The Bourne Ultimatum
The film opens with the Bourne theme music which is non diagetic and asynchronous playing over the ‘Universal’ sequence. Normally the ‘Universal’ music would play over the sequence, however the fact that it is playing before the film has started suggests that what is to come is going to be partway into the action of what is going on.
The music itself is made up of a mixture of strings instruments and heavy drumming that builds up throughout the first part of the opening, this adds significance to the event as drumming can give importance to events, such as drumming in military which could also suggest that something to do with the military will be in the events to follow. There is a fast strumming of a loosely strung strings which sounds very eastern-European which gives a suggestion of where the following events are going to take place. The music also acts as a build up for the action to come and it is also the signature music for the Bourne films and very iconic which I think helps the audience relate back to events in the previous films because music can bring back memories that may of otherwise been forgotten.
The screen then goes to black which could represent a variety of things, I personally think it could represent Bourne’s dark past before he lost his memory which is why you don’t see anything before the black screen because he can’t remember and it could also be what Bourne can remember of his past before the amnesia. The other thing that I think it represents is the time interlude between ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ and ‘The Bourne Supremacy’. During this time, the location comes up on screen ‘Moscow, Russia’,
this is accompanied with the famous electronic typing noise which suggests that the film is to do with spying etc. This confirms the location and it is eastern-Europe which is what the music was suggesting and this also suggests that this spying/events are international and that events will take place in other places around the world too.
Throughout the opening there are two people that you as the viewer follow, Bourne and the police. This creates a distance between the audience and Bourne because the audience does not know exactly what Bourne has done and what he is capable of, the fact that we are following him could be because we want to keep an eye on him and see what he is doing. The use of the hand-held camera in almost all of these shots makes the audience a part of the events. The hand-held camera also portrays Bourne because he is psychologically unstable like the camera being unstable. This could be because the director wants the audience to understand what it is like to be Bourne, how hard it is to be on the run alone and having to constantly be aware of everything and everyone around you. The first of these shots is a close up of Bourne’s feet tracking him as he is walking along in the snow.
This straight away suggests that we are following him and that he is on the run from something because normally when you are injured you would go and seek medical attention. However at this point the audience don’t actually know who they are following, and because all you can see is the two feet in black shoes and trousers in the snow, it gives a sense of mysteriousness and of the unknown. In this shot you can only see Bourne’s feet so at first you are not quite sure if it is Bourne or not and this gives an uneasy feeling as well because you do not know his situation and what state he is in. While tracking Bourne his legs do not quite dominate the screen and he moves about the screen a lot to try and stay as dominant as he can. I think that this suggests that he is weak from something and is vulnerable and is therefore trying to hold his dominance of the screen suggesting that he’s hurt but still in control and if somebody attacks him, he will fight back. There is then a motivated cut between this shot and a mid shot of the camera tracking Bourne because it allows the audience to get a greater idea of who they are following and why they are following him.
When Bourne jumps out of the train it’s as so the viewer has already jumped off and is waiting for Bourne and when he has jumped off, when he gets up, we get up with him so it is like we are with him and one of the team.
This shot is a mid-long shot which helps to create distance between the audience and Bourne because the audience still don’t know whether to trust Bourne or not and he is wanted by the police where as the viewer has done nothing wrong so they don’t want to make it look like they are up to no good so the audience want to keep some distance from him. Bourne dominates the frame for this shot, I think this is because he has managed to evade the police for now and is still going strong and presents Bourne being dominant over the police.
When the camera is in the back of the police car following another police car it gives the impression that it is like a program where a cameraman goes out with the police and records what is going on.
Bourne is an international fugitive and there are many people trying to hunt him down so it could be that people want to know about him and his story which involves a corrupt government service and international secrets so they are filming almost what is like a documentary of police chasing Bourne. This could be because the events with Bourne could destroy the American secret services and he was also the first of his kind so it would be documenting the life of someone involved in these government programmes.
From this shot there is a cut to a mid-shot of Bourne leaning up against the wall to stay in cover as the police go past.
The mid-shot shows all of Bourne’s top half which suggests that the viewer is watching him as there is still not enough trust but we are also keeping an eye on surroundings too. In a very similar shot after this as the police are going past, however this is a close up of Bourne’s face and also a long shot of the road which suggests that the viewer is getting closer to him and that they can trust him more.
