Silence of the Lambs Questions

1.         The movement of the camera in the opening scene in the film helps reveal the troubled past of Clarice. Although Clarice is training for the FBI, the movement of the camera along with the music in the background gives the viewers the impression that Clarice is being chased. Clarice is running at full speed and appears to be struggling, and she has a scared look on her face. The camera follows her in an almost predatory way, and it is filmed with a similar look to a horror movie. There are long shots following Clarice, and the camera is not steady, giving the impression that someone is behind her. The use of the forrest as a setting also adds to the eerie scene, as that is a common setting for horror movies and gives off a feeling of isolation and the unknown.

2.         The scene where Clarice meets Hannibal is one of the most important scenes in the film, as it sets the tone for their relationship for the rest of the story. Hannibal and Clarice have a type of back and forth relationship where each of them take jabs at each other, trying to gain control of the situation. Hannibal tries to get in Clarice’s head, as he sees that she is troubled, while Clarice is there for Hannibal’s help. The camera adds to this by switching between each person to get their point of view and to show the struggle between them for control. The shift of the camera is used to create suspense in a scene that would otherwise just be dialogue. It is also important to note how the tone of voice, specifically by Hannibal, adds to the eeriness and suspense of the scene.

3.         Identity plays an important in this film, as it does with almost every good story. In my opinion, Clarice’s identity is the main focus of the film. The story as a whole can be taken as a transformation of Clarice. Clarice’s identity is shown most clearly in the scenes in which she reveals her back-story to Hannibal.  Her troubled past is a constant theme in the story, and the story revolves around Clarice trying to overcome her past. When she tells Hannibal about her past, it reveals the true identity of her character, instead of just the cover she is trying to show us. Hannibal’s identity, on the other hand, is not really developed throughout the story. His identity is not created, but instead given to him at the beginning of the story, and the audience is forced to have that interpretation of him.

4.         Hannibal is confined at all times in a jail cell with no human contact. He is placed in jail with the goal of removing all of his power, but his personality will not allow it. Even in this limited area, Hannibal is able to take control of the situation, as he still manages to get Clarice to fall apart and reveal to him her dark past. Clarice is the complete opposite. She is given unlimited space but manages to trap herself in tight spaces because of her inability to let go and move on. She constantly puts herself in harm’s way, whether it is with Hannibal or Buffalo Bill.

5.         The flashbacks reveal the troubled past of Clarice, and allow the viewers to see the internal conflict of Clarice. Throughout the story, Clarice constantly has flashbacks of her past, showing that she is unable to move past it. The story focuses just as much on Clarice trying to overcome her past as it does on her actually trying to find Buffalo Bill. By looking into Clarice’s personal life, it makes her a deeper character that the audience truly cares for. Her obsession with the past is something that people can relate to, and it makes her seem more real.

6.         I believe this film is about Clarice, with Hannibal playing an important part in her transformation. The entire story focuses on Clarice trying to overcome her past, and Hannibal is the one character who is able to help her confront it. Clarice grows up as the story progresses, becoming more confident in both her job and her personal life. Hannibal, on the other hand, remains pretty much the same.

Still Comparison: Double Indemnity and LA Confidential

The final murder scenes in Double Indemnity are very different, but they have a few similarities. The biggest similarity comes in the context of the murder. In both films, the main character murders the person who has caused them problems throughout the stories. Phyllis has dragged Walter into a plot to murder her husband, while the Smith has brought Exley to the level of corruption. Both of these murders show a great change in the characters, as Exley shows that he is capable of killing in cold blood for justice while Walter has overcome his vulnerability to Phyllis and finally stood up to her. In terms of the shots themselves, they are very different. Exley shoots Smith in the back with a shotgun, a gruesome way to die, and it is very impersonal. Walter, on the other hand, shoots Phyllis with a small pistol from as close as possible, and it does not seem to be too painful. Smith is shot into the air and flails, while Phyllis remains almost completely still during the shooting. This way of dying makes Phyllis's murder seem romantic in a way, while it makes Smith's death brutal. I find it interesting that neither of the main characters are shown doing the actual shooting in these shots. When Walter shoots Phyllis, the camera zooms in on her face, showing her expression instead of focusing on the shooting itself. When Exley shoots Smith, it focuses on Smith being shot instead of Exley himself. In the classic film noir mentality, both scenes are very dark and eerie, and the smoke coming out of the shotgun only adds to the mystery. Their actions afterwards are also interesting, as the police help cover up Exley's murder, while Keyes will not give Walter any help or time to escape. Also, I could not get the Double Indemnity still on to this post, but it is number 93.

Minority Report Shot Analysis

This shot takes places when Anderton is trying to find his murder victim in the hotel room in which he is supposed to kill him. It is one of the few shots from the film in a bright, colorful setting. In the background, walls are white and the lighting is very bright, which usually represents something good. The color white, and brightness in general, is generally used to symbolize purity and innocence, so this could be foreshadowing a positive future, which may be related to the coming scene in which Anderton realizes that he can control his own destiny along with his innocence. Anderton and Agatha are still in the shadows, both literally and figuratively, as they are still in the dark surrounding the corruption of the precrime division, but there is a light ahead. The contrast in general from the rest of the film shows a change in the mood, possibly due Anderton’s changed beliefs on Precrime and destiny. The reddish brown ground, unlike the black and white of the rest of the film, stands out, emphasizing the importance of this scene. This is also the first set in the movie that is not futuristic, but instead somewhat old-fashioned. The room actually looks pretty old, especially the booth in the center.  John and Agatha are holding hands, as he is saving her from her life as a precog. The scene is filmed using a full shot with a low angle point of view. The camera is looking slightly up at Anderton and Agatha, but it is also angled to the right. The entire setting can be seen in this single frame.

Inception

My favorite movie is Inception. I've always liked too many movies to pick a favorite, but seeing the midnight showing in theaters blew me away. I'm a big fan of Christopher Nolan, and I thought it was very well acted. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/