When watching director Ponetcorvo’s film Battle of Algiers, this was the first time I have ever watched a movie where I focused primarily on the camera shots and angles instead of paying more attention to the plot. Having done this, I came to appreciate the movie more and will make sure to observe these techniques in movies I watch in the future.

Taking notice of the different camera angles helps to give more meaning to the scene. For example, I noticed there were many bird’s eye view shots after a bombing had taken place.  In these shots, the audience could see the aftermath of the destruction of the setting around the characters and really take in what just took place in the story. Another powerful camera shot was the close-ups on bystanders face when something sad had just taken place. An example was in the ending scene where one of the main leaders of the organization had died and the camera pans the whole crowd and then just moves in closer on one woman’s face while tears are falling down her cheeks. By making the audience just stare at this poor woman’s incredibly sad face, it makes us feel like we are really there and experiencing the same emotion.