Comparing Mise en Scene in Films

            Mise en scene is the description of how the staging of a stage production can change the story’s tone and its perception by the audience. In cinema, the stage is replaced by the frames of film but the other aspects remain. With cinema, the cinematography, costumes, design and make up all assist the director is emulating a reality for the story that is being conveyed. Different genres typically have different mise en scenes, this is because each variety of film has a different attitude it wants to project. However, there are even different mise en scenes within genres. These variations by directors are responsible for establishing minor distinctions to set their work apart from the generally accepted norm for the genre. A prime example of intra-genre mise en scene differences would be found between North by Northwest and Charade. Besides having a different story, the staging of these two thrillers makes each unique. The dissimilarities in cinematography, set design and costume design are very stark and clarify the originality of each film.

            Every film that has ever been made relies upon the use of cinematography to record the story. Some filmmakers utilize cinematography more so than others in enhancing the story they are telling. Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Donen were two of the most distinguished directors in cinema and definitely fell into this category. With their works, every frame was a painting and the story relied heavily on how it was physically presented. In North by Northwest, Hitchcock emphasized upon cinematographer Robert Burks the need to show the smallness of characters when they are in peril. By keeping protagonist Roger Thornhill in frame against a large background, his minuteness on screen mirrors his inability to get a grasp on his current situation. Another feature in the cinematography of North by Northwest would be the lack of editing in scenes where dialog is occurring. This leads to a continuous take from one point of view, versus a constant jumping from character to character. The reason behind this is to give viewers a continuous point of view, as if they are an individual listening to the conversation versus being a member of the discussion. This keeps the audience separated from the story, much like how Thornhill is separated from the powers that have thrown him into this intrigue.

            The cinematography of Charade was performed by Charles Lang. Lang had much experience in different genres and understood that falling outside of conventions was necessary to create unique films. Stanley Donen was also an expert in numerous unique films, ranging from musicals to comedies. To put the fast paced nature of Charade into perspective, Lang and Donen decided to have plenty of editing. When characters are speaking, the audience sees the individual talking from the perspective of the listener. This delivers the message that the story is based upon instability and uncertainty. This instability is felt by protagonist Regina Lampert in her quest to solve the scheme she was unwittingly involved with. Another interesting cinematographic device Charade uses is the framing of characters up close. Close-ups in Charade are used to highlight the protagonist’s emotions as her beliefs are changed by new information provided to her. By establishing tension by quick cuts and showing distress in Regina’s face, the audience is more involved in the direction the story takes.

            Set design helps assist in the creation of a universe where a story takes place and is formed. Every film needs a setting to provide context and a design to enhance the specific tone of the story. In North by Northwest, sets are designed to show the complication of Roger Thornhill’s life before and after being involved in this predicament. Setting pivotal points of the story in crowded places provides a great contrast between this intricate scenario and how his typical life is complex. Also, sets are designed to make Thornhill seem smaller than he is. Besides being lost in crowded buildings, the audience sees him placed within large buildings, by immense structures and in vast fields. Combined with cinematography, we get a miniscule hero against large enemies. Another minor facet of set design was the use of matte paintings to emulate backgrounds. While convincing on occasion, they tend to become more apparent over time. These could have potentially been utilized to mirror the disingenuous nature of some of the characters that support Thornhill.

            With Charade, set design heightens constriction in a similar fashion as North by Northwest. The main difference is that isolation is confirmed as confinement. While North by Northwest shows Roger Thornhill on the run in large crowded spaces, Charade has Regina Lampert alone in a tight place. The hotel room she resides in is cramped and surrounded by antagonists, the hotel elevator is small as are her hiding places. Charade is stating that Regina’s isolation goes beyond a temporary displacement and is more permanent. In North by Northwest, Thornhill can attempt to run from antagonists in the crowd he was so used to disappearing in while Charade states that there is no point in evading foreboding enemies and it is best to accept danger. One interesting thing about Charade is that it was filmed on location in Paris. While interiors were constructed, exterior shots and some interiors were real places. This adds a sense of reality to the situation she is in. While Paris is a far off destination, it is still a real locale and seeing real landmarks puts into perspective how dangerous real life can be. The designers also emphasized the less tourist friendly aspects of the city which heighten the predicament she is involved with.

            The last and most interesting part of mise en scene is costumes. The costumes add personality to the characters and bring the story to life by humanizing them. In North by Northwest, Thornhill is on a quest on the lam to protect his reputation and life. As a wealthy man, his daily routine includes wearing a suit. When he goes on the run, he wears the same suit for the duration of the film, which becomes tattered. This is to illustrate how Thornhill has become worn by his experience in this scenario. The adversaries of the story are also well dressed, to give a sense of power to the audience and solidify the stature of his enemies. The perceived professionalism of those involved in the story is a great juxtaposition against what the antagonists do.

            In Charade, the costume design does indeed mirror North by Northwest. Our wealthy protagonist does wear the finest clothing; however she has more changes of clothes. The decision to portray Regina Lampert as wearing numerous, expensive pieces of clothing was to signify that danger knows no bounds and even the well-dressed that can change clothes have issues. Regina’s clothing, like Thornhill’s enemies, is a great contrast against the story as well. It is unusual to see a woman wearing an overcoat running through Paris from a murderer. The clothing of Regina and other characters is definitely more vibrant than North by Northwest’s characters. While both films have characters dressed well, North by Northwest uses more muted colors. The decision for Charade to have more lively clothes may have been to get characters to stand out. Besides being trapped in a small location or being the only person around, obviously colored clothing makes her stand out even more. This makes it even more difficult for Regina to avoid problems in the film.

