Se7en Case Study, Mock Exam

The Third Man by Carol Reed

Institutions
Directed by Carol Reed
Production Companies: London Film Productions, British Lion Film Corporation
Release Date: 3 September 1949 (UK)
Made in UK
Critical Review by Landen Celano
The Third Man is quite a cinematic experience. I think it goes without saying that the Oscar-winning cinematography is absolutely stunning, contributing to the overall mystery of the film. Every time I’ve seen the film, a tingle has filled me when Orson Welles first appears, and it’s a combination of how he’s revealed, but also his Kevin Spacey-like smirk when he knows his cover has been blown. There is no doubt that this is one of the greatest film noirs ever made, and it’s acted so well by all of its cast, especially Valli who has probably her best moment of the film in its final shot. This is easily a film I’ll continue to go back to time and time again when studying noir, but even if I’m just looking for an entertaining mystery.
This review shows me that the choice of shooting the film is very important in contributing to the effectiveness of the overall outcome; here film-noir has been highly successful. Also, the quality of the acting is very important, though with my thriller this isn’t going to be such a problem as there is no dialogue which will make the acting a lot easier. Also, every shot from beginning to end has to be memorable, as in this film the last shot is one of the best shots according to Landen Celano. Therefore I need to make sure that in every shot of my film I am going to maintain the audience’s interest.

Audience
Via box office returns since being re-released in 1999 the film has made a total of $596,349 (USA).
On IMDB the overall user rating is 8.5/10. Ratings from all ages tend to be very similar ranging between 8.1 and 8.7, but females tend to not enjoy it as much as males as with the rating from each age group females tend to be a few points lower than males, though there is an obvious dip in ratings for females under the age of 18 where the average rating is 6.2. Though this could be due to the unreliable amount of votes as only 62 people have voted in this category where all others are in the hundreds or thousands. Although if there was a reason why people in this demographic didn't enjoy the film as much as others it could be due to the disorientating style of filming or they don't find a noir 40's film's portrayal of a love story as much as the modern films portray them due to it being out of their comfort zone and very different to the style of film around today that they watch on a regular basis.

Generic Thriller Forms and Conventions
The Third Man is filmed in black and white which is a signifier of the early 40's noir style filming.
The Chase Scene/Sewer Scene
This scene is loaded with aspects of mise-en-scene that create a successful thriller. For instance the lighting throughout the film is chiaroscuro which is a strong contrast of light against shadow, this creates a surreal nightmare effect and a feeling of illusion making it uncomfortable for the audience to watch, putting them on edge.
Another technique is the extensive use of canted/tilt shots, which again creates unease within the audience as it creates confusion, disorientation and adds to the nightmare effect.
Within this scene there are alot of quick cuts between clips to show the speed of the action, this again disorientates the viewer.
All sound is diagetic, there is the loud uncomfortable rush of water and the echoing sound of footsteps and voices coming from misleading directions which increases discomfort and tension.
There is a selection of high and low angle shots showing the action from both Harry Lime's and the polices points of view, this puts the audience into the action building tension and anxiety for the outcome.
Looking at the settings the sewer tunnels are an enclosed space which is a generic film signifier, also it is an unglamorous setting which is high in contrast to the glossy streets of Vienna that alot of the film is set in. The contrast emphasises the drama and tension as it reflects the massive change in circumstance in such a short period of time. The unglamorous setting is a generic thriller film signifier whereas the glamorous setting is a signifier of the 1940's glam noir film style.

Another generic thriller signifier is the spiral staircase, this adds to the confusion and feeling of a nightmare.
A specific shot is used ironically to show Harry Lime's fate just before the chase scene. This is the shot where Harry is standing in a doorway which connotes he's been 'framed'. This is a clever way of making the audience think forward to what will be the outcome later in the film.

All these aspects make the film aesthetically pleasing for the audience.

Representation
The femme fatale in this film is given alot of empowerment over men, even when she makes it apparent she is in love with Harry, Holly still falls for her beauty and strength. She is given strong willpower and dignity. She is first introduced looking glamorous with perfectly curled hair, a large hat, a long raincoat, black gloves and a handbag. The raincoat and hat create a sense of mystery.

