Exploring Film Technique, Camille Gross
Bunny
The short film Bunny was something special. To tell a story that tugs at the heart strings and was able to incorporate numerous symbolism in only a few minutes was incredible to see. The first symbol seen is the moth itself. Moths are typically seen as a symbol of death. Though Bunny starts off on a light and comedic tone, this is overshadowed at the grim thought of Bunny being followed by death as she tries to bake. The moth is also shown continuing to fly into the light which could show a restless soul, in this case maybe Bunny’s husband, trying to reach heaven. At the end, she climbs into the oven to follow the light, which can be seen as the tunnel to the light to reach heaven.
Harold and Maude
One of my favorite scenes in Harold and Maude was when Harold scared his date into thinking he exploded. The camera focuses on Harold’s mother talking to Harold’s date but in the background, you can see a blurry Harold in a white sheet and pouring gasoline on himself. The white sheet helps capture our attention and keep our focus on Harold instead of the two women. After scarring his date, Harold looks into the camera with a victorious smile while his mother is sizing him up. He turns to his mother’s glare and looks away defeated.
One of the most powerful moments in the film showed Harold and Maude talking in a cemetery and trying to figure out which flower they would like to be. While showing Maude the flower he wishes he would be, the camera has a long shot of white flowers that look blurry and similar. You can barely tell they are flowers. This intertwines with Harold’s explanation of how he chose them because they are all alike. Maude tries to explain to him how they look similar but are all different. The camera then zooms in on the flowers to show the beauty and individuality of each one. Maude talks about how the world’s suffering comes from those who do not embrace the qualities that make them unique and they focus on being the same as everyone else. As she says this, the camera shows an extreme long shot of the cemetery and the many tombstones that look alike. These show the fallen soldiers and the same tombstones represent how they are trained to be seen as the same as their fellow soldiers and not someone special.
Paris Texas
In Paris Texas, the main character, Travis, is shown to have trouble communicating with loved ones. Story appears to be told mostly through the mise-en-scène. His issues of communication are seen in the way he walks by following the telephone lines. Later he is shown speaking to his wife through a wall in which he can see her but she can’t see him. When he can see her, he turns his back and speaks to a wall. When she realizes who he is, she turns her back on him. This reminds me of confession where you speak to the priest though the wall. Another character he has trouble communicating with is his brother, Walt. They are polar opposites, which is represented in the way the dress. Travis is wearing a black suit without a tie, his shirt is unbuttoned, and he is wearing a baseball cap while Walt is wearing a bright button up shirt, a more casual jacket and what looks like corduroy pants. Being opposite is reflected in the mountains seen in the back. Each time they interact, two mountains are shown. Neither mountain looks like the other. Travis is clearly trying to work out past issues that are haunting him, which is represented as he crosses the bridge over the freeway.
Pink Floyd
I thought the most powerful film we watched that night was Pink Floyd: The Wall. The part with the kids in (private?) school believing they were only seen as a number or as an object to be molded to accommodate societal norms and expectations were incredible. This is something I really struggled with at my Catholic schools and I can say with confidence us college kids still feel this, especially the closer we get to graduation. The animation used in this film showed some disturbing images. One that stands out is the judge being represented as an asshole. This shows that no matter how good you think you are, judgement makes you a horrible person. A beautifully tragic scene would be the two flower figures trying to touch each other but keep pushing back and eventually becoming violent with one another. This represents a struggle with intimacy and how this can lead to a toxic relationship.
The short film Bunny was something special. To tell a story that tugs at the heart strings and was able to incorporate numerous symbolism in only a few minutes was incredible to see. The first symbol seen is the moth itself. Moths are typically seen as a symbol of death. Though Bunny starts off on a light and comedic tone, this is overshadowed at the grim thought of Bunny being followed by death as she tries to bake. The moth is also shown continuing to fly into the light which could show a restless soul, in this case maybe Bunny’s husband, trying to reach heaven. At the end, she climbs into the oven to follow the light, which can be seen as the tunnel to the light to reach heaven.
Harold and Maude
One of my favorite scenes in Harold and Maude was when Harold scared his date into thinking he exploded. The camera focuses on Harold’s mother talking to Harold’s date but in the background, you can see a blurry Harold in a white sheet and pouring gasoline on himself. The white sheet helps capture our attention and keep our focus on Harold instead of the two women. After scarring his date, Harold looks into the camera with a victorious smile while his mother is sizing him up. He turns to his mother’s glare and looks away defeated.
One of the most powerful moments in the film showed Harold and Maude talking in a cemetery and trying to figure out which flower they would like to be. While showing Maude the flower he wishes he would be, the camera has a long shot of white flowers that look blurry and similar. You can barely tell they are flowers. This intertwines with Harold’s explanation of how he chose them because they are all alike. Maude tries to explain to him how they look similar but are all different. The camera then zooms in on the flowers to show the beauty and individuality of each one. Maude talks about how the world’s suffering comes from those who do not embrace the qualities that make them unique and they focus on being the same as everyone else. As she says this, the camera shows an extreme long shot of the cemetery and the many tombstones that look alike. These show the fallen soldiers and the same tombstones represent how they are trained to be seen as the same as their fellow soldiers and not someone special.
Paris Texas
In Paris Texas, the main character, Travis, is shown to have trouble communicating with loved ones. Story appears to be told mostly through the mise-en-scène. His issues of communication are seen in the way he walks by following the telephone lines. Later he is shown speaking to his wife through a wall in which he can see her but she can’t see him. When he can see her, he turns his back and speaks to a wall. When she realizes who he is, she turns her back on him. This reminds me of confession where you speak to the priest though the wall. Another character he has trouble communicating with is his brother, Walt. They are polar opposites, which is represented in the way the dress. Travis is wearing a black suit without a tie, his shirt is unbuttoned, and he is wearing a baseball cap while Walt is wearing a bright button up shirt, a more casual jacket and what looks like corduroy pants. Being opposite is reflected in the mountains seen in the back. Each time they interact, two mountains are shown. Neither mountain looks like the other. Travis is clearly trying to work out past issues that are haunting him, which is represented as he crosses the bridge over the freeway.
Pink Floyd
I thought the most powerful film we watched that night was Pink Floyd: The Wall. The part with the kids in (private?) school believing they were only seen as a number or as an object to be molded to accommodate societal norms and expectations were incredible. This is something I really struggled with at my Catholic schools and I can say with confidence us college kids still feel this, especially the closer we get to graduation. The animation used in this film showed some disturbing images. One that stands out is the judge being represented as an asshole. This shows that no matter how good you think you are, judgement makes you a horrible person. A beautifully tragic scene would be the two flower figures trying to touch each other but keep pushing back and eventually becoming violent with one another. This represents a struggle with intimacy and how this can lead to a toxic relationship.
Comments
Post a Comment