Malcolm X: Mise en Scene at its finest

On February 21, 1965, the world lost one of its great leaders. The man known as Malcolm X was assassinated. After over two decades, prominent African American director Spike Lee took on the task of putting the life of Malcolm X on the big screen, in his 1992 film Malcolm X. Featuring Denzel Washington as Malcolm X, this film follows the life of a teenage Malcolm to his time in prison and then to his eventual assassination in 1965. This film uses many film techniques to not only set the piece in the correct time, but also to create a feeling of helplessness in the scene leading up to Malcolm’s assassination. The combination of the techniques is a scene that truly captivates audiences and leaves them with a feeling of sorrow for Malcolm X.

As the events of the film are documented history, Spike Lee had to use aspects of visual design to create a period piece that would stand up to critique by the audiences who lived through the Civil Rights Era. Although this seems like a no brainer for any director that is doing a historical type film, what truly makes this film astonishing is the way that Lee uses the racial tensions of the time as a way to make the audience unsure of how to feel, creating intrigue and the same uneasiness that many faced during the 60’s. The uneasiness sets this film above other similar films of the same period and is a true testament to Lee’s ability as a director. However, an almost overlooked part of the film is use of predominantly white, black and gray. The color use speaks once more to the time period of the film as opinions ranged from White supremacy to Back to Africa and any multitude of ideas in-between. For example, Malcolm is wearing a white shirt with a black tie and a gray jacket. He as the leader of this movement embodies all of the points of the Civil Rights Movement. In contrast, his body guards and the assassin (the man who gives his daughter the doll) wear very prominent black jackets. This choice in wardrobe signifies their very black and white view points for lack of a better word. However, the scene is not really as much about the time period as it is setting up the assassination of Malcolm X.

In order to set up one of the most climactic scenes in film, the assassination of a great leader, Malcolm X. Spike Lee masterfully uses his trademark double-dolly shot as well as many other elements of cinematic brilliance to create a feeling of impending doom. The Double-Dolly shot is a creative take on the regular dolly shot. This shot sets both camera and actor on two dollys that are connected, creating an ethereal, floating effect of the actor on the dolly. This technique is executed in the scene to create a feeling that Malcolm is being “pushed” to his death, an inevitable part of life. This sense of doom in magnified when the woman says to Malcolm, “I’ll pray for you son.” Lee’s use of his signature shot was the only appearance that it made in the film, which only serves to add to the importance of its use as well as the significance of the scene. Another thing that adds to the helplessness of the scene is the use of the Over-the-Shoulder Shot. This particular shot is where the camera is positioned so the shoulder can be seen as well as what the actor is looking at. Towards the end of the scene, Malcolm is talking to the woman and the camera switches from an Over-the-Shoulder Shot over Malcolm’s shoulder and the woman’s shoulder. This shot removes us from the characters perspective and gives us the role of a bystander. Lee takes advantage of the attachment to Malcolm that has been developed over the course of the film to make us feel removed, and in a sense, helpless to stop him from going on the way to his death. 

Spike Lee uses a variety of editing techniques to build to the assassination in this scene. In the portion of the scene where his daughter drops her doll the camera stays on the gentleman who picked the doll up as he goes from a smile to a neutral/displeased look. Unknown to the audience this man is one of the assassins sent to kill Malcolm. However, it is not a complete shock as Lee chose to focus on his facial expressions longer than he appeared to be significant in the scene. This creates a subconscious feeling of disdain for the man in the audience that is not realized until after he rises and kills Malcolm X. Lee also pans on several of the longer takes that show his family in a car going to the ballroom where Malcolm will be speaking. This panning technique draws our attention to the family and shows them in a light that all people can relate to with the mother chastising the daughter about her posture. This connection although subtle, makes the emotional character of the scene higher, building the emotional distress of Malcolm heading to his death. The pacing of the scene is very methodical and creates this retrospective feel. This makes sense as when one knows they are going to die they ponder their life and all the actions of their past. The long takes on Malcolm driving, especially the one where you can see the trees and clouds on the windshield, truly exemplify the somber feel of the scene. 

