Film Techniques

Harold and Maude
This was such a weird film from the clips that we saw. I do not understand why his mother wanted to set him up so badly with a wife. That being said, the film technique was very clever. The angle of the camera varied from each scene of the clips that we saw. There were a lot of times when she was looking at her son in a certain way and he would not be looking at her. But, as soon as she looked away he would smirk the camera or look at her with a smirk on his face. The looking at the camera made the viewers feel as if they were a part of the decisions he was making, or apart of the “in-group” with him. It also seemed as if he was seeking validation from the audience, hoping to get some laughs or positive response that would encourage him to keep behaving the way he does.

Northfork
These were interesting clips. So many of them revolved around the scenery in the background of shots. They were always very visually appealing and it made me sad for the people being made to move from that area and that they were moving away from a view like that. There were other scenes like when the two men went into the house that was split where the lighting was played with a lot. When the man walk into the house, the light is coming from behind him making him appear to be a dark backlit figure. This angelic, god-like entrance was interesting as they came into that last house they needed to buy. Also the last clip we saw with the casket on top of the car instead of their suitcases. I related this scene to personal baggage; everyone’s is different.

Bunny
This was probably one of the weirdest things I have ever seen. The animation was visually something I really enjoyed about the short. From our discussion, we said that myths are real depictions of things we do not understand. I really liked this mentioning because it is so true. Many times when we do not understand something, seeing it played out in a new context can bring new light to the situation. The bunny was brought to the light by something that was being a pest to her, but it ultimately led her into another world where she could be reunited with her husband. The photo moving at the end was a little creepy though. I thought that it was neat that the oven acted as the gateway to the other side. It showed a transformation, much like the oven shows when it is baking something.

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