Island of Lost Men and Mean Girls
By Nada Kabbara
Analyzing a Film
The Movie Island of Lost Men is told in a linear fashion; with each event taking place one after the other. The fade-in and out techniques are used to change from one setting and scene to another. The Movie Mean Girls is told in a linear fashion; with each event taking place one after the other and little use of flashbacks to the protagonist’s past to compare her past situations to her recently occurring situations.
Plot
Island of Lost Men opens up with an Asian woman, called China Lily, singing at a restaurant. From the very beginning the element of racism is made apparent when a woman commented on China Lily’s European dress and Western tune. China Lily is later introduced to Gregory Prin who is best known as the King of the River, where he immediately falls in love with China Lily. Unfortunately Gregory Prin does not know how to appropriately show his affection towards her, he expresses his love through rude comments where he bluntly tells her she has a bad singing voice. After a long conversation China Lily made it evident that she is running away from the law and needs a place to hide. Prin reveals to her that he knows of an island where men go to when they are hiding from the law. He then tells her he will take her to his island as his girlfriend. In the next scene the island is shown to be inhabited by natives who work together with the men in hiding to create a better atmosphere for Prin and his demands. There is a noticeable difference between Prin’s and his men’s attire compared to the villagers of the island’s attire. Prin and his men are wearing a full suit and are seen to be well groomed while the male villagers are wearing skirts bearing a naked chest and the woman are wearing skirts and covering their chests. Two characters are introduced at the Trading Post, Professor and Herbert. Herbert, who is seen as Prin’s help, begins to associate himself with China Lily, where he later speaks of her to his friends, mentioning she is of a Chinese decent and her name is Lily. One of Prin’s men is later arrested and brought back to Prin where he hopes that one day he is able to work with much more civilized men even though it may mean no freedom. Prin’s bossy and overconfident behavior illustrates a sign of superiority where he is able to boss everyone around without any problems. In continuation he then introduces China Lily to three men, one of which is named Cheng. Once he and Lily made eye contact, it was like their eyes were glued together, like they had a secret past together and do not want anyone else to find out, especially Prin. As the scene continues to dinner China Lily begins to compliment Prin and his flowers. Prin took offence to her comments as she apologized and took them back. After dinner Cheng and China Lily were speaking outside revealing to the audience that they were at the island for the same reason, to find her father. Prin walks up to them and invites them in for coffee, they refuse. This refusal sets off Prin and he tells them “you are my guests and will do as I say” and forces them to walk inside to have coffee with him. Later that evening China Lily watches Prin through a window investigating what he has hiding in his room. He opens a locked cabinet where the camera reveals a stolen stash of money and jewelry. Prin then appoints the Professor to law enforcement officer and sends him up the river, where the professor is replaced by Cheng to look for China Lily’s father, General Ling an important Chinese man. Prin realizes what has happened and ordered the natives to block him off half way and kill him. The camera switches shows the audience that one of Prin’s men, the Professor, heard everything he said. The Professor, who is deceiving Prin, approaches the native and orders them not to kill Cheng. This scene reveals that the natives are planning with him to destroy and replace Prin with the Professor. China Lily then sneaks into Prin’s room and steals the stash of money that she finds out was originally her father’s money. When Cheng returns his identity is revealed as a secret agent from China who went to Singapore in hopes of finding Gregory Prin. Prin finds out that the police are on their way up the river looking for China Lily. The professor returns to the scene with a bag and dumps it in front of Prin. One of Prin’s men, Forbineas, was murdered and beheaded, the professors exact words was “This is the first time a white man’s been killed on the river without Prin’s orders.” Prin decides that matters can only be fixed if he does things himself and took China Lily, whose real name is Kim, with him to Tanwack. Herbert’s monkey was screaming and pointing under the welcome mat on the porch of the bungalow. He and the professor were wondering what he was trying to tell them when they removed the mat to reveal a trapdoor in which they found Ballistar, a man who has threatened Prin for $150,000, floating unconscious in the water. Ballistar regains consciousness and he, Herbert and the professor jump on a speed boat to find Prin. Prin reveals to China Lily that he has found out her identity and pulled out a gun to kill her. In this time the three men showed up on the speed boat and saved Kim. Ballister takes Prin back to the Bungalow to seal the deal of $150,000 where Prin finds that the money is gone. Herbert is blamed for the stolen money, but Kim tells Prin that she took it. Prin is filled with anger as soon as he found out that Kim took the money and the monkey revealed where Herbert’s body was. He took out his shot gun and killed the monkey. After this series of events the Professor revealed to Prin that the natives are turning against him and reveals the two skulls on sticks placed outside his door. These skulls were placed in the way that told Prin he has two minutes left to live before they attack him. Cheng then returns with the lie that Kim’s father is dead. He later tells Kim that he is alive and that they will run away with the money and save her father. Prin tries to trick Cheng and Kim by giving them a boat that is half way filled with gas, when the boat stops he ordered his men to kill them and bring back the money. The professor speaks to the natives about their plan in killing Prin, and then reveals to Prin what has been happening behind his back and that he filled the boat’s tank the rest of the way so that Cheng and Kim arrive to Tanwack safely. Prin, angry that he had lost everything, shot the professor. He and Ballister are left alone to fight the natives. Prin then finds out that he is left defenseless when he finds a note in his gun case from Herbert saying that he had thrown out all of his guns. Ballister later kills himself with the last bullet leaving Prin alone to be tortured and killed by the natives.
Mean Girls opens up with a close low angle shot of Cady’s (pronounced Kate - y) parents holding a lunch bag and preparing her for her first day of school. The camera then slowly moves into an eye-level shot revealing that Cady is a 16 year old teenage girl who has been homeschooled for her entire school life. The scene then turns into a long shot while her father is taking pictures of his daughter and his wife for her first day of school. Before going to school, Cady talks about her life in Africa using the flashback technique. A new scene is opened revealing Cady being dropped off at school by her parents. Close up shots are used to reveal the emotional separation of parents and daughter. As she enters high school she is exposed to the difficulties of student life and the different cultures that the students have. The close up shots are continued with revealing Cady’s expression and emotions as she walks through the halls of school and finally finds her class. It is evident with the use of this shot that the audience is able to connect with Cady’s character and her emotions. Her first interaction with a fellow peer was not a comforting one. As the scene continues she is guided by two people, Janice and Damien, telling her where it is safe and not safe to sit in class. The camera moves in her perspective around the room until she bumps into her teacher and spills coffee on her. She is then introduced to the class by the principal. She describes her first day as a stressful surreal blur where she got in trouble for ‘strange’ things like getting up in class to go the washroom. She ended up sitting a washroom stall eating her lunch on her first day. Her second day Cady is officially introduced to Janice and Damien where they take her to her next class in the back building. The two then take her outside to play hookie instead and ended up telling her that the back building burnt down, she asked “Wouldn’t we get in trouble?” And they answered “Why would we get you into trouble? We’re friends.” Cady is then introduced to the Plastics (the popular girls) by Janice and Damien; they inform her of the school kingdom and who everyone is. The second day in the cafeteria she is asked to sit with the Plastics after them saving her from a boy who was harassing her. Later she spoke to her friends Janice and Damien where Janice tells her to hang out with her. Janice then creates an experiment to hang out with the popular kids and report back to Janice and Damien what they talk about. Later that day in math class she met a senior boy, named Erin, and has an instant crush. The scene turns into a flashback of Cady’s first crush when she was 4 in Africa. Cady then explains that “Having lunch with the plastics was like leaving the actual world and entering girl world. And girl world has a lot of rules.” From the beginning it is evident that Regina George (the leader of the plastics) is envied and hated by many. The Plastics explain the rules to Cady and if she breaks any of the rules she is not allowed to sit at the table for the day. As the movie unravels conflict begins to occur within hierarchy of the Plastics. Gretchen Wiener (one of the Plastics) backstabs Cady and tells Regina that Cady likes her ex-boyfriend Erin, where Regina then three-way called Cady to expose her and create conflict between Cady and Gretchen. Throughout the movie Cady is faced with constant conflicts like being harassed everyday about joining the Mathletes, which is seen as social suicide, living a double life of being friends with Janice and Damien and pretending to be with the Plastics and trying to win Erin’s heart. Cady relates everything she sees back to Africa and the animals by the water hole. Regina continues to reveal her evil side by calling a girl, Taylor’s, mother pretending to be Susan from Planet Parenthood telling her, her daughter’s test results are back. Regina invites Cady and the rest of the Plastics back to her house where they stumbled upon their old scrapbook called Burn Book where they wrote mean things about all the girls in their grade. After reporting back to Janice, Janice tells her to steal the book so they can reveal the book to others. As the school year progresses Cady continues to speak to Erin where he then invites her to a Halloween party and told her not to bring anyone else. The Halloween party is where the conflicts begin to unravel. Regina talks to Erin about Cady liking him and sees that he is interested in her as well. She then manipulates him into thinking that she is weird and to get become her boyfriend again, where they later kiss. Before this moment Cady thought Regina to be a nice girl. Cady storms out of the party and goes to Janice’s house where they then begin to plot a Total Plastic Sabotage. Janice claims that Regina George is an evil dictator and in order to overthrow an evil dictator you must cut off all their resources. Regina’s resources include her boyfriend, her good physique and her loyal followers. Cady, Janice and Damien later gave her foot cream for her face and cut holes in the front of her shirt to reveal her bra. All these plans made Regina more desirable to her boyfriend and made her more popular and created a fashion statement. Their next plan was to crack Gretchen Wiener and get the two against each other. This was done by Cady buying Candy Canes for herself and the other Plastic Karen ‘from Regina George’, as soon as Gretchen found out that she did not receive one from Regina Gretchen started pouring out secrets to Cady and getting Karen against Regina as well, thus completing the plan in cracking her loyal followers. Cady accidently told Erin (Regina’s boyfriend) that she is cheating him, thus completing the task in getting rid of her boyfriend. Finally they made her eat Kaltine bars, which makes one drastically gain weight and claimed that these bars make one lose weight, thus ruining her physique. As the movie comes to a close Regina was told she cannot sit with them because she broke a rule and Cady becomes the new Queen Bee of the group. Cady then ditches Janice and Damien by lying to Janice that she has to go with her parents to a concert the day of her Art Show and lied to her parents in telling them she was going to Janice’s Art Show so she can have a get together with all her new friends. The get together turned into a party and Regina found out she was not invited. Cady drunkenly tells Erin some of her secrets which made him lose interest in her and Regina finds out the Kaltine bars make her gain weight. Janice and Damien then stop by her house and find out she was lying and drove away from her angrily. The next day at school Regina George photocopied the Burn Book and took it to school and claimed that Cady, Gretchen and Karen were the ones who wrote it, after spreading all the sheets around all the junior girls started to fight in the hallway. All the girls were taken to the gymnasium and were forced to confront each other and go through a workshop. At the end of school Regina and Cady were arguing while walking as Regina stopped and turned around to face Cady in the middle of the street she got run over by a bus. The next day Cady confessed to writing the book all by herself and told her teacher and Erin she’s trying a new thing where she does not talk about people behind their backs. Her teacher then gives Cady her own personal punishment and made her join the Mathletes, which takes place the same day of the Spring Formal. After winning the Mathletes Cady and the Mathletes crew went to the Spring Formal where she was crowned queen. She gave a phenomenal speech in apologizing to everyone and broke the crown into pieces and through it in the crowd claiming that everyone at the Spring Formal was Royalty. That was a significant part in the movie because it ended all conflict and resolved everything with everyone. After apologizing to Janice and Damien Erin came up to Cady and they started a new chapter to the ending of a school year. The next year there were no more Plastics, everyone spoke to everyone and the four girls Regina, Gretchen, Karen and Cady found their own place in the School Kingdom.
Conflict of Resolution
The conflict that is faced in the Movie Island of Lost Men is man vs. man. This conflict is made evident through the antagonist of the movie, Gregory Prin who is a successful and powerful business man. Gregory Prin and his relationship between his staff, the natives of the island, China Lily and her father was not a healthy relationship, where Prin will overpower and control everyone using aggressive force in his speech. In result the conflict was resolved when China Lily and the undercover detective made their escape and Gregory Prin loses everything he has worked for where he later dies at the hands of the villagers. There are several conflicts in the plot of Mean Girls which reveal man vs. man. First being Cady trying to find out who her real friends are, second Cady having to pretend to be friends with the Plastics and sabotage them and third Cady having a crush on Regina’s (the head of the Plastics) ex-boyfriend. The conflicts are resolved through manipulation and lie where the tension continues to build up throughout the duration of the movie until it eventually blows up and out of control leading to Regina being hit by a bus. After this situation happened, everything settled down and the hierarchy in the high school culture no longer took place.
Viewers
The film cues reactions on the part of viewers through sound in Island of Lost Men by incorporating sounds that influences the audience’s mood of that particular scene. This can be seen in several scenes, for example in the end when Prin was screaming “You can’t disobey me, my word is law I am king of this river!” The music playing in the background was intense which created a tense mood and hinted to the audience something was going to happen. In addition, this movie also incorporates sound that reflects the cultural background of a significant character. On several occasions when China Lily enters the scene Chinese gongs are played in the background, this is the same for the villagers of the island but with drums. Characterization in this movie illustrates dominance in the male gender while the female is seen as delicate and inferior. On numerous occasions China Lily is seen as a delicate flower that is unable to take control of certain situations, except in taking back her father’s money. In contrast the males, such as Cheng, the villagers and Pring, are seen as dominant characters throughout the movie. They are able to manipulate situations that will be in favor to themselves, a particular situation is when Cheng and China Lily fooled Prin as he walked in on them whispering. The villagers can be seen taking control in replacing Pring’s position with another man and finally Pring being able to control several characters through threats and word of mouth. It is evident that the characterization of each group is reflected on their social rank and ethnicity. This is evident with Pring being the wealthiest of all males, which puts him in a higher social rank than the other males. In addition the white man is seen as more dominant than the villagers and Asians, and males are seen as superior while females remain inferior. The camera movements in Island of Lost Men are simple yet effective. There are many close ups on characters to reveal the emotion on their face and allow the audience to connect with each character in their moments of inferiority and superiority. For example a close up on China Lily’s face illustrating inferiority is when Prin revealed to her that he knows her real name, Kim, and her true identity. As he reveals this information China Lily’s eyes quickly shift from looking straight ahead to looking down at the floor. In contrast to this scene of weakness, China Lily has her moments of superiority. She illustrates this when taking action and stealing her father’s money back from Prin. When Prin found out his money was stolen by her, it put China Lily in a higher position than Prin because she was able to fool him.
In comparison the movie Mean Girls uses sound to cue particular reactions on the part of the viewers incorporating African drums, sounds of elephants and African singers playing in the background every time Cady’s childhood is brought to scene. In addition the movie incorporates sounds such as the xylophone, piano, violin and drums to incorporate anticipation, love at first sight and exploitation and vengeance. The editing in the movie is excellent, it reveals an exaggeration of high school life with minimal censorship. The way the film was edited was in a way that the viewer could relate greatly not only with the characters but the atmosphere and scene that the movie evokes. The characterization is opposite of Island of Lost Men in the aspect that the female gender is seen as more dominant than the male. The male is seen as an object of affection a boy toy while the females are dominant in the school kingdom with the Plastics (popular girls) on top of the kingdom and the nerds at the bottom. An example of this is when Janice draws Cady an outline of the school cafeteria illustrating where everyone sits and who to sit with and who not to sit with. The camera movements played a significant role in connecting with the audience. With a smooth flow from scene to scene and character to character the audience was able to view the situations through the eyes of the protagonist, antagonist or as a third party viewer. An example of this is when Cady enters the cafeteria for the first time, the camera movements are shown in her perspective as it moves about the room and from table to table, creating a nervous atmosphere and an emotion of insecurity.