I think that this shot is very good because it shows Bourne’s dominance as he is dominating over half of the frame and because it is like we are running with him. As the police go past we get into cover with Bourne and Bourne seems clever, he’s already there, in the shadows so it seems as so we are not too sure of the situation and that we are learning from Bourne.
There is then a motivated cut to a point of view shot of Bourne’s view of the pharmacy, this is used as it portrays Bourne’s attention to the pharmacy sign which symbolises safety.
This is also shown through the pharmacy’s sign which is a green hospital/medical like cross, it is also glowing which gives the impression that this is very important to Bourne. In the point of view shot a hand held camera is used to give the impression that it’s from Bourne’s eyes, the zoom is used to show the focusing of his eyes as he is in a bad state and also it highlights the pharmacy because it is a symbol of safety where Bourne can go to treat himself. The editing during these shots is very fast, it shows how quick Bourne can move and how he can do it without being seen, this is also shown by the jump-cut to the pharmacy.
A jump-cut is then used to take us into the pharmacy which then leads us to a series of fast paced matched shots as Bourne is getting some drugs,
I think this is used to express his state of mind as its all over the place and he really needs something for the pain.
We then follow him into the next room and stand next to him on the other side of some caging.
I think that this caging suggests that he is blocking off everything else from the outside world and really concentrating on getting those drugs into his bloodstream. It also acts as a barrier between him and the audience as he is a wanted man and we should not be with him because we might get in trouble or because he could be a danger as it is quite likely that he is mentally unstable at this point in time. There are then a series of very fast paced matched cut close ups to show the concentration of Bourne and his need for the drugs, this is used to show what he is doing and also his state of mind, these matched cuts slow down which represents the drugs kicking in and the pain being relieved,
the close up on Bourne’s face shows the relief very well and it also shows that because the shot is close, he is now dominating the frame and his concentration and focus has improved.
The sound running water from the tap which is diagetic and synchronous is used as a sound bridge to take us into the flashback with the sound of the hose, this makes the crossover from real time to the flashback much smoother. Not only is it a sound bridge for the audience to go back to the past but it is a sound bridge for Bourne to remember his past, the running water acts as a cue which jogs his memory. The flashback itself is very blurred and there are bits missing in it.
I think this is very good because you can’t always remember all of a memory and sometimes the memories are not clear, you remember the key elements of memories so to have bits missing from it and to be blurred makes it very realistic.
It then goes back to real time where the two policemen are entering and crosses over several times between the flashbacks and what’s happening at the present time using jump cuts. This is done to highlight the fact that these are just memories and that the danger and his focus is and needs to be in the present and for the future, it also shows how the memories are broken by it switching between past and present and could also signify how his past is broken. The dog tags suggest that he has a military background which helps to give a stronger image of Bourne and presents him as being more powerful and that he could be part of an army.
Dr Hirsch’s (man in flashback speaking) voice in the flashbacks is very authoritative and powerful, this presents him as very important and in control, and he could perhaps be the one man with power over Bourne as Dr Hirsch was the person who trained and programmed Bourne to be a government weapon. The word is repeated many times throughout the flashbacks and is echoed and is therefore a reverberation of what is being said, also because it is in a memory it isn’t new, so the fact he is hearing it again, it is like an echo. It also highlights the importance of these flashbacks to Bourne as they hold the answers to what he has been searching for and they are the key to getting his life back.
There is a close up of Bourne while he is pointing the gun at the policeman which shows Bourne as being more dominant as he is dominating the frame, it also helps to show the emotion on his face as he is deciding not to kill the policeman.
The zooming in on this shot could help to represent Bourne’s realisation that the policeman is a good man and does not deserve to die and also that Bourne has done a good thing so we are warming to him more. One other thing in this shot is that one of Bourne’s teeth is glistening in the light but his eyes are completely dark, this could represent that Bourne has seen and done many bad things and there is no light left in his life. There is then a motivated cut to the policeman of a close up reaction shot, this is used to express the policeman’s feelings as his life has just been spared. The policeman has also got very big, guiltless and almost childlike eyes which portrays him as being innocent and helpless.
Bourne spares the policeman’s life this reminds the audience that Bourne is the good guy in this and that he doesn’t like to hurt people. It also shows how Bourne realises that if he were to kill the policeman it would go against everything he had been fighting for and everything he believes in.