The culmination of the several film techniques analyzed as well as the numerous other subtle things director Spike Lee used in the scene create an almost perfect scene. The scene creates an emotion and makes sure that you feel it creating an atmosphere that is unavoidable to the audience. Lee takes a historical event and makes you feel helpless to stop it. Even though you know that nothing can change the past events being depicted. This scene truly exemplifies the characteristics of mise en scene as they're intended to be used.

The Great Gatsby: A Marvel to Behold

Welcome to a world inspired by crime and greed. A place where the senses are overwhelmed by aura of extravagance. Welcome to the Roaring Twenties. The Great Gatsby, the 2013 film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel of the same name, directed by Baz Luhrmann, is a contemporary film overlaid on the 1920’s allowing for a more connectable, yet historical film. The film is narrated by Nick Carraway (Tobey McGuire), who is a bond salesman living on Long Island and is the closest thing Jay Gatsby (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) has to a friend. Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man who throws extravagant parties, is the embodiment of doing anything for a noble cause and lives in the mansion next to Nick’s small cottage. Jay lives in this world where successes and monetary wealth can cause anyone to give everything up for you, as evidenced in his courting of Daisy Buchanan (played by Carey Mulligan). In one scene, Jay is taking Nick into town to meet Meyer Wolfshiem, the man who fixed the 1919 World Series. Once Nick and Meyer are introduced, they then proceed to enter a speakeasy, as this is during the era of Prohibition. This scene in particular masterfully displays many aspects of visual design. The creative liberties and contemporary interpretation of the wardrobe and the set create an understandable image of the dark beneath the shiny surface.

Something that really sticks out in this scene is the attire of the characters. Catherine Martin, the most awarded Australian in Oscar history took a unique approach to the wardrobe used for the characters in the film. Martin took clothing similar to what would have been available in the 1920’s and added a more contemporary appearance to them. Using tighter fitted pants for men and more provocative dresses for the women. This modern flair to the wardrobe allows for a more relatable appearance of flair and flamboyance that would not have been as available had the film been completely a period piece. The colours worn by Meyer, Jay and Nick contrast very well with the people in the barber shop front for the speakeasy. As they are in more midtone beige, blue-grey suits where the employees are in plain vibrant white. This shows a contrast in the lifestyle as the three are in the more gray area of society and the barber shop front business maintains a sense of normalcy and innocence. This is a subtle difference that is brought into more focus once Jay, Meyer and Nick enter the speakeasy and are surrounded by people in the greyed/beige coloured suits being as they are in an illegally operated facility. This contemporary approach helps to make the film feel like it could almost be occurring in modern time, until the focus is broadened and shows 1920’s New York..

Set in a speakeasy, the fine points of the setting captures the socioeconomic structure of the 20’s as well as the optimism of a high point in American history.  The scene begins with Jay and Nick driving into town, to which Nick says, “The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world.” This remark speaks to the feelings of the time as the Roaring Twenties were in full bloom. Bringing with them a sense of a mysterious but highly intriguing view of the world as it opened up. As they enter the speakeasy, Nick is very tense and tentative as he enters a world he has not before been privy to. As an outsider, Nick gives us a unique perspective of just how the social structure of the time is set, with those in power and in wealth being privy to things that the typical individual would not be able to. The replication of the care free attitude, the feeling of invincibility and excessive amounts of extravagance, creates this world that is best understood through the historical context, but it is also made easier by the more contemporary feeling attire worn. This allows the viewer to feel more connected with the characters and does not take away from the story in any way.  

The most interesting aspect in terms of visual design might be how “un-1920’s” the film appears. Luhrmann opted for filming in the highest resolution and the smoothest stock available. This created a pristine image which left an angelic-like sheen on the characters faces. This creates a sense that the characters see themselves as above the world. As Nick is looking up at the sky, his face radiates with the sun's bright rays. The level of visual perfection that is achieved serves as a way to cover up the darkness beneath the surface. As the clarity allows for an overlooking with the fact that Jay and Nick are in a speakeasy, an illegal place of business, along with several other high ranking officials. The use of lighting in the scene along with the clarity of the image is masterful. Only Jay, Nick and Meyer have their face illuminated once they enter the speakeasy. This effect allows for quick identification as well as showing that they are in some sense “higher than the rest”. This could be that Wolfsheim is higher in the ring of crime, Nick is wiser than the others due to his perspective and Jay is higher in terms of monetary value and has higher aspirations for his life.