Kill Bill Vol 2 by Quentin Tarentino

Institutions
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Production Company: Miramax Films,
Released 23 April 2004 UK
Made in USA
Critical Review by James Christopher from The Times
Kill Bill: Vol.2 is a revenger’s comedy. In the way that Akira Kurosawa exploited the Wild West to illuminate his classic Japanese melodrama Seven Samurai, so Tarantino reverses the current to inform his batty western.
What makes the young American director such a force is his terrific sense of humour and preternatural feel for the absurd, whether it be Pei Mei’s bushy white eyebrows or the kung-fu way he strokes his 3ft-foot long white beard.
The film simply wouldn’t work without this sensory overload, which smothers the queasy suspicion that what keeps us in our seats is nothing more than blind greed for the next cute nuance or visceral sensation.
Morally the film is as infantile as its rigid code of honour — and there’s not much of that between hired assassins, or directors and critics. The Midas touch is Tarantino’s ability to switch mood and genre — and take his audience with him — in the blink of an eye.
The climax of this blood-soaked odyssey, with its Sergio Leone standoffs, bleached John Ford landscapes, Hitchcockian sense of noir, Ang Lee high-wire tricks, refrigerated Clint Eastwood anger and self-referential importance, is the Dr Frankenstein belief in its own importance. Ultimately, this is a film about an obsession with film. It’s made by a man clearly deranged by trivia, but also an artisan who can pluck something unique and exciting from the collision of two (or ten) completely different genres.
This review tells me that adding intertextual references can be a very powerful thing. It may be good to use intertextual references in my planning as the audience do pick them up and it interests and excites them. Also using mixes of different genres can keep the film interesting and the audience on their toes.

Audience
Rated R (America)/ 18 (UK) due to violence, language and brief drug use. By the 2nd August the film made $149,591,303 worldwide via box office returns.
On IMDB the average user rating is 8.0/10 for both males and females, this shows me that this film appeals to both genders. The highest rating came from males under 18 at 8.4/10, and the lowest rating came from females aged 45+ at 5.7/10, the overall trend for the ratings is that the older the age range the lower the rating, and male vs. female ratings tend to be very similar with an exception of females under 18 which is 7.2/10 against the 8.4/10 males, but this result isn't particularly reliable as only 787 under 18 females have voted whereas for all the other categories thousands have voted. The overall trend shows me that this film appeals to the younger generation better than the older generation.

Codes and Conventions of the Thriller Genre
This film is not a thriller but it does contain thriller aspects within certain scenes and uses techniques and shots that can be taken into consideration when creating my own thriller opening
Chapter 5
The opening scene of chapter 5 is a close up of the bride’s beaten and bloody face, the close up helps to establish the anger and fear in her eyes as well as the extent of her injuries, this catches the audiences interest as the opening shot is already full action. This scene is also filmed in black and white, it establishes the fact that this is a flashback, this is also established by the narrative that follows the shot with the bride saying “Looked dead, didn’t I?” At this time there is also a quiet soundtrack that consists of violins and after the gunshot to the head the soundtrack grows louder and harsher, which grows to be similar to the soundtrack in Hitchcock’s Psycho. This soundtrack creates tension and drama, and a sense that something is building up and is about to happen.

The second scene is a medium close up of the bride in a car driving along the road, this slowly zooms in on her face as her speech grows more and more intense and violent, this creates the illusion that the viewer is being pulled in closer to the bride and as the camera zooms closer her monologue seems more personal as though she is talking to each individual in the audience, along with the soundtrack this creates a growing tension.

This scene is also in black and white, and the way the car is set on a fake background creates a reference to the 1940’s style noir filming.

Scene 7
Scene 7 is the graveyard scene where the bride is buried alive. This is a good example of generic thriller conventions such as entrapment where the bride is tied up, also when she is buried six feet under the ground. Also the graveyard location is empty, unglamorous and secluded.
The lighting is non-ambient, chiaruscurro, it's very harsh lighting with alot of light contraating against dark, this indicates a nightmare scenario which is ironic as the nightmare of being buried alive is something alot of people fear so the audience can relate to this scene.
diagetic sound is used which includes the sounds of shovelling, footsteps, the chain on the truck. This is used very effectively as the sounds are made very crisp and clear as to put the audiences in the brides shoes as this is what she is hearing although she can't see it.
When the bride is pulled out of the truck and onto the ground medium shots are used from a high angle which is used as a point of view shot of what Budd is seeing when he is looking down on her, it also makes her seem helpless and him seem more powerful.
A similar shot is used of Budd and his friend standing over the bride when they are talking and joking about her, this shot is a low angle shot from the brides point of view making them seem powerful and in total control.
Extreme close ups are used on the brides eyes to emphasise her anger and horror.
When the bride is in the coffin the same technique is used with the diagetic sound with the sharp sounds of mud being shovelled on top of her and the nails being knocked into the coffin, it adds to the tension as it can be heard but not seen.
Finally, when the bride begins to punch at the coffin non-diagetic western music is played in the background, this is an intertextual reference to Clint Eastwoods The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, this shows a sign of hope as it is hopeful music.

