Memento:
In this psychological thriller, Christopher Nolan presented a film completely different to anything audiences had seen before, and used conventions to a new effect. It uses close-ups to to show what is happening throughout the scene, and to show us how the scene is playing out (which is, of course, backwards). An example of this is the development of the picture of the man who has been shot, fading away instead of developing. This forces us to focus in on what exactly is happening, and adds a claustrophobia to the whole atmosphere, an unsettling feel permeating off the shot.
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| The use of a close-up to show how some events play out in the scene helps adds a mystery to exactly what is happening. |
In this opening scene, we also experience a massive question which is asked in psychological thrillers, which is, is this set in the real world or set in the mind? From the first scene we are introduced to a way of editing which makes us immediately suspect what is happening. Obviously time does not go backwards, so are we seeing this character's memories? Is the character the narrator here? We ask these questions simply by the editing, and that is what a psychological thriller should do, and Nolan uses that to help build the audience's interest in the opening sequence.
Mirrors are a huge symbol and convention of the psychological thriller genre, used to reflect the person's inner self and explore their 'dark side'. Nolan takes this convention and twists it in a unique way, using a photograph to reflect the main character's inner self. We open on a shot of a photograph of a person who has been shot. Immediately we are opened up to the main character's actions and ways of dealing with a situation, and see a glimpse into his motives, telling us that this character is inherently violent and brutal, and we haven't even seen his face yet.
Here is a clip of the opening:
The Bourne Identity:
In Doug Liman's incredible thriller, he uses a lot of conventions in the thriller genre to help set up his film. One is the lighting of the opening, with lots of dark shadows and unclear images, the water obscuring vision, this method is used to create mystery and makes the audience question what is happening. It could also be seen as a way into Bourne's mind, reflecting the murkiness of his memory and past.
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| The shadows surround Bourne, reflecting how he is shrouded in mystery. |
Another convention the director uses is the use of shots to portray Bourne, usually using a range from medium wides to extreme wides to show Bourne's situation. These are used in action thriller to express clearly the action taking place or in other thrillers to express loneliness of a character. In this scene Liman uses it more for the loneliness factor, helping to show the audience Bourne's drifting and loneliness. It, again, makes the audience question the situation, wanting answers from the small teaser of an opening.
Here is a clip of the opening:
Drive:
This neo-noir crime thriller by director Nicolas Winding Refn has a very subtle yet important quality, opening with a rule that the audience needs to know for the rest of the film. It uses a quality that is very important to neo-noir thrillers, which is the lighting. The tonal values that ooze from this shot are soft yet dark, with a lot of difference between light and dark. This can be symbolic of the danger of the driver's job, how he is in a sea of danger yet he stands and prospers in this setting. This entices the viewer into the intentions of the driver, and makes the viewer want to know more about him and his little business he runs.
Another thriller convention Refn uses in this scene is the use of diegetic sound in the scene, a very slow, subtle beat vibrating throughout the scene. This trope is used in thrillers to help build tension and sometimes to add an unease to a scene, and this is definitely present in this clip. The sound is almost frantic in nature, and this can reflect the nature of the "five minute window" he gives to his clients, and this can help give the audience a glimpse into the frantic nature of his job for his clients, that time is ticking.
Here is the clip:
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| This picture expresses the tonal values of this scene. |
Here is the clip:
Jackson D –
ReplyDeleteMemento
You glossed WAY too quickly over the non-chronological arrangement of the film’s opening and how it relates to the overall narrative. This is THE key element of the entire text.
Good thoughts on engagement as created by editing, and how it conforms to classic psychological thriller conventions, though could have more specifically mentioned that this is done by subverting Hollywood’s classical narrative convention.
Also, good thoughts on the effects of using CUs, yet mostly this section needs development.
The Bourne Identity
Much stronger consideration of techniques used and their effects. Though treated relatively briefly, this is a good example of discussing engagement and conforming to conventions.
Drive
Okay, but the light in this shot is on the character’s back, not their front. By your metaphor, is the light symbolic of his past or something he’s turned his back on? In fact, we don’t see his face for the entirety of that opening. Hm.
You have not mentioned the character’s speech or its various effects other than to say that he gives his clients a ‘five minute window’.
The ‘subtle beat’ is NON-diegetic, and creates more than just anxiety / tension; think about why this is engaging for an audience.
OVERALL: 7/20
Very clear visual layout on blog post.
You’ve isolated moments in the sequences that stick out to you. You must break this habit. Talk about the WHOLE THING, not just moments that interest you. Do not assume knowledge of the films: examine technical elements and their effects.
You hint at a few basic elements that contribute to creating a Thriller, yet could have gone into further depth to demonstrate how elements form particular sub-genres. (You begin to do this in your discussion of Bourne.)
T. Marcus