While watching the beginning of Amelie(Jeunet, 2001) I was quite intrigued by the cinematography of the film as it slightly reminded me of something by Wes Anderson. However, even though the overall saturation and warmth of the film seemed similar to something like Moonrise Kingdom, the style in which it was shot was much different than anything I have seen before. Probably the most distinct aspect of this “style” is how frequently cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel shot close ups. So, after gaining some interest in this I decided to do some research on the cameras used to shoot the film. So, I found that Delbonnel used both a  Kodak Vision 250D 5246 and Vision 320T 5277 when filming, and while the majority of the warmth and saturated look was added in digitally, an  81EF filter was occasionally used during day shots. What impressed me the most though was discovering that before shooting close ups of any character Delbonnel and Jeunet actually experimented with a variety of lenses to see which corresponded best with each character’s facial features. Jeunet also chose to film the majority of Amelie with a wide angle lens so as to allow for the majority of  the background to remain in focus, and thus give the viewer a better look at each one of his beautifully made sets. Overall, I thought these two aspects of the cinematography in the film, using different lenses for close ups and using a wide lens to keep the background in focus, provided Amelie with much more subtle charm than it would have had if Jeunet and Delbonnel had shot it differently.

After the class analysis of the different elements of the mise-en-scène that comprised the opening scene of directorJean-Pierre Jeunet’s film Amélie, I came to realize how truly important the opening scene of a film is. The opening scene sets the tone for the entire movie. It draws the audience in and makes them wonder what is yet to come. Also, what many don’t realize is that the opening scene provides the viewers with basic knowledge about the characters and the setting they are situated in.

For example, in Amélie, aside from the obvious accents of the characters, we know right away that the setting is in France due to the quick camera shots of the outside and even by the way the characters dress. We are also given insight to what the main characters personalities are by their actions. We know the parents are strict by the way they obsessively like to organize their toolboxes and purses and how they behave toward their daughter. We know the daughter is innocent and isolated from the outside world based on the props she plays with, being homeschooled, and having a fish as her only friend.

Above are only just a few examples of the elements of mise-en-scène that help to create the opening scene, but before being exposed to these ideas I had never given a second thought to all the opening scene had to offer.

One thing that really stood out to me in “Do the Right Thing” was how the mise-en-scene was able to foreshadow this theme of fire/heat and water. The vibe of the beginning of the movie is a typical hot summer day were people are baring the heat but also enjoying their summer days. The mood seems to be pretty uplifting. A scene in which this is prominent is when one of the neighborhood boys opens a fire hydrant for all the kids to come play in and cool off in the water. This seems like a uplifting time in the movie. Very soon does this happiness take a turn though. A white man is splashed in his car by the fire hydrant and he makes a very rambunctious scene. This small incident foreshadows the ending of the movie when Sal’s pizza place is burnt to the ground. Again we see the theme of heat and water being portrayed. The neighborhood began an uprising to Sal’s after one of their own is killed by NYPD. The citizens of the neighborhood start a fire and begin to act violently towards Sal and the police officers. The NYPD then uses hoses not only to set out the fire but to break up the riot. This symbolism of fire and water is a prominent one in “Do the right thing” in that it foreshadows how the ending of the story is going to play out.

https://tesscetin.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/the-use-of-color-in-amelie-2001/

I found this article that speaks on the colors found in Amelie and I find most of it is very intriguing. The editor used a common video motif called “Digital Internediate” which allows the editor to manipulate colors and emphasize certain aspects of the film through color filters. This really emphasizes how important color was to the director. Color in itself is it’s own character just like the heat was in “Do The Right Thing.” It really tells us a lot about this movie and the characters in the film. The article goes on to talk about the meaning of each color. Green was one major color, which symbolizes hope and nature in some cultures. This can directly relate to Amelie’s character. Yellow would stand for warmth, happiness and comfort but also something surreal, which explains Amelie’s imaginative ways. Red is definitely a color that stood out. In this case, according to the article, red represents warmth, energy, passion, and love, which could represent Amelie’s life and mood. The article states, “Red cherries, raspberries and her red fish all symbolize her passion and vital young mind. Thus, this motif is continued throughout the film as she is always wearing something red to in a way, represent her childhood which is a key time of the development of the character.” This quote brings up a really great point about how much color impacts our knowledge on the character and plot in a movie. The director set these specific colors to tell the viewers something and to send us these messages, which I believe he did quiet effectively.

During Radio’s tragic death scene, I was struck by how closely Radio physically resembelled the classic image of Jesus on the cross. With his arms held outstretched by police, and his head upturned in a choke-hold, the visual style of the scene clearly depicts Radio as a Christ like character. Similarly the after effects from the other characters in their rightous rebellion against the authority that has killed Radio harkens to the bible and the uprising against Roman authority.