Setting
The setting in Island of Lost Men can be seen as realistic because the location gives evidence that the characters are on an island. This can be seen by the water under the house, large trees and bushes, the type of house built (a bungalow) and the river and ocean. In relation to the setting the atmosphere plays a big role to it. From the very beginning the atmosphere changes, it opens with a vibrant upbeat atmosphere at a restaurant where China Lily was singing and, as the plot continues to unfold after Prin brings China Lily to his Island, the tension begins and becomes worse by the end resulting in the death of Prin.
The setting of Mean Girls begins with a short timeline in Africa and continues on to a high school in America. Although the majority of the movie’s setting is placed in the high school the setting does alternate from the mall, home and friend’s houses. It is evident that these settings are seen as realistic because the movie is about high school life, in which the audience can greatly relate with their real life in school. Although it is an exaggeration of high school life the situations the protagonist is put in are very similar situations many of the audience has been or are put in everyday. The protagonist of the movie illustrates the innocence of elementary school life and childhood being tarnished by adolescence and the so called ‘real world’. The atmospheres of the movie begins with a relaxed feel, but as Cady begins her first day of school the audience beings to feel nervous for her which adds on to the tensions that will occur later when she is introduced to the Plastics (the popular kids).
Characters
The characters in Island of Lost Men are viewed with a bias. The White men are seen as high in social rank and are dressed in suits or in dress pants and dress shirts. Furthermore, depending on the social rank like Prin and Cheng, the characters are thus seen dressed up in suitable attire, a full suit, and are kept well groomed throughout the duration of the movie. The men of a low social standing are seen wearing a casual shirt and khaki pants sporting a jungle hat, while the villagers (whom are of the lowest social rank) are seen wearing close to nothing. This appearance illustrates the villager’s as barbarians. In contrast China Lily is seen dressed in both traditional conservative Chinese attire to reveal her cultural background and in Westernized clothing to illustrate her transformation from a traditional Chinese woman to being at Prin’s side. In comparison to Mean Girls Cady begins school life in unflattering laid back clothing. Her appearance would change as the movie unraveled and Cady started hanging out with the Plastics to more of a popular chic look. The Plastics, Teen Royalty, were always seen wearing the trendiest youthful outfits, while anyone under their heir was wearing far less fashionable clothing to the point where some characters are seen wearing close to rags. This illustrates social hierarchy with the Plastics being at the top of the clothing trend. An example of this is when one of the students was being interviewed she mentioned that Cady was wearing “army pants and flip-flops” so she went out and bought a pair of “army pants and flip-flops”. The males in the movie are dressed in the similar preppy and jock attire while the.
Shots
The shot distances that are used in Island of Lost Men are the short, medium and long shots. The short shots are used when there is one character seen talking or when there are two characters having a conversation in one shot. The medium shot is used when there is a group of people talking, like in Gregory Prin’s dinner scene with China Lilly and his three men. In addition the long shots are used to establish the setting of the scene (continuing with the dinner scene), the videographer established that the men were standing in a fancy dining room and that a special occasion was taking place, considering the characters attire and the dining room being decorated neatly. There is a noticeable movement from longer to shorter shots. This movement could have been done in a softer and slower motion to create a smooth flow of the camera zooming in or out in each particular scene. In comparison the shot distances used in Mean Girls are short, medium and long, each shot distances serve different purposes. Short shots are used for close ups, interviews or when one or two characters are talking. They are also used when viewing a significant object, for example, when the camera zoomed in on Janice’s chalk board and list of diabolical plans in her room. The medium distances are used when more than one significant character are in the scene and when a group of characters are in conversation, this is seen at the cafeteria table with the four girls talking. In addition the medium shot is partly used to establish the setting, opening up the scene when Janice and Cady were at Janice’s work the camera angle started at Cady and curved to view Janice behind the counter still including Cady in the shot. Long shots are used to establish the setting of the scene and to view the whole scene and characters, an example of this is when Cady was walking in the mall with the Plastics, the camera moved to show a long shot of the mall’s atrium and the significant characters.
Camera Angles
The information the camera angles provide about the characters is that the person is either superior, inferior or at the same level of each other. Through the duration of the movie the camera angles are at the “eye-level” angle where the audience is on the same eye-to-eye level as the character and may encourage the audience to identify themselves within the characters. Another angle that is used within the film is the “point-of-view” shot where the camera will be looking at a character in another character’s point of view. An example of this is when the General is speaking to China Lily and looking down at her, illustrating a “high angle” shot. Another example is when China Lily is looking up at the General from a seated position illustrating a “low angle shot”. These shots guide the viewer’s eye to noticing details such as danger and threat in the scene where the General learns the police are on their way. It also encourages the audience to align their perspective with each character and where they are looking and how they are feeling in that moment.
There are several different camera angles that take place in the movie Mean Girls such as eye-to-eye level which is used when the videographer is interviewing fellow students and when viewing from a perspective of a character when they are speaking to another. This level allows the audience to identify with the characters and allow them to view the situation from their perspective. Low-angle shots are used when the camera is in perspective of the audience during the scenes of the talent show and when Cady was crowned Spring Formal Queen. This angle illustrates dominance and importance of the character on the stage, this angle can also be seen in the opening scene of the movie when Cady’s parents are talking to her about her first day of school allowing the audience to view in the perspective of a child. The low-angle shot is also used in the movie when Cady was looking down at the audience when giving her speech at the Spring Formal. Lastly the birds-eye view is used to establish the setting of the scene, for example when the camera was moving through the cafeteria tables when Janice was explaining where everyone sits.
Camera Movements
The camera movements in Island of Lost Men function in three particular ways, moving from scene to scene, one character to another and following a character while he, she or they are walking. These movements illustrate the importance of the particular character(s) in the scene and provide information as to where the setting is located and how important certain setting objects may be, such as the shot gun the General pulls out. The camera movements focus solely on the movement of the characters and the scene, with these movements, the camera does not align the viewer’s perspective with that of a character but may guide the viewer’s eye to particular details like the trap door on the porch. Comparing the functions of camera movements to Mean Girls, this movie allows the audience to view the scene and other characters in the perspective of the protagonist. In addition the camera also discloses the setting of each scene with a long or medium shot and slowly moves from one significant area of the scene to the other. The camera movement reveals the emotion and various different actions of each character with a short shot and allows the audience to align with the character’s perspective. An example of this is when Cady walked into one of the Plastic’s room, the camera moved from one significant point of the room to the other (illustrating Cady’s perspective) then went to a close shot on her face to reveal her disbelief.
Music
Music play a specific purpose in the film of Island of Lost Men to cue particular reactions on the part of the viewers by playing upbeat music, when appropriate, to create a vibrant atmosphere, when China Lily, an Asian woman, was singing in the restaurant in the beginning of the movie. Later when Prin takes China Lily with him to his island the sounds turn to suspenseful music as the characters begin to plot and scheme. The music’s purpose in the film is to create a sense of connection and to influence the audience’s emotions to match those of the scene, character or situation. The purpose of the music in the film Mean Girls cues particular reactions on the part of the viewers in the way of beginning the movie with an African beat illustrating the innocence of Cady, the protagonist. As Cady enters real school, Cady makes a transformation from the “innocent homeschooled girl” to the average teenager, the music changes beat and turns into top 40 and hip hop style music of that time. The purpose of this type of music in the film is to create a youth like atmosphere. Whereas in the beginning of the movie the purpose of the music was to create a feel originality and innocence, for example when Cady was talking about her life and went into a flashback of her childhood there was an African beat playing in the background. The African music helps shape our interpretation of this image by illustrating to the audience Cady’s homeschooled life in Africa and the innocence of a child. The youth like music helps shape the audience’s interpretation of the image by illustrating Cady’s transformation from an innocent African homeschooled girl to the everyday life of a normal teenager at school. An example of this is when Cady was walking down the hall at school with a transformed appearance from laid back clothing to chic in a matter of weeks.
External Conditions
Social conditions influence the film Island of Lost Men by denoting the social class as dominant and inferior. The characters that are a part of the dominant social class are those who associate themselves with Gregory Prin and of the White culture. The characters that are a part of the inferior social class are the females, those who work for Gregory Prin and his men and who are a part of the villagers of the island. This situation influenced the storyline of the film by unraveling certain ideological tensions in how the White man treats the villagers and different cultures with disrespect. Social Conditions influence the film Mean Girls by creating an exaggeration of the female world in a high school atmosphere. It reveals a dominant female culture in which the Plastics are far superior to the rest of the girls that lie in the lower social ranks of the high school kingdom. It is evident that in this atmosphere there is a reign of power from the Plastics. This influences the storyline of the film by revealing female’s intentions to sabotage others and bring down the reign in high school.
Ideology/Cultural Tensions
Island of Lost Men follows the ideology of dominant gender and race. It is evident that the White man is dominant throughout the movie; he is superior and wealthier than the other cultures. Not only is it evident in race it is evident in gender, the men in the film are seen as more dominant and powerful than the woman, whether she be a native or China Lily. China Lily is viewed as a delicate flower that is always in need of assistance and a man to guide her through the Island’s surroundings. An example of the White culture to be more dominant than the rest is when Cheng and China Lily respectfully declined the offer to have coffee with Gregory Prin, leading to Prin insulting the Chinese culture by stating that it is not of Chinese manners to decline their host. Cultural tensions are greatly illustrated within the movie of Island of Lost Men.
Mean Girls critiques dominant ideologies by adding a comedic twist to it. The producer critiqued everyday high school life and transformed it into an over exaggeration by relating the mall, students and the school to a watering hole in Africa. Further stating how the animals would act the similar to teenagers in the same situations that Cady and her fellow peers are in. For example when Regina (the head of the Plastics) found out she had a crush on Erin (Regina’s ex-boyfriend) she got back together with him to spite Cady. In that situation Cady had a flashback as to how it would be handled in the animal world at the watering hole. This ideology reflects cultural tensions within the high school culture by taking what people may or do go through in high school and put an exaggerating comedic twist to it.
Final Reflections
This comparison essay allowed me to view two completely different movies yet see many similarities in cultural situations and dominance. Both movies used the arrogant character approach to illustrate dominance and power with the particular cultures. Though these movies were created in complete different times these ideologies are very similar to each other. In contrast with the two films, Island of Lost Men filmed in 1939, illustrated ignorance of cultures and genders in viewing the non Westernized cultures and woman as inferior while Mean Girls, filmed in 2004, viewed woman as superior and strong willed. The women in this movie do not need a man’s assistance, as can be seen in Island of Lost Men with China Lily. Women in Mean Girls are idolized and are seen as superior than men, especially in creating and fighting the conflicts in which arise throughout the duration of the movie.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Daughter of the Dragon and Mon Oncle Antoine
By Victor Karanja
The Daughter of the Dragon & Mon Oncle Antoine
By Victor Karanja
1. How is the story told?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
This story is linear from beginning to end. The episodes that shift our focus from Ling Moy, Fu Manchu and the Petrie family are all interconnected into a storyline that has a clear beginning and an end. Perhaps the confusing bit, which may separate the scenes into unrelated episodes happen when Ling Moy is told of her father. The subsequent scene is at the Scotland Yard offices where they are discussing the re-emergence of Fu Manchu. These scenes are episodical but the connection between them in the storyline happens so soon and the story resumes a linear mode. The story is both linear and episodical. In the beginning, the story is about Joe Poulin and his tribulations under an English boss at the Asbestos company. The episodes in this first section of the story do not seem to connect with Benoit at the morgue where his uncle Antoine prepares a dead body (Euclid) for burial. Within related episodes the story assumes a linear mode where the storyline progresses from beginning to end. It is not until we see Joe leaving for home on Christmas day that a linear connection is established between the episodes. Jumping from Joe’s subplot back to Benoit is what really makes the story episodical, otherwise it is linear with a storyline that begins with Benoit at his uncle’s shop, his observations and finally his unpleasant visit (with Uncle Antoine and later with Fernard) to the Poulin family home to collect the dead body of their son. The re-emergence of Joe Poulin at the end is not really episodical because he has already been connected into the main storyline and the events are flowing linearly.
Comparison – how the story is told: Both stories combine linear and episode modes of storytelling. But the episodic scenes are more evident in Mon Oncle Antoine because the storyline begins as two subplots; one revolves around Benoit at his Uncle Antoine’s shop and the other revolves around Joe Poulin and his work frustrations at the asbestos company and finally as he loses his eldest son through sickness. Later on the two subplots seem to connect as one major storyline and thus linear. The Daughter of the Dragon is mostly linear and the few episodes that seem unrelated were in the beginning when Ling Moy is anxious to meet her father. When it becomes clear that her father is Fu Manchu, the man Scotland Yard is discussing in the “seemingly” unrelated episode, then the storyline becomes one long story told linearly.
2. Plot
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
Ling Moy, a beautiful Chinese dancer, is caught in a dangerous loop that involves love triangles, obedience to a vengeful father and a desire to fulfil her father’s murderous mission. The movie was shot in London, UK.
Ling Moy led an ordinary life as a dancer in a popular London club. She lives in the same neighbourhood with important personalities that include Sir John Petrie, his wife, his son Ronald and a servant. Also in the neighbourhood is Ah Kee, a Scotland Yard agent, whose main task is to provide security services to Sir John Petrie and family. The plot revolves around another neighbour, Fu Manchu, a feared Chinese doctor, who the Scotland believed died 20 years ago but has resurfaced. Fu Manchu has a deep grudge with the Petries (he believes they had a hand in the death of his family) and all he wants is to eliminate the whole Petrie family. The plot thickens when Ling Moy discovers that Fu Manchu is her father.
Ling Moy is so attractive that Ronald Petrie and Ah Kee are unable to resist her charm. But the plot revolves more on the murderous episodes than the love triangles. Fu Manchu manages to get into Sir Petrie’s study unnoticed, poisons his snuff, awaits the snuff to take effect and leads him to a suicidal fall from atop the stairs in his own house in full view of the Scotland Yard officers. Despite being shot by The Scotland Yard officers, Fu Manchu manages to escape.
When the recovering (from gun shots) Fu Manchu is introduced to his daughter Ling Moy, he bestows on her the task of completing the murderous mission on the remaining Petries. To bring Ronald to his death, Fu Manchu stage manages an attack on Ling Moy in the hope that it will attract help from Ronald Petrie and other neighbours; this would give Ling Moy an opportunity to kill Ronald. Things turn out differently and Fu Manchu is finally murdered by the Scotland Yard agents, this time for real. Another opportunity to kill Ronald in his sleep was hatched by Fu Manchu’s servants but Ling Moy is not bold enough to do it. In all these attempts on Ronald’s life, Ah Kee is in the picture and is doing his best to protect Ronald. He is also smitten with Ling Moy and this provides some conflict.
Fu Manchu’s servants finally prevail on Ling Moy to accomplish her father’s murderous mission. She entices Ah Kee into her mansion, entertains him as her servants arrest and tie up Ronald and Mrs Petrie. The plan is to poison Ah Kee’s wine and finally stab Ronald to death in an adjoining room. Ah Kee wakes up from his “love slumber” and discovers the murderous scene he is in. But it is too late as he gets accosted by Fu Manchu’s servants and is tied up. In the meantime, Ling Moy and her gang have been accosted by Scotland Yard agents before accomplishing their murderous mission and are on the run. The whole house is encircled by Scotland Yard Agents. Ling Moy is about to stab one Scotland agent to make good her escape when Ah Kee (he had just got himself untied) shoots her dead. This is the only woman Ah Kee loved; he is so distraught that the movie ends with him lying beside the dead body of Ling Moy. He “decides” to die with his love beside him. Shot in a Quebec mining town, this movie tells the story of Benoit, a 14 year old orphan who lives with his uncle Antoine and Aunt Cecile (Mrs. Antoine). Antoine and Cecile own the only store in the small town and Antoine is also the only undertaker in town. Also in the plot are Fernard, Antoine’s assistant and Carmen, the young beautiful store clerk.
