- Examine all aspects of mise-en-scene. Lighting, composition, set, properties, etc. This would include colors as well. Discuss the concept of "monster" through the mise-en-scene in each film. This exercise is going to help prepare you for your Independent Study and your Oral Presentation. Examine CLOSELY and offer me many details and examples. Think about what the director is trying to say IMPLICITLY. Tie both films in with each other. Discuss similarities and differences in the mise-en-scene in both films. Please do this in 4 well-developed paragraphs.
OR
- Choose a five-minute scene in both films and examine the role of women and how they are portrayed in your selected scenes and in the films as a whole. Be sure to discuss this topic CINEMATICALLY. How does the director show us? Do this in 4 well-developed paragraphs.
Have fun with this one. Be prepared for Alien next week!
Set in two distinct landscapes, “Ringu” and “The Shining” are remarkably similar in their concept and the way the director presents that concept. “Ringu” is set in an urban setting, in modern day Japan, as well as the woods; while “The Shining” is a stark contrast, set in a deserted ski-lodge in the snowy mountains far from any type of civilization. Setting always plays a pivotal role in any film, but horror films especially – in order to create a certain atmosphere, often eerie or sinister. With “Ringu” being a film dealing with both technology of its age and mythological superstitions and folklore of the past, the two settings fit it perfect; while the large Overlook lodge is the ideal location to set a horror film dealing with insanity and isolation.
ReplyDeleteStanley Kubrick creates an image of the overlook with his long, wide- dolly shots that often feature Jack, Wendy, or Danny Torrance. Many times it is Danny featured prominently in the foreground on his tricycle, with the long and winding halls in the middle and background (or rather the rest of the screen). This is a technique that Kubrick uses extensively in many of his films, notably “Paths of Glory”, “2001: A Space Odyssey”, and “Dr. Strangelove” – and here it is done again. The dolly shot can be considered somewhat of a trademark for Kubrick, but it is no less powerful in any one of his films, and certainly not “The Shining”. On the surface one can view this as a way to build suspense and tension, which it certainly does, but also implicitly it is Kubrick’s way of showing the grandiosity of the Overlook Hotel and the power that it has on the characters and their minds. This can be compared to Nakata’s extensive use of close-up shots in “Ringu”, often of Reiko and Ryuji, showing their entrapment in the situation (the “cursed” video). The types of shots used by the respective directors are exact opposites, yet each conveys the same meaning.
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ReplyDeleteIn every horror film, “Ringu” and “The Shining” included, the director must create a “monster” both implicitly and explicitly. Looking at other horror films viewed this unit, explicitly: in “Let the Right One In” there are vampires, and in “Alien” there is the titular creature. Looking at “Ringu” the monster is a cursed girl who comes out of the television to kill anyone who views her video; in “The Shining” there is a father who has either gone insane or has been possessed by ghosts and is determined to kill his wife and child. But the horror genre is more physiological than it appears to be and it examines the human mind more than anything else, and its capacity to handle fear. Horror movies have something to say implicitly and neither “Ringu” nor “The Shining” are exceptions. The “monster” can be viewed as what leads to the physical monster. The monster in “Ringu” could be viewed as the intolerant society leading to Sadako’s murder, or even fate itself - something that Reiko must escape to free herself and her son. “The Shining” heavily deals with isolation and insanity. The lighting is contrasting in every scene: whilst Jack is writing there is the dimly lit room contrasted with glaring white of the outside tundra seeping through the windows, which shows the difference between the outside world and inside the Overlook, helping to explain Jack’s changing mindset; also notably is the darkness of the final chase, which changes to a blinding light in the labyrinth, as Jack – lacking any fatherly instinct – blindly, and single-mindedly chases his son through the hedge maze. The light contrasts helps to differentiate between the sane and the insane. Likewise in “Ringu” the darkly lit houses and cabin in the woods are contrasted with the brighter outside shots, contrasting between freedom and fate – two themes that Nakata dabbles with.