The culmination of the period piece elements and the contemporary feel of this film adaptation of a world renowned novel create a truly telling scene of not only what is in front of the camera but also what should be picked up by the viewer. The use of the high resolution and smooth film stock create a serene overoptimistic sense of superiority that was ever prevalent in the time period. Yet adding a contemporary feel to create an easier transition from reality to film.

The Godfather: Love or Hate, Appreciate

You're going to give this an A, because,  “I’m going to make you and offer you can’t refuse.” and if you refuse it, you don’t want to know what happens next. Afraid? Concerned? Such is the madness of Francis Ford Coppola’s film, The Godfather. The tragic tale of the Carleone family as they deal with the wonderful world of organized crime. Being a good movie on premise alone, this film is worth every cent of appreciation and has earned its high acclaim ten fold. With one of the most well developed characters, the sense of realism, and the riveting way emotional material is handled, Francis Ford Coppola’s, The Godfather is worth every bit of the acclaim it has earned.

What sets The Godfather apart from other gangster films is the way that the protagonist, Michael Corleone, is developed through appearance, dialogue and through his actions. When we first meet Michael at the wedding, he is dressed in his Marine uniform and is talking with his girlfriend Kay. As they are talking, Michael, to show Kay that he is different than his family of crime. “That’s my family, that’s not me.” Meaning, the way his family operates through extortion and criminal activity, is not the way he lives his life. Throughout the film, Tom Hagen and Sonny are reluctant to involve Michael in the families dealings. However, once Vito is shot, that all changes. Michael wants to kill Sollazzo and the Chief of Police Captain McCluskey for working for another family and wanting to kill his father. So without hesitation, he volunteers to kill them at a meeting, even though he will have to leave the country. His actions begin to show this embracing of the family business and a change in Michael towards this person that he didn't want to be. The characterization of Michael Corleone is completed at the end of the film in the closing scene. After the murder of his brother Sonny and his return to America, Michael takes over as the head of the family. However, his completion as the new head of the crime family becomes full when he is seen as the film comes to a close shaking mens hands as they call him Don Corleone, the title his father held before him. Michael’s characterization is one that ensnares the viewer in its simple complexity, from Marine to crime lord. The masterful creation of his personality and motives by Coppola are part of what makes the film so praise worthy. but what makes The Godfather even more praise worthy is the scary reality that this could happen.

Although The Godfather is set in the world of organized crime, there is still a sense of credibility which is provided by the characters, but also the external and internal conflicts which they experience. Coppola gives a dramatized account of the human condition. When we first meet Michael at the wedding, he tells Kay, “That’s my family, that’s not me.” It is common place for one to want to step out of the shadow of ones family or parents, however, as is often the case, they fail to break out. This is seen in the realm of sports whenever a legend has a son/daughter. The offspring are expected to become their own person, but in the end, end up as part of the “family”. This can be seen with Michael as he wants so desperately to not be involved with the family business, but ultimately ends up leading the business and becoming just another part of the family. This falling into what one tried to avoid relates to the mass majority of viewers who had goals that ultimately the opposite result occurred. Credibility to the actions of members of the different crime families can be found in the newspapers and different articles. The internet is filled with reports of how gangs, mafias, cults and others like them found their vengeance and got their way with others. This sense of knowing things like the shootings or blackmail occur, allowed the viewer to stay immersed in the film and not left wondering, “Is this even real?” The realness factor, is one of a few things that make The Godfather  worth ones appreciation, but perhaps what goes the most under the radar in the acclaim of the film the the restraint in emotional subjects.

