HAVOC - 2013

An amnesiac documentary filmmaker psychoanalyzes his own past in times of a deteriorating society, and must reveal historical truths to salvage a world plagued by dictatorship.

Rashomon – A breakthrough in Editing

Rashomon, is a 1950 Japanese crime drama film directed by Akira Kurosawa that is considered one of the most influential cinematic endeavors of that era. It transcended beyond the boundaries of Japanese cinema, to make a deep impact on cinema worldwide.

As a crucial filmmaking technique, Editing essentially is all about “time”, whether it’s real time, story time or perceived time. But one of the most significant aspects that the art of editing exemplifies is establishing the perspective in the story. The way a particular scene is set-up is heavily dependent on the way it’s dealt with while editing in the post-production stages. I would say that the last statement is a major misconception that most people have. In reality, Editing essentially happens in the mind, way before production. While you write a scene, you envision the sequence as a series of images in your mind, and that’s what lays the foundations for a sound storytelling process. In my opinion, that’s Kurosawa’s strength as a filmmaker. Rashomon exhibits finesse of storytelling primarily because of the clear perspectives that are demonstrated as the story unfolds. Credited also as the editor of the film, Kurosawa’s vision displays a sense of clarity, especially in terms of “point of view” OR “perspectives”.

The films presents us four different versions of the story of a bandit’s violent attack on a nobleman and his wife in a forest. Kurosawa used the “form” of filmmaking in an intrepid and unconventional fashion, illustrated through lively editing.

The first story is told from the perspective of the “bandit”. There is a heavy usage of close-ups, Mid-close ups, and Mid-shots of Tajamaru while he slyly captures the samurai. As he gazes at the princess from a distance, the shot composition changes to a heavy dose of over-the-shoulder and point of view shots, illustrating his perspective to us, as an audience. Also, the presentation of the fight between the bandit and the samurai is energetic. The editing style supports Tajamaru’s version of the story. But one cannot deny the fact that the foreground-background relationship keeps changing between shots, which suggests a battle of equals rather than a one-sided contest. There is a lot of cutting on movement within the frame while the combat takes place.

The second story is told from the point of view of the wife. In this version, the bandit runs off, and the wife, using her dagger, frees the samurai. The husband is filled with disdain towards his wife as she gets raped. The wife is unable to take the expression of contempt in his eyes and faints, and then wakes up to see her husband inexplicably dead, with the dagger in his chest. This version is calculated and complex in its treatment. The audience is presented with Close-ups of the wife, and not to forget - a beautiful dolly shot, which starts from an over-the-shoulder of the samurai, and transforms into her over-the-shoulder as she offers him the knife. An important aspect to take note of is the heightened background score that is instrumental in building tension. The score is efficiently incorporated between shots, and the beats match several cuts to elevate the proceedings to a high in this intense version of the story. The editing succeeds in supporting the wife’s characterization as the victim, as it presents the story from her perspective.

The third version is presented from the point of view of the dead husband, hauntingly told through the “medium”, presents him as the victim. As the version unfolds, we see that the Samurai’s shame of his wife’s rape was so great that, seeing how his wife lusts after the bandit, he decided to take his own life using the dagger. An interesting choice is made in terms of editing as he is frequently placed in the background, at a distance from the frame, emphasizing his powerlessness and painful struggle. Even though the cutting back and forth from the court scenes to the samurai’s version is dynamic and crisp, there is a usage of long takes when the struggle of the husband is presented. The editing helps in communicating his struggle as he decides to kill himself.

Finally, there is a version of the woodcutter. His version is completely different from the other versions. He says that the wife was amazed by the bandit and that a combat between Tojamaru and the samurai did take place, but was essentially a contest of cowards. Both were reluctant to fight each other. As a result, the fight is rather inept. Eventually, the bandit kills the samurai. The editing of this version is very deliberate and sluggish as shots are held for a much longer time than in any of the earlier interpretations. Not only is there a usage of long takes, but of long shots as well. There are less frequent cuts, and slow unfolding of proceedings in general.

Focusing on individual instances, several editing masterstrokes come to light. Like the sequence when woodcutter runs through the forest and the camera tracks adjacently to him. Also, just before that when the woodcutter walks through the forest, we see him at some distance, but gradually it cuts to more closer shots. In one of the shots, the camera begins on his “long shot composition” at an angle, continues tracking, and crosses the path in front of him in close-up, and continues tracking. Thus, as an audience, the perspective reverses, and a sense of movement is conveyed as well. Thus, it’s an extremely effective sequence to illustrate the character’s experience.

Also, one more particular detail to take into account is the fact that the proceedings in the court are always seen from the perspective of the magistrate, who is only heard and seldom shown. Thus, it puts the audience in the shoes of a “judge” to form their own interpretation of the truth.