Kubrick manages to create a much more harrowing film with his creation of the Overlook Hotel, an interestingly enough – and certainly not coincidental – the hotel emerges not so much as an actual set but as a character itself. “Ringu” is a highly stylized film, with the grainy videotape shots, the realistic, almost journalistic approach to the subject matter, but “The Shining” (or rather Kubrick) pays much more attention to the mise-en-scene. This is not to say that Nakata is not able to provoke fear, but Kubrick takes it to the next level. Nicholson said of Kubrick, in relation to his directing of the film: “He gives new meaning to the word meticulous”. Indeed this quotes shows in the film itself; with the design, from the high ceilings and maze-like halls of the Overlook, to the little details of certain mirrors placed here and there, and even certain pots and pans places in strategic positions in the kitchen. By the end of “The Shining”, one can see that Kubrick – largely through the mise-en-scene – has created not just a film but an experience.
The treatment of women in horror films is rarely definitive and straight forward. Yet particularly, there are vast differences between the treatment of women in Hideo Nakata’s film “Ringu” and in Stanley Kubrick’s film “The Shining”. Nakata’s portrayal of Reiko, the protagonist of “Ringu” appears to be more balanced and realistic, particularly when compared to Wendy, Kubrick’s protagonist in “The Shining. Still, there are many similarities between Wendy and Reiko. For instance, by the end of the film both women have concrete plans to save their son from “monsters” determined to kill them. Furthermore, they are less dependent on their husbands or ex-husbands for support. Still, Wendy’s submission to her husband is much more intense than Reiko’s. Misogyny in “The Shining” is extremely palpable, especially when compared to “Ringu”.
ReplyDeleteAs one watches “The Shining” there is no doubt that Wendy Torrance, the only main female character in the film, is submissive to her husband Jack’s will. Around others, such as the hotel staff, she consistently defers to Jack when speaking and seems to crave his approval. In the beginning of the film, she is hesitant to reveal to Danny’s doctor that Jack once “accidently” hurt Danny out of fearful loyalty to Jack. One scene that may be best indicative of their relationship occurs while Jack is beginning teeter on the brink of insanity. Wendy “interrupts” Jack and he berates her the way that a horrible boss might treat his misfortunate secretary. Jack is patronizing and hostile and proceeds to curse at his wife. Their relationship seems to be based on Wendy attempting to cater to Jack’s needs and Jack angrily rejecting her advances.
Yet their relationship is significantly altered after Wendy discovers Jack’s maniacal writing. The scene between Jack and Wendy begins with an over the shoulder shot of Jack staring at Wendy as she flips through his papers. The scene is reminiscent of a predator stalking his prey, and Wendy’s hunched over back appears to be a position of maximum vulnerability. As Jack confronts Wendy he speaks in a low, measured yet threatening tone of voice. He asks Wendy redundant questions and imitates her answers in a high-pitched, mocking tone of voice with a disgusted expression on his face. As Jack menacingly walks towards Wendy, she slowly backs up towards the stairs and grasps the baseball bat tightly in her hands as a last line of defense. In contrast, Jack carries no weapon. He merely gesticulates wildly with his hands. Yet, we see that his hands are weapon enough. Whenever he is particularly threatening to Wendy, whether physically or verbally, Jack’s hands are always in the shot, quickly moving as to subtly grab the viewer’s attention. All the while, Wendy remains shrill and hysterical; her fear is palpable to the viewer and Jack, who appears to relish it. As the scene transitions from Jack berating Wendy to Wendy begging for her life, the camera temporarily stops moving. As Jack realizes the fear that Wendy feels towards him, Jack noticeably advances another stair and his body becomes more dominant in the shot.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship between Jack and Wendy is predominantly based on Jack dominating the relationship and Wendy reacting to his mood swings. She is mostly perceived as indecisive and weak. In contrast, as I discussed in my previous blog entry, women in “Ringu” are very much portrayed in positions of power. Reiko, the protagonist, is dependent on her ex-husband, Ryuji, in many instances throughout the film. However, following his death, Reiko, a single mother, is determined to save her son, Yoichi, from a gruesome death. For the first time in “Ringu”, the video is filmed from a high angle shot, denoting Reiko’s symbolically powerful knowledge that the video can be rendered harmless if a copy is made and watched by another person. Reiko is no longer submissive to the video. The final shot of Reiko is an eye level shot of her facial profile as she drives to save her son. Her eyes are determined and a slight, serene smile plays across her lips. Her confidence is powerful enough to transcend to the audience; the viewer sincerely believes that Yoichi will be saved as well.