Ronin
The film opens with words coming up on screen which talk about samurai’s in Japan being sworn to protect their liege lords with their lives and how if they let their liege die they were out casted and had to look for work as mercenaries and that they were no longer referred to as samurai, they were called ‘Ronin’. This straight away suggests that in the following events there will be someone who use to be in a job where they looked after somebody and that they are now a mercenary for a reason, possibly because the person they looked after died or because of perhaps some kind of disagreement.
The word ‘Ronin’ comes up on screen alone, wrote in black with a red background in an almost graffiti like font and looks as so its labelling someone as a traitor. It comes up alone on screen because it symbolises the actual Ronin as he would be alone. The black and the red connotations danger, evil and blood which suggests that Ronin’s are dangerous bad people that may kill people or have blood on their hands meaning that they could be responsible for the murders of people. The graffiti like font can be interpreted in two ways. Because looks like graffiti that it is rebellious and going against the law and it is like the mark of someone that could be used to intimidate people. Or because they are labelling the Ronin as a traitor and out casting them from their society because it looks almost like a warning or a sign which may be suggesting that they should leave their society.
The music during this is made up of drumming, build ups of ritual sounding chanting which also sounds very spiritual and the use of the fast but soft hitting of symbols or a gong. This really emphasises the feudal Japan concept of the film and it also helps to give a stronger image of the warriors as it is used as a prompt for the audience to make the image in their head of what they see of feudal Japan which helps to set the scene. The drumming also sounds like a death march, which gives the idea of shame, dishonour and the failing to protect their liege lords.
The location then comes up on screen which shows that the events to follow are international.
What is strange about this shot is that when you see ‘Paris’ on screen or know that this is the location you would normally see a famous landmark in Paris such as the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe where instead it is of an unknown church and some grotty alleyways in the back streets of Paris. An interpretation of this setting is that the Ronin has been out cast from the nice part of Paris into the poorer more dangerous parts after failing and dishonouring their people. The music which plays from the start and right through most of the opening sounds very ancient, tribal or ritual like Japanese music. This strongly contrasts with the actual location and is very out of place which gives a sense of unnaturalness and unease and could also suggest that the events to come are going to unnatural and there may be a tense and uneasy situation. The shot used to show the location is an establishing shot which then turns into a high-angled long shot of a man walking down some very long stairs,
from this high-angled shot it gives the impression that the viewer is watching this man from a roof top, however at this stage the reason for this is unknown.
There is then a motivated cut to a low angle mid-shot of the man, tracking him down the stairs, this cut is used to bring the audience closer to the character.
The mid-shot is used to distance the audience from him because the audience does not yet know who the man is and weather he could be a danger to them. On the other hand, this mid-shot cuts off his arms so the audience cannot see what he is doing with them which makes him seem more dangerous and a threat to the audience. The low angled shot portrays him as being more powerful as he is looking down on the viewer and has the higher vantage point. He is wearing a dark hat and a light coat which could suggest that he has two sides to him or he may have a contradicting personality. The man has his coat done right the way up like he has got something to hide, however he uses his very typical French looking hat to blend into his surroundings and to prevent suspicion. The light is coming from behind him and he is blocking it out which suggests that he is bad and perhaps about to commit a dark act. In this shot he looks cornered on the screen which presents him as having little dominance over what is going on around him, however it almost looks as so he wants to look weak and unnoticeable. In the background there is a lot of graffiti which from the previous use of graffiti suggests that he is going back to where he was out casted from and that the environment he is in is unwelcoming and hostile.
There is then a motivated cut of the man’s point of view looking down the stairs to the street of a van pulling up and a woman getting out.
There is then another motivated cut to the woman which is a mid-shot tracking her from behind into the bar.
She is not centre frame, but she is very close to it suggesting that she is not the most powerful or dominant person around and that she still holds some power.
There is then a reaction shot of the man on the stairs looking quite intrigued to what the woman is doing and why she is there.
There is then a motivated cut to a shot tracking the woman as she walks round the bar,
the shot itself is as if the audience are sat at the bar having a drink and it’s almost like they are subtly checking her out.
A matched cut is then used to go to a close up of man with dark hair and wearing a dark coat, in the Japanese culture where samurais are from, the colour black is a symbol of nobility, age and experience hence the black belt in many martial arts.
