Club. Jack is chasing the American Dream; a white collar job and expensive furnature. However, he cannot achieve happiness. The reoccuring motif's of Starbucks cups suggest the capitalist culture and it effecting Jack's life. The above scene, he realises that he is a consumerist as he's after a "dining set that defines me" and is emasculated "we used to read pornography, now we read the Ikea catalogue". The slow pan and the writing exaggerates how bad his 'addiction' to consumerist culture is and how he wants to fit in. This also links to the 90s 'New Man' where men were becoming more paternal feminised.
The first few minutes of the above scene is rich in mise-en-scène to create tension and fear. The centre piece of the scene is an oversized table full with brightly coloured food. Ofelia lives where food is rationed so it must be torture for her to resist, then she gives in and eats the grapes. There is a close up of Ofelia, closing her eyes back with pleasure showing her captivated by the taste and lost in the moment to the action unfolding behind her. The red colours in the food (grapes, meat…) on the table is symbolic. In this case, red represents blood and danger.
The fact that Ofelia’s dress was once a bright, luxurious green in the previous scenes suggests a happy, innocent and enchanting character. However, in this scene, it looks more dull and ragged suggesting trauma and possibly a change in character.
Piled high in the creature’s lair is his collection of 'memento mori'. It consists of children’s shoes, they are small and poignant; the murder of the innocents is very symbolic, and creates anxiety for Ofelia’s fate, also shown in the paintings of the slaughtering of children.
The hour glass is constantly cross cut to, with an incremental zoom; a constant reminder that time is running out.
I've done an essay on this as there was just so much to talk about an analyse, which can be found on my Moodle page.
Costumes and colour are the defining factors in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, with lots of mise-en-scène similar to a video game. For example, the prestigious vegan ex is dressed in white to show extravagance, who also wears a big 3 on his chest. Each ex has a number, apart from Scott who was seen earlier wearing a shirt saying "zero". Ramona is unpredictable, shown in her changing hair colours. Her hair is green in the above clip, symbolising Scott's jealousy (and is also mirrored in Scott's green shirt). Her hair could also symbolise each act of the film; pink when she and Scott aren't dating, blue when they are, and green for the resolution. Scott also wears a pink undershirt when he first meats Ramona (who has pink hair) which could signify he has feelings for her but does not want to expose them. When Scott and Knives drift apart, Scott's costume dulls down and also has a patch with an "X" on it, suggesting he could become her "ex" soon. Overall, the costumes are iconically 90s, as well as pixelated swords and writing that pops up (similar to the Fight Club scene) to mirror video games.
References
Most of the above is from my own knowledge of mise-en-scène.
Fight Club (David Fincher, 1999)
Pan's Labyrinth (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Edgar Wright, 2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFHzD2w-meE (07.11.17)
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