Despite the existence of explicit, technical, monsters in Let The Right One In and The Shining, a vampire and abusive father respectively, the true “monster” of both films manifests itself more implicitly, with both films being driven by the entrapment of winter and the damaging effects that the subsequent isolation have on the psyche. This is most notably exemplified by films’ remarkably similar mise-en-scene. Both Oskar’s apartment and the Overlook Hotel are, at least on the outside, dull, brown, vestiges of despair. Upon first glance, one immediately realizes that the hotel blends in to the brown ground it is built upon. This makes it visually unappealing and unwelcoming while also implying that the hotel is inescapable, just like the earth. When winter comes, the hotel is blanketed in snow, adding to this sense of inescapability, and giving the viewer the feeling that the characters will be unable to escape their bleak fate, a feeling that is present from the beginning of Let The Right One In. In this opening scene, the viewer sees only snow falling, trapping Oskar with each flake, as supported by the next shot in which Oskar is not only trapped behind his window (he can’t leave his apartment or lonely life just as the Torrences can’t leave the hotel) but is also shot out of focus, contributing to this trapped feeling and giving the impression that he is separated from normal society. In both films the snow and bleak buildings, when combined with the unwelcoming and often bland colors, trap the main characters in closed frames. This bleak mise-en-scene causes the viewer to feel hopeless and frozen, just as the winter in both films heightens the feeling of hopeless isolation and entrapment that the characters experience.
ReplyDeleteIn The Shining, this isolation causes the characters to digress into insanity. However, Jack, as described by Kubrick, “comes to the hotel psychologically prepared to do its murderous bidding. He doesn't have very much further to go for his anger and frustration to become completely uncontrollable. In the hotel, at the mercy of its powerful evil, he is quickly ready to fulfill his dark role.” This explains both Kubrick’s choice of actor, as Jack Nicholson always appears a little insane, as well as the dim lighting Jack is shot in from the beginning, as he always had some inherent evil. Kubrick was thus able to only alter the mise-en-scene slightly while still being able to show Jack’s transformation, with Jack’s clothing and hair becoming more disheveled as he gives into the hotel’s temptations. Wendy’s appearance also becomes more disheveled as she feels the effects of isolation, in her case the proliferating fear of her husband, and fear for the lives of both her and Danny. The isolation gets to her more so than it does Jack (who possessed dark capabilities before going to the hotel). This is exemplified by the low angle shot of her reading Jack’s “novel.” This low angle highlights her realization that her husband has become totally insane, and, inconsistent with typical conventions, implies her helplessness. Wendy becomes hysterical and begins to see the visions Danny saw from the beginning, the blood coming from the elevator etc. The sight of this RED blood implies that she has lost control, just as Danny’s use of RED lipstick to write “REDrum” implies his loss of self. He is so frightened by the hotel, his father, and his abilities, that he uses Tony as a coping mechanism. In becoming Tony fully it is clear that isolation has caused Danny to go insane as well, almost to the point where he wishes to murder his mother. It is thus clear that isolation has caused each member of the family to become insane, at least to some extent. It is this insanity that is the monster, a monster that causes two deaths and the destruction of a family.
The isolation in Let the Right One In does at times push Oskar towards the desire to kill his tormentors, as exemplified by Oskar hitting Conny with a RED rod, with red once again standing out against the bleak surroundings and signaling uncontrolled passion/ a moment of inhibition. However, this is not the end result of isolation as it is in the Shining, for in this film the isolation causes sadness and depression rather than insanity. This is demonstrated by the soft lightening in which Oskar and Eli are lit, speaking on their inherent goodness, and allowing the viewer to sympathize with their hopeless situations. Both are just children, or at least appear to be, and one can not help but to feel their pain. They are both frail and pale, which contributes to their helplessness, something that is supported by the shots of both children facing the winter without proper clothing (Eli without shoes and Oskar without pants). This gives the impression that no one cares about them, save for each other, invoking further sympathy. It is this loneliness, as a result of isolation, bullying, and an uninviting environment that is the monster in this film.