Kurosawa employs the use of a transition called “Wipe”, which denotes the perspective with which the story is being told. At the same time, he uses “Dissolves” at the end only, to indicate the fact that a “resolution” has been achieved.

In all, Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon is an enriching experience not only because of its intriguing storyline, but the way the story has been told. Editing plays an integral role in determining the perspectives, and hence is crucial in conveying a sense of significance in the essential unfolding of the proceedings. It’s the work of an auteur, who made choices not just as a director, but as an editor, by placing himself in the audience’s shoes. Its all about the “perspective” !!

American Beauty : A Visual Treat

Few filmmakers have struck gold at their very first attempt at feature filmmaking by winning an Academy Award. Sam Mendes is one of the few directors to earn one for his work in 1999’s suburban satire American Beauty. Set in an ordinary neighborhood, it follows the ordinary life of the central protagonist, Lester Burnham, who is living the typical “American Dream”. American Beauty portrays such themes as the falseness in lust, power and appearance and that we need to remind our selves “…of all the beauty there is in the world”, as beauty is a matter of opinion.

Many techniques were used to portray these themes and influence audiences opinions of characters and events, including Filmic techniques of Cinematography, Soundtrack and Mendes’s original dream sequence methods, as well as such Visual techniques of symbolism, colour and contrast.

American Beauty is abounding with several visual elements that emphasize the design aspect efficiently. Visual design elements that feature prominently in American beauty are such as its beautiful cinematography, especially in terms of compositions and framing, meaningful use of color and contrast, & an immaculate sense of production design.

Cinematography : Composition, Lines, Shapes & Movement

From the perspective of cinematography, it’s evident that the usage of peaceful compositions provoked a feeling of old-world charm and classicalism, contrasting it with the turbulent turns of events on-screen. The framing employs formal visual design conventions such as diagonal patterns, foreground-background relationship in determining the tilt of balance amongst the characters, and a particular quality of symmetry to the visuals. For instance, the scene where his daughter’s best friend Angela besots Lester for the first time is effective in conveying the visual design conventions presented through cinematography elements like composition, framing and movement. Here is a scene analysis :

• The scene begins with Lester and Carolyn already in the stands with the crowd. Angela, Jane, and the other cheerleaders enter the picture with right to left movement assisted by a panning camera shot of right to left forming a diagonal pattern. This foreshadows the unordinary actions that are about to occur.

• Almost immediately, into the dance routine, Angela is given an upward position in the frame elevated with dynamic composition. It is dynamic composition because there is movement (Angela dancing) within a fixed frame. By giving Angela an upward position within the frame this suggest Lester is first noticing her.

• As the scene continues, and Angela has Lester's full attention, Angela is shown moving towards the camera in another dynamic composition shot complemented by the camera zooming in on her. This gives the audience an idea as to the degree of attention that Lester is giving to Angela due to her sexuality. It also enhances her presence.

• The scene continues with a static composition shot of Lester. It is static composition because there is no movement within the frame. The camera then begins to zoom in on Lester.

• As the camera zooms, the crowd is eliminated and only Lester is shown in the frame. 

• Furthermore, the camera focuses on Lester's eyes and makes them appear bigger than they actually are. This makes Lester look like an animal drooling at the mouth over something he desires.

• At this point, the camera performs a POV shot showing what Lester's eyes are fixated on, and focuses on Angela. This, once again, displays the degree of enchantment that Angela has placed over Lester. Angela is also shown alone in the frame. This shows that in Lester's mind, only Angela and himself exist at this moment. Not even his daughter is of any relevance.

• The scene concludes with the camera then performing a shot-reverse-shot of Angela then Lester. This allows the audience to see that in Lester's fantasy, Angela is dancing erotically just for him and is paying as much attention to him as he is paying to her.

It is important to note that Angela and Lester are never shown in the same frame in this scene. This suggest that there is some barrier that is between them such as the fact that Lester is desiring a girl that is his daughter's age.

Several other instances where several lines and shapes create a visual depiction of Lester’s life are put forward effectively in American Beauty. The lines and shapes form a symmetrical pattern illustrating the feeling of rigidity and confinement in Lester’s life. There is a sense of claustrophobia created by imaginary lines and shapes in the imagery.

The essence of “Color”

The significance of color as a form of symbolism is also integrated skillfully to convey the story through leitmotifs as a visual design technique. For instance, the color “red” plays an important sub textual role in the conveyance of the story. As we follow Lester, who seems to have a perfect life in the beginning of the film we go through the “red door”, which symbolizes hidden truths camouflaging his brittle life. The color red represents emotions that Lester experiences such as lust, seduction, and forbidden attraction towards Angela. It basically exemplifies his desire for her. The color’s representation in the form of props such as red napkins on the dining table, red flowers in the garden etc foreshadow the events that are going to affect Lester’s life consequently. Eventually, as its unraveled by the splatter of blood on the wall just after Lester gains closure and contentment in his life, red represents danger. But the most effective use of the color red would have to be in the form of “red roses” which resurface all throughout the film. As mentioned before in the paragraph, they most eminently represent Lester’s lust and desire towards Angela.

