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Please choose one essay prompt and write at least 2-3 well-developed paragraphs.
Essay #1 From Roger Ebert's essay on The Passion of Joan of Arc:
"There is not one single establishing shot in all of 'The Passion of Joan of Arc,' which is filmed entirely in closeups and medium shots, creating fearful intimacy between Joan and her tormentors. Nor are there easily read visual links between shots. In his brilliant shot-by-shot analysis of the film, David Bordwell of the University of Wisconsin concludes: 'Of the film's over 1,500 cuts, fewer than 30 carry a figure or object over from one shot to another, and fewer than 15 constitute genuine matches on action.'"
Many avant garde films also do not have matches on action or carryover shots. Compare The Passion of Joan of Arc to one of the avant garde films we watched in regards to editing and mise-en-scene. Use cinematic evidence to back up whatever you state.
Essay #2 From the Ib Monty article I gave you:
"When the film was released, the close-up technique was regarded as shocking. Dreyer defended his method by stating: 'The records give a shattering impression on the ways in which the trial was a conspiracy of the judges against the solitary Jeanne, bravely defending herself against men who displayed a devilish cunning to trap her in their net. This conspiracy could be conveyed on the screen only through the huge close-ups, that exposed, with merciless realism, the callous cynicism of the judges hidden behind hypocritical compassion--and on the other hand there had to be equally huge close-ups of Jeanne, whose pure features would reveal that she alone found strength in her faith in God.' As in all of Dreyer's major films the style grew out of the theme of the film. In La passion de Jeanne d'Arc Dreyer wanted 'to move the audience so that they would themselves feel the suffering that Jeanne endured.' It was by using close-ups that Dreyer could 'lead the audience all the way into the hearts and guts of Jeanne and the judges.'"
Agree or disagree with this quote. Use cinematic evidence to back up whatever you state.
Please choose one essay prompt and write at least 2-3 well-developed paragraphs.
Essay #1 From Roger Ebert's essay on The Passion of Joan of Arc:
"There is not one single establishing shot in all of 'The Passion of Joan of Arc,' which is filmed entirely in closeups and medium shots, creating fearful intimacy between Joan and her tormentors. Nor are there easily read visual links between shots. In his brilliant shot-by-shot analysis of the film, David Bordwell of the University of Wisconsin concludes: 'Of the film's over 1,500 cuts, fewer than 30 carry a figure or object over from one shot to another, and fewer than 15 constitute genuine matches on action.'"
Many avant garde films also do not have matches on action or carryover shots. Compare The Passion of Joan of Arc to one of the avant garde films we watched in regards to editing and mise-en-scene. Use cinematic evidence to back up whatever you state.
Essay #2 From the Ib Monty article I gave you:
"When the film was released, the close-up technique was regarded as shocking. Dreyer defended his method by stating: 'The records give a shattering impression on the ways in which the trial was a conspiracy of the judges against the solitary Jeanne, bravely defending herself against men who displayed a devilish cunning to trap her in their net. This conspiracy could be conveyed on the screen only through the huge close-ups, that exposed, with merciless realism, the callous cynicism of the judges hidden behind hypocritical compassion--and on the other hand there had to be equally huge close-ups of Jeanne, whose pure features would reveal that she alone found strength in her faith in God.' As in all of Dreyer's major films the style grew out of the theme of the film. In La passion de Jeanne d'Arc Dreyer wanted 'to move the audience so that they would themselves feel the suffering that Jeanne endured.' It was by using close-ups that Dreyer could 'lead the audience all the way into the hearts and guts of Jeanne and the judges.'"
Agree or disagree with this quote. Use cinematic evidence to back up whatever you state.
Un Chien Andalou presents a dream-like mise-en-scene whereas The Passion of Joan of Arc creates a sense of a high-paced and almost unreal atmosphere. The use of close-ups and medium shots force the audience to relate to the subject and truly understand how they feel as opposed to passively watching. Un Chien Andalou repeats a similar set of actions in an attempt to confuse the audience and present what a dream would be like without having to resort to complicated editing. The use of camera angles and other in-camera effects are the leading force driving the dream theme. The Passion of Joan of Arc relies more on post production effects, but camera angles create a claustrophobic environment that the audience is forced into from the very beginning of the film.
ReplyDeleteThe dream environment in Un Chien Andalou is very apparent throughout the film. The use of in camera effects in addition to the lack of match cuts create a disorienting atmosphere; it also confuses the audience as they are not able to properly piece the scene together - much like in a dream. Many of the shots show an action in a single angle, with some closeups to break the monotony, forcing the audience to pay close attention to what is on the screen at that moment rather than the film as a whole - as one would expect from an avant garde film. The Passion of Joan of Arc on the other hand is a true story that is portrayed in a way that forces the audience to live out the story as Joan had. Similar to Un Chien Andalou, The Passion of Joan of Arc lacks true match cuts in order to disorientate the audience; unlike UCA, TPJA uses this disorientation to force the audience into the story as a whole, rather than one moment. Each shot during the interrogation is framed to make the audience feel small and trapped. The end of the film is shot in more of an open environment, representing the freedom of Joan soul and her escape from the judgemental church. Its portrayal as an avant garde film does not characterize its unusual narrative, but rather its unusual presentation of said narrative.