ReplyDeleteBoth films end on a note of hope, with Wendy and Danny escaping from Jack and Oskar and Eli escaping their lives of sadness via train. However, when examined more closely, the endings are not hopeful at all as both films speak implicitly on the inescapable cyclic nature of life. The cycle of vampires is destined to go on forever, with vampires creating new vampires who then create new vampires who need someone to help them survive. The shot of Oskar on the train is thus the opposite of hope, it implies his permanent entrapment. He is Eli’s new “caretaker” and will never be able to leave her. But just as he is apparently alone on the train, his life is destined to be lonely, for even the companionship Eli provides can not last forever. The idea of cycles is also present in the Shining, as the final shot of the picture implies that Jack is a reincarnation of the 1921 hotel official, something that is supported by him imagining being told ”you’ve always been the caretaker.” Jack inherently wanted to murder his family, just as Grady had done, it had not been the sole influence of the hotel. The shot of the picture serves to remind us that if Jack had been reborn on two different occasions, he would continue to be reborn, as the evils of life are inescapable.
In “Let the Right One In,” and “The Shining,” the directors use mise-en-scene not only to evoke strong emotional responses from the viewers, but also to explore the idea of “monster.” Both films share cinematic similarities but at the same time they examine this concept in vastly different ways.
ReplyDeleteLighting is very important, in any film, for the director to highlight important explicit as well as implicit aspects. In “The Shining,” lighting is a crucial device used by Kubrick to illuminate Jack’s growing insanity. Whether he has really turned insane or if it’s the ghosts of the Overlook that possess him, Jack is always shown with soft shadows across his face. This is notable in the scene where he is following Wendy up the steps. As the camera is on him, there is a dark glow around his entire figure but as soon as the camera moves anywhere else things turn very bright. As Alex mentioned, there is a great contrast between light and dark when comparing the outside to the inside of the hotel. When looking outside, there is a blinding affect at initial glance from the whiteness of the snow. This contrast represents the affects the Overlook has on Jack’s insanity and how continues to haunt him throughout the film. It implicitly shows the evil and negative energy that exists in the hotel, compared to the pureness of the outside world. The lighting in “Let the Right one In” does not portray the theme of “monster,” quite as explicitly. In this film, there really is not a strong use of unnatural dark shadows or dark tints upon Eli. In fact, she is represented in the same dull, natural, and naive light Oskar is. This illuminates the implicit questions of good versus evil. In this instance, we are shown a child, not a monster. Alfredson wants us to see that “monster” is too broad of a term, and that Eli is truly good.
The composition of shots in both films support the implicit theme of isolation. Clearly, it is this idea that drives Jack and his family to insanity. Right from the very first scene in the movie, we see how far away in the mountains the Overlook really is. The winding roads and vast forest show us that they are not only mentally trapped, but that they are literally physically isolated. The constant shots of the grand lobby and ballroom remind the viewer that the Overlook is much larger and more powerful than any person living inside of it. This aspect generally makes one think that it would create a very open frame, but rather, it traps the viewer and characters even more. In “Let the Right One In,” when Oskar is shown inside of his home, it is generally shot through a door frame or window. This shows the viewer how tapped and lonely he is while also giving the viewer feelings that they are trapped themselves. These closed frames leave little room for interpretation as to how Oskar’s life is like outside of his small apartment. These shots strongly juxtapose with the outdoor playful scenes between him and Eli. Rather than it being a very tight shot, these have wide open frames which hint that for these two young lovers, anything is possible.
Sound is always a crucial aspect of mise-en-scene and in my opinion, is often taken for granted. Undoubtedly, there are many cinematic tools directors can use to create suspense, but sound is definitely a critical part of both of these films. In “The Shining,” the diegetic sounds are just as, if not more important than the non-diegetic sounds. Clearly, the non-diegetic music is implemented by Kubrick to heighten the suspense and thrill from the very first shot of the film. This makes the viewer see that something bad is going to happen, either with the Overlook itself or the people inside. The diegetic sounds (such as the tennis ball Jack throws against the wall), slowly reveal the characters changing mindset. The diegetic sounds are very real and invite the viewer in the world of the story. In “Let the Right One In,” sound is use more subtly. The diegetic sounds used are to show the darker sides of Eli. Most notably, when she’s attacking or killing. These sounds, similarly to “The Shining,” create an eerie atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteYou guys have great comments! Ellie--good one on the sound. I'm impressed with everyone's readings of the films. Alison--I like what you say about women and about Jack's hands; however, you need to speak more cinematically to back up your statements. Remember to talk about camera angles, lighting (and other aspects of mise-en-scene), and other cinematic components of the films. This is important for IB assessment. Great job, everyone.