Another feature to note is that the color “red” is used to subconsciously manipulate the audiences, while “blue” is the other more prominent color present just to offset the equilibrium and tilt the visual balance more towards the red in the frame.

As far as the tone is concerned, the look changes from the brightly lit preceding portions to a mystic, romantic, soft yet gray palettes with a striking presence of rain in the backdrop. Despite being a narrative backdrop, rain acts as a pivotal visual device proposing several manifestations. In the climax, rain symbolizes Ricky’s outburst towards his father, Angela’s virginity at its very brink, surfacing of Col. Fritz’s homosexuality and Lester’s dripping gratification, first through an almost long desired fulfillment of union with Angela, and then an innate sense of closure when he even mentions how once he “lets it go, it flows through him like a river”. These choices not only underline strong plot points, but underscorelatent conventions of visual design to provide a course for a meaningful interpretation in the audience’s psyche.

Blue Velvet : The Lynchian Resonance

If one has to decipher the exceedingly intrinsic elements of David Lynch’s mystifying body of work, the significance of sound and sound design would form the crux of his modus operandi in storytelling. Lynch himself considers the aspect of sound design and soundtrack to be an integral constituent of his films. In his collaboration with Angelo Badalamenti, Lynch has carved a niche for a multitude of dark and evocative soundtracks. Blue Velvet is the prime example; one of those gems that composes the trademark “Lynchian” resonance.

Even the visuals complement the auditory essence of Lynch’s approach to storytelling in Blue Velvet. This is beautifully emphasized by the use of an “ear” as a suggestive leitmotif in the film, the subtext being the subversive interpretation of the ear being a physical organ with a hole, suggesting a deep plunge into somewhere mysterious.

Despite having a stirring soundtrack, one cannot deny the presence of elaborate sound design in Lynch’s films. Blue Velvet’s intricate sound design is a characteristic sonic milestone. A fact that is often overlooked is that “silence” is also an element of sound design. If orchestrated efficiently, silence exemplifies the lull before the storm. That’s precisely what’s evident in several sequences of Blue Velvet. One of the major instances is the climatic scene, where the protagonist Jeffrey follows Frank. As the scene starts, Jeffrey climbs up Dorothy’s apartment, and no sound accompanies his stealth. This silence is an indication of “hyperrealism” in sound, as if one were to stalk someone stealthily; the ambience could be eerily soundless. Also, this makes the scenario tangible for the viewer as it recreates the real feeling. Whereas, when Jeffrey proceeds, we hear the ambient noises of his footsteps and keys, which are intensified for cinematic effect, which can very easily be referenced as “The Cocktail Party Effect”. Also, from this portion of the scene, a minimal score in the background, which heightens the tension, supplements the effective sound design. Following this, once again silence is maintained when Jeffrey enters the room and sees two men dead. What breaks the silence next is a radio that produces a harsh sound, and terrifies Jeffrey as well as the viewer.

As evident in the aforementioned paragraph, the heightening of sound effects as a form of “The Cocktail Party Effect” is one of the sound techniques Lynch and his sound designer Alen Splet compellingly employ. For instance, there are several sounds that are exaggerated for cinematic effect such as Gunshot (when Frank is shot), car honking, screeching tires, footsteps, cigarettes etc. Such sound effects complement the visuals efficiently and help in imparting a certain amount of edginess to the proceedings.

Another auditory aspect that makes Blue Velvet stand out is amazing musical compositions at important intervals of the story. Characters have thematic musical compositions at important points in the story that define their personas and journey into the bizarre world that Lynch has shaped for them. For instance, the song “In Dreams” plays two times in the course of the antagonist Frank’s (Dennis Hooper) journey on screen. The first time we hear the song, its at his friend’s place, where he initially mimes the words. Frank is hypnotized at first but then his expressions almost abruptly change to anger. His character appears to have a deep rooted, perplexing and bizarre emotional relation to the song, which is essentially a “love song”. This suggests a possibly devastating meaning for Frank, putting forward his persona through his connection to this song. Thus, the usage of this particular soundtrack in the film helps in bestowing the character with an inexplicable degree of depth.

Juxtaposition of sound over visuals at critical junctures of the story is an essential element of storytelling, especially if its sound of humans. This is best illustrated in the sex scene between Jeffrey and Dorothy when primal screams are collocated along with the disturbing visuals. This demonstrates how Lynch effectively uses the aspect of human sound to create a visually explicit yet subliminal impact on the psyches of the viewer’s mind.