Prompt 2
ReplyDeleteI agree strongly with the given quote. One thing that I noticed when watching the film was the incredible prevalence of close up shots, on both Joan and her accusers. This technique is especially present during the first half of the film in which Joan is on trail. These close ups are so close and so frequent that rarely does the filmmaker bother to place anything in the background of these shots; there is simply the face of the subject and behind them nothing. To be completely honest I had mixed feelings about this style. On one level I found it to be both frustrating and confusing. The fact that the film relies so heavily and exclusively on these types of shots, it becomes very difficult for the viewer to form a picture of the setting in which the scene takes place, given that all we see are the faces of the characters. This is not helped by the fact that there is nothing shown in the background of these characters.
However, I must agree with the director on the effectiveness of this technique nonetheless. While it may be frustrating at times, the close up shots are a way of telling the viewer that the surroundings don’t matter nearly as much as the characters do.We are thrust right up into their faces and thus are treated to an incredibly detailed view of their emotions and reactions throughout the film. This allows us to truly connect to these characters, especially Joan, who's pain, both physical and emotional is presented very up close. We connect so much with her that in some ways we begin to feel her pain along side her. This is the same way with the judges, however this time it is used to capture their corruption and manipulation.
#2
ReplyDeleteI agree with the quote and think Dreyer’s intent with the close-ups was effective. The close ups create intensity in the scene by emphasizing the emotions of the characters by allowing a clear view of their faces. By showing us the faces, Dreyer also directs our attention to the eyes of Joan. Her eyes specifically play a vital role in expressing her emotion to the camera. The camera being so close to Joan especially makes each shot of her deeply personal, as we can see her vivid emotions such as fear and sadness. Close ups of Joan in the trial scene show only her in the shot, while a lot of the shots of the interrogators show multiple men in the frame. This isolation in frame highlights how Joan is physically alone in her trial against the numerous interrogators. If the shots of Joan were farther away, there may have been more people in frame but since they’re so close, she is totally alone and the focus is on her. Even though she is solitary in the frame, the proximity of the camera makes her appear large and powerful, as she has faith in God that gives her confidence.
Close ups further convey intensity specifically when all the interrogators yell at Joan. There’s close up shots of the mouths shouting that are alarming and help to make the viewer feel they are also being yelled at. The close ups ultimately put the viewer in the place of Joan. Showing her emotions so vivid and intimately, Dreyer makes the viewer feels those emotions too. Like the quote says, his intention was to lead the audience and he accomplished that by using the very straightforward close ups, and essentially told the audience how to feel which made the overall experience more emotional. While it may have been alarming, audiences were moved which means Dreyer’s unconventional use of close ups was a valid way to bring about his intent with the film, to put audiences into a dramatic setting and make their feelings reflect those of the onscreen subject.
I agree with the quote. Dreyer’s usage of close-up technique gives the audience no chance to hide from Joan’s emotions or the tragedy of her situation. Because everything is portrayed through a close-up, the frame becomes claustrophobic and inescapable multiple times throughout the film. There is no breathing room on the screen because Joan has no freedom, and the framing is meant to reflect that in order to make the audience experience the same emotions that Joan is feeling.
ReplyDeleteOne strong example of this is during the scene where Joan is being threatened via torture to sign her name on a confession admitting that she was tempted by the devil. There are many cuts between closeups of Joan’s face, growing more and more distressed, the priests’ faces, discussing the situation among themselves, Joan’s hand, being moved to sign by another priest - as this continues, the priests become aggravated and hostile, all of which is juxtaposed by Joan’s frightened expression. A closeup of the paper, tilted and upside down, shows Joan’s hand moving closer, tentatively, as she sets the pen down and does not sign. The paper and her hand are both partly cut off by the frame, showing that, even though she is making this liberating decision, she is still trapped in this situation. This is reinforced by the close up low angle on a priest who yells at her about her damnation - the low anger obviously showcasing his power over her. After this, there are a series of shots of the torture instruments, all shown through close ups that obscure parts of their build. These instruments are dramatically lit, cast in and casting shadow, heightening the intensity of the danger Joan is in. These shots are crosscut with close ups of Joan, fearful, and the cuts become more and more rapid as the movement of the devices increases and Joan becomes more frightened. A priest begins spinning a torture wheel, and this pattern continues, now including close up shots of other priests yelling. The frequent cutting is similar to the speed of a racing heartbeat, allowing the audience to feel the panic that Joan herself is feeling, boxed in by the lack of open space or options. Ultimately, if this scene had no close ups, it would not have been as personal or intense.