He dominates the frame and he is blowing cigarette smoke out of his mouth almost to try and cover his face to them woman which suggests that he does not want to reveal his identity to her for some reason. He also stares at her intently and it gives the impression that he knows her and maybe even had relations with her in the past.
There is then a shot of her looking back at him quite nervously and she looks quite annoyed which gives the audience the sense that she doesn’t want him there for some reason.
A motivated cut is used to go to a mid-shot tracking the man with the black woolly hat as he has caught the attention of the man in the light coat and dark hat and could be a threat to him and the audience.
The mid-shot allows the man’s body language to be seen more clearly, he looks very serious, has a bit of swagger and is looking to see if there are any nearby dangers and getting to know the area. This suggests that he may have something to hide and that he is also being cautious and secretive perhaps the thing he is holding may be very important and therefore can’t have anybody following him. He is also carrying what looks to be a bag, however you cannot see what it is which adds a sense of mysteriousness to his character as the audience are not aware of his role yet. When the man is being tracked the camera actually follows him in so to the audience it actually seems like they are there following him and maybe even with him. At one point when the man is waiting for the other man to come out the door it almost looks like the camera moves out the way of the man coming out which makes the audience seem week compared to the people at the bar.
The man wearing the light coloured rain coat and a dark hat goes down the stairs to where the bar is, he looks at the notice board outside,
during this time there is the very annoying sound of a broken light that is buzzing, the light then cuts out just before the man starts to walk next to it which makes it seem like the light is scared of the man and gives the audience the impression that he should be feared. It also suggests that the man has power over technology and electronics portraying him as extremely powerful and giving him an unearthly presence. He then goes down some more stairs and goes round to the back of the bar which seems to be a mistake as this one floor of the bar is on two levels.
However, this could be seen as deliberate and suggests that this man is descending further than he can physically go. This gives the idea that he could be going somewhere extremely dangerous or going to commit an extremely dark act and could be interpreted as him descending into hell. When he reaches the bottom the music changes from it being a deeper pitched string instrument to a higher pitched string instrument as he reaches the bottom, this suggests that this is his comfort zone and he likes it here. It makes him seem more dangerous to the audience as it is almost like he enjoys the dangerous situation and being under pressure.
Inside the bar there is a close up of the mirror which looks back on the bar, this shot makes the audience feel like they are actually someone in the bar and trying to discreetly and secretly like they shouldn’t be look at what is going on.
In this shot the barman puts his hat on and takes the lady sat at the bar out with him which suggests to the audience that the following events may be secret from the outside world and that the bar may no longer be a safe place to be. The camera then pans to the man sat at the table smoking and the shot then turns into a close up on him, he looks very musing and suspicious which makes the audience think that there is something not quite right about this man and that he may have something to do with what might be about to happen as well.
The fact that he is smoking next to a ‘no smoking’ sign suggests that he does not respect other people and that he is perhaps rebellious and even dishonourable.
A motivated cut is then used to go to a close up of the woman who was behind the bar because she seems quite dangerous and is still unknown to the audience and they therefore want to keep an eye on her.
This also makes her the new focus for the audience as she is dominating the frame and in clear focus whereas the background is blurry, this also makes her seem more powerful. Earlier in the opening she was wearing light coloured clothing and she looked very innocent, sensitive and kind. She is now dressed in black which contrasts with what the audience had previously seen and makes her seem a very different person now to what she was before. The camera then pans down to a close up of her putting a gun into the back of her trousers which makes the gun seem more significant as the focus is right on the gun so it is like the audience are now making sure they watch out for this as she seemed really nice but she is in fact very dangerous.
When this woman is talking to the man in the light coloured coat and dark hat that is then put on the bar, she is extremely high up when the camera is on her side and the man’s side, this presents her as being dominant over the man and having power over him, it also presents the man as being very small and weak.
She puts the man on the spot and blows his cover so he is trying to act normal and remain calm but he in fact has very little power over the situation. When the woman speaks there is an expectation of her to be a French woman and reply in French as she was just spoken to in French, however she replies in a strong Irish accent which subverts the expectations and the stereotype that the audience had for her. This also makes her very out of place which suggests that she might be in France for a particular reason and they might be meeting for a particular reason. An alternative viewpoint of her being there is that in the 1980’s, when this is set there was a lot of trouble in Ireland with the IRA so she may of fled from Ireland to find a better life and to get away from the trouble or she may be involved by someone through the trouble in Ireland. This would portray her as being a toughened woman and perhaps dangerous who has seen many bad things and understands that the world is a very dangerous place and that to survive and make it to the top she’s going to need to protect herself and therefore has a gun and could also suggest that she may be involved with some very dangerous people.
