1. Film Appreciation Theory and History

2. Widescreen vs. Full screen
Widescreen film was determined by the director with the big screen in mind.
Full screen films have been edited to fit an old TV screen.

3. Why read a film? The better a viewer reads an image the
more he/she understands:
Its artistic quality
Its reflection of culture and its values
Its various sets of metaphorical meanings

4. When you look at a frame, one of the first things to consider is space.
How complex is the mise-en-scene?
Is it claustrophobic?
Is it wide-open space?
How much of the space of the frame is filled by the characters?
Mildred Pierce 1945
Hidalgo 2004

5. A claustrophobic set design builds tension and anxiety.
The Shining 1982
Harry Potter

6. A spacious, open set design can create loneliness, isolation, or freedom.
Lord of the Rings 2001
Forrest Gump 1994

7. Another thing to consider is distance.
How much do you see of the character(s)?
Is it a close up?
Is it a full shot?
Is it a medium shot?
How much distance is between the viewer and the characters?
A Place in the Sun 1951

8. In general the closer the camera gets to the characters, the closer the viewer feels towards the characters.
Most common in…
love scenes
horror films
emotional dramas

9. As the camera moves further away from the character(s), the viewer is provided more information about them or about their situation.
From Rosemary’s Baby 1968
From Babel 2006

10. The further the camera is from the subject, the more
distant you will feel from what is happening in the scene
or to the character(s).

11. The Establishing Shot
The Illusionist 2006
It lets the audience have a look at the subject in relation to its
surroundings. It usually appears at the beginning of a film or
scene to establish the setting or to introduce a film.

12. The Two-Shot
Avatar 2009
Makes two characters the subject of the frame. It allows you to
understand how the characters interact and react to each other.

13. Something else to consider when observing
A frame is the angle or camera position.
Was the frame shot from high above?
(a high angle)
Was it shot at eye level?
Was it shot from a low angle?

14. A frame shot from a high angle is often referred to as God’s eye view because it suggests that ‘someone’ is observing the characters. It can suggest danger and helplessness.

15. Apocalypto 2007
The Fountain

16. A frame shot from a low angle makes the subject seem larger.
Citizen Kane 1941
The Postman Always Rings Twice 1946

17. The Dark Knight 2008

18. Inglorious Basterds 2009

19. A character that seems larger than another in a frame is usually the dominant character.
From Double Indemnity 1944
From Letter from an Unknown Woman 1948
From
Gone with the Wind
1939
From Rebecca
1940

20. The Departed 2006

21. A Dutch angle suggests that something is wrong either in the character or the story’s situation.

22. Artificial Intelligence 2001

23. Besides shots and angles, you should also watch for symbols.
Some common symbols are:
Images of entrapment are usually shown through characters framed by doors, gates, or confined spaces (like closets).
From The Kid 1921
From Carrie 1976

24. Pan’s Labyrinth 2006
Atonement 2007

25. The Hours 2002
The Ring 2002
The Painted Veil 2006

26. A Beautiful Mind 2001
The Departed 2006

27. Images of duality are usually represented by characters reflected in mirrors , water, glass, or in accentuated shadow.
Psycho 1960

28. The Matrix 2003
Taxi Driver 1976
The Lady from Shanghai,1947

29. Mulholland Drive 2001

30. Black Swan 2010

31. Stairs, dark alleys, Dutch angles, darkness enveloping a character, seeing only part of a character are some images of imminent danger.
From The French Connection
From Silence of the Lambs
From Halloween
From Kiss Me Deadly

32. From The Sixth Sense
From The Others

33. Light cutting through a character(s), lines
which divide the frame, usually mark images of characters that are in turmoil.
From Blade Runner
From The Usual Suspects
From The Awful Truth

34. Sweeney Todd 2007

35. Christ figures/Biblical References
Dead Poet Society
Other Symbols
Christ figures/Biblical References
Cool Hand Luke
The Shawshank Redemption

36. Rebirth
Color
From Schindler’s List

37. Eyes From The Blair Witch Project From Un Perro Andaluz From Psycho
From Spellbound

38. Phallic symbols
Dr. Strangelove
Bonnie and Clyde
Rear Window

39. Art represents all that we experience as humans.
Why read a film?
Art represents all that we experience as humans.
Understanding film as an art means understanding yourself and the world around you.