Representation
This film is very stereotypical and at the same time very farfetched. It has the main character punching her way out a coffin under six feet of solid ground which is impossible, she has had god knows how many near death experiences and every single time miraculously survived, but the character is the typical beautiful, powerful heroine. Budd especially is portrayed as the stereotypical redneck hillbilly, living in a caravan with a job as a bouncer at a strip club with long greasy hair, stubble and the cowboy hat he has been made into a very typical character. Also he is quite womanizing, the way he discusses the bride with his friend during the graveyard scene including sexual innuendo directly in front of her while her mouth is gagged so she can't fight back shows his low standards.

Brick by Rian Johnson

Institutions
Directed by Rian Johnson
Production Company: Bergman Lustig Productions
Released 12 May 2006 (UK)
Made in USA
Critical Review by http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060406/REVIEWS/60403003/1023



Brick is a great thriller when it comes to looking at the codes and conventions of the thriller genre. It has also been a huge influence on my own thriller film without me even realising it. A couple of weeks ago me and freya noticed how similar a few key shots in our film were to that of shots in Brick including the alarm clock, the blood down the hand, the dead arm, the phone box and the close up of the item by the feet.

This shot is very similar to the opening shot of our thriller film.

Mise En Scene

Location: In this shot the location is hard to establish due to the shallow depth of field but it is distinct that the background is a dull location and shows no signs of being a lavish setting therefore this shot shows a conventional thriller setting.

Props: The alarm clock is a generic thriller convention as it is keeping track of time, also the contrast of the vibrancy of the numbers against the dim background emphasizes the time and gives it a sense of importance and relevance most likely to something that is going to happen later in the film.

Lighting: The lighting in this shot is ambient as it gives a dull, dingy effect which makes clear to the viewer that this is a real, uncomfortable situation and it also gives a sense of danger as the dim lighting along with the shallow focus adds to the uncertainty.

Camera Angle: Close up of the clock, with the clock being the only object in focus emphasizes the importance of the time and also forces the viewer to notice the time which hints at the idea that this time is going to be important later in the story.

This close up of the eyes is a great way of showing feeling and emotion, the dim ambient lighting gives the character a sense of mystery and danger, it also has a slight western feel - that of the general close ups used in a showdown.

This long shot of the phone box emphasises the seclusion and emptiness around Brendan (in the phone box) making him extremely vulnerable as there would be no witnesses if he was attacked or hurt. The phone box itself threatens Brenden by putting him into an enclosed space which is a genetic thriller signifier. The red glow of the single lamp above the pone box gives an ominous warning sign, the red connotes danger. The noir lighting also adds to the mystery of the surrounding and consequently Brendens vulnerability. The rule of thirds has the phone box (the main action) in the centre third of the screen, also very small, emphasising the phone box being lost and insignificant within its surroundings, but it also draws the viewers eye straight to the centre of attention.

This is another very similar shot to a key shot in our film, where there is a close up of feet and - in this film the hand picking up a note - in our film the hand picking up a ribbon.

The close up on the feet gives a sense of mystery, it also focuses the viewers attention on key action (the picking up of the note). In this shot the surroundings are grotty and unglamorous which is a genetic thriller signifier. There is also the watch on the wrist, which gives the viewer the idea that time is essential in this film, which is something that is kept track of often in thrillers.

The depth of field in this picture forces the viewer to focus on the main action only - indicating that it is key action and a strong part of the storyline. Both the background and foreground are out of focus, and only the arm with the note, and the locker it's going into are in focus. The bracelet is in the centre third of the screen indicating that this also is a key feature, which it is, as it is shown later in the puddle of shallow water on a limp, obviouslt dead arm. Like alot of femme fatales there is usually a main item of clothing or accessory that is linked to her fate and with this girl it's her bracelets. With the femme fatale in our film it's her ribbon.

This is the shot with the bracelets being once again the centre of focus on the dead arm in the water. The positioning of the arm is exactly the same as the above shot making it extermely memorable to the viewer and cleverly triggers their mind back to the previous shot. Also the cameras focus in this shot is alot clearer and harsher mirroring the fact that the action is harsh, in comparison to the above shot which with the shallow focus looks very roseate and dreamlike connoting a happy, soft storyline.