Enemy of the State
The extract begins with the opening credits which are in a Greek font style, in North America Greek letters are used for social clubs for undergraduate students.
These social clubs are known as Fraternities and sororities (from the Latinwords frater and soror, meaning “brother” and “sister”. The different clubs stay with an individual for their life, and if they go in to politics and get in to congress these individuals will show loyalty to one another if they were in the same Fraternity or Sorority. This suggests that in the following scenes there is likely to be something to do with American politics and also that there is a theme of loyalty between someone and something, this could be between the person and their beliefs, it could be loyalty between people or a group or it could be loyalty between a person and their country.
While these opening credits are showing there is some music playing which comes and goes throughout the whole extract. This music sounds very patriotic because of the strings and the faint banging of the drums. This patriotic music suggests loyalty to a country and also gives a feel of pride and honour. The music also suggests that what is to come is a serious matter and is important. The drumming is an extremely patriotic sound, this is most likely because military often use drums as a beat to march to and in their marching bands. Another interpretation of the drums is that it could be a heartbeat as the beats come in groups of one to three and is slightly irregular and staggered. This heartbeat may suggest that somebody may be going to be in danger but not just yet as it is still very faint. It may also suggest that someone may be being monitored as you only really hear a heartbeat through a stethoscope, this links in with the argument to come about surveillance on people which is very similar to monitoring people.
After the opening credits the extract opens with an extreme long establishing shot of a car park with a lake behind and surrounded by trees with a car coming into frame into the car park. From a first glance this looks to be an everyday scene with nothing out of the ordinary, this could suggest that it is almost too normal and quiet and that something is bound to happen. The weather is dismal and the lighting is very dull, this reflects the dark actions to come, this is also using pathetic fallacy to reflect the mood. The brightest thing in the frame is the lake, this highlights its importance in the in the actions to come and also its dominance in the extract as it is used to cover up the murder that is going to happen.
All the people in the shot are in silhouette, this presents everyone as being equal and nobody standing out from everybody else yet. At this point in time, the viewer’s role is an observer. The letters appearing on screen really emphasise the concept of spying, it has the classic electronic typewriting noise of letters appearing on screen. The fact that the lettering is of a place and time adds importance to the event, it may also suggest that this could be evidence or from a series of important events and that it may be archived.
A motivated cut is used from the mid-shot of the man with the earpiece in to a low angled long shot of the man in the light jacket called Phil getting out of his car.
The motivated cut is used because the shots of the agents are for the audience to establish the scene and during these shots the audience can still here the man pulling up and getting out of his car and because he dominates the sound he is still the main focus of the audience and they therefore want to see what he is doing now that he is out of his car. This motivated cut takes us back into the action of what Phil is doing after viewing the two agents nearby. The cut is also helped by the diagetic asynchronised sound of the car pulling up, this helps to divert the attention of the viewer from the agent back to the moving car and what is happing there. The low angled shot is used to show the dominance of the manmade objects (the cars) which are dominating the whole of the frame, it also makes the man seem more powerful because we are looking up at him. In this shot the two cars are at a right angle to each other, this gives the impression that there is conflict between the two people before they even start to converse. The shot also gives the impression that you are watching them because the camera is placed on the floor, it gives the audience the feeling that they are lying down on the floor staying hidden but watching what is going on.
There is then a motivated cut leading us to a close up of Thomas, who is the man sat in the car. The motivated cut is used because we do still not know who is in the car and because his identity has not yet been revealed and he has only been in silhouette which also suggests that he could be the antagonist, and it therefore means that it is time to show the viewer who he is.
In the close up of Thomas sat in the car he is almost hiding behind the window suggesting he may have something to hide and that he needs protection from the outside world, this straight away makes the viewer feel that there is something not quite right about him and also portrays him as being weak. It also looks like he is peeking through the gap in the window, being secretive and watching Phil’s actions which also suggest that there is something to do with spying and watching people. From this point on the viewer is constantly being played with about whose side to be on.