The subplot is characterized by Joe Poulin who works in an Asbestos mining company and later leaves due to a disagreement with his English boss. Joe opts to try his luck in the logging industry far away from home.
It is Christmas time. The owner of the asbestos company is dishing out cheap gifts door to door. The townspeople assemble at Uncle Antoine’s shop where the nativity scene is re-enacted and real celebrations are held. As they drink and sing, the fun is cut short by Mrs. Poulin’s phone call; she has lost her eldest son Mercel and Antoine (the undertaker) has to go collect the body. Young Benoit offers to accompany his uncle Antoine to the Poulin’s house to collect the body using the horse and its carriage. It is snowing and what seems to astound Benoit is that his uncle drinks heavily until they reach the Poulin’s house. On their way back with the body, Antoine gets too drunk, drives the horses crazy and the casket drops off carriage. In his drunken stupor, Antoine tells Benoit of his frustrations; his wife’s inability to bear him children, his desire to buy a hotel in the United States, his dislike of the undertaking business and his desire to lead a different life if only his wife cooperated. Benoit is so stressed with his uncle’s inability to help reload the casket onto the carriage that he decides to drive him home and seek help from Fernard. Upon arriving home, Benoit finds his Aunt Cecile and Fernard on the couch cuddling. This adds to the many confounding things Benoit has witnessed in his young life. During the brief stint he falls asleep awaiting Fernard to get ready for the return journey, Benoit dreams of the many fantasies he has been through at the store including his infatuation with Carmen and his amusement at watching a naked lady in the changing room. The casket had been moved back to the Poulin’s house (presumably by Joe on his way home) and when Benoit and Fernard arrive there, they find the whole family including Joe, who had come home for Christmas, surrounding the dead boy’s body. It appears they are celebrating the death of their son while everyone else is celebrating the birth of Christ. This contrast makes the movie end in an even sadder note.
Throughout the film, young Benoit observes the frustrations and vulnerability of his uncle Antoine, his immorality of his Aunt and Fernard, his own infatuation with Carmen, his Aunt’s infidelity with Fernard and the strange behaviour of the adults in his life. This is life seen through the eyes of a 14 year old through to young adulthood in a poor town in Quebec.
Comparison between the two plots: The two movies have more differences than similarities. The first notable difference is that while “The daughter of the Dragon” is shot in a big city (London, England), “Mon Oncle Antoine is shot in a remote Asbestos-mining town in Quebec, Canada. On the similarities side, Benoit, the main character in Mon Oncle Antoine, is an orphan living with his uncle Antoine. Ling Moy is technically an orphan until her father Fu Manchu resurfaces after 20 years of assumed death. Benoit is dealing with life’s challenges including sexuality, morality, alcoholism, death and adult behaviour; on the other hand, Ling Moy is dealing with a scary life of murder, love, revenge and blind obedience. The father figures in both movies share some similarities. Uncle Antoine is the most prominent personality in the little town while Fu Manchu is the feared doctor in London. Fu Manchu was, until he discovered his daughter, a childless man; Uncle Antoine does not have children of his own until he took in Benoit, his nephew. Both Uncle Antoine and Fu Manchu are bitter men in life; the former hates his work as undertaker and is bitter because his wife Cecile did not cooperate in his desire to move to the United States to run a hotel. Fu Manchu is bitter with the Petrie family for their alleged hand in the disappearance of his own family in Hong kong. There is death in both movies and both endings are tragic and pathetic. Mon Oncle Antoine ends on a Christmas day at Joe’s family where, instead of celebrating Christmas, they were moaning the death of their eldest son. The daughter of the Dragon ends with the death of Ling Moy and presumably the only man who loved her for real, Ah Kee.
3. What is the conflict in the Plot and how is it resolved?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
There are several conflicts in this movie but the main one involves Ling Moy. She is a harmless beautiful oriental dancer who must admit to continue her father’s murderous desire to eliminate the Petrie family. She experiences a conflict of conscience when the first real opportunity to kill Ronald Petrie in his sleep occurs. She is still unable to kill Ronald and his mother near the end of the movie despite the fact that Ah Kee, the Scotland Yard agent, was temporarily incapacitated at the time. Ah Kee is also experiencing conflict; the woman he loves is the daughter of the murderer (Fu Manchu) he loathes deeply.
Ling Moy’s conflict is resolved painfully through her own death. And who kills her? Ah Kee, the man who has expressed a genuine desire to marry her. Ah Kee is wearing two hats in this story; Ah Kee, the Scotland yard agent who shoots Ling Moy, the criminal, as she attempts to stab another Scotland agent, and Ah Kee, the guy who has fallen in love with Ling Moy. It is not surprising that he feels so distraught by his shooting act that he collapses beside her dying body. The major conflict in this movie revolves around Benoit and his boyhood experiences. He is an orphan living with a childless uncle. The other conflict involves Joe Poulin.
Benoit is getting conflicting meanings and interpretations of life events at his uncle Antoine’s house. To begin with, he is here because he is an orphan. He has no choice but to work with dead bodies – a little scary for a 14 year-old. As a naughty boy, Benoit views the naked body of a woman in the shops changing room and also touches Carmen’s breasts in a move that provokes thoughts about his own sexuality. Things become more conflicting in his mind when Benoit finds Fernard cuddling Auntie Cecile on the couch. Benoit is constantly on the receiving end of life’s experiences; his uncle Antoine pours his life’s frustrations on him as they head back from the Poulin’s home. Joe Poulin’s conflicts are worse; he escaped death through toxic Asbestos only to lose his son while far away in the logging fields.
It is not clear how Benoit resolves his conflicts Things seem to get more complicated as he grows up and one can say he “confusedly” grew up. Uncle Antoine seems to resolve his conflicts through drowning in alcoholism. Having Benoit may be a resolution to his childlessness.
Comparison: Conflicts and their resolutions: The main characters Ling Moy and Benoit have resolved their conflicts very differently. Ling Moy dies but Benoit just continues to grow up. The father figures in the movie also resolve their conflicts differently; Fu Manchu dies to entrap Ronald Petrie to his death while Antoine drowns his sorrows through excessive drinking. Joe Poulin, a main character too in Mon Oncle Antoine resolves his conflict by resigning from work at the asbestos company while Ah Kee in the Daughter of the Dragon has problem resolving his. He remains true to his calling as a Scotland Yard agent and at the same time remains true to his love, Ling Moy, at the hour of her death.
The similarities I find in the two movies regarding conflict resolution revolve around death. Ling Moy had to die at the end of the movie. Joe Poulin returned home for Christmas to find his son had died while he was away. The two movies end with death scenes.
1. How does the film cue particular reactions on the part of the viewers
2. Sound
3. Editing
4. Characterization
5. Camera movement, etc.?
6. Why does the film encourage such reactions?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
This movie creates suspense and fear. The viewer knows something must go wrong and all he or she awaits is how. Looking at Fu Manchu, one knows he is going to kill Sir Petrie. The viewer is encouraged to view Fu Manchu as a terrible guy. Ah Kee is the other bad guy because he kills Ling Moy. Ling Moy is also bad because she is set to kill the Petries.
It is not by coincidence here that all the killers are visibly Chinese. The portrayal of Asian characters as bad guys is very visible in this movie. This movie looks natural. It looks like a documentary of the real life of poor Quebecois in a remote town in the early 20th century. It tells a story of the life of an ordinary boy and his observations through boyhood into adulthood.
But there is a portrayal of the English people as the bad guys. Coincidentally, the English and Americans owned the tocix Asbestos industries in Quebec and their treatment of the French Quebecois was not very kind.
The movie evokes a hatred feeling for the English people because their industries are killing people (Euclid). Their treatment of Joe Poulin led to his resignation; he found work too far away that he could not respond to an emergency involving his son’s illness.
Comparison: Sound, editing, characterization and camera movement
It is ironic that while the Asians are depicted by the Westerners as the bad guys in the Daughter of the dragon, the English in Mon Oncle Antoine are the loathed industrialists in Quebec. Both movies tell the story of two children who are orphaned differently; Benoit is orphaned for real but his uncle has taken him in responsibly. Ling Moy has been orphaned for 20 years but the dad she meets (her real dad) is not nurturing her into life but is putting her in a murderous scheme that endangers her life. There is deliberate attempt to characterize Asian fathers as irresponsible (they put their kids into murderous schemes).
7. Describe the setting as realistic or stylistic.
8. What atmosphere does the setting suggest?
9. Describe how particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions.
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
This movie is realistic. It depicts Ling Moy as an ordinary woman who obeys the wishes of her father. The setting suggests an atmosphere of tension, fear, ruthlessness, blind obedience and love. The Chinese dragon in Fu Manchu’s house is symbolic of Chinese power and spirituality. The setting in the Petrie family home is symbolic of the English power and influence; the titles are suggestive of this power too, e.g. Sir Petrie.
Another symbolic setting is realized when Ling Moy and Ah Kee (two visible Orientals) talk about returning home to China. These are two middle class people who seem not to be doing badly in London, yet they are talking about returning home to China. This movie is realistic all through. It reflects the actual lifestyle in a poor Quebec city where the townspeople rely on one shop, one undertaker and one toxic company. The setting suggests a pathetic atmosphere of townspeople so poor that their main means of transportation is horse carriage. They cannot even afford a decent suit to bury their dead with – everything is hired at Uncle Antoine. At the beginning of the movie, we see Euclid’s body covered with a rented suit that is removed for reuse, and a rosary which is also removed for re-use before internment. The rosary is symbolic of the Catholicism that engulfed most of Quebec in the early 20th century
Comparison: Realistic/stylistic, atmosphere and symbolism
Both movies are realistic. The major difference is that while Mon Oncle Antoine is about poor people struggling in a remote Quebec town, the daughter of the Dragon is about the rich and powerful in a large city, London. Both movies make use of religious symbols; a rosary in Mon Oncle Antoine and the shrine of the dragon in the daughter of the dragon. Another contrast involves the atmosphere; Mon Oncle Antoine is relaxed and is full of lifestyle stuff while the Daughter of the dragon is about murder, sexuality and revenge.
10. What does their clothing or make-up reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age?
11. How are the characters costumed and made-up?
12. How do costume and make-up convey character?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
Ling Moy in her dancing attire looks sexy and attractive. This changes as soon as she takes instructions from her father to pursue the Petries. She begins to wear Chinese clothes that make her look authoritative and more serious when addressing her father’s servants. Fu Manchu is dressed to look rough and scary. He wears a traditional Chinese robe complete with trousers. He has the cunning oriental look that makes him look even scarier. His servants are dressed to look meek like monks and are in uniform.
Sir Petrie and his family are dressed European (black suits and white shirts complete with bow tie). They look respectable and it is hard to believe they had a hand in killing Fu Manchu’s family.
Ah Kee is very smart in a suit; he looks well educated and one can tell he does a respectable job.
The main character Benoit in his simple shirt and pants looks like an innocent little boy. Joe Poulin looks rough and vocal. His soiled clothes and the swearing as he fixes the truck project the image of a rebellious man. When he wears tattered clothes and carries an axe heading for the logging company, he looks even poorer. Uncle Antoine, Cecile, Fernard and Carmen look middle class in their attire.
Joe Poulin’s English boss at the asbestos company wears official dress pants and a hat reminiscent of a person wielding power. His demeanor combined with dress convey authority.
Comparison: Costumes and Character
Regarding costumes and character, the contrasts are easier to pick out. In the daughter of the dragon, every character except Fu Manchu’s servants are above middle class. The Petries wear Black dress pants and white shirts to match; they are wealthy. Fu Manchu wears official Chinese dress that makes him look powerful and ruthless. Ling Moy and Ah Kee are well above middle class according to dress code. However, in Mon Oncle Antoine, the townspeople are all poor except Antoine, the owner of the asbestos company and the English supervisor. Benoit, the main character, is a young boy whose poverty can be measured only in terms of exposure – and in this regard, he is poor.
13. What shot distances are used?
14. Do you notice a movement from longer to closer shot distances?
15. When are the various shot distances used (e.g., the opening of the scene, during a conversation, etc.)?
16. What purposes do the shot distances serve?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
The movie starts with an establishing shot of the club in which Ling Moy worked as a dancer. We then see a medium shot that turns quickly into a close-up of Ling Moy in her elegant dance attire. The close-up shot of an excited Ling Moy when she learns she is going to meet her father should have come out better in an extreme close-up. As the movie progresses, we see several medium shots of Ling Moy with her father and close-ups when she gets emotional about her new assignment as the murder girl. In a close up shot, we see the ruthless face of Fu Manchu as he leads Sir Petrie to his death on the stairs.
Another good use of a close-up shows the surprised face of Sir Petrie when he reads Fu manchu’s threat letter.
This movie has excellent wide and sometimes pan shots showing the pathways between Petrie’s house and Ling Moy’s. The wide shots showing snow capped villages and town establish the setting of this movie. Another important setting is revealed though a pan shot of the mine where Joe Poulin works. There is a shift from wide to medium shots to reveal the characters e.g Joe Poulin and his English boss. We also see a wide shot showing Euclid’s funeral service and several close-ups revealing symbolic objects e.g. rosary and a borrowed funeral suit. At Uncle Antoine’s shop, we see the entire shop through several mediums, wides and close-ups showing the reenactment of the nativity scene, cash register and nails. The journey to the Poulin house to collect the dead body of their son reveals landscapes shot through wide shots. Benoit’s emotion at the Poulin’s home is captured well on extreme close-ups; he looks worried and is unable to eat at the thought of the dead boy next room.
Comparison: shots
This is the one area where the expertise of the cameraman comes into play. Both movies have their fare share of great close-up shots, medium shots, wide shots and pan shots. However, Mon Oncle Antoine has magnificent wide shots revealing the whole township in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in Quebec. The snowy hills make the movie look like a documentary. The daughter of the dragon appears stronger in in-house shots between the Petrie house and Ling Moy’s.
17. What information do camera angles provide about characters, objects, and spaces?
18. Do they guide the viewer’s eye toward particular details?
19. Do they align the viewer’s perspective with that of a character?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
Camera angles have been used in this movie to show power relations. Ling Moy sits at her father’s feet level when receiving instructions. When she consults her father’s dragon, she bends down and is at a level closer to the ground. This high-down angle portrays power upon the higher person or object.
Camera angles have also been used to reveal background happenings. When Ling Moy is taking her time to confuse Ah Kee in her house, we can see the background through a little opening.
When Ah Kee manages to free himself but is still tied and gagged in the mouth, we see a double setting camera angle showing him as he tries to call for help without success. Camera angles have been used cleverly to show minute details in Uncle Antoine’s shop. A case in point is the view Benoit enjoyed in the ladies changing room. He could see some details (breasts) more vividly from his hiding place. During Euclid’s funeral service, we see some symbolic details, e.g. the rosary, through a clever manipulation of angles from high-down. A gentleman tried on an extra large pair of pants at Uncle Antoine’s shop and the cameraman took the picture in an angle that showed the oversize stretching larger than it actually was.
In this movie, camera angles have been used to show things with more clarity e.g. the corpses, and to exaggerate situations e.g. Antoine’s drunkenness.
Comparison: Camera Angles
Both movies have used camera angles but the angles in Mon Oncle Antoine are less visible because the movie has been made to look as natural as possible. In the daughter of the dragon, the angles are visible in power relations (Fu Manchu and Ling Moy, servants and Ling Moy) and between two interrelated scenes (Ah Kee when calling for help from the top floor).