Codes and Conventions of the Thriller Genre

Key Concepts

• Codes and conventions of mise-en-scene (everything within the frame e.g. costume, location etc)
• Representation of particular social groups and ideology (values and messages)
• Audience - Every media targets a specific audience
• Institutions - film, place of exhibition (i.e. cinema, dvd)

Generic feature of a thriller is entrapment. Thus claustrophobic spaces are a key generic signifier in thriller.

Flightplan, Snakes on a Plane, Phonebooth, Kill Bill 2 and Panic Room all have claustrophobic spaces and a sense of entrapment

Flightplan - location - plane

Snakes on a Plane - location - plane

Phonebooth - location - phonebooth

Kill bill 2 - location - buried in a coffin

Claustrophobic spaces such as:

• planes
• coffins
• under water
• boot of a car
• elevator/lift
• walk in freezer
• tube trains
• white van
• small room
• car
• prison cell
• narrow alleyways
• multi-storey car parks
  
  

Lighting

• Noir - very dark
• Chiaroscuro - light against dark - creates a sense of illusion, nightmare whilst also being aesthetically pleasing.

Case Study: Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock

Research Into Conventions of the Thriller Genre
Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock


Institutions
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Production Company: Shamley Productions
Released 16 June 1960 USA
Made in USA
Critical Review by Colin Jacobson, The Hollywood News
Often it's hard to see why older films like 1960. Psycho made such an impact, especially when they come from such an overdone genre as the slasher flick. Psycho has been liberally stolen from over the years, and it'd be easy for it to lose its impact compared to the more graphic films that have come since 1960.
Happily, such is not the case. I won't say that Psycho hits the viewer the way that it did when it first was released, because society has changed too much; what was once intensely shocking now can be shown on broadcast TV at three in the afternoon. Nonetheless, Psycho remains a pretty intense and powerful little film. Although it doesn't work the same way it did in 1960, that doesn't mean that it's devoid of impact.
Actually, the film continues to pack a nice little punch. While it doesn't seem shocking, it remains creepy.
While it clearly lacks the tremendous impact it boasted almost 50 years ago, Psycho remains an enduring and fascinating tale of someone who just goes a little mad sometimes.
I think this review is relevant and helpful for planning my thriller opening. Even though Psycho is a classic thriller and has great thriller conventions such as the shower scene, it is now quite dated and doesn’t have as much of an impact on todays audiences. I need to plan my film in a more modern way than Psycho so that the thriller conventions aren’t as obvious and ‘in your face’ as they are in this film.

Audience
Via box office returns the film has made a total of $50,000,000.
On IMDB the average user rating for this film is 8.7/10 for males and 8.6/10 for females. The highest ratings have come from users under 18 at 9.2/10 and the lowest ratings at 8.4/10 from females aged 30-44. This shows me how little difference there is in ratings from all ages which tells me that this film is aimed at an audience of all ages over 15 (in UK) as the certificate is 15.
Quotes from User Comments and Ratings
10/10 “I cannot hide my enthusiasm for this movie. It is wholly unlike the overblown, over-budget, overlong fluff spewing all-too-often out of Hollywood today. "Psycho" is simple, well-crafted and just the right length.” This shows me that in planning my thriller I don’t need to go over the top, in order to get the best results I’m better off keeping it simple.
“Hitchcock's genius was in his ability to 1) frighten without gore and 2) leave his indelible mark on the movie without overshadowing his actors” This adds to the idea of leaving the plot simple, I don’t need gore to make it a thriller, I can go without, even if I do have a murder, sometimes what’s not there is better than what is.
Codes/Forms and Conventions of the Thriller Genre
Filmed in black and white – Tribute to noir filming in the early 40’s

Opening Scene
With the soundtrack violins are used to put the viewer on edge as they have a sharp, almost shrieking tone and are certainly not easy listening music – not in this case anyway.
The opening shot is an aerial view which is used to establish the location; this then pans right and changes into a point of view shot and zooms into the window of a hotel bedroom. The point of view shot is used to bring the audience into the action, this also emphasises cinema viewing as a voyeuristic experience.
Hitchcock uses a lot of close ups as it shows emotions and expressions and engages with the character.

