Short answer question on APOCALYPSE NOW.
For Grand Illusion, we asked you to look at aspects of the film that involved camera movement and composition in depth, but for Apocalypse Now, we'd like you to identify some parts of the film that use any/and/or all of the film techniques we have been studying for the past few weeks. How does the film use editing, sound, lighting, set design, composition in depth?
This time I'd like you to look at the whole ball of wax and look for miseen scene, framing, use of sound, production design, lighting, editing, all the tools of the filmmaker and how they are being used in the film to help tell the story and make meaning.
As the first film mixed in Dolby 5.1 Surround, the film's use of sound is well known - the contrast of loud and quiet sequences, the use of music, and overlapping sound cues such as mixing the helicopter sounds with the ceiling fan spinning in the opening.
The editing similarly has numerous sequences that the film is known for, from the opening hotel room flashback, not in the script but built wholly in the editing room, to the ending, where a murder is intercut with the slaughter of a cow for symbolism. (This is actually stolen from Sergei Eisenstein's first film STRIKE, where the slaughter of striking workers by Cossacks is intercut with the slaughter of cattle.)
Vittorio Storaro's cinematography in the film is also well known - Kurtz at end of the film is seen primarily in shadow, often only lit by candlelight, showing how that character is on the "dark side" - and the sue of camera in the film varies from hand-held footage in some of the combat scenes to give the film to tracking shots that create meaning through composition in depth. Dean Tavoularis's production design and sets similarly create their own meaning, from the Americanesque trailer the generals hole up in at the start of the film to the surreal abandoned temple at the film's end. What examples of film technique can you find being used in the film?
The reading for this week from the textbook talks about looking at all of these elements of film style together. When looking at a film. Bordwell& Company ask, on p. 306-309,
1. What is the film's overall form?
2. What are the primary techniques being used?
3. What patterns are formed by the techniques?
4. What function do the techniques and patterns fulfill?
You don't need to answer these questions specifically, but this is a is a good way to start thinking about how film techniques create meaning in a film. The textbook also advises (p.307) to "Look and listen carefully," and also to "Think like a filmmaker" - why is the director making the choices he/she is making? This is also a good "dry run" for your paper, as you will be doing much the same thing for that. At least 150 words please, and again, I don't need more than one page.