            All of these elements of mise en scene enhance the storytelling process. While both films are thrillers with protagonists in danger, North by Northwest analyzes character interactions from an external standpoint and makes light of the insignificance of people and their problems against the crowds and environment. Charade decides to immerse viewers in the story while arguing the point that people in trouble become trapped in realistic problems that cannot be avoided. The simplest facets of production such as set design are important in getting this point across. A reference is needed to put a film into perspective and narrate the story. Mise en scene assists in telling this story and served its purpose in these two films.

Lawrence of Arabia: The Greatest Blockbuster Epic

Cinema is one of the greatest forces of communication to ever exist. In film, thoughts and events that are too complex to be relayed to masses of people in print or verbally are instead produced on film and distributed across the world. It is imperative that film be used to tell great stories; the stories that most will not seek out to understand. One saga that is absolutely astonishing, yet few would readily learn about is Lawrence of Arabia. Directed by David Lean and released in 1962, this film won several Academy Awards including Best Picture. Lawrence of Arabia also started the careers of the legendary actors Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif and cemented the status of Lean as a great British Director. It chronicles the life of T.E. Lawrence, a British officer who assigned to Arabia to help create, and eventually lead, a revolt against the Ottoman Empire in the First World War. This film combines a great story, great acting and great cinematography to become one of the greatest films of all time.

The first great aspect of the film is the substantial plot. Despite the daunting run time, the story of Lawrence of Arabia is very straightforward. Lawrence, portrayed by Peter O’Toole, leads a revolt, makes gains against the Turks and deals with the existing struggles between the Arabs. The suspense is found throughout the story and arises with each conflict Lawrence takes on. There is never a dull moment in this film; even the slower periods consisting of travels through the desert are rife with danger and tension. The writers ensured that all the little anecdotal moments would provide audiences with memories. When there are action scenes, we were immersed in information to understand context of why this is happening. The major facets of the story are presented plainly without unexpected turns. While there are minor surprises every so often, the foundation of the plot follows the real Lawrence and his steadfast journey. The actual tale of this man does not require any enhancements, so the lack of twists is beneficial. There are many themes in Lawrence of Arabia, notably insignificance and isolation. This is supported by the desert setting quite symbolically, being the ultimate embodiment of loneliness.

The acting in Lawrence of Arabia is absolutely amazing. This is an all-star affair and even gave a start to legendary actors. Besides the men listed earlier, the film features Claude Rains, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn and Jack Hawkins. All of these men play their characters accurately, even those playing different ethnicities. You never doubt the realness of Guinness as Lawrence ally Prince Feisal or Quinn as Abu Tayi when watching the film. In an era of political correctness, this may be offensive but it is not noticeable. The performances are really what carry the film. Without effective actors telling this epic, the ambition of the filmmakers would not have seen fruition. The greatest performance in the film is that of O’Toole as our protagonist. For an early leading credit, he plays the role like a seasoned professional. You see the anguish in his face when setbacks occur and overwhelming joy when progress is made. Peter O’Toole was nominated for many Academy Awards, never winning, and this may go down in history as the greatest loss in Best Actor history.

One of the most moving scenes of the film is when the score is playing while Lawrence and Sharif Ali, craftily performed by Omar Sharif, cross the desert. It is shown from a distance to put into perspective the vastness of the desert while the enormous sand dunes enhance the feeling of isolated insignificance Lawrence felt. It is just one of many scenes that will take your breath away. The slow scenes between action sequences are punctured not only with brief suspense, but astonishing shots where audience attention is held merely by camerawork. The tracking shots up close provide for remarkable moments as well, namely when Lawrence is walking on top of a Turkish train his group derailed. The choice of color also brings out the vibrancy of the desert, bringing life to not only the desert but the story. It is no surprise that Freddie Young won an Academy Award for Best Color Cinematography this year.

All of these are excellent reasons as to why Lawrence of Arabia is a classic and why film is art. While film is a powerful form of art, it is also seen an industry. To make a profit, some things must be left out to accommodate the masses that visit theaters. In the era of quality versus quality in film, it is amazing to look back at the earlier decades where blockbusters were masterpieces. It is unfortunate that mainstream film has changed in recent decades to be less inclusive of great ideas, but recent films are seen as promising and a new era in mainstream film could occur. The Golden Age of cinema may be over, but a renaissance of film quality could be shaping. This is seen in recent Academy Award nominees that have all the novelty and grandeur of the Golden Age. To paraphrase Lawrence, this is the time to be great again.

Welcome!

Hello everyone and welcome to my new page! I will specialize in writing reviews for classical cinema but can also write about whatever. This page was made because every other review page I have seen only deals with present day cinema, not the classics that helped shape the direction of film. Every film that is made today takes inspiration from past films through the barriers they broke and the stories they told. Let us appreciate the past of cinema so that we can understand the films of the present.