20. How do camera movements function?
21. What information do they provide about characters, objects, and spaces?
22. Do they guide the viewer’s eye toward particular details?
23. Do they align the viewer’s perspective with that of a character?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
Camera movements in this movie are used to create pan shots between the pathways of the two adjacent homes belonging to Petrie and Ling Moy. When for instance Ling Moy was escaping from the Scotland Yard agents towards the end of the movie, the camera moves to reveal the scene where she nearly stabs an agent but is instantly shot by Ah Kee. Inside Ling Moy’s house as she talks with Ah Kee, we can see the camera move towards a particular corner where Ling Moy’s, rather her father’s, servants are using body language to communicate the heinous moves with Ling Moy through a small window. The camera movement tells the viewer when sinister things are happens at the background. At the beginning of the movie, we see the camera moving towards the top of the mine where Joe is cranky about the company car’s maintenance. This reveals the subplot involving the mine, the English boss and our perspective of Joe as a rebel.
Another notable camera movement involves the casket that Benoit and Uncle Antoine dropped on the snowy path. There are several camera movements in this movie and they are used to show some details that the viewer needs to note to gain a better understanding of the plot. Other examples include the scene when Benoit and his friend managed to land an ice ball on the owner of the mine. The fact that they can attack such an important person tells a lot about the respect the man commands among his workers; they loathe him.
Comparison: Camera movements
Just like in the camera angles, Mon Oncle Antoine is not rich in camera movements. It is rich in pan shots instead. In the daughter of the dragon, camera movements guide the viewer towards minute details that carry important material for the plot, e.g. the little window through which Ling Moy communicates with her servants while entertaining Ah Kee in her room.
24. What is the music's purpose in a film?
25. How does it direct our attention within the image?
26. How does it shape our interpretation of the image?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
Music comes on and off to warn of an unusual happening. A case in point is when Ling Moy wakes up at night to go kill Ronald. Ah Kee sensed trouble as he walks towards Ronald’s house. The soft music that is played directs the viewer to the tense moment that follows when Ah Kee demands to know what Ling Moy is up to. In this movie, music has been used severally to warn the viewer of an event about to take place. When Benoit and his Uncle Antoine return with the casket, some soft and later loud music introduces the disaster of the casket dropping off the carriage. The same music, this time quite soft was played when Antoine got very drunk and set the horses to drive on “autopilot.”
Comparison: Music
Both movies are not rich in music. The few instances it has been used have not been significant. However, it has been used to prepare the viewer of an impending happening. One reason why music is not featuring a lot is because both movies are not the suspense-type. Mon Oncle Antoine can be mistaken for a documentary; The daughter of the dragon has action but it is low-key. Music comes in handy in situations of serious action.
27. How do industrial, social, and economic conditions influence the film?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
This movie is created at a time when Chinese actors were portrayed in roles that characterized them as criminals, murderers, sly and cunning. It is not by default that all the bad guys are Chinese; these are Fu Manchu, Ling Moy and Ah Kee are Chinese. They are the only ones who have been shown either trying to stab someone, killing someone or shooting someone to death.
The Western characters including Sir Petrie and his family are characterized as nice guys undergoing harassment by Chinese bad guys.
The movie also rekindles some bitter memories of English attempted colonization of China where Fu Manchu alleges his wife and son died and where he implicated the Petries. And indeed the English kept Hong Kong for a hundred years, something that may not have impressed the likes of Fu Manchu at the time.
Fu Manchu is visibly Chinese but a closer look reveals he could be acting Chinese. This cultural insult inflicted on the Chinese to look fake in acts that portray them negatively compounds the racial problem. The movie was shot at a time when Quebec was about to undergo a revolution. It was at this time that the mining industries of Quebec were largely in the hands of English Canadians and Americans. This industrial take over by “foreigners” treated the Quebecois like serfs in their own land. The unchecked capitalism kept the town very poor and the townspeople’s only hope came from Uncle Antoine’s shop and his undertaking services, two of the basic services every society needs. The Catholic Church seemed to support the industrialists; even the workers were supportive in the absence of anything better to support. The separatist movement may have driven sense into the greedy capitalists but in general, some of the remote villages of Quebec may not have changed very much today despite the air of freedom.
The poverty in the small town is evident through their level of transportation technology – horse and carriage, and the behaviour of some parents (Carmen’s father came to collect her pay). This movie is not exaggerated and resembles a documentary.
Comparison: Industrial and Socio-economic conditions
Both movies reflect a rich history of humanity, survival and cruelty. Mon Oncle Antoine tells the frustrations of the Quebec people under the mercy of industrialist who also happen to be English Canadians. An entire town is economically controlled by a single industry where the wages are low and people live like serfs. The people are so reliant on the dangerous industry (asbestos) that they rallied behind their bosses to maintain the status quo when the time for change came. The daughter of the dragon reveals the social tension between westerners and easterners. The Easterners must use violence (rather they are depicted so) to achieve their rights. On the job front, perhaps the best Ling Moy could get was to dance in the club because she was exotic.
28. Does the film follow or critique dominant ideologies?
29. Does it reflect and shape particular cultural tensions?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
This movie follows the dominant stereotypes that exist between the West and the East. There is a deliberate portrayal of Asians as the bad guys whose main preoccupation is to cause trouble in an otherwise peaceful world. It also touches on gender; Fu Manchu is not convinced that Ling Moy can fulfil his murderous mission because she is a girl. He wishes he had a son. This movie is a portrayal of the rivalries between the French and English in Canada. It portrays the English as the bad guys who lord it over the French. There is the economic side too; capitalism controlled by the rich English has made everyone in the city a serf. Uncle Antoine is not a bad capitalist because he gets involved in society affairs that include fun, grocery and death. The movie also follows the Catholic ideology closely. Perhaps the biggest challenge is directed at capitalism in the hands of hostile neighbours (English Canadians).
30. What did you discover that you did not expect?
31. What surprised or intrigued you?
32. With what did you totally disagree?
Both movies
Never before had I looked at the French-English rivalry in Canada the same way that I did after watching Mon Oncle Antoine. It seems the bitterness that led to the urge to separate from Canada came from economic reasons as opposed to mere language differences. Looking at poverty in a Canadian city was a little comforting given that I thought poverty happens only in Africa and Asia. The daughter of the dragon reminded me of the lurking danger that is brought about by the ugly past. It was discomforting to see Ling Moy get killed but it would have been worse for her to stab the Scotland Yard agent. I could not help feeling sorry for her because she is only obeying her father’s instructions and the culture does not allow disobedience.
It is intriguing how all the grown-ups around Benoit’s life are all behaving strangely. One is left wondering if he picked one of them as his role model, but whom? I was left wondering if the boy would not grow up with a convoluted mind that cherishes immorality, insensitivity and drunkenness. Ling Moy comes across to me as someone who has tasted the freedoms of the west; I therefore wonder why she couldn’t say no to her father’s murderous scheme against the Petries.
I find myself disagreeing with Antoine when he says he wanted to leave; how can he leave yet he is the true hero of the townspeople? He buries their dead, owns the only grocery store and hosts the Christmas Eve every year. I also find it completely unacceptable that the asbestos company boss in Mon Oncle Antoine can speak to Joe in English, a language Joe does not understand. In the daughter of the dragon, it was completely unacceptable for Ah Kee to drop his guard in a hostile environment. He may have been smitten but that still amounts to professional negligence.
As a visible immigrant in Canada, I may be lucky I came in when a lot of the prejudices have been doused but that does not mean that I truly belong. I know this for sure.
The Daughter of the Dragon & Mon Oncle Antoine
By Victor Karanja
1. How is the story told?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
This story is linear from beginning to end. The episodes that shift our focus from Ling Moy, Fu Manchu and the Petrie family are all interconnected into a storyline that has a clear beginning and an end. Perhaps the confusing bit, which may separate the scenes into unrelated episodes happen when Ling Moy is told of her father. The subsequent scene is at the Scotland Yard offices where they are discussing the re-emergence of Fu Manchu. These scenes are episodical but the connection between them in the storyline happens so soon and the story resumes a linear mode. The story is both linear and episodical. In the beginning, the story is about Joe Poulin and his tribulations under an English boss at the Asbestos company. The episodes in this first section of the story do not seem to connect with Benoit at the morgue where his uncle Antoine prepares a dead body (Euclid) for burial. Within related episodes the story assumes a linear mode where the storyline progresses from beginning to end. It is not until we see Joe leaving for home on Christmas day that a linear connection is established between the episodes. Jumping from Joe’s subplot back to Benoit is what really makes the story episodical, otherwise it is linear with a storyline that begins with Benoit at his uncle’s shop, his observations and finally his unpleasant visit (with Uncle Antoine and later with Fernard) to the Poulin family home to collect the dead body of their son. The re-emergence of Joe Poulin at the end is not really episodical because he has already been connected into the main storyline and the events are flowing linearly.
Comparison – how the story is told: Both stories combine linear and episode modes of storytelling. But the episodic scenes are more evident in Mon Oncle Antoine because the storyline begins as two subplots; one revolves around Benoit at his Uncle Antoine’s shop and the other revolves around Joe Poulin and his work frustrations at the asbestos company and finally as he loses his eldest son through sickness. Later on the two subplots seem to connect as one major storyline and thus linear. The Daughter of the Dragon is mostly linear and the few episodes that seem unrelated were in the beginning when Ling Moy is anxious to meet her father. When it becomes clear that her father is Fu Manchu, the man Scotland Yard is discussing in the “seemingly” unrelated episode, then the storyline becomes one long story told linearly.
2. Plot
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
Ling Moy, a beautiful Chinese dancer, is caught in a dangerous loop that involves love triangles, obedience to a vengeful father and a desire to fulfil her father’s murderous mission. The movie was shot in London, UK.
Ling Moy led an ordinary life as a dancer in a popular London club. She lives in the same neighbourhood with important personalities that include Sir John Petrie, his wife, his son Ronald and a servant. Also in the neighbourhood is Ah Kee, a Scotland Yard agent, whose main task is to provide security services to Sir John Petrie and family. The plot revolves around another neighbour, Fu Manchu, a feared Chinese doctor, who the Scotland believed died 20 years ago but has resurfaced. Fu Manchu has a deep grudge with the Petries (he believes they had a hand in the death of his family) and all he wants is to eliminate the whole Petrie family. The plot thickens when Ling Moy discovers that Fu Manchu is her father.
Ling Moy is so attractive that Ronald Petrie and Ah Kee are unable to resist her charm. But the plot revolves more on the murderous episodes than the love triangles. Fu Manchu manages to get into Sir Petrie’s study unnoticed, poisons his snuff, awaits the snuff to take effect and leads him to a suicidal fall from atop the stairs in his own house in full view of the Scotland Yard officers. Despite being shot by The Scotland Yard officers, Fu Manchu manages to escape.
When the recovering (from gun shots) Fu Manchu is introduced to his daughter Ling Moy, he bestows on her the task of completing the murderous mission on the remaining Petries. To bring Ronald to his death, Fu Manchu stage manages an attack on Ling Moy in the hope that it will attract help from Ronald Petrie and other neighbours; this would give Ling Moy an opportunity to kill Ronald. Things turn out differently and Fu Manchu is finally murdered by the Scotland Yard agents, this time for real. Another opportunity to kill Ronald in his sleep was hatched by Fu Manchu’s servants but Ling Moy is not bold enough to do it. In all these attempts on Ronald’s life, Ah Kee is in the picture and is doing his best to protect Ronald. He is also smitten with Ling Moy and this provides some conflict.
Fu Manchu’s servants finally prevail on Ling Moy to accomplish her father’s murderous mission. She entices Ah Kee into her mansion, entertains him as her servants arrest and tie up Ronald and Mrs Petrie. The plan is to poison Ah Kee’s wine and finally stab Ronald to death in an adjoining room. Ah Kee wakes up from his “love slumber” and discovers the murderous scene he is in. But it is too late as he gets accosted by Fu Manchu’s servants and is tied up. In the meantime, Ling Moy and her gang have been accosted by Scotland Yard agents before accomplishing their murderous mission and are on the run. The whole house is encircled by Scotland Yard Agents. Ling Moy is about to stab one Scotland agent to make good her escape when Ah Kee (he had just got himself untied) shoots her dead. This is the only woman Ah Kee loved; he is so distraught that the movie ends with him lying beside the dead body of Ling Moy. He “decides” to die with his love beside him. Shot in a Quebec mining town, this movie tells the story of Benoit, a 14 year old orphan who lives with his uncle Antoine and Aunt Cecile (Mrs. Antoine). Antoine and Cecile own the only store in the small town and Antoine is also the only undertaker in town. Also in the plot are Fernard, Antoine’s assistant and Carmen, the young beautiful store clerk.
The subplot is characterized by Joe Poulin who works in an Asbestos mining company and later leaves due to a disagreement with his English boss. Joe opts to try his luck in the logging industry far away from home.
It is Christmas time. The owner of the asbestos company is dishing out cheap gifts door to door. The townspeople assemble at Uncle Antoine’s shop where the nativity scene is re-enacted and real celebrations are held. As they drink and sing, the fun is cut short by Mrs. Poulin’s phone call; she has lost her eldest son Mercel and Antoine (the undertaker) has to go collect the body. Young Benoit offers to accompany his uncle Antoine to the Poulin’s house to collect the body using the horse and its carriage. It is snowing and what seems to astound Benoit is that his uncle drinks heavily until they reach the Poulin’s house. On their way back with the body, Antoine gets too drunk, drives the horses crazy and the casket drops off carriage. In his drunken stupor, Antoine tells Benoit of his frustrations; his wife’s inability to bear him children, his desire to buy a hotel in the United States, his dislike of the undertaking business and his desire to lead a different life if only his wife cooperated. Benoit is so stressed with his uncle’s inability to help reload the casket onto the carriage that he decides to drive him home and seek help from Fernard. Upon arriving home, Benoit finds his Aunt Cecile and Fernard on the couch cuddling. This adds to the many confounding things Benoit has witnessed in his young life. During the brief stint he falls asleep awaiting Fernard to get ready for the return journey, Benoit dreams of the many fantasies he has been through at the store including his infatuation with Carmen and his amusement at watching a naked lady in the changing room. The casket had been moved back to the Poulin’s house (presumably by Joe on his way home) and when Benoit and Fernard arrive there, they find the whole family including Joe, who had come home for Christmas, surrounding the dead boy’s body. It appears they are celebrating the death of their son while everyone else is celebrating the birth of Christ. This contrast makes the movie end in an even sadder note.
Throughout the film, young Benoit observes the frustrations and vulnerability of his uncle Antoine, his immorality of his Aunt and Fernard, his own infatuation with Carmen, his Aunt’s infidelity with Fernard and the strange behaviour of the adults in his life. This is life seen through the eyes of a 14 year old through to young adulthood in a poor town in Quebec.
Comparison between the two plots: The two movies have more differences than similarities. The first notable difference is that while “The daughter of the Dragon” is shot in a big city (London, England), “Mon Oncle Antoine is shot in a remote Asbestos-mining town in Quebec, Canada. On the similarities side, Benoit, the main character in Mon Oncle Antoine, is an orphan living with his uncle Antoine. Ling Moy is technically an orphan until her father Fu Manchu resurfaces after 20 years of assumed death. Benoit is dealing with life’s challenges including sexuality, morality, alcoholism, death and adult behaviour; on the other hand, Ling Moy is dealing with a scary life of murder, love, revenge and blind obedience. The father figures in both movies share some similarities. Uncle Antoine is the most prominent personality in the little town while Fu Manchu is the feared doctor in London. Fu Manchu was, until he discovered his daughter, a childless man; Uncle Antoine does not have children of his own until he took in Benoit, his nephew. Both Uncle Antoine and Fu Manchu are bitter men in life; the former hates his work as undertaker and is bitter because his wife Cecile did not cooperate in his desire to move to the United States to run a hotel. Fu Manchu is bitter with the Petrie family for their alleged hand in the disappearance of his own family in Hong kong. There is death in both movies and both endings are tragic and pathetic. Mon Oncle Antoine ends on a Christmas day at Joe’s family where, instead of celebrating Christmas, they were moaning the death of their eldest son. The daughter of the Dragon ends with the death of Ling Moy and presumably the only man who loved her for real, Ah Kee.