Marion Crane – Femme Fatale
In the beginning of the film (2.40 minutes) she is wearing white underwear, this indicates purity. Further into the film (10.40 minutes) she is seen wearing black underwear and black is associated with deviance, which connotates that her moral code is sinking and she is falling into crime, this is backed up by the fact that she has the illicit money on her bed proving that she is doing something shady and corrupt. The camera tracks out from her to the money she’s stolen indicating the connection between the two. Throughout the scene she keeps looking at the packet of money and the camera flicks to a close up of the money each time, this accentuates her guilt and her nerves. At this time the violin soundtrack that was played at the beginning of the film is playing, building tension within the audience.
A close up of Marion packing her suitcase shows she is running away with the money. A tilt shot is used on the suitcase, this makes it seem as though Marion is in a hurry, and also that she is in an uncertain and awkward position, the tilt shot alongside the soundtrack emphasises the idea that what’s happening is not okay.
About 12 and a half minutes into the film Marion is shown in a car driving away with the money – reference to Kill Bill 2 opening.
Whilst driving in the car Marion has narrative flashbacks of some sort, she hears narratives of other people in her head. But they are talking about her not to her so I think it’s just what she thinks people are saying about her. This reflects her guilty conscience.
Generic Thriller Signifiers
Marion is being followed by another car; this is a generic thriller signifier.
Another generic thriller signifier used is that of a woman (Marion) reading a newspaper, maybe to hide behind, maybe to check if there is any press on the missing money.
Thirdly changing appearance, Marion is changing her appearance in a toilet; this is also an unglamorous, claustrophobic space. Here she is vulnerable due to the claustrophobic space; this is another generic thriller signifier.

Bird – Significance
Bates says “Birds are passive things”, at the same time he enjoys stuffing birds (taxidermy). Ironically Marion’s last name is Crane and as the crane is a bird maybe this signifies that Bates is going to treat Marion like he treats other birds. The fact that the birds are dead and stuffed anticipated Marion’s fate.




Shower Scene
The use of close ups engage the audience more closely in the action and emphasise the reaction.
The diagetic sound of the curtain being pulled adds to the detail and makes the audience feel more involved and more like they are there. The pulling of the curtain signifies Marion closing a door and leaving her in the shower which is a claustrophobic enclosed space, naked and vulnerable. The generic claustrophobic space is highlighted adding to the tension.

The diagetic sound of the shower and the rain outside suggest washing her sins away. Also this could suggest drowning.




The shower scene is the murder scene. Extreme close ups are used throughout. A good example is the shot of Marion’s eye after she’s been stabbed. The extreme close up shows the emotion and terror in her eye which connotes that Marion dies in terror, this adds to the violence of the killing.



The camera then zooms out from the eye and cuts to a low angle shot of the shower. The camera pans to the right focussing on the money suggesting she brought on her own doom.
The fact that the stabbing isn’t actually shown, just her expressions, body language, different shots of different parts of her body and blood down the plug hole gives the audience the opportunity to imagine their own version of her death making the scene more powerful and terrifying.

After The Murder
When Bates discovers Marion’s dead body he steps back and accidentally knocks a picture of a bird on the floor adding a trace of irony.
Bates uses the shower curtain as Marion’s shroud when he is disposing of her body. He also seems calm and knows what to do when cleaning up the murder scene which indicates he has done this or something similar before.
Also when disposing of the body he puts it in the car boot, this is another generic thriller signifier.
Another form of irony is when Marion died for the money but Bates didn’t even notice it.
Finally, when Bates disposes of the body he drowns it in the car in the lake, which relates back to the idea of drowning during the shower and with the rain.

Diagetic sound used
Shower curtain ripped off
Doors opening and closing
Lights switched on and off
Car engine
Pushing the car in the water.

The car number plate is shown clearly in a close up when Bates drives away from the motel in Marion’s car. This is key as it could be used in a later date to identify the vehicle and the owner.


Representation
Compared to today where anything is expected and all the blood and gore and nudity is shown on great detail, in 1960 when this film was released it would have been both terrifying and shocking watching a naked woman in the shower getting stabbed would have been alarming and shocking as viewers would have experienced nothing like it before.
Marion is first introduced at the beginning of the film in a motel room in her underwear with a man implying she has just had sex, this already creates the impression that she is a bit of a tart. Also the very first shot has her on the bed looking up at this man, as she is below him looking up it is almost as she is literally beneath him connotating that women are the inferior sex. But there is nothing in this film that strongly portrays any certain stereotypes, and I think this is done for a reason as this keeps the film un-biased and un-political making it as inoffensive as possible to every viewer so that everybody can enjoy the film without raising any issues about it.