ReplyDeleteIn most horror films, the director must create a "monster" figure. The director does this in several ways. The most obvious of these ways is through the plot of the story. But cinematically, the director creates his monster through the mise-en-scene of the movie. This includes lighting, composition and properties of the shots, costumes, setting, and visuals, mainly colors. Two examples that can be use are the films, "Let The Right One In" and "The Shinning".
ReplyDeleteStanley Kubrick's (director of "The Shinning") and Tomas Alfredson's ( director of "Let The Right One In") films both share similarities in the creation of "monsters" in their films. They the same aspects, such as composition, setting (in a way), and visuals. Lets take composition for example. In "Let The Right One In", whenever Eli is present in the shot, it is often just her i the frame. She is also shown at a medium shot or a close up. These two factors show her isolation from the rest of society and the fact that she has a slight strength compared to the rest of society. This also applies to Kubreck's "The Shinning". Whenever Jack is present in the frame, he is often shown at a close up or medium shot so you would be able to understand his insanity. His isolated mind set is also apparent from him being the only person in the frame when ever we see him. This also leads to the setting of the story, which creates the nature of the monsters. Each "monster" has been isolated from society, Eli being that she is a vampire and Jack being that he is trapped in a hotel in the mountains with his wife and son.
Another thing that helps create the monsters are the visuals. Each film uses colors to create these figures. In both films, the main color use was RED. Red is symbolic for blood and death. Whenever blood is seen in "Let The Right One In" it is usually blood for Eli. Blood is seen mostly when she kills. In "The Shinning" red symbolically stood for death. Danny often shouted RedRum, which when read backwards spelled murder. Red rum was often seen filling the hotel and certain points, which stood for the insanity the family faced, and the soon to come murders. Red was also often seen in their clothing. When Jack went to kill Danny, Danny was wearing a red sweater. Jack was literally seeing red, which he wanted to kill.
ReplyDeleteMise-en-scene is used for many things in cinema. It is mainly used to create the stories and the meanings behind them. But in horror films, the mise-en-scene is used to help develop not only the plot, but the "monster" and the meaning behind the "monster" as well. This is apparent through the two films, "Let The Right One In" and "The Shinning".
Leah Suleski said...
ReplyDeleteHorror films typically deal with the audiences’ worst nightmares, make reality their greatest fears, and create “monsters” that can haunt viewers’ thoughts for days after a screening. Beyond the surface of such films, however, lie implicit statements and ideas about culture and modern society. Specifically, the concept of gender roles is common among works such as Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” and “Ringu” directed by Hideo Nakata. Although the directors’ portrayals of women and to what extent they can control their situation greatly differ, the theme holds significance within both films.
Protagonist Wendy as presented by Kubrick is consistently vulnerable. This can be determined explicitly through interactions with her husband, Jack, as well as cinematically in terms of the contrast between the way each character appears in the frame. Actress Shelley Duvall’s large doe-eyes and small frame initially give her an innocent appearance, a good casting move on Kubrick’s part, but, this only faintly contributes to the way the audience interprets her character. In a particular scene a short time after Jack had reached complete and utter insanity, his dominance over poor Wendy is especially notable. Following his attack on the staircase, Wendy drags unconscious Jack all the way to the kitchen pantry. Rather than watching her do so, the audience primarily sees Jack within the next few shots, suggesting that he is still more powerful and significant in terms of control at this point. When he awakes, Jack discovers Wendy has locked him in the food pantry and tries to persuade her to open the door. The following shots of him are especially effective in conveying his aggression and superiority, as the camera is evidently below Jack creating an extreme low angle, which provides him with an intimidating and dominant appearance. Wendy, on the other hand, is shown in paralleled shots at eye level where she is awfully insignificant in relation to her environment. As she kneels across from the door, sobbing, much of the surroundings (pots, pans, kettles, etc.) are placed on tables and counters above her head, thus giving a small and helpless look to her. Even as she stands, heading for the exit, Wendy is clearly subordinate. A shot of her slowly leaving includes the door of the pantry, which Jack is of course behind. The door is more greatly in focus and actually takes up more of the frame than Wendy due to its proximity to the camera. She runs away in fear of what her husband has become and how she is at a loss of how to control it. She also finds that there is no escape as the viewer develops the notion that she is apparently inferior.