3. What is the conflict in the Plot and how is it resolved?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
There are several conflicts in this movie but the main one involves Ling Moy. She is a harmless beautiful oriental dancer who must admit to continue her father’s murderous desire to eliminate the Petrie family. She experiences a conflict of conscience when the first real opportunity to kill Ronald Petrie in his sleep occurs. She is still unable to kill Ronald and his mother near the end of the movie despite the fact that Ah Kee, the Scotland Yard agent, was temporarily incapacitated at the time. Ah Kee is also experiencing conflict; the woman he loves is the daughter of the murderer (Fu Manchu) he loathes deeply.
Ling Moy’s conflict is resolved painfully through her own death. And who kills her? Ah Kee, the man who has expressed a genuine desire to marry her. Ah Kee is wearing two hats in this story; Ah Kee, the Scotland yard agent who shoots Ling Moy, the criminal, as she attempts to stab another Scotland agent, and Ah Kee, the guy who has fallen in love with Ling Moy. It is not surprising that he feels so distraught by his shooting act that he collapses beside her dying body. The major conflict in this movie revolves around Benoit and his boyhood experiences. He is an orphan living with a childless uncle. The other conflict involves Joe Poulin.
Benoit is getting conflicting meanings and interpretations of life events at his uncle Antoine’s house. To begin with, he is here because he is an orphan. He has no choice but to work with dead bodies – a little scary for a 14 year-old. As a naughty boy, Benoit views the naked body of a woman in the shops changing room and also touches Carmen’s breasts in a move that provokes thoughts about his own sexuality. Things become more conflicting in his mind when Benoit finds Fernard cuddling Auntie Cecile on the couch. Benoit is constantly on the receiving end of life’s experiences; his uncle Antoine pours his life’s frustrations on him as they head back from the Poulin’s home. Joe Poulin’s conflicts are worse; he escaped death through toxic Asbestos only to lose his son while far away in the logging fields.
It is not clear how Benoit resolves his conflicts Things seem to get more complicated as he grows up and one can say he “confusedly” grew up. Uncle Antoine seems to resolve his conflicts through drowning in alcoholism. Having Benoit may be a resolution to his childlessness.
Comparison: Conflicts and their resolutions: The main characters Ling Moy and Benoit have resolved their conflicts very differently. Ling Moy dies but Benoit just continues to grow up. The father figures in the movie also resolve their conflicts differently; Fu Manchu dies to entrap Ronald Petrie to his death while Antoine drowns his sorrows through excessive drinking. Joe Poulin, a main character too in Mon Oncle Antoine resolves his conflict by resigning from work at the asbestos company while Ah Kee in the Daughter of the Dragon has problem resolving his. He remains true to his calling as a Scotland Yard agent and at the same time remains true to his love, Ling Moy, at the hour of her death.
The similarities I find in the two movies regarding conflict resolution revolve around death. Ling Moy had to die at the end of the movie. Joe Poulin returned home for Christmas to find his son had died while he was away. The two movies end with death scenes.
1. How does the film cue particular reactions on the part of the viewers
2. Sound
3. Editing
4. Characterization
5. Camera movement, etc.?
6. Why does the film encourage such reactions?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
This movie creates suspense and fear. The viewer knows something must go wrong and all he or she awaits is how. Looking at Fu Manchu, one knows he is going to kill Sir Petrie. The viewer is encouraged to view Fu Manchu as a terrible guy. Ah Kee is the other bad guy because he kills Ling Moy. Ling Moy is also bad because she is set to kill the Petries.
It is not by coincidence here that all the killers are visibly Chinese. The portrayal of Asian characters as bad guys is very visible in this movie. This movie looks natural. It looks like a documentary of the real life of poor Quebecois in a remote town in the early 20th century. It tells a story of the life of an ordinary boy and his observations through boyhood into adulthood.
But there is a portrayal of the English people as the bad guys. Coincidentally, the English and Americans owned the tocix Asbestos industries in Quebec and their treatment of the French Quebecois was not very kind.
The movie evokes a hatred feeling for the English people because their industries are killing people (Euclid). Their treatment of Joe Poulin led to his resignation; he found work too far away that he could not respond to an emergency involving his son’s illness.
Comparison: Sound, editing, characterization and camera movement
It is ironic that while the Asians are depicted by the Westerners as the bad guys in the Daughter of the dragon, the English in Mon Oncle Antoine are the loathed industrialists in Quebec. Both movies tell the story of two children who are orphaned differently; Benoit is orphaned for real but his uncle has taken him in responsibly. Ling Moy has been orphaned for 20 years but the dad she meets (her real dad) is not nurturing her into life but is putting her in a murderous scheme that endangers her life. There is deliberate attempt to characterize Asian fathers as irresponsible (they put their kids into murderous schemes).
7. Describe the setting as realistic or stylistic.
8. What atmosphere does the setting suggest?
9. Describe how particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions.
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
This movie is realistic. It depicts Ling Moy as an ordinary woman who obeys the wishes of her father. The setting suggests an atmosphere of tension, fear, ruthlessness, blind obedience and love. The Chinese dragon in Fu Manchu’s house is symbolic of Chinese power and spirituality. The setting in the Petrie family home is symbolic of the English power and influence; the titles are suggestive of this power too, e.g. Sir Petrie.
Another symbolic setting is realized when Ling Moy and Ah Kee (two visible Orientals) talk about returning home to China. These are two middle class people who seem not to be doing badly in London, yet they are talking about returning home to China. This movie is realistic all through. It reflects the actual lifestyle in a poor Quebec city where the townspeople rely on one shop, one undertaker and one toxic company. The setting suggests a pathetic atmosphere of townspeople so poor that their main means of transportation is horse carriage. They cannot even afford a decent suit to bury their dead with – everything is hired at Uncle Antoine. At the beginning of the movie, we see Euclid’s body covered with a rented suit that is removed for reuse, and a rosary which is also removed for re-use before internment. The rosary is symbolic of the Catholicism that engulfed most of Quebec in the early 20th century
Comparison: Realistic/stylistic, atmosphere and symbolism
Both movies are realistic. The major difference is that while Mon Oncle Antoine is about poor people struggling in a remote Quebec town, the daughter of the Dragon is about the rich and powerful in a large city, London. Both movies make use of religious symbols; a rosary in Mon Oncle Antoine and the shrine of the dragon in the daughter of the dragon. Another contrast involves the atmosphere; Mon Oncle Antoine is relaxed and is full of lifestyle stuff while the Daughter of the dragon is about murder, sexuality and revenge.
10. What does their clothing or make-up reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age?
11. How are the characters costumed and made-up?
12. How do costume and make-up convey character?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
Ling Moy in her dancing attire looks sexy and attractive. This changes as soon as she takes instructions from her father to pursue the Petries. She begins to wear Chinese clothes that make her look authoritative and more serious when addressing her father’s servants. Fu Manchu is dressed to look rough and scary. He wears a traditional Chinese robe complete with trousers. He has the cunning oriental look that makes him look even scarier. His servants are dressed to look meek like monks and are in uniform.
Sir Petrie and his family are dressed European (black suits and white shirts complete with bow tie). They look respectable and it is hard to believe they had a hand in killing Fu Manchu’s family.
Ah Kee is very smart in a suit; he looks well educated and one can tell he does a respectable job.
The main character Benoit in his simple shirt and pants looks like an innocent little boy. Joe Poulin looks rough and vocal. His soiled clothes and the swearing as he fixes the truck project the image of a rebellious man. When he wears tattered clothes and carries an axe heading for the logging company, he looks even poorer. Uncle Antoine, Cecile, Fernard and Carmen look middle class in their attire.
Joe Poulin’s English boss at the asbestos company wears official dress pants and a hat reminiscent of a person wielding power. His demeanor combined with dress convey authority.
Comparison: Costumes and Character
Regarding costumes and character, the contrasts are easier to pick out. In the daughter of the dragon, every character except Fu Manchu’s servants are above middle class. The Petries wear Black dress pants and white shirts to match; they are wealthy. Fu Manchu wears official Chinese dress that makes him look powerful and ruthless. Ling Moy and Ah Kee are well above middle class according to dress code. However, in Mon Oncle Antoine, the townspeople are all poor except Antoine, the owner of the asbestos company and the English supervisor. Benoit, the main character, is a young boy whose poverty can be measured only in terms of exposure – and in this regard, he is poor.
13. What shot distances are used?
14. Do you notice a movement from longer to closer shot distances?
15. When are the various shot distances used (e.g., the opening of the scene, during a conversation, etc.)?
16. What purposes do the shot distances serve?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
The movie starts with an establishing shot of the club in which Ling Moy worked as a dancer. We then see a medium shot that turns quickly into a close-up of Ling Moy in her elegant dance attire. The close-up shot of an excited Ling Moy when she learns she is going to meet her father should have come out better in an extreme close-up. As the movie progresses, we see several medium shots of Ling Moy with her father and close-ups when she gets emotional about her new assignment as the murder girl. In a close up shot, we see the ruthless face of Fu Manchu as he leads Sir Petrie to his death on the stairs.
Another good use of a close-up shows the surprised face of Sir Petrie when he reads Fu manchu’s threat letter.
This movie has excellent wide and sometimes pan shots showing the pathways between Petrie’s house and Ling Moy’s. The wide shots showing snow capped villages and town establish the setting of this movie. Another important setting is revealed though a pan shot of the mine where Joe Poulin works. There is a shift from wide to medium shots to reveal the characters e.g Joe Poulin and his English boss. We also see a wide shot showing Euclid’s funeral service and several close-ups revealing symbolic objects e.g. rosary and a borrowed funeral suit. At Uncle Antoine’s shop, we see the entire shop through several mediums, wides and close-ups showing the reenactment of the nativity scene, cash register and nails. The journey to the Poulin house to collect the dead body of their son reveals landscapes shot through wide shots. Benoit’s emotion at the Poulin’s home is captured well on extreme close-ups; he looks worried and is unable to eat at the thought of the dead boy next room.
Comparison: shots
This is the one area where the expertise of the cameraman comes into play. Both movies have their fare share of great close-up shots, medium shots, wide shots and pan shots. However, Mon Oncle Antoine has magnificent wide shots revealing the whole township in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in Quebec. The snowy hills make the movie look like a documentary. The daughter of the dragon appears stronger in in-house shots between the Petrie house and Ling Moy’s.
17. What information do camera angles provide about characters, objects, and spaces?
18. Do they guide the viewer’s eye toward particular details?
19. Do they align the viewer’s perspective with that of a character?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
Camera angles have been used in this movie to show power relations. Ling Moy sits at her father’s feet level when receiving instructions. When she consults her father’s dragon, she bends down and is at a level closer to the ground. This high-down angle portrays power upon the higher person or object.
Camera angles have also been used to reveal background happenings. When Ling Moy is taking her time to confuse Ah Kee in her house, we can see the background through a little opening.
When Ah Kee manages to free himself but is still tied and gagged in the mouth, we see a double setting camera angle showing him as he tries to call for help without success. Camera angles have been used cleverly to show minute details in Uncle Antoine’s shop. A case in point is the view Benoit enjoyed in the ladies changing room. He could see some details (breasts) more vividly from his hiding place. During Euclid’s funeral service, we see some symbolic details, e.g. the rosary, through a clever manipulation of angles from high-down. A gentleman tried on an extra large pair of pants at Uncle Antoine’s shop and the cameraman took the picture in an angle that showed the oversize stretching larger than it actually was.
In this movie, camera angles have been used to show things with more clarity e.g. the corpses, and to exaggerate situations e.g. Antoine’s drunkenness.
Comparison: Camera Angles
Both movies have used camera angles but the angles in Mon Oncle Antoine are less visible because the movie has been made to look as natural as possible. In the daughter of the dragon, the angles are visible in power relations (Fu Manchu and Ling Moy, servants and Ling Moy) and between two interrelated scenes (Ah Kee when calling for help from the top floor).
20. How do camera movements function?
21. What information do they provide about characters, objects, and spaces?
22. Do they guide the viewer’s eye toward particular details?
23. Do they align the viewer’s perspective with that of a character?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
Camera movements in this movie are used to create pan shots between the pathways of the two adjacent homes belonging to Petrie and Ling Moy. When for instance Ling Moy was escaping from the Scotland Yard agents towards the end of the movie, the camera moves to reveal the scene where she nearly stabs an agent but is instantly shot by Ah Kee. Inside Ling Moy’s house as she talks with Ah Kee, we can see the camera move towards a particular corner where Ling Moy’s, rather her father’s, servants are using body language to communicate the heinous moves with Ling Moy through a small window. The camera movement tells the viewer when sinister things are happens at the background. At the beginning of the movie, we see the camera moving towards the top of the mine where Joe is cranky about the company car’s maintenance. This reveals the subplot involving the mine, the English boss and our perspective of Joe as a rebel.
Another notable camera movement involves the casket that Benoit and Uncle Antoine dropped on the snowy path. There are several camera movements in this movie and they are used to show some details that the viewer needs to note to gain a better understanding of the plot. Other examples include the scene when Benoit and his friend managed to land an ice ball on the owner of the mine. The fact that they can attack such an important person tells a lot about the respect the man commands among his workers; they loathe him.
Comparison: Camera movements
Just like in the camera angles, Mon Oncle Antoine is not rich in camera movements. It is rich in pan shots instead. In the daughter of the dragon, camera movements guide the viewer towards minute details that carry important material for the plot, e.g. the little window through which Ling Moy communicates with her servants while entertaining Ah Kee in her room.
24. What is the music's purpose in a film?
25. How does it direct our attention within the image?
26. How does it shape our interpretation of the image?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
Music comes on and off to warn of an unusual happening. A case in point is when Ling Moy wakes up at night to go kill Ronald. Ah Kee sensed trouble as he walks towards Ronald’s house. The soft music that is played directs the viewer to the tense moment that follows when Ah Kee demands to know what Ling Moy is up to. In this movie, music has been used severally to warn the viewer of an event about to take place. When Benoit and his Uncle Antoine return with the casket, some soft and later loud music introduces the disaster of the casket dropping off the carriage. The same music, this time quite soft was played when Antoine got very drunk and set the horses to drive on “autopilot.”
Comparison: Music
Both movies are not rich in music. The few instances it has been used have not been significant. However, it has been used to prepare the viewer of an impending happening. One reason why music is not featuring a lot is because both movies are not the suspense-type. Mon Oncle Antoine can be mistaken for a documentary; The daughter of the dragon has action but it is low-key. Music comes in handy in situations of serious action.
27. How do industrial, social, and economic conditions influence the film?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
This movie is created at a time when Chinese actors were portrayed in roles that characterized them as criminals, murderers, sly and cunning. It is not by default that all the bad guys are Chinese; these are Fu Manchu, Ling Moy and Ah Kee are Chinese. They are the only ones who have been shown either trying to stab someone, killing someone or shooting someone to death.
The Western characters including Sir Petrie and his family are characterized as nice guys undergoing harassment by Chinese bad guys.
The movie also rekindles some bitter memories of English attempted colonization of China where Fu Manchu alleges his wife and son died and where he implicated the Petries. And indeed the English kept Hong Kong for a hundred years, something that may not have impressed the likes of Fu Manchu at the time.
