Coursework Essay

How does the use of mise-en-scène and cinematography shots in a key sequence from The Fall convey a sense of emotion?

During the first shot of this of this scene the two main characters Alexandra (Catnica Untaru) and Roy/The Masked Bandit (Lee Pace) are seen somewhat storming down a long alley way in a garden. This first short insight into their fantasy story at his point in the film tells me how the ‘real’ characters are feeling. The Masked Bandit appears to be pulling Alexandra along which tells us that she doesn’t really want to be in this situation and witness the events that are about to take place, this is linked to how the ‘real’ Alexandra is feeling about Roy changing the story into something more tragic and full of sorrow.

The sequence is somewhat dominated by parallel cuts between the reality of the two characters lives and the fantasy they have created in this story, this causes me to see the effect that this make believe world has on these two characters. A common convention of the Drama genre is to trick the audience into creating a bond with the characters; this therefore triggers a more emotional response to the events in their lives. The parallel cuts allowed me to see how the characters I have come to sympathise for have now become forlorn and enveloped in depression.

While the two ‘real’ characters are talking to each other even when shown in a two shot there appears to be a small gap/distance between them, which tells me that these characters are becoming cold with each other. Apposing to this the hospital shots within this scene show me the characters reactions to the tragic ending to their beloved tale. Even though these characters appear to be falling apart the two shot shows a remaining sense of closeness between the characters.

The extreme difference between the mise-en-scene of the hospital room and the fantasy show me how these characters have created a world which allows them to escape the gloomy and cold environment of the hospital and enter a world full of colour brightness and open space. One example of the extreme change is that the hospital room is very small and restricted creating a feel of suffocation for the characters, contrariwise the environment of the fantasy world is very open and spacious which reflects how these characters a very censored to the world and that their freedom is extremely limited within the hospital. An example of this openness and freedom is shown in an extreme long shot from a high angle, which looks over a garden within the story. This is shown to me right at the beginning of the sequence.

Both of the settings contain high amounts of the colour green, within the hospital the walls are a dark and gloomy green which reflects on the illness of the two characters, as well as reflecting on the physical illness of these characters it also reflects on the mental illness of Roy and how the loss of his career and girlfriend have affected his mental stability. Within the fantasy story line the characters are surrounded by a bright green colour which reflects the emotion of jealousy and greed of the characters in this story and how the bandit and odious are lusting after a woman.

During a shot within in the tell-tale realm the bandit and his adversary odious have a large distance between them which is shown in the two shot of both characters. This two shot and the reaction shows between the two characters show rivalry and tension. A common convention of the drama genre is that there is a love triangle between two men and a woman, and the two men indefinitely end up fighting over the woman, this is shown by the bandit and his opponent Odious fighting for a woman. This ‘stand off’ shot shows a resemblance to the western film the good the bad and the ugly.

The red mask that covers the bandit’s eyes could be a reference to all the traumatic events he has witnesses in his past and foreshadows the traumatic events of his future. Also the red mask could represent how the bandit is blinded by love and he only has eyes for the woman who represents his lost girlfriend and that he’ll do anything to have her.

During most of the scenes within these characters fantasy the world is surrounded in bright colours and intricate surroundings, this could be an implication that both Roy and Alexandra have very vivid and explorative minds, through combining the mind of a imaginative little girl and the mind of a man who has taken on many different characters and roles from his previous job as a stunt double have created a magnificent world of colour and imagination.

The Camera tracks the red bandit from left to right while he is searching for his opponent, while this happens the camera travels behind yellow covered shades, this made me feel as if I was a bystander to the story and only there to watch the events unravel. In a way this made me feel as though I was Alexandra at this point and that I also had no power over what was happening to the characters and had to struggle with the fact I would have to stand by and watch the cruel fate that Roy bestowed upon them unravel which made me feel overall frustrated.

During the climax of this sequence there are small flash back in the story of the bandis past and some of the tragic events that have happened in the story. One of these flash backs is when the bandit is standing in front of a large piece of fabric that is strung up and soaked in blood at the bottom, this shows me that as the bandit is reflecting on the harsh moments in his life so is Roy, this causes a build up of emotion and for Roy and Bandit to feel as though they should just give up.

During the main fight scene between the bandit and odious the bandit begins to say  “ I cant get up, I cant get up” when he is being drowned, this tells me that the fantasy world that Alexandra and Roy have created is now crumbling down and the line between what is real and false has begun to blur causing Roy fictional self to gain the traits of his disability.

During the point of Odious’ death he accidentally plunges a spike into his heart that is conveniently placed directly behind him, as this unfortunate event occurs a parallel shot reveals the woman declaring her love for the masked bandit, so this extravagant impaling of Odious is really a metaphor for how his heart has just been broken and that he has lost the one he loves. Odious’ accidental demise caused me to see him as a character of ridicule and stupidity due to him causing his own death, this also tells me of the childish hatred that Roy has for the ‘real’ Odious (the man who is now dating his girlfriend) because he decided to kill him off in a childish and silly manor. This rivalry between the bandit and Odious shows the rivalry between good and evil and how within a fantasy there will always be a good side and the evil side, but for this story the bandit comes of as more of an anti-hero because in truth he is a criminal who is evidently looking to do good. The bandit being an anti-hero links to comic book movies such as Batman.

At the end of the sequence the bandit removes his red mask. This tell us that Roy appears has realised he was mistaken and no longer has love for this woman and that he now sees clearly and the only woman in his life he should be fighting for is Alexandra. Masks are commonly used in film to show that a character is hiding their true identity and that in reality they are embarrassed by who they truly are, for example this is used in films such as Friday the 13^th or scream. The bandits mask may represent that he doesn’t like who he is and that he feels exposed and weak without is so for him to remove his mask for Alexandra is an extreme ac of trust for him and he feels comfortable and safe with her.

The end shot of the sequence is where both Alexandra and the bandit are looking out over a city; this is shot from a high angle and represented in a long shot. His long shot shows us that the characters have once again become close and have a lot of love for each other because they are standing together and the bandit has his arm over Alexandra. The fact that you can see an entire city in the background of this shot represents that these characters are now free, they have passed the challenges that life has thrown at them and are now be o move on and start a new life together.