Mob and gang movies are well credited with intense overdramatic, excessive scenes of violence. What sets The Godfather apart from those is how Director Coppola dealt with such violence in a manner that remains so unique to the genre, an almost relaxing manner. After Sonny had threatened to kill Carlo for beating Connie, Connie calls the house saying that he had beaten her again. After storming off and driving off to go confront Carlo, Sonny is stopped at a tole booth and shot to death by several men. Having had over one hundred rounds out through him, he is then shot by another spray of bullets by one of the shooters. This act of violence, however, although out of context is seen as excessive, in context doesn't appear to be over the top. This occurs again when the camera cuts from the Baptism of Michael’s godson to the killing of the Corleone family’s enemies. On both occasions, there is aggressive use of violence, however, the way the violence is handled, it is almost a relief. In respects to Sonny’s murder, his death was ironic considering he had a similar thing in store for Carlo, but with his fists. This twist and relaxation of the tension associated with domestic violence seemed to alleviate tension and create sorrow instead of an uncomfortable feeling that one would get if they watched a brutal gunning down of a person on screen. For the murders during the Baptism, a sense of closure was the predominating feeling, not horror at what had just been done, but closure to the fact that the Corleone’s no longer had enemies to stop them. The alleviating, almost humorous, ironic approach to the film will largely go unnoticed or passed over. Yet this effect took the film from a traditional gang movie to the top of the charts.

The Godfather will not be known as the fan favorite, but it will be known as a praise worthy film, a revered film, one that was well deserving of the acclaim it received. Through the development of Michael Corleone that ensnared the viewer in his mind, to the tension relieving violence, and the story that could almost be on ABC News, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather is arguably on the Mt. Rushmore of great films. Next time you're watching a movie, ask yourself, “Self? Is this movie worth my appreciation?” You may find a new favorite, or even the next great Blockbuster before it happens.

Use the Force to Unify: Star Wars and Plot Unification

Is it a sic-fi? Is it a romance? Or is it an action action movie? This epic space opera has captured the minds of many, young and old. What is this film you might ask? It is none other than George Lucas' Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. This film follows a handful of main characters as they battle the Galactic Empire and attempt to overthrow it, as well as destroy the ultimate super weapon; the second Death Star. Featuring a soundtrack by world-renowned composer John Williams and a plot that is expertly crafted.

The most prominent way that Lucas unifies the plot is through the use of parallel structure. This is most prominent in the scenes leading up to the penultimate scene; the destruction of the Death Star. Han Solo, Princess Leia and Chewbacca are attempting to disable the Death Stars shield from the planet at the same time that the Rebel Alliance are attempting to destroy the Death Star from space.

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The inclusion of the parallel technique, is what allows the scene to be developed. Without the showing of the shield being destroyed, the fleets attack on the Death Star becomes more of a head scratcher. But by showing the shield being destroyed from the ground, a flow is established in the scene by Lucas. Another time that the parallel structure is on display, is when Luke is battling Darth Vader, in what is arguably the greatest duel in all of Star Wars, and the panning from the duel to the Emperor showing his joy at the possibility of Luke embracing the Dark Side of the Force. The parallel structuring employed by Lucas goes unacknowledged by most, but without its inclusion, the film would lack its success and would not be as memorable as it is.

Lucas also masterfully foreshadows the most memorable scene in the movie, the Duel between Luke and Vader, and the tempting by The Emperor. The Emperor tempts Luke to embrace the Dark Side when he tells Luke to take his lightsaber and embrace his anger and strike him down. He goes on to say that with each passing moment as he lets his anger grow Luke becomes more his servant. Luke then takes his lightsaber and duels with Darth Vader, giving into aggression and anger and relentlessly attacking Vader, ultimately severing his arm. As great as a scene as this was, what is even more memorable is how Lucas had already set this battle up in our minds. In the scene where Master Yoda is drawing his last breath, he says, 

“Remember, a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware. Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Luke... Luke... do not... do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor or suffer your father's fate you will. Luke, when gone am I... the last of the Jedi will you be. Luke, the Force runs strong in your family. Pass on what you have learned, Luke. There is... another... Sky... walker.” 

This scene sets up the tempting and the duel as it refers to the Emperor’s manipulation ability as well as how anger and aggression can corrupt one into following the Dark Side. For several moments in their duel, Luke is consumed by the Dark Sides aggression as he hammers on Darth Vader’s defenses. This setup all but goes ignored, but deeper analysis brings true appreciation for this stroke of director George Lucas’ genius.

George Lucas blessed us with five other Star Wars films, we can only hope that they offer the masterful plot that Return of the Jedi offered. So now you have a reason to have a Star Wars marathon. You are most welcome.