Leah Suleski said... continued
ReplyDelete“Ringu” in terms of how female characters are portrayed is relatively positive and hopeful. Reiko, the film’s major character, is especially proven strong and influential over her own fate. This is supported cinematically by Nakata on most occasions, with some exceptions that paint her the victim, but only as is appropriate for a horror film. Reiko’s instances of vulnerability are not a statement of gender but rather build suspense within the film. A particular scene that emphasizes her strength at the conclusion of the film is just after she finds that her ex-husband has died at the hands of Sadako, as therefore the curse has not been lifted. Much like Jack, Reiko is mostly shot from a low angle, no matter how slight. The recognition of her duty as a mother to save her young son from the fate of his father, ultimately leads to her solving of the problem at hand. As far as mise en scene is concerned, Reiko’s wardrobe only emphasizes her strong work ethic and independence.
This portrayal of women completely contradicts Laura Mulvey’s Feminist Film theory, unlike “The Shining” in which the wife is the most clueless and fearful character within the film. The contrast between the two films in terms of female representation exemplifies how the theory can be interpreted and applied in horror films.
Miles--Nice post. I have one comment, though. Red is not just symbolic of death and blood. POWER. Think about it. Red is very symbolic of power, love, courage, sacrifice...all things you can apply to both films.
ReplyDeleteI'm posting this for Yanava:
ReplyDeleteTwo of the three films that I really enjoyed watching were Ringu and Let the Right One In. Both of these films shared the idea of having a female “monster.” This was very interesting to me, but I chose to talk about the mise-en-scene of these two films since nobody else decided to compare these two films. Both of these films have completely different plots but used similar tactics to portray its monsters and themes. The major tactics were through lighting, costumes, and camera angles.
In Ringu there were many moments in the film where there was an amazing use of the mise-en-scene to enforce meaning to the story. One scene in particular is when the main male character is in his house by himself at the kitchen table with a desk light on directly above him. This is the main source of light in the house, in the background in the living room you can see that the TV turns on by itself and the screen fills up with the cursed video. In this room it is dark and the room is primarily silent with only the non-diegetic subtle screeching sounds. From the screen is the well and you can see a figure coming out of the well. The figure starts walking towards him and ends up coming out of the TV screen. The figure has on a long white garment and all of her hair is covering her face. This was a part of the mise-en-scene in terms of the costume because the viewer as well as the victim never sees the face of this murderer. And I think this is ironic in the way that earlier in the film when they were looking at photos of people that were found dead, all of their facial features were not represented in these photos. The lighting in this scene definitely resembles the “monster” in the film in how the part of the house with the TV had very minimal lighting and also the screen itself as well as Sadaku were all colorless and were made up of only black, white and grey.
In the film Let the Right One In there was a scene that I feel also uses a great use of color contrasts to get the meaning across. This scene is when Eli and Oskar are sitting outside together and Oskar is playing with his Rubik cube. The backgrounds as well as the kids are drained of color and the only color in the shot is the Rubik’s cube. In this scene Oskar decides to let Eli borrow the cube and I feel that this represented them sharing life together, as the colors of the cube represents life. Another scene that uses wardrobe to portray the “monster” is when Oskar lets Eli get cleaned up at his house after she kills someone and then he offers her one of his mother’s dresses to wear. I feel that the idea of him offering her his mother’s dress was a way for the director to remind the viewer that she is not a child.
I found it to be interesting that both of these films have a female monster. I think this idea added to these films as a whole because I think sometimes women are used a lot as “eye candy” in films, but there was nothing cute about either of these “monsters” in these films. One aspect that I found between both monsters was their hair color. Sadaku as well as Eli both have dark hair and this is used to symbolize the darkness and suspicion of their character. I really enjoyed both of these films and I’m glad we watched them because I’m usually not big fan of horror films but I was really into these 2 filmsJ