Here’s a video that places the death of Radio Raheem and Eric Garner Right next to each other. The Similarities are shocking but it highlights the power of film in ways we do not typically view them in.

In Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” the Heat plays a significant role. Spike is noted for his inspirations from real life events such as the Howard Beach Incident and the Tawana Brawley rape case.  The Idea of a hot summer day in New York city is derived from New York summer’s notorious crime rates. The setting of a hot Brooklyn summer foreshadows that something bad will happen.

In addition, the heat can also be a symbol of Racism. In the movie people constantly complain about the heat and try to find ways to escape it, whether it be through fans, fanning themselves, or ice water. However, it is impossible to get away from the omnipresent heat. The heat symbolizes racism because people may try to escape it or get over it but no matter what is done it still exist. When one may assume that the heat wave would only last one day,  Spike furthers the symbolism by keeping the crippling heat for another day. Assuring the audience that racism is still prevalent.

The one thing that really intrigued my about Do The Right Thing (Lee, 1989), was the Cinematography in the scene where Radio Raheem tells “the story of love an hate”, specifically the actor Bill Nunn’s bodily movements in his performance and blocking within the film’s mis-en -scéne.

When Radio Raheem begins his monologue he holds up his right fist where the “Love” ring is when he says “let me tell you the story of love and hate” and then his left fist where the “Hate” ring is when he says the word “hate”. I think that was a intelligent movement on his end because not only does it engaged the viewer, but it also provides viewers with visual aids of love and hate and further shows their relationship when Radio Raheem depicts the relation between the two with both his fists. It is clear from the beginning here that bodily movement is integral in this scene.

I also thought it was really interesting that Lee decided blocking wise to position Radio Raheem in the middle of the frame facing the camera. This suggest that there is an interesting hybrid between graphic blocking and social blocking. This is so because While Mookie is not in the frame, the audience understands that Radio Raheem is talking to Mookie, which gives the viewers this impression that while according to the story line Radio Raheem is talking to Mookie, Radio Raheem is actually speaking to the audience.

Above all, this scene stuck out to me the most in the film because of its strategic use in both blocking and the actor’s performance, specifically with bodily movement.

In an interview about his film Do the Right Thing [Lee, 1989], Spike Lee made some interesting points regarding both the criticism his film received and the film’s relevance in today’s society. He explained how many critics seemed to misinterpret the message of his film, with their remarks often reflecting racist views. This also gives us the chance to take note of the important role that media can play publicizing important social questions in an accessible medium. Lee had a lot to say about the misguided criticisms that followed the release of Do the Right Thing. Critics seemed to ignore much of the film’s important social commentary about racism and mistreatment of minorities, while focusing on the potential backlash from blacks who could have found the film offensive. In reality, these reactions themselves demonstrate some of the same elements of intolerance and prejudice that Lee aimed to address by making the film.

Do the Right Thing  was released twenty six years ago, but it could have been released yesterday and it would still be just as relevant. There are some disconcerting parallels between the death of Radio Rahim in the film and the recent death of Eric Garner. Both Rahim and Eric Garner were choked to death by New York police who used excessive force to subdue unarmed individuals. Though both men were arrested for breaking the law,  race played an undeniable role in their untimely deaths. We can’t necessary understand the mindsets of the police officers who killed Eric Garner. He did have an extensive criminal record and was clearly resisting arrest. However, we can take note of the role that civilian-recorded video of Garner’s death has played in igniting social critique and awareness in situations like these.

With the increase of portable video cameras in recent years, we have seen that it does not take a multi-million dollar film to have an impact on society.  The cellphone videos of Garner’s death allowed for an unfiltered and largely unbiased window into the events that occurred. As we’ve recently discussed, film and media are a means of  transmitting information in a way that transcends most barriers. Regardless of your race, language or social views, concrete video of an event can have an enormous impact on how it is interpreted. As  screens and video-recorders continue to saturate our society, we can expect the dynamics of crime, news, and politics to change. The actions of both criminals and authorities will be under increasing scrutiny in years to come. Its too early to say what impact this technological expansion will have in enforcing accountability for crime and punishment. However, if we remain aware of the inherent power that media has, perhaps progress can be made in moving towards a more tolerant, informed, and responsible society. The unbiased nature of raw video is a potent and invaluable tool.

While watching the first few minutes of Amelie today I was struck by how each character specifically Amelie’s parents were gender stereotyped. Within the first few minutes the male and female roles within the household were quickly uncovered.  The bio of Amelie’s father expressed his likes and dislikes including his tool box and the bio of her mother paralleled organization with the organization of her purse. This immediately set’s up these character’s as the typical gender stereotypes. Next, when the fish commits suicide Amelie’s mother is the dramatic one–screaming, while her father is the proactive parent coming to the rescue. Lastly, Amelie’s father hides his emotions within a shell failing to give his daughter the affection she needs. This is a very typical trait when stereotyping the male gender.