Overview
This essay has sought to analyze the sequence where Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) meets his death. The scene runs for 3 minutes and 55 seconds. The purpose of this sequence is to enlighten viewers about the nature of life on the streets of Detroit during those times. A quick analysis of the sequence gives a vivid idea or picture of how risky it was to live among criminals. Eric is young and plays rock guitar but at some point, he meets a ruthless gang of criminals who murdered him and his fiancée (Hirst and Harrison, 2007:57).
A year after his death, he mysteriously comes back to life with the intention of avenging for both his death and that of his fiancé. This sequence presents the inability of ghosts to die, a factor that highlights other insights into the sequence (Anonymous, 2011:63). This paper will seek to review this sequence with reference to mise-en-scene, editing, and cinematography.
Inter title: Shootout scene (mise-en-scene)
Shot 1: The shot takes about one minute and two seconds and is probably the longest one. In this sequence, the cameras take pictures of Eric walking into a room where a group of crooks is drinking beers. The selection of the scene as well as the construction or arrangements of the cameras depicts a set of imbalance between people living in such places and the others (Bordwell and Thompson, 2010:80). The second prior to Eric entering the room, a bird flies out. The same bird appears once more later making the gangs believe that it has killed Eric. With reference to mise-en-scene, the presence of this bird indicates the composition and design of the characters and any movement of any other object in the given frame (Hirst and Harrison, 2007:87).
Additionally, the gang is sitting at a round table with one of them holding tightly another man whom Eric needs. The surroundings and lighting of the location emphasize the fact that there are no rules for the gang. Eric walks in, heads straight to the table, and pushes away the bottles placed on that edge. Simultaneously, he sits on top of the table indicating a sign of rudeness, an action that prompts the shootout (Stewart and Kowaltzke, 2008:73). In this section, it is also obvious that costumes reflect the appearance of the characters, and the movement of people presents cunning and rudeness inherent in these characters. For instance, one of the men in the gang is holding another against his will.
Cinematography
Shot 2: This shot opens up with an absence of such stylistic features such as music, talks, or movements; one of the characters simply looks under the table for Eric after shooting at him. The color of the movie, changes in focus, camera angles, and movement are practically self-sufficient (Hirst and Harrison, 2007:129). It might be due to the fact that the color of the images is mild black and somehow tinted whereas the lenses and change in focus are deep.
The correlation here splits the camera angles to implicate high-quality pictures (Stewart and Kowaltzke, 2008:99). This section runs for about 15 seconds but it is divided into three different segments all with different periods. The conversations between and among the group have instant shot ends coupled with yelling that explains the difference of shots.
The constant movement of the camera turns shifts of focus with continuous zooming and shallow presentation of the ongoing events. In addition, the camera changes position from time to time as images appear large and sometimes far apart pointing out the presence of constant movements. Once in almost every second an image passes and another pops up which is a sign of a modified system of framing the images (Bordwell and Thompson, 2010:136). This rapid change in camera movement, film stock, and framing may be a sign of deliberating the aspect of real-life and that of characterization commonly seen in movies. Critically, a closer outlook into the scenario implies that there are a reality and the fictional part of life, which is rampant in fictional acting.
Editing
Shot 3: Just as shots 1 and 2 have strikes of lights in between different centers shot 3 contains pieces of falling sparks representing the atmosphere of the location and the prevailing activities. Due to intense shooting between Eric and other members of the crew of gangs, the location becomes full of falling sparks that are a sign of jumpiness inside that room. The music is not smooth. In fact, it is hard rock but hearing it is also a problem as the scene is too noisy due to gunshots.
The rhythm of the music, as well as the events, is sequential (Stewart and Kowaltzke, 2008:125). Actually, the strings are tight to such an extent that the music sounds like it matches the temperature inside that room in that particular room. The logic exerted by shot-to-shot relations acts as a bridging factor between and among the context of the sequence as well as the surroundings. Obviously, when the characters run while talking with a high and disoriented pitch, the viewers get the impression that whoever is running is fleeing from danger, preferably death (Hirst and Harrison, 2007:140).
With regard to the plot psychology or drama, the editor sought to bring about different sections with closely related motives. For a fact, the editor maintained a high level of an impression as the narrative shows a declaration of a thematically constructed segment of “The Crow”. Ideally, the drama unveils a system of expressing the power of vengeance because, when Eric walked in he simply asked for the man he needed.
However, the other man being in charge of the criminal group deliberately declined to give away that man and what is more, he made the matters worse by asking his gang to shoot and kill Eric. The editing process is smooth and provides the viewers as well as analysts a feeling of sensation where characters, sound, light, and the events change with a particular rhythm or sequence (Bordwell and Thompson, 2010:184). The editing also presupposes that every single viewer with the ability to get the scope of the sequence can easily understand each part of the movie.
Furthermore, the frequency with which the motion of the images and sounds interacts shows the innumerable amount of voices and lights indicating the assumption that the editor mixed these contents with the view of achieving a goal that is not achievable in real life (Stewart and Kowaltzke, 2008:147). Since the camera rotates in order to cover the positions of the characters involved in shooting, the extreme closeness between the target and the shooter once more polishes the tenderness of the script.
Bearing in mind that the action takes place in a room, viewers finally get the concrete information that it is probably on the fifth or eighth floor when the shooting goes beyond the starting stage. On top of that, one character falls through the floor and get to the disco below where the crowd is dancing but instantly disperses due to the shock and police sirens wailing signifying that the local authorities have been informed about the case.
Sound
Shot 4: This is the final shot and is practically the second-longest. In this sequence, the music, as well as the dialogue or conversation between Eric and the man who raped and killed his fiancée, is clear. This is mainly a sound factor meant to bring out Eric’s tonal variation when he settles his score with the villain. Further, the music is an emphasis on the mood at that particular moment when his sorrow appears deepened by the loss of the love of his life (Stewart and Kowaltzke, 2008:216).
As Eric gets flashbacks based on how his fiancée suffered in the hands of that goon, he sinks in and for a moment, the music fades away. At the same time, his voice deepens but all over sudden he throws the man outside through a glass window. The man falls on top of a police car and this terrifies the officer.
The music takes over the sequence with cases of shining lights and intensified sounds being recorded. From a far distance, the viewers can hear footsteps as well as slashing sound as the main character slays the remaining part of the ruthless and notorious group of thugs that accorded Detroit the name “crime-infested city”. Moreover, the sounds emitted in this sequence provides the viewers with a deeper insight into the understanding of the remaining part of the movie and provides them with adequate knowledge about what took place inside and outside the building (Bordwell and Thompson, 2010:210). When the thrown man falls on top of an officer’s vehicle, the officer gazes with terror and exclaims with uncertainty.
This edition sets out the flow of movements and actions from the interior side of the building to the exterior part of it as well as bringing out the intended message (Hirst and Harrison, 2007:168). Truthfully, based on the explanations and examinations about the features of film stock in addition to other functions, this paper has provided details and arguments regarding the given sequence as referenced in the topic.
Reference List
Anonymous, 2011. Film Analysis: “Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”. GRIN Verlag, Munich.
Bordwell D, & Thompson K, 2010. Film Art, An Introduction, 9th ed. McGraw Hill Sydney.
Hirst, M, & Harrison, J, 2007. Communication and new media: from broadcast to narrowcast. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
Stewart, C, & Kowaltzke, A, 2008. Media, New Ways and Meanings, 3rd ed. John Wiley & Sons, Milton.