Fu Manchu is visibly Chinese but a closer look reveals he could be acting Chinese. This cultural insult inflicted on the Chinese to look fake in acts that portray them negatively compounds the racial problem. The movie was shot at a time when Quebec was about to undergo a revolution. It was at this time that the mining industries of Quebec were largely in the hands of English Canadians and Americans. This industrial take over by “foreigners” treated the Quebecois like serfs in their own land. The unchecked capitalism kept the town very poor and the townspeople’s only hope came from Uncle Antoine’s shop and his undertaking services, two of the basic services every society needs. The Catholic Church seemed to support the industrialists; even the workers were supportive in the absence of anything better to support. The separatist movement may have driven sense into the greedy capitalists but in general, some of the remote villages of Quebec may not have changed very much today despite the air of freedom.
The poverty in the small town is evident through their level of transportation technology – horse and carriage, and the behaviour of some parents (Carmen’s father came to collect her pay). This movie is not exaggerated and resembles a documentary.
Comparison: Industrial and Socio-economic conditions
Both movies reflect a rich history of humanity, survival and cruelty. Mon Oncle Antoine tells the frustrations of the Quebec people under the mercy of industrialist who also happen to be English Canadians. An entire town is economically controlled by a single industry where the wages are low and people live like serfs. The people are so reliant on the dangerous industry (asbestos) that they rallied behind their bosses to maintain the status quo when the time for change came. The daughter of the dragon reveals the social tension between westerners and easterners. The Easterners must use violence (rather they are depicted so) to achieve their rights. On the job front, perhaps the best Ling Moy could get was to dance in the club because she was exotic.
28. Does the film follow or critique dominant ideologies?
29. Does it reflect and shape particular cultural tensions?
The Daughter of the Dragon Mon Oncle Antoine
This movie follows the dominant stereotypes that exist between the West and the East. There is a deliberate portrayal of Asians as the bad guys whose main preoccupation is to cause trouble in an otherwise peaceful world. It also touches on gender; Fu Manchu is not convinced that Ling Moy can fulfil his murderous mission because she is a girl. He wishes he had a son. This movie is a portrayal of the rivalries between the French and English in Canada. It portrays the English as the bad guys who lord it over the French. There is the economic side too; capitalism controlled by the rich English has made everyone in the city a serf. Uncle Antoine is not a bad capitalist because he gets involved in society affairs that include fun, grocery and death. The movie also follows the Catholic ideology closely. Perhaps the biggest challenge is directed at capitalism in the hands of hostile neighbours (English Canadians).
30. What did you discover that you did not expect?
31. What surprised or intrigued you?
32. With what did you totally disagree?
Both movies
Never before had I looked at the French-English rivalry in Canada the same way that I did after watching Mon Oncle Antoine. It seems the bitterness that led to the urge to separate from Canada came from economic reasons as opposed to mere language differences. Looking at poverty in a Canadian city was a little comforting given that I thought poverty happens only in Africa and Asia. The daughter of the dragon reminded me of the lurking danger that is brought about by the ugly past. It was discomforting to see Ling Moy get killed but it would have been worse for her to stab the Scotland Yard agent. I could not help feeling sorry for her because she is only obeying her father’s instructions and the culture does not allow disobedience.
It is intriguing how all the grown-ups around Benoit’s life are all behaving strangely. One is left wondering if he picked one of them as his role model, but whom? I was left wondering if the boy would not grow up with a convoluted mind that cherishes immorality, insensitivity and drunkenness. Ling Moy comes across to me as someone who has tasted the freedoms of the west; I therefore wonder why she couldn’t say no to her father’s murderous scheme against the Petries.
I find myself disagreeing with Antoine when he says he wanted to leave; how can he leave yet he is the true hero of the townspeople? He buries their dead, owns the only grocery store and hosts the Christmas Eve every year. I also find it completely unacceptable that the asbestos company boss in Mon Oncle Antoine can speak to Joe in English, a language Joe does not understand. In the daughter of the dragon, it was completely unacceptable for Ah Kee to drop his guard in a hostile environment. He may have been smitten but that still amounts to professional negligence.
As a visible immigrant in Canada, I may be lucky I came in when a lot of the prejudices have been doused but that does not mean that I truly belong. I know this for sure.
Limehouse Blues and Taking Lives
INDIVIDUAL FILM ANALYSIS
Lime House Blues Analysis
By: Tamra Barlow
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
CAST
Director -Alexander Hall
Harry Young -George Raft
Toni -Jean Parker
Tu Tuan -Anna May Wong
Eric Benton -Kent Taylor
Pug Talbot -Montagu Love
Smokey -John Rogers
Police Chief -Robert Loraine
Analyzing the Film
-How is the story told? Linear
-Give details for your choice(s):
The movie is told chronologically one event leads to another. There is no point in the movie where a character experiences a flash back or fast forward. For these reasons, it is evident that the movie is told in a linear story line.
Plot
The movie opens with a shot of the street of Limehouse. It focuses on the police entering the harbor and the Governor retreating from the boat. When he enters the bar, Tu Tuan is performing entertainment in the form of a dance. When he walks in, he is looking for Harry, the bar owner. When he enters his office, the officer is suspicious of him and they have an interesting conversation with many hidden messages. They refer to the cat and how they are smart to stay away from the water. They go into the description of the pinky finger to Chinese and how it is a symbol of wealth and class. Also the officer asks if he knows what happens to smugglers in America, Harry knows they are shot. This conversation between the two of them has much foreshadowing.
In the next scene Toni is introduced. She has been caught pick pocketing and she relies on Harry to create her alibi. After a quick search, the officer leaves her. Harry offers her a job and she declines because she doesn’t want to upset Pug (her stepfather). She hopes for Smokey not tell anyone but even though he says he won’t, he does. Because of this, Pug is angry and goes to pay Harry a visit. In Toni’s conversation with Maggie, the first issue of race comes into the conversation about Harry.
In the next scene, Harry is walking through the streets of Limehouse when Toni warns him not to go down to the water that night. Harry is confused by this, but heads out anyways. Smokey tells Pug that Harry got by the police because he was tipped off. Pug knows that it was Toni and therefore beats her. When Harry returns from the lake, he hears that Toni has been beaten. He hands a key over to his partner and tells him “you know what to say”. He then goes to Pug and proposes a business deal with him and arranges a meeting at Harry’s place, he gives him the key. Pug brags to Toni and shows her the key.
The following night when Harry is performing with Tu Tuan, Pug makes his way upstairs to Harry’s apartment expecting a meeting. It is there that he is stabbed and dies while the show continues downstairs. Pugs body is placed on the street where a woman finds him. It is in this scene that the key is secretly passed back to Harry. There is a detailed investigation of Pug’s murder. They blackmail/threaten Smokey to lie and Toni tells them that Pug had a slight argument with Harry Young the night before.
After this, Harry knows he must speak to Toni. Harry again offers her a job, to be the eyes, ears and remember everything she sees at the club. Harry offers her a room in his apartment next to Tu Tuan’s. This storage room is filled with old Chinese statues and monuments. These monuments make Toni uncomfortable and when she expresses her feelings to Tu Tuan, she is very offended and jealous. As Toni begins the job at the bar, she realizes just how many people are planted by the police in his bar. She has also been taking messages for him from people from the lake. When a man hits on Toni, rumors begin flowing about him liking Toni. Tu Tuan is very upset and is very rude to Toni.
Tu Tuan hires a man to follow Toni everywhere she goes. The following day he spots Toni in Piccadilly. It is on this trip that she meets Eric when his puppies escape from his shop. While looking through the store, she finds a mutt and yet again the interracial issue is brought up. After their first meeting, Eric and Toni begin spending more time together. When Toni returns, Harry is questioning her about her whereabouts. In this argument, Harry accidentally scratches her with his nail, after she leaves he cuts it off. Once Eric and Toni begin seeing each other regularly, Harry continues to try and receive her attention, he follows her, redoes her room and makes it impossible for her to get a job. It is in a conversation in her room that she sees Harry with the key that Pug had.
As Eric and Toni fall in love, Harry becomes obsessed. This makes Tu Tuan very mad and she quits. Harry is invited to a New Year’s dinner and asks Toni to come as his guest. He then makes plans to remove Eric from Toni’s life. Eric arrives at Harry’s bar to take Toni. It is here that Harry invites Eric up to his flat to discuss the situation and gives him the key.
Tu Tuan informs the police of the time and place that Harry will be on his boat to pick up the stuff. The police offer to send her back to China but instead she kills herself.
At the New Year’s celebration, the cops finally witness the smuggling and Toni pretends that she does not care about Eric until she realizes that Harry’s chain no longer has the key attached. It is here that she realizes the plans to kill Eric. She desperately begs him to stop the plans and Harry realizes she will never love him. He then quickly decides to spare Eric’s life. He makes a dash back to shore with the smuggled goods in the boat. The police follow them shooting. A bullet hits Harry but he is just wounded. They arrive just in time to save Eric. However, when the police arrive seconds after, Harry falls and dies because of the bullet wound he has endured. In the end, Toni and Eric drive off together overcoming the barriers of social class.
Conflict Resolution
There are many different conflicting situations throughout this movie: Harry’s side job of importing smuggled goods is not only wrong but unethical; this business has lead him to kill people who get in his way, Toni is struggling to decipher the feelings she has for Eric as well as Harry and Eric has fallen in love with Toni but she acts distant and secretive. Although all of these situations are undesirable and conflicting, they are not the main area of conflict throughout the movie.
This movies main focus is the conflicting situation of social and ethnic class. This issue arises multiple times throughout the plot of the show. It is first seen when Harry first mentions his love for Toni. He is told that the first issue is that he is half Chinese and Toni is not. Also, Harry is of higher class and Toni is merely a pickpocket, not in the same class as Harry. This conflict is focused on again when Toni first meets Eric. In Eric’s pet store, Toni discovers a small puppy in his own cage. She is curious as to why he is left along with no other dogs. Eric explains that he is a mutt and even pure bread dogs know the difference and will not associate with him. This issue is shown for a third time between Toni and Eric. When Eric professes his love for Toni, she tells him that she is a pickpocket and not good for him. She is convinced that he will stop loving her instantly because she is of a lower social class than him. However, this is not what ends up happening. Eric tells Toni that her past means nothing to him and it is this bold statement that proves social class and race does not have to be an issue. Eric helped to resolve the situation with his strong love and strong opinions. In the end, the conflict is abolished and Toni and Eric are able to overcome the difference in their social class.
Viewers
Since this is an older movie, it may not cause the same reactions for people watching today as it did in 1934. Aspects such as the music, editing and camera movement is not as believable as modern movies. Although, the sounds and editing still evoke emotion in the viewers, it is not as deep or detailed as new movies. For example, the music that is played when Pug is killed was specifically incorporated to evoke tension in the viewer. Although it does this, a new movie with more modern music, would make these feelings more evident to the viewer. The music, camera angles and editing was specifically chosen, placed and tested in order to cue these reactions because it makes the movie more believable and enjoyable for the viewer.
Setting
The setting of Lime House Blues is realistic. This is because it is based and set in the lime house district. Lime House is an actual area of London, by the shore. Although this movie was not filmed in London, they attempt to capture the look of London in their sets. Not only are the buildings symbolic to those in London, many of the background characters speak in English accents in order to capture the image of London.
Characters
Throughout the movie, there are many different clothing styles that are evident between the characters. Tu Tuan wears very different clothing than Toni, although they are roughly the same age, same gender and live in the same place. The characters race and social standing seem to determine how they present themselves. Tu Tuan is a higher class Chinese woman whereas Toni is a white, lower class pickpocket. These aspects of their history can be seen in their clothes. These two characters are just one example of how costumes can reveal information about their social standing, ethnicity, gender and age. Harry dresses differently than Pug, and Eric is different from Harry. It is interesting to see that even though Lime House Blues was filmed in 1934, the situation is not any different today.
Shots
The movie opens with a shot of the streets of Lime House. There was no pan shot or establishing shot used, I found this interesting. However, there were a few interesting shots that I noticed. The first was during Harry and the Officer’s conversation in Harry’s office. The shot used for this conversation was the medium shot. In this shot, the two characters are shot from the waist up with very little in the background. This helps the viewer to focus on the two of them and listen closely to the dialogue.
The most common shot distance that is used often throughout the movie is the close up shot. When the camera first closes in on the ‘key’, the viewer knows that it is important but they are unsure why. This shot distance is used multiple times throughout the movie because it is commonly used to show importance and show what the character is looking at. In the case of Lime House Blues, this shot distance technique works well.
Camera Angles
Camera angles are the best way to grab the viewer’s attention and guide them to a desired focal point. In the movie Lime House Blues, the camera angles are well done and show entire profiles of the characters, objects and settings in the movie. When Toni is first shown her bedroom, the camera films at a high angle to show all of the contents in the room, this was useful because the viewer did not focus on one specific ornament.
Another useful camera angle that was used occurs near the end of the film when Tu Tuan tells the police of Harry’s last journey out onto the water. At first I was unsure of what was happening in the shadows after the officer left her. It is an interesting way for them to film a suicide. This is a very effective way to show the suicide without showing all the details.
Camera Movements
Camera movements function to establish a scene or to show the viewer something specific. The camera movements in Lime House Blues are not as smooth as modern movies but for the time period they are very well done. I noticed this in one particular type of scene, the boat scenes. They must have used a dolly shot, also known as a tracking shot. This is where the camera is placed on a movie vehicle to follow the action. This technique works well because it makes the scene believable. They may have filmed these scenes on a set instead of in the actual water. If this is the case, they did a very good job with the angles to make the boat look as if it was moving.
Camera movements were also involved in the detail involving the ‘key’. They guide the viewers’ eyes to the key to ensure that the viewer has grasped the importance of it.
Music
The purpose of the music in this film is to convey the emotions evoked from the characters. For example, in the high tension scenes such as when Pug is murdered, the music is specifically used to cause the viewer to feel tension. If the viewer is not watching attentively, they will not see the man in the shadows. However, the moment the tension filled music starts to play, they know something bad is about to occur. This shapes our interpretation of the image before anything happens, one just expects it because of the music.
External Conditions
Industrial, social and economic issues can greatly affect a film. For example, in the case of Lime House Blues, the budget for movies in the 30’s was much less than they are today. Although the technology was not as advanced as it is today, they still could have used better effects if their budget was larger. The time period also affected the relationships within the movie. Since it was filmed so long ago, interracial couples were not as common as they are now. This is why the thought of Toni and Harry together was such a big deal. It may have become a controversial movie if the two of them were to end up together. This may have been why the writers and directors chose the ending that they did.
Ideology/Cultural Tensions
As previously stated, cultural tension is a large part of this movie. Not only is this shown through the characters, but they also show it in the dogs in the pet store. This means that it has followed the dominant ideologies of its time.
Final Reflections
I was very surprised by this movie. I screened the movie three times and my reaction after each viewing was different. The first time I viewed this movie I judged it before it even began. It was old and black/white, different than I was used to. I found it hard to follow the first time. When I watched it the second time, I was surprised that I actually understood what was happening. It was during this viewing that I formulated my plot analysis. On my third time screening the movie, I actually enjoyed it and more points fell into place. I was surprised when I realized what a long nail on the last finger meant. Information like this interested me. Screening and analyzing this movie has taught me to appreciate older films because they can be just as interesting as modern day cinema.
Taking Lives Analysis
CAST
Director -DJ Caruso
Ileana -Angelina Jolie
Costa -Ethan Hawk
Clark -Kiefer Sutherland
Mrs. Asher -Gena Rowlands
Douval -Jean-Hugues Anglade
Analyzing the Film
-How is the story told? Linear
-Give details for your choice(s):
Much like Lime House Blues The movie is told chronologically one event leads to another. Although there is one point, at the end of the movie, where the character experiences a series of flash backs, these do not change the chronology or outcome of the story. Since the movie remains in the same chronological fashion it is evident that the movie is told in a linear story line.
