Film Technique Joseph Hancock

Bunny

The level of violence in the film really did not shock me that much when I saw it. It came off to me as very slapstick-like, which is a common theme in animation going as far back as early Warner Bros and Disney films. When watching it, the actual dirtiness of the bunny and her house was the most surprising aspect of the film. The animators made the house feel cramped and dirty through the set design, despite there being only one person living there. I got the feeling that this bunny was just tired of life without even needing to see the shot of her viewing the photo of her husband. However, I will say that her climbing into the oven to reach the afterlife was also something I didn’t expect, but I can see why it got the film banned. I do like the imagery of this bunny going through her final transformation into something new via the oven, much like the pie she was trying to make.

Harold and Maud

The single closeup shot between the mother and her son told the entire story of their relationship in only a few seconds. In the frame, the mother is standing behind her son, who is larger and taller than her physically. But, because of the camera angle, she appears taller than him, signifying the power and control she has over him despite his age/ The son looked at his potential date running away (while also looking directly at the audience), proudly smiled at his latest accomplishment, and turned to his mother. At the same time, his mother saw the same sight, gave a look of disbelief and disappointment, but looking her son over with an expression of pure contempt that stayed until his eyes met hers. All that pride within the son instantly deflates as his posture and energy disappears, and he wanders off camera to sulk. As I watched it, this scene was like something out of my childhood, and brought me back into that mindset. The camera was shot as if the audience was in the room with these two as their interaction is occurring. It was like being at home or a friend’s house when I was younger. My brother or friend got away with something clever and was feeling smart, up until they realized that adults also knew what happened, and instantly got brought down a peg.

Northfolk

I really didn’t get any strong feelings from this film. I just found it rather dull. The only part I enjoyed was the shot from inside the church showing it didn’t have a back wall (which usually holds stain-glass windows or a large cross to remind people of the Crucifiction). Instead, there's only nature behind the speaking priest. The mountains, grass, and animals shown contrasted nicely with the church holding a sermon. Metaphorically, I believe it represents how God and the sacred can be found in nature, one of his creations, just as much (if not more than) man-made buildings that are deemed sacred in some way. At least, that’s what I thought when viewing the scene. It’s also a sentiment that I agreed with as I thought of it, as you shouldn’t need a fancy building to feel close to God.

Paris, Texas

The long walk across the freeway was the scene that really caught my eye in this film. It’s all one long shot; making the interaction within it feel more natural, and not something from a movie. Most of us have been in a similar situation: coming across a homeless (most likely mental ill) person on a sidewalk. Unlike most people, after all his ranting and raving, the protagonist gently pats the mentally ill stranger on the back. This action really touched me, as it’s something I’ve never even considered doing, and I honestly felt some shame over that fact. The man, no matter how crazy, is still a person, but most of us ignore this; the protagonist doesn't. Whether out of pity or kindness, he gives the stranger physical contact, the first he’s probably had in awhile. The interaction between the two is shot flatley, with both men taking up equal space on their respective sides of the frame, showing how each acts a mirror for the other. The protagonist is trying to get better emotionally and mentally, and if he had chosen not to, he would’ve ended up like the stranger, screaming his heart into a void that didn't listen.

The Wall

Watching “The Wall” was like having a fever dream. I had no idea what was going on most of the time. I felt only confusion throughout most of the runtime. The only scenes that made sense to me were the ones that took place at the school, and that’s only because of how blatant they were thematically. It was clear the film sees the (british) school system as something that takes away and mocks any form individuality lie a well-oiled machine, as seen when the teacher admonishes his student for writing a poem, or how all the students slowly become more and more alike though uniforms and later going through literal machines to get the same faces. The only thing that didn’t make sense to me was how they all jumped into a meat grinder at the end, but I supposed it’s supposed to mean how the process is pointless in the end as the students will die one way or another. In the end, they’re not seen as people, but as slaves who meet all the required traits for service.