There is then an extreme long shot of the two men standing by the lake, the viewer is still observing the events and it is almost like the viewer is spying on the two men the way that he is watching through the trees at a distance.
In the shot of a close up of Phil where the flask is also in frame too, you can see that on the bottom of the flask there is what looks to be an eagle which is a very iconic symbol in America of power and of high power as they are at the top of the food chain.
This suggests that Thomas is high up in congress and that the flask has been given to him as a gift, perhaps because of his achievements.
After this the camera starts tracking the two men as they have their conversation,
this now brings the viewer much closer in to what is going on and they are now involved. The viewer is no longer an observer, they are now a third person in what is going on, this also makes the viewer partly responsible for Phil’s murder as they did nothing to stop it. The viewer then becomes complicit and just as bad as the agents viewing the murder.
There is then a matched cut to a mid-long shot of Phil sitting on the bench and Thomas stood next to the bench in silhouette.
Phil’s dog also comes back in to shot and the dog keeps returning to him which emphasises how strong the relationship is between the two and how the dog is so loyal to him. In this shot Phil seems to be sitting further away from us which suggests that he is slowly drifting apart from us, also his position on frame is completely in front of the lake, this foreshadows what is to come.
There is then a point of view shot from Phil’s perspective, in which he is looking at Thomas and tracks his movement to the bench, this suggests that Thomas cannot be trusted that the viewer should keep an eye on him.
In this shot you see Thomas is wearing a dark red scarf for the first time, this has connotations of blood and death and once again foreshadows the events to come.
After this there are a sequence of shots between the two men, mainly close ups. These are put together by a series of matched cuts including some reaction shots as well, this helps the viewer to get really involved in the conversation and helps the conversation to flow and also gives an insight to what the men are thinking.
In these shots, Thomas dominates almost all of them which presents him as being more powerful than Phil is. However Phil still remains in these shots which suggests that he has still got some power and has not lost yet, they also share an equal amount of screen time suggesting that Phil has got an equal amount of power to Thomas in some ways, perhaps when in congress. During this time the patriotic music comes in again, however this time there is more of a reminiscing tone and almost sounds as if the music is a last cry for help which gives the impression that something is about to come to an end. There is also heart beat suggesting that something is about to happen and it could be fatal for someone. The heart beat itself could belong to either of the men because Thomas is hoping that he will not have to have Phil killed and knows what might be about to happen and it could be Phil’s because his life is the one that is being monitored at this time and he is about to be attacked and lose his life.
When the conversation is coming to an end, there is an extreme close up of Thomas’ hand grabbing Phil’s wrist with a very tight grip.
Instead of it being Phil grabbing on for dear life, as he is unaware that his life is in danger, I think that Thomas is grabbing on for Phil’s life to try and save him because he knows that if he walks back to his car without agreeing that he will have to have Phil killed which he does not want.
There is then a close up of Phil’s face in which the camera pans round him slightly and shows the background moving, this suggests that Phil realises that Thomas is going to do something bad to get this law passed and he wants nothing to do with it. It shows Phil being stuck in that moment in time as he realises and everything in the world is moving round him because nothing else in that moment matters.
There is then an ellipsis of time while the men make their way back towards the car park and there is then a mid-close up of the agent with the earpiece. In this shot he tends to dominate over the environment, however the environment presents his status and place in the situation.
The lake behind is in frame right up to his neck which suggests that he is up to his neck in it, he is doing all the dirty work for Phil and if he gets caught he will be the one who goes down for murder. The bank of the lake behind looks as so it is a very dark and almost red cloud coming overhead, I think that this implies that he is like a storm and he is about to strike and also suggests that he is a nasty piece of work. He also is also centre frame and dominates it which illustrates his dominance and power. Also he is now the main focus of the audience because he is walking over to murder Phil and he seems very dangerous to the audience because he looks quite arrogant and because he is powerful too, he is a threat to the audience.
There is then a build up of music as the agent with the earpiece starts moving into position and comes in to centre frame as he is now the viewer’s main focus. The shots of the attack are very fast paced and slightly blurry which adds realism to what is going on as it happens so quick Phil hardly even knows what’s happening and in fast paced action like that you only get to see the things that are very close or the subject of what is going on in great detail.