Plot
The movie Taking Lives was released in 2004 and was filmed throughout different areas of Quebec. It follows the Quebec police department in their search to uncover a serial killer. The movie opens with a shot of a young Martin Asher’s reflection in a mirror at a bus station. On the bus, Martin meets a young man named Matt, also running away from home. When their bus breaks down, they both decide to buy a car and hit the road on their own. When their car gets a flat tire, something comes over Martin and everything changes. As Matt is changing the tire, Martin kicks him into the path of an oncoming car. Once dead, Martin takes all of his information and casually walks away, on his way to starting his new life.
Twenty years later, a body is found in a construction site. The Montreal Police immediately begin investigating the murder, Ileana Scott (Angelina Jolie); a FBI profiler is brought in to help them with the case. During the current investigation, another man is killed. However, this time there was a witness, James Costa. When his DNA turns up clean, James Costa (Ethan Hawk) becomes a key element to their investigation. As the investigation continues, Ileana realizes it could be a man by the name of Martin Asher. The man’s mother tells police she saw her dead son on the ferry, the same son that she thought died so many years ago. She explains to the police just how dangerous he is. When she is questioned, Ileana discovers that Martin also had a twin who died when he was 14, after that he became violent. Once the situation was investigated, they realize that it was not Martin Asher that died all those years ago. They realize that it is the real Martin Asher that is killing these people. After her visit with Mrs. Asher, Ileana realizes Martin is killing these people and living their lives so he does not have to live his own.
Following this discovery, James Costa’s gallery is broken into. When the cops search for evidence, they discover that he has a meeting with a man name Clark Edwards (Asher’s current disguise, played by Canadian Kiefer Sutherland). The police decide it is best to go along with the meeting but Clark never shows. Throughout the investigation Ileana and James grow close, Ileana knows that this is inappropriate and attempts to leave the case. Instead, she decides to ignore her feelings and carry on. Clark Edwards attends James’ art show and this leads to a foot chase through the streets of Quebec. In the end, Edwards is lost in the crowd and escapes the police. Since Clark is on the run, they decide to fly James to Toronto for safety. On the day he is to depart, Clark shows up at James’ apartment and attacks him. Shots are fired and an officer is killed. Ileana arrives in time to see Clark’s car leaving the scene. This leads to a high speed chase which ultimately ends in a crash and the death of Clark Edwards. When his DNA is matched with the DNA found on the latest victim, the investigation is over.
Since they no longer need to hide their feelings, James comes to Ileana’s hotel room that night. In the morning, they return to the hospital to repair James’ stitches. At the same time, Mrs. Asher is in the hospital to identify her son’s body and she is certain that it is not him. When she is leaving, she and Costa are in the elevator together and it is revealed that he is the real Martin Asher. Martin escapes from the police, and they are on the hunt, yet again. When Ileana returns to her hotel room, she has flashbacks that include their moments together and the clues/evidence that she missed. Ileana is disturbed by the situation and she is asked to leave the police force.
Seven months later, Ileana moves back to the country and is pregnant with twins. Martin breaks into her home in an attempt to kill her and their unborn babies. A physical fight breaks out between the two of them. When Martin stabs her pregnant stomach, she stabs him back in the chest. When he begins to die, she removes her fake pregnant belly. She planned this situation with the police, knowing that he would return. They have finally found him and the chase is over.
Conflict Resolution
What is the conflict in the Plot? A serial killer who has been in action for twenty years in on the loose and it is impossible to tell what his name is, who he is or even what he looks like.
How is it resolved? After many twists and turns, the killer is discovered and the main character is safe from harm.
Viewers
Similar to Lime House Blues this film is a high action film that draws the viewer in and out several times. The sound is used to do this multiple times throughout the movie. One very evident scene is when they are searching the hotel room after the second murder. As the officer is approaching the running shower, the tension in the music grows as it beats faster and faster. At this point the reader is drawn in and they feel the tension. When the officer finally opens the shower curtain, the music completely stops and there is nothing in the shower. Since there is no longer any music, the viewer is immediately brought back to reality. At this point the music has cued the exact reaction the producers are looking for.
This is also used with camera shots when Clark Edwards is first spotted in the gallery. The camera rapidly moves from character to character, showing each of their reactions. These fast passed camera clips, combined with the energy filled music, prepares the viewer for the intense chase scene that follows. These techniques work very well to cue viewer’s emotions when used properly.
Setting
The setting of this movie is very realistic. It was filmed in Quebec, the province in which the movie takes place. Although at times the atmosphere is very dramatic, the plot is also believable. The police deal with finding serial killers every day. Investigations are intense and false leads are always an issue. Overall, the movie is more dramatic and glamorous than a real life investigation would be but serial killers are a real issue and they are a real problem in today’s society.
The setting of this movie generally instills fear and adventure in the viewer. At times there is also sadness, excitement and any movie that involves murder and car chases is guaranteed to excite the viewer. However, in the end it suggests happiness because the killer is caught and Ileana can finally find peace. Overall, throughout the entire movie, the viewer is taken on an emotional rollercoaster.
Characters
Since the film is not a multicultural film and most of the characters are white Canadians, the clothing they wear is nothing out of the ordinary. However, one distinction that can be made is between Ileana and the other women in the movie. She is a young woman who is very focused on her carrier, she dresses business like and professional at all times. It is interesting seeing her clothing change at the end of the movie when she is no longer an FBI profiler. It proves that a business woman dresses and is portrayed differently than a mother or housewife. Although none of the clothing is specific to ethnicity or social class, the characters clothing does help portray the personality of the character. For example, Costa is suppose to be a up and coming artist, you can see this in his modern, hip yet laid back clothing.
Shots
The beginning of this movie uses very effective camera shots to grab the viewer’s attention. The movie opens with a close up of a reflection of Martin Asher in a bus station mirror. Not only is this an interesting shot to use, it is also foreshadowing. It is used again twenty years later when Asher fleas from the police. It is important to begin a movie with an attention getting device and this shot is an interesting way to do this
Also at the beginning of the movie, the credits are shown in a very unique way. Quick, extreme close ups are used for effect as well as to focus the reader on the changes he has gone through over the last twenty years. Images such as hair cutting, newspaper clippings, removing finger prints and using contacts are all characteristics that he had to change about himself. Instead of putting this at the beginning of the movie, they were able to strategically intertwine these aspects to make them viewer friendly.
The shot that is used most effectively throughout this movie, much like the ones used in Lime House Blues, is the extreme close up shot. This is used for the key in the previous movie and is used often in Taking Lives. The scene where it is most noticeable is when Ileana is questioning James. As she asks him the questions, it is apparent where she is looking and why she is looking there. This helps focus the viewer’s attention on what is important.
Camera Angles
There are two interesting camera angles used that caught my attention. The first was from the beginning of the movie when young Martin and Matt are traveling in the car that they have just bought. The angle that their conversation is filmed from is the back seat. This is an interesting technique that is not used often; however it was useful because it captures both characters as well as the road ahead. The second camera angle that caught my attention was the angle at which James’ questioning was filmed. The shot did not last a long time but at one point it seemed as if the camera was on the ceiling. This is called a high angle shot and this is used to make objects seem smaller. This angle allowed the officer and James as well as the room around them to be captured in one shot.
Camera Movements
After Martin kills Matt and he is walking away through the field, the camera moves in a combination of unique ways. A tracking shot is used to follow him as he walks away singing, yet the camera also pans around him. At first it seems unnecessary but I realized that it establishes the setting because you can see all around Martin while still focusing on him in the center.
The most common and most noticeable shot in this movie, but was barley used in Lime House Blues, is the Tracking shot. There are multiple chase scenes throughout this movie and the tracking shot is the most effective for them. For example, the scene that it worked best for was the chase that took place on foot through the big crowd. The image of people quickly passing gave the illusion that they were running much faster than they were. This helped keep the action and energy high, during a chase that is much slower than a vehicle chase.
How do camera movements function?
What information do they provide about characters, objects, and spaces?
Do they guide the viewer’s eye toward particular details?
Do they align the viewer’s perspective with that of a character?
Music
The music and sound in this film has been done exceptionally well. I noticed that when a scene was not as action packed as the ones previous, the music helped maintain the feelings. Even scenes that were not meant to be scary, I still felt nervous that something bad was going to happen because the music chosen held the feeling.
At times the music chosen was also a tease to the viewer. In Angelina Jolie’s first scene, it is completely dark, and she is lying in a grave with her eyes closed. The music is intense and it seems as if something dramatic is going to happen. When the other detectives arrive, she simply gets up and begins a conversation with them. If the music was not there to intensify the situation, it would have seemed as if she was lying on the ground.
External Conditions
In Canadian films there are rules and regulations that the producers and directors must follow. Movies cannot be too vulgar and grotesque for an average person to watch. These become social issues; movies that are too violent or graphic are not socially acceptable in North American society. Also there are guidelines in the rating system. Since this movie is rated 18A in Canada, there are words, scenes and situations that cannot be shown. For a movie such as this, depicting the life of a serial killer, they are limited as to how much detail they can include.
Ideology/Cultural Tensions
Although there are no apparent cultural tensions throughout the film, there is an issue of sexism that is not as apparent as the cultural issues throughout Lime House Blues. Ileana is a female who has proven multiple times that she is very good at what she does. Yet, her two male partners still crack jokes and think she is incapable because she is a female. When it is discovered that Costa was the real Martin, they immediately blame her and her lack of judgment as a woman. These judgments by the men create a tension much like the cultural tension in Lime House Blues.
Final Reflections
The first time I watched this movie, I watched it for my own enjoyment. I was so intrigued by the sharp visual style that the movie was filmed in. The quick shots, camera angles and music grabbed my attention. I thought it would be an interesting movie to analyze and I was not disappointed. Once I actually focused on the techniques that were used, it was intriguing for me to discover exactly why each shot was used and what details were important. Since completing this project, I now have a new found perspective on film. Even when I am watching television, I find myself looking closely at the shots and camera angles used. Understanding why these elements are used makes watching film more enjoyable.
Lime House Blues Analysis
By: Tamra Barlow
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
CAST
Director -Alexander Hall
Harry Young -George Raft
Toni -Jean Parker
Tu Tuan -Anna May Wong
Eric Benton -Kent Taylor
Pug Talbot -Montagu Love
Smokey -John Rogers
Police Chief -Robert Loraine
Analyzing the Film
-How is the story told? Linear
-Give details for your choice(s):
The movie is told chronologically one event leads to another. There is no point in the movie where a character experiences a flash back or fast forward. For these reasons, it is evident that the movie is told in a linear story line.
Plot
The movie opens with a shot of the street of Limehouse. It focuses on the police entering the harbor and the Governor retreating from the boat. When he enters the bar, Tu Tuan is performing entertainment in the form of a dance. When he walks in, he is looking for Harry, the bar owner. When he enters his office, the officer is suspicious of him and they have an interesting conversation with many hidden messages. They refer to the cat and how they are smart to stay away from the water. They go into the description of the pinky finger to Chinese and how it is a symbol of wealth and class. Also the officer asks if he knows what happens to smugglers in America, Harry knows they are shot. This conversation between the two of them has much foreshadowing.
In the next scene Toni is introduced. She has been caught pick pocketing and she relies on Harry to create her alibi. After a quick search, the officer leaves her. Harry offers her a job and she declines because she doesn’t want to upset Pug (her stepfather). She hopes for Smokey not tell anyone but even though he says he won’t, he does. Because of this, Pug is angry and goes to pay Harry a visit. In Toni’s conversation with Maggie, the first issue of race comes into the conversation about Harry.
In the next scene, Harry is walking through the streets of Limehouse when Toni warns him not to go down to the water that night. Harry is confused by this, but heads out anyways. Smokey tells Pug that Harry got by the police because he was tipped off. Pug knows that it was Toni and therefore beats her. When Harry returns from the lake, he hears that Toni has been beaten. He hands a key over to his partner and tells him “you know what to say”. He then goes to Pug and proposes a business deal with him and arranges a meeting at Harry’s place, he gives him the key. Pug brags to Toni and shows her the key.
The following night when Harry is performing with Tu Tuan, Pug makes his way upstairs to Harry’s apartment expecting a meeting. It is there that he is stabbed and dies while the show continues downstairs. Pugs body is placed on the street where a woman finds him. It is in this scene that the key is secretly passed back to Harry. There is a detailed investigation of Pug’s murder. They blackmail/threaten Smokey to lie and Toni tells them that Pug had a slight argument with Harry Young the night before.
After this, Harry knows he must speak to Toni. Harry again offers her a job, to be the eyes, ears and remember everything she sees at the club. Harry offers her a room in his apartment next to Tu Tuan’s. This storage room is filled with old Chinese statues and monuments. These monuments make Toni uncomfortable and when she expresses her feelings to Tu Tuan, she is very offended and jealous. As Toni begins the job at the bar, she realizes just how many people are planted by the police in his bar. She has also been taking messages for him from people from the lake. When a man hits on Toni, rumors begin flowing about him liking Toni. Tu Tuan is very upset and is very rude to Toni.
Tu Tuan hires a man to follow Toni everywhere she goes. The following day he spots Toni in Piccadilly. It is on this trip that she meets Eric when his puppies escape from his shop. While looking through the store, she finds a mutt and yet again the interracial issue is brought up. After their first meeting, Eric and Toni begin spending more time together. When Toni returns, Harry is questioning her about her whereabouts. In this argument, Harry accidentally scratches her with his nail, after she leaves he cuts it off. Once Eric and Toni begin seeing each other regularly, Harry continues to try and receive her attention, he follows her, redoes her room and makes it impossible for her to get a job. It is in a conversation in her room that she sees Harry with the key that Pug had.
As Eric and Toni fall in love, Harry becomes obsessed. This makes Tu Tuan very mad and she quits. Harry is invited to a New Year’s dinner and asks Toni to come as his guest. He then makes plans to remove Eric from Toni’s life. Eric arrives at Harry’s bar to take Toni. It is here that Harry invites Eric up to his flat to discuss the situation and gives him the key.
Tu Tuan informs the police of the time and place that Harry will be on his boat to pick up the stuff. The police offer to send her back to China but instead she kills herself.
At the New Year’s celebration, the cops finally witness the smuggling and Toni pretends that she does not care about Eric until she realizes that Harry’s chain no longer has the key attached. It is here that she realizes the plans to kill Eric. She desperately begs him to stop the plans and Harry realizes she will never love him. He then quickly decides to spare Eric’s life. He makes a dash back to shore with the smuggled goods in the boat. The police follow them shooting. A bullet hits Harry but he is just wounded. They arrive just in time to save Eric. However, when the police arrive seconds after, Harry falls and dies because of the bullet wound he has endured. In the end, Toni and Eric drive off together overcoming the barriers of social class.
Conflict Resolution
There are many different conflicting situations throughout this movie: Harry’s side job of importing smuggled goods is not only wrong but unethical; this business has lead him to kill people who get in his way, Toni is struggling to decipher the feelings she has for Eric as well as Harry and Eric has fallen in love with Toni but she acts distant and secretive. Although all of these situations are undesirable and conflicting, they are not the main area of conflict throughout the movie.
This movies main focus is the conflicting situation of social and ethnic class. This issue arises multiple times throughout the plot of the show. It is first seen when Harry first mentions his love for Toni. He is told that the first issue is that he is half Chinese and Toni is not. Also, Harry is of higher class and Toni is merely a pickpocket, not in the same class as Harry. This conflict is focused on again when Toni first meets Eric. In Eric’s pet store, Toni discovers a small puppy in his own cage. She is curious as to why he is left along with no other dogs. Eric explains that he is a mutt and even pure bread dogs know the difference and will not associate with him. This issue is shown for a third time between Toni and Eric. When Eric professes his love for Toni, she tells him that she is a pickpocket and not good for him. She is convinced that he will stop loving her instantly because she is of a lower social class than him. However, this is not what ends up happening. Eric tells Toni that her past means nothing to him and it is this bold statement that proves social class and race does not have to be an issue. Eric helped to resolve the situation with his strong love and strong opinions. In the end, the conflict is abolished and Toni and Eric are able to overcome the difference in their social class.