In conclusion, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Blue Velvet is one of those movies that encapsulated sound like very few films. David Lynch, along with his composer Angelo Badalamenti and sound designer Alen Splet create a haunting atmosphere that enthralls the viewers in more ways than one.

Battleship Potemkin : A cinematic milestone

Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 silent epic “The Battleship Potemkin” is a cinematic milestone in more ways than one. Not only was it one of the most influential propaganda films of all time, but also it was revolutionary in the form of a new editing technique called montage, that was developed by Eisenstein.

Now, the question arises that how is it cinematic?

Now, the question arises that how is it cinematic?

LARGER THAN LIFE : First of all, this film best exemplifies the notion of cinema being “larger than life”. Battleship Potemkin has taken the historical element of the Russian Revolution and added extravagant settings, accompanied by grandeur and spectacle and a sweeping musical score. The proceedings involving the sailors on board of the ship, and how they revolt against their own captains are put on screen in an episodic manner, presented in the context of the Bolshevik rebellion of that era. The portrayal of history through epic storytelling is compellingly illustrated through this film. This grand treatment makes it CINEMATIC in the true sense. This is the power that cinema has.

VISUALLY BEAUTIFUL: Acknowledging the time and era in which the film was made, nothing can doubt the fact that it’s a visually beautiful epic with grand sweep and stirring images. From a dramatic perspective, the movie leaves us with disturbing images such as the blinded mother, a baby in a carriage falling down the steps, the rotten meat. All of this has an impact which cinema provides robustly.

PROPAGANDA : Battleship Potemkin, in its time, was an effective propaganda film. As we all know, the most remarkable sequence in the film is the massacre of civilians at the Odessa Steps. This massacre never really took place. Eisenstein inserted it for dramatic effect to demonize the imperial Russian regime at that time. As Roger Ebert, the famous critic and screenwriter states “That there was, in fact, no czarist massacre at the Odessa steps scarcely diminishes the power of the scene. Its ironic that Eisenstein did it so well that today, the bloodshed on the Odessa steps is often referred to as if really happened.” This is a testimony to the powerful impact of cinema, & therefore a testimony to how cinematic this epic is.

CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT : Cinema is a reflection of culture and inversely affects culture as well. Same goes with Battleship Potemkin. The film is culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant and reflected not only a part of Russian struggle, but affected it in a way that a major segment of the audience beyond Russia was educated through it. The cinematic scope of Battleship Potemkin can be gauged through the thematic influence it had over film viewers all across the globe, from 1920’s till now.

TECHNICALLY GROUNDBREAKING – The Battleship Potemkin is one of the rare propaganda films that has strong artistic merits as well. It’s well known for Eisenstein’s approach of creating a cinematic milestone through the pioneering concept of MONTAGE. It’s a style of editing that offers discontinuity in graphic quality, violations of the 180’s degree rule, and the creation of impossible spatial matches. The changes between shots are obvious, yet less fluid. The principles of montage editing basically stress on combining separate images to produce an idea. Battleship Potemkin proved to be the start of this path-breaking technique, which had all stamps of a massive cinematic impact. It was best demonstrated through the Odessa Step sequence and has since been used by various filmmakers at critical junctures of their films. Editing as a cinematic component, thus, proved to be extremely effective to stimulate the audiences, and henceforth best exemplifies the cinematic quality of movies.

ENTERTAINMENT : At the end of the day, cinema exists to provide Entertainment as well. The Battleship Potemkin more than succeeded in providing entertainment, as the viewer doesn’t lose interest in the film even for a second. This is master storytelling, accentuated by powerful imagery. It entertains cinematically, and hence imbibes the quality cinema is most celebrated for.

Californication : The beginnings

Reality bites. Time flies. Distances widen. Hearts pound. Mind retreats & reverts back to the reminiscent past. My life is taking a gigantic U-turn and I know where I am and where I might end up being. Its just that amidst the love for this very California sun, I find tatters of history. Pages flip through, opening new chapters, yet leaving an indelible mark of the past on my mental landscape. I move on. So did Hank Moody, the dude who is inspiring, enthralling and enlightening me in more ways than any at this very instant. Here is something as casually deep OR deeply casual as a blogpost could get. I leave you with Hank and his words. His world. Which maybe is becoming my world right now. Right under this very California sun.

"Good morning, Hell-A. In the land of the lotus-eaters, time plays tricks on you. One day you’re dreaming, the next, your dream has become your reality. It was the best of times. If only someone had told me. Mistakes were made, hearts were broken, harsh lessons learned. My family goes on without me, while I drown in a sea of pointless pussy. I don’t know how I got here. But here I am, rotting away in the warm California sun. There are things I need to figure out, for her sake, at least. The clock is ticking. The gap is widening. She won’t always love me “no matter what” - Hank Moody, Californication