At this point the audience are massively on Phil’s side because we have liked him all the way through and he has done nothing bad and now he is being murdered for sticking up for what he believes in. When the needle goes in, the music climaxes by there being an explosion of sound like when an electric guitar with pedal effects has been strum very hard and then it naturally fades out like when you have strummed a guitar which also represents the end of the struggle and the end of Phil’s life.
During the attack there is a close up of Thomas with his back turned on the attack which shows that he is ashamed of what he has had to do and it may be rather distressing for him as he appears to have known Phil for some time.
There is also a close up of the other agent who is looking agitated and upset when the struggle is going on and then hangs his head in shame and also because he knows that Phil’s life is definitely coming to an end now.
The viewer plays a similar role the situation now, they just feel bad about it and suffer in silence. This presents Thomas as being an even worse of a character because he’s put this poor young agent through this great ordeal in which he did not need to see it and makes the viewers opinion of him even worse.
There is then a matched cut to a long shot of the car being tracked while it rolls down the hill and the dog runs after it which makes you feel sympathy for it.
The long shot is used because there is now a distance between the audience and Phil because he is dead, and not only that, the audience let him die, they just stood there and watched. There is then another matched cut to a high angled long shot of the car in centre frame rolling down the hill and there is nothing you can do to stop it. The strange thing about this shot is that the thing that is centre frame is not dominating the shot, the agent in front the car is even though his head is not in the frame.
This suggests that the agent won the fight and he is the one left standing. The sound of the air hissing out the windows and also the image of the water spraying up tells the viewer that Phil is definitely dead now, there is nothing that can save him.
Then the final shot of the extract is of the dog at the water’s edge begging for its owner to come back.
The dog shows a similarity to Phil because the dog is staying loyal and waiting at the water for him even though there is no hope and Phil stayed loyal and true to his beliefs and people that supported him.
Forrest Gump
sky, the pure white of the feather suggests innocence, light and goodness. The concept of a feather could reflect purity and honesty.
this is presented in a large, bold and white font which could imply the importance of the text. The white and elegance of the text could tie in with the white feather. Next to follow is the producer and film which conveys their importance in the film. Next is the actor’s name “Tom Hanks” this is also shown in large white elegant writing which indicates his main role in the film as it comes before the title of the film. Not long after does the title “Forrest Gump” appear in a larger font still in a white colour, suggesting innocence. After various names are presented in a large font centre
frame like “Robin Wright” “Gary Sinise” “Mykelti Williamson” “Sally Field”, indicating they also have big role or involvement in the film. Next to be presented is the casting followed by co-producer, music, costume, edited by, production designer, photography , based on novel, screenplay, produced by and finally directed by. The effect of having the directors name last, especially with the large white font, hints how his role in the film is so important as he decides everything.
atmosphere. Many different establishing shots that are presented show a church that reflect religion, honesty and commitment. Other establishing shots include white buildings which suggest cleanliness and the appearance of the buildings have a sense of character about them. Also cars, people walking appear in the shots which suggest normality and everyday life. Finally green trees
are constantly shown in the frame, the presentation of them show the quantity of them. The green of the trees conveys growth and healthiness. All the establishing shots portray the town as pure, undisturbed and typically “small town”. The feather in some ways takes the viewers on a journey as the constant movement up and down is dependant on where the titles appear.
concentration on the feather suggesting it came from the sky. As the camera constantly tracks the feather it finally journeys and settles near Tom Hanks, which could suggest his character is innocent and pure. A close-up of his shoes reveals a dirty pair of Nike trainers however the
laces are bright white and properly tied which could reflect his character as well travelled and wholesome.The sequence opens with a mid-long shot of a cafe with a group of rough looking men many of whom are wearing suits, this
suggests that some kind of meeting or arranged gathering has been taking place. The men then begin to leave and then a very monotone voiceover begins during which the screen fades to black and the song ‘Little Green Bag’ by George Baker starts to play. Then the opening credits begin and it states who the film is made by in a very simple gold coloured font and it is the same for the rest of the writing in the opening which suggests that they like to be seen and have nice things but they are not too extravagant.
There is then a cut to a long-tracking shot of the men in suits walking down what looks to be an alley or a car park looking like a
mob, which gives the impression that they may be involved in organised crime etc. There is then a motivated cut to a close up of the faces of one of the men introducing him and the actors name beneath in the same gold font as
before. There are then several more motivated cut introducing the rest of the men in the same way as the first so it feels like the viewer is being introduced to the gang.