Viewers
Since this is an older movie, it may not cause the same reactions for people watching today as it did in 1934. Aspects such as the music, editing and camera movement is not as believable as modern movies. Although, the sounds and editing still evoke emotion in the viewers, it is not as deep or detailed as new movies. For example, the music that is played when Pug is killed was specifically incorporated to evoke tension in the viewer. Although it does this, a new movie with more modern music, would make these feelings more evident to the viewer. The music, camera angles and editing was specifically chosen, placed and tested in order to cue these reactions because it makes the movie more believable and enjoyable for the viewer.
Setting
The setting of Lime House Blues is realistic. This is because it is based and set in the lime house district. Lime House is an actual area of London, by the shore. Although this movie was not filmed in London, they attempt to capture the look of London in their sets. Not only are the buildings symbolic to those in London, many of the background characters speak in English accents in order to capture the image of London.
Characters
Throughout the movie, there are many different clothing styles that are evident between the characters. Tu Tuan wears very different clothing than Toni, although they are roughly the same age, same gender and live in the same place. The characters race and social standing seem to determine how they present themselves. Tu Tuan is a higher class Chinese woman whereas Toni is a white, lower class pickpocket. These aspects of their history can be seen in their clothes. These two characters are just one example of how costumes can reveal information about their social standing, ethnicity, gender and age. Harry dresses differently than Pug, and Eric is different from Harry. It is interesting to see that even though Lime House Blues was filmed in 1934, the situation is not any different today.
Shots
The movie opens with a shot of the streets of Lime House. There was no pan shot or establishing shot used, I found this interesting. However, there were a few interesting shots that I noticed. The first was during Harry and the Officer’s conversation in Harry’s office. The shot used for this conversation was the medium shot. In this shot, the two characters are shot from the waist up with very little in the background. This helps the viewer to focus on the two of them and listen closely to the dialogue.
The most common shot distance that is used often throughout the movie is the close up shot. When the camera first closes in on the ‘key’, the viewer knows that it is important but they are unsure why. This shot distance is used multiple times throughout the movie because it is commonly used to show importance and show what the character is looking at. In the case of Lime House Blues, this shot distance technique works well.
Camera Angles
Camera angles are the best way to grab the viewer’s attention and guide them to a desired focal point. In the movie Lime House Blues, the camera angles are well done and show entire profiles of the characters, objects and settings in the movie. When Toni is first shown her bedroom, the camera films at a high angle to show all of the contents in the room, this was useful because the viewer did not focus on one specific ornament.
Another useful camera angle that was used occurs near the end of the film when Tu Tuan tells the police of Harry’s last journey out onto the water. At first I was unsure of what was happening in the shadows after the officer left her. It is an interesting way for them to film a suicide. This is a very effective way to show the suicide without showing all the details.
Camera Movements
Camera movements function to establish a scene or to show the viewer something specific. The camera movements in Lime House Blues are not as smooth as modern movies but for the time period they are very well done. I noticed this in one particular type of scene, the boat scenes. They must have used a dolly shot, also known as a tracking shot. This is where the camera is placed on a movie vehicle to follow the action. This technique works well because it makes the scene believable. They may have filmed these scenes on a set instead of in the actual water. If this is the case, they did a very good job with the angles to make the boat look as if it was moving.
Camera movements were also involved in the detail involving the ‘key’. They guide the viewers’ eyes to the key to ensure that the viewer has grasped the importance of it.
Music
The purpose of the music in this film is to convey the emotions evoked from the characters. For example, in the high tension scenes such as when Pug is murdered, the music is specifically used to cause the viewer to feel tension. If the viewer is not watching attentively, they will not see the man in the shadows. However, the moment the tension filled music starts to play, they know something bad is about to occur. This shapes our interpretation of the image before anything happens, one just expects it because of the music.
External Conditions
Industrial, social and economic issues can greatly affect a film. For example, in the case of Lime House Blues, the budget for movies in the 30’s was much less than they are today. Although the technology was not as advanced as it is today, they still could have used better effects if their budget was larger. The time period also affected the relationships within the movie. Since it was filmed so long ago, interracial couples were not as common as they are now. This is why the thought of Toni and Harry together was such a big deal. It may have become a controversial movie if the two of them were to end up together. This may have been why the writers and directors chose the ending that they did.
Ideology/Cultural Tensions
As previously stated, cultural tension is a large part of this movie. Not only is this shown through the characters, but they also show it in the dogs in the pet store. This means that it has followed the dominant ideologies of its time.
Final Reflections
I was very surprised by this movie. I screened the movie three times and my reaction after each viewing was different. The first time I viewed this movie I judged it before it even began. It was old and black/white, different than I was used to. I found it hard to follow the first time. When I watched it the second time, I was surprised that I actually understood what was happening. It was during this viewing that I formulated my plot analysis. On my third time screening the movie, I actually enjoyed it and more points fell into place. I was surprised when I realized what a long nail on the last finger meant. Information like this interested me. Screening and analyzing this movie has taught me to appreciate older films because they can be just as interesting as modern day cinema.
Taking Lives Analysis
CAST
Director -DJ Caruso
Ileana -Angelina Jolie
Costa -Ethan Hawk
Clark -Kiefer Sutherland
Mrs. Asher -Gena Rowlands
Douval -Jean-Hugues Anglade
Analyzing the Film
-How is the story told? Linear
-Give details for your choice(s):
Much like Lime House Blues The movie is told chronologically one event leads to another. Although there is one point, at the end of the movie, where the character experiences a series of flash backs, these do not change the chronology or outcome of the story. Since the movie remains in the same chronological fashion it is evident that the movie is told in a linear story line.
Plot
The movie Taking Lives was released in 2004 and was filmed throughout different areas of Quebec. It follows the Quebec police department in their search to uncover a serial killer. The movie opens with a shot of a young Martin Asher’s reflection in a mirror at a bus station. On the bus, Martin meets a young man named Matt, also running away from home. When their bus breaks down, they both decide to buy a car and hit the road on their own. When their car gets a flat tire, something comes over Martin and everything changes. As Matt is changing the tire, Martin kicks him into the path of an oncoming car. Once dead, Martin takes all of his information and casually walks away, on his way to starting his new life.
Twenty years later, a body is found in a construction site. The Montreal Police immediately begin investigating the murder, Ileana Scott (Angelina Jolie); a FBI profiler is brought in to help them with the case. During the current investigation, another man is killed. However, this time there was a witness, James Costa. When his DNA turns up clean, James Costa (Ethan Hawk) becomes a key element to their investigation. As the investigation continues, Ileana realizes it could be a man by the name of Martin Asher. The man’s mother tells police she saw her dead son on the ferry, the same son that she thought died so many years ago. She explains to the police just how dangerous he is. When she is questioned, Ileana discovers that Martin also had a twin who died when he was 14, after that he became violent. Once the situation was investigated, they realize that it was not Martin Asher that died all those years ago. They realize that it is the real Martin Asher that is killing these people. After her visit with Mrs. Asher, Ileana realizes Martin is killing these people and living their lives so he does not have to live his own.
Following this discovery, James Costa’s gallery is broken into. When the cops search for evidence, they discover that he has a meeting with a man name Clark Edwards (Asher’s current disguise, played by Canadian Kiefer Sutherland). The police decide it is best to go along with the meeting but Clark never shows. Throughout the investigation Ileana and James grow close, Ileana knows that this is inappropriate and attempts to leave the case. Instead, she decides to ignore her feelings and carry on. Clark Edwards attends James’ art show and this leads to a foot chase through the streets of Quebec. In the end, Edwards is lost in the crowd and escapes the police. Since Clark is on the run, they decide to fly James to Toronto for safety. On the day he is to depart, Clark shows up at James’ apartment and attacks him. Shots are fired and an officer is killed. Ileana arrives in time to see Clark’s car leaving the scene. This leads to a high speed chase which ultimately ends in a crash and the death of Clark Edwards. When his DNA is matched with the DNA found on the latest victim, the investigation is over.
Since they no longer need to hide their feelings, James comes to Ileana’s hotel room that night. In the morning, they return to the hospital to repair James’ stitches. At the same time, Mrs. Asher is in the hospital to identify her son’s body and she is certain that it is not him. When she is leaving, she and Costa are in the elevator together and it is revealed that he is the real Martin Asher. Martin escapes from the police, and they are on the hunt, yet again. When Ileana returns to her hotel room, she has flashbacks that include their moments together and the clues/evidence that she missed. Ileana is disturbed by the situation and she is asked to leave the police force.
Seven months later, Ileana moves back to the country and is pregnant with twins. Martin breaks into her home in an attempt to kill her and their unborn babies. A physical fight breaks out between the two of them. When Martin stabs her pregnant stomach, she stabs him back in the chest. When he begins to die, she removes her fake pregnant belly. She planned this situation with the police, knowing that he would return. They have finally found him and the chase is over.
Conflict Resolution
What is the conflict in the Plot? A serial killer who has been in action for twenty years in on the loose and it is impossible to tell what his name is, who he is or even what he looks like.
How is it resolved? After many twists and turns, the killer is discovered and the main character is safe from harm.
Viewers
Similar to Lime House Blues this film is a high action film that draws the viewer in and out several times. The sound is used to do this multiple times throughout the movie. One very evident scene is when they are searching the hotel room after the second murder. As the officer is approaching the running shower, the tension in the music grows as it beats faster and faster. At this point the reader is drawn in and they feel the tension. When the officer finally opens the shower curtain, the music completely stops and there is nothing in the shower. Since there is no longer any music, the viewer is immediately brought back to reality. At this point the music has cued the exact reaction the producers are looking for.
This is also used with camera shots when Clark Edwards is first spotted in the gallery. The camera rapidly moves from character to character, showing each of their reactions. These fast passed camera clips, combined with the energy filled music, prepares the viewer for the intense chase scene that follows. These techniques work very well to cue viewer’s emotions when used properly.
Setting
The setting of this movie is very realistic. It was filmed in Quebec, the province in which the movie takes place. Although at times the atmosphere is very dramatic, the plot is also believable. The police deal with finding serial killers every day. Investigations are intense and false leads are always an issue. Overall, the movie is more dramatic and glamorous than a real life investigation would be but serial killers are a real issue and they are a real problem in today’s society.
The setting of this movie generally instills fear and adventure in the viewer. At times there is also sadness, excitement and any movie that involves murder and car chases is guaranteed to excite the viewer. However, in the end it suggests happiness because the killer is caught and Ileana can finally find peace. Overall, throughout the entire movie, the viewer is taken on an emotional rollercoaster.
Characters
Since the film is not a multicultural film and most of the characters are white Canadians, the clothing they wear is nothing out of the ordinary. However, one distinction that can be made is between Ileana and the other women in the movie. She is a young woman who is very focused on her carrier, she dresses business like and professional at all times. It is interesting seeing her clothing change at the end of the movie when she is no longer an FBI profiler. It proves that a business woman dresses and is portrayed differently than a mother or housewife. Although none of the clothing is specific to ethnicity or social class, the characters clothing does help portray the personality of the character. For example, Costa is suppose to be a up and coming artist, you can see this in his modern, hip yet laid back clothing.
Shots
The beginning of this movie uses very effective camera shots to grab the viewer’s attention. The movie opens with a close up of a reflection of Martin Asher in a bus station mirror. Not only is this an interesting shot to use, it is also foreshadowing. It is used again twenty years later when Asher fleas from the police. It is important to begin a movie with an attention getting device and this shot is an interesting way to do this
Also at the beginning of the movie, the credits are shown in a very unique way. Quick, extreme close ups are used for effect as well as to focus the reader on the changes he has gone through over the last twenty years. Images such as hair cutting, newspaper clippings, removing finger prints and using contacts are all characteristics that he had to change about himself. Instead of putting this at the beginning of the movie, they were able to strategically intertwine these aspects to make them viewer friendly.
The shot that is used most effectively throughout this movie, much like the ones used in Lime House Blues, is the extreme close up shot. This is used for the key in the previous movie and is used often in Taking Lives. The scene where it is most noticeable is when Ileana is questioning James. As she asks him the questions, it is apparent where she is looking and why she is looking there. This helps focus the viewer’s attention on what is important.
Camera Angles
There are two interesting camera angles used that caught my attention. The first was from the beginning of the movie when young Martin and Matt are traveling in the car that they have just bought. The angle that their conversation is filmed from is the back seat. This is an interesting technique that is not used often; however it was useful because it captures both characters as well as the road ahead. The second camera angle that caught my attention was the angle at which James’ questioning was filmed. The shot did not last a long time but at one point it seemed as if the camera was on the ceiling. This is called a high angle shot and this is used to make objects seem smaller. This angle allowed the officer and James as well as the room around them to be captured in one shot.
Camera Movements
After Martin kills Matt and he is walking away through the field, the camera moves in a combination of unique ways. A tracking shot is used to follow him as he walks away singing, yet the camera also pans around him. At first it seems unnecessary but I realized that it establishes the setting because you can see all around Martin while still focusing on him in the center.
The most common and most noticeable shot in this movie, but was barley used in Lime House Blues, is the Tracking shot. There are multiple chase scenes throughout this movie and the tracking shot is the most effective for them. For example, the scene that it worked best for was the chase that took place on foot through the big crowd. The image of people quickly passing gave the illusion that they were running much faster than they were. This helped keep the action and energy high, during a chase that is much slower than a vehicle chase.
How do camera movements function?
What information do they provide about characters, objects, and spaces?
Do they guide the viewer’s eye toward particular details?
Do they align the viewer’s perspective with that of a character?
Music
The music and sound in this film has been done exceptionally well. I noticed that when a scene was not as action packed as the ones previous, the music helped maintain the feelings. Even scenes that were not meant to be scary, I still felt nervous that something bad was going to happen because the music chosen held the feeling.
At times the music chosen was also a tease to the viewer. In Angelina Jolie’s first scene, it is completely dark, and she is lying in a grave with her eyes closed. The music is intense and it seems as if something dramatic is going to happen. When the other detectives arrive, she simply gets up and begins a conversation with them. If the music was not there to intensify the situation, it would have seemed as if she was lying on the ground.
External Conditions
In Canadian films there are rules and regulations that the producers and directors must follow. Movies cannot be too vulgar and grotesque for an average person to watch. These become social issues; movies that are too violent or graphic are not socially acceptable in North American society. Also there are guidelines in the rating system. Since this movie is rated 18A in Canada, there are words, scenes and situations that cannot be shown. For a movie such as this, depicting the life of a serial killer, they are limited as to how much detail they can include.
Ideology/Cultural Tensions
Although there are no apparent cultural tensions throughout the film, there is an issue of sexism that is not as apparent as the cultural issues throughout Lime House Blues. Ileana is a female who has proven multiple times that she is very good at what she does. Yet, her two male partners still crack jokes and think she is incapable because she is a female. When it is discovered that Costa was the real Martin, they immediately blame her and her lack of judgment as a woman. These judgments by the men create a tension much like the cultural tension in Lime House Blues.
Final Reflections
The first time I watched this movie, I watched it for my own enjoyment. I was so intrigued by the sharp visual style that the movie was filmed in. The quick shots, camera angles and music grabbed my attention. I thought it would be an interesting movie to analyze and I was not disappointed. Once I actually focused on the techniques that were used, it was intriguing for me to discover exactly why each shot was used and what details were important. Since completing this project, I now have a new found perspective on film. Even when I am watching television, I find myself looking closely at the shots and camera angles used. Understanding why these elements are used makes watching film more enjoyable.
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