There is then a motivated cut to an extreme long shot from behind the men walking to their cars and then it says that 
they are ‘Reservoir Dogs’ which is also the title of the film. The title comes onto the screen like the credits at the end of a film do from the bottom to the top which could suggest that these men are coming to the end of something which they are because almost all of them are dead by the end of t
he film. The title is once again in the simple gold writing which then stops above their heads which looks like a postcard which could be interpreted as a memoir to the men which in some ways it is.
The screen then fades to black and then the rest of the cast and crew etc are shown in the credits with the songcontinuing to play, then towards the end of this you can hear a man in distress shouting ‘I’m going to die’, suggesting that these men have already got themselves in to some trouble and somebody’s life is in danger.
Reservoir Dogs presentation is also conventional, however some elements are slightly original. They incorporate their titles well at the start by using mid shots of each character and freezing the shot then inserts their name into the frame, this was one of the ways they incorporated titles which we felt was effective as it draws attention to it. the The extreme long shot that is used, the title “Reservoir Dogs” appears, we both agreed and felt the movement of the title was also effective, as it stayed in the frame for quite a bit. The titles fitted well with the sequence, however the ending credits were felt were ineffective as they’re was no originality and they were not incorporated well. From the analysis of the film the only feature we would consider would probably be the movement of the titles.
Dirty Harry
The name of the film producers with their logo appears centrally in the frame, this is the standard sequence for introductions to films, showing who has made it. The first shot of the sequence is of a tribute to the police who have been killed on duty in San Francisco. Through the scrolling names the San Francisco police badge is more in focus and in the centre of the frame
suggesting the patriotism and pride of the policing forceand principles. The pace of the names is quite fast which conveys an impression that there are endless police officers who die for their nation and they are not forgotten.
There is then a cut to a low angled shot looking down the barrel of a gun which is threatening to the viewer and puts them in 
danger. The man holding the gun has his face hidden behind his hair suggests that he does not want to be identified and it also gives him a mysterious and sly appearance. A motivated cut is used exposing a woman in the cross-hairs of a sniper scope tracking her every move suggesting that she is in immediate danger and
that it is likely she is going to be shot. The woman seems innocent to the audience and creates sympathy for her. A matched cut is then used to go to a long shot of the woman on the building; it almost feels as though the viewer is a spotter for the rifleman.
There is then a high angle shot of a door suggesting that where they are danger could occur. Clint Eastwood (Dirty Harry) then appears walking through the door; text becomes visible 
with his name in bold yellow writing which gives an impression of his superiority as it is placed before the title of the film and
enters at his entrance. A close up reveals him checking the scenario which portrays his professionalism and implies how he’s experienced. It is noticeable that he is wearing glasses conveying how he could possibly be a mysterious character.
The music then enters however; the music is settled and chilled out even though a tragedy has happened which could reflect his personality and implies he is in his element. A mid shot reveals the building dominating the frame with Clint Eastwood in the right of the fame and another actor in the left of the frame, the building is highlighted to expose where 
the initial danger occurred. The title of the film “Dirty Harry” appears where Clint Eastwood is in the frame, the text is presented in strong colours, “Dirty” in red which could be symbolic for passion, blood, anger, danger and evil. The “Harry” appears in a yellow/gold colour which could convey honesty, energy, light and happiness.
More titles then appear left of the frame which is the co starring actors, again these are shown in a bold yellow/gold
colour, there is movement in the frame but the text is static. The yellow could reflect the goodness.
The camera pans up which enhances the enormity of the
skyscrapers which makes the characters and the audience vulnerable as the danger occurs from above. On the right in the frame more co-starring titles appear in the same bold yellow text. Next the titles are the featuring people, which
appear scattered in the frame and slightly smaller which gives an impression they’re less important than the others.
The opening titles for the sequence are conventional but also include aspects of creativity. The titles are incorporated well, the titles appear quite abruptly in a sharp colour and font making the appearance bold, which we felt was attractive as it reflects the background in the film. Also the vary in font size and positioning conveyed the importance as well as the order this is something we would like to emulate, as the order is key into letting the audience be knowledgeable of who is involved.
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