Prompt 1:
ReplyDeleteI am going to compare “The Passion of Joan of Arc” to “Meshes of the Afternoon”. Both films use cinematic techniques to create a very closed off and jarring mise-en scene but use different methods to do so. As stated in the Ebert review, “The Passion of Joan of Arc” uses no establishing shot and focused on medium shots and close ups. This limits our spacial awareness and forces our focus not on the background, but on the characters shown in frame. The short avant-garde film “Meshes of the Afternoon” or spacial awareness is also impaired. The camera angles are often unnatural and skewed and transform a normal house into a space in which the staircase throws someone around and leaning over a banister is like leaning over cliff. In both films cinematography is used to enforce a distinct non-traditional mise-en scene.
Not only does the cinematography contribute the avant-garde mise-en scene, but the editing does as well. “The Passion of Joan of Arc” contains almost no shots in which images are carried over between shots. This means that as viewers, we can never fully conceptualize where things are in relation to one another. Similarly, in “Meshes of the Afternoon”, the editing is used to create general confusion in regards to the space that the film takes place in. I spoke of the use of cinematography in this film to produce this effect, but editing also contributes. There are multiple versions of Maya’s character, and shots are wired together in a way that mixes shots of some of them, with POV shot of one of them, to POV shots of one looking at another, and all this adds to the closed off/ jarring mise-en scene.
Prompt #2
ReplyDeleteI agree with the quote from the IB Monty article. Dreyer does convey the emotions of Jeanne defending herself against the men of the church by using almost exclusively close up shots. The close up shots of Jeanne created an intimate bond between the audience and Jeanne. With close up shots comes an almost claustrophobic feeling to an already emotional shot. These close ups include showing Jeanne's facial expressions in great detail, and this detail is what brings the connection from Jeanne to the audience. Another use of the close up shots is when it is used on the men of the church and it shows all of there negative emotions towards Jeanne. The panning close up shots of all the men getting angry and riled up puts the audience in the position that Jeanne is in and expresses the anger and commotion from her point of view. The realism of all the church men not caring or falling for Jeannes angelic emotions shows just how dark and distraught this world actually is and leads the audience to believe that there is no hope. The close up shots represent that there is no hope with getting the men of the church to accept Jeanne, but later the audience realizes that they are not the audience Jeanne will be a messiah figure for. It is the only few wide angle shots at the end that show riot, upset, and discombobulation, and in this instance, means Jeanne did not get executed, but rather sacrificed, because in the bigger picture (literally), she was a symbol to the people of the village that corruption and evil people were in power.
I completely agree with the Ib Monty quote because the shocking close-ups are perhaps the most intriguing and memorable aspect of the film. They are so plentiful and personal it’s hard to remember hardly any other visuals that work as effectively. The eyes of Joan speak much louder than any of her words. There is no veil that she hides behind; the camera picks up every hint of emotion and translates it into the horror and pain Joan experiences, overall emphasizing the tragedy for the audience. By showing the judges in closeups, their nastiness and ruthlessness are on full display, allowing viewers to sympathize with Joan. The situation screams mercilessness, the heartbreak in Joan’s teary bug eyes holding up the entire tone of the film.
ReplyDeleteScenes that supports this argument are those towards the beginning in which Joan is standing on trial in front of the judges. There are so many close ups edited together that viewers are removed from the location and only focus on the physical emotion and actions of the immediate characters. This isolation of setting removes any distraction apart from Joan’s trial, making the close ups much more effective than, say, a long shot. The anger reflected closely in the interrogator’s expressions and mouths are so passionate the viewers feel equally as attacked, making the film shot completely effective in translating situational emotion. It becomes difficult to watch because of how awfully Joan is being treated, she cries so much on screen that no more tears come out. By being able to see this hurt and trauma, the atrocity of the experience is spoken for, all to the credit of Dreyer.
2
ReplyDeleteI agree with this quote. The use of close-ups allow the audience to sympathize with Jeanne. Most of the close-ups focus on people. This is evident right in the beginning when the trial is being prepared. Every shot focuses on people, but these shots are not really close. However, when Jeanne is brought in, there is a close-up of her face as well as her feet in chains. The use of these close-ups draws the audience’s focus towards her. The cinematography establishes Jeanne as the character we are meant to sympathize with.
However, she is not the only character to be featured in close-ups. There are also many shots of the men’s faces but these do not have a sympathetic feel. These shots are used to highlight their threatening nature and make it seem like they are almost closing in on Jeanne. Many of the close-ups of the men occur when they are interrogating her and scaring her. The cinematography heightens their frightening attitude.
In general close-ups are used to convey emotion to the audience. This emotion can be anything from Jeanne’s fear to her connection to God. For the judges, the close-ups exhibit their hatred for Jeanne and their condescending attitude as they look down on her. Ultimately the close-ups focus on people in order to appeal to the audience. The cinematography amplifies humanity in both positive and negative ways. It shows Jeanne’s vulnerability and the judges’ cruelness.
I personally agree with the given quote. The Passion of Joan of Arc is a film which attempts to convey a sense of despair through the utilization of intense close up shots juxtaposed with the occasional medium shot. This style, cultivated by Carl Theodor Dreyer, is jarring and uncomfortable, leaving the viewer often confused as to what is going on. The close up shots can even be described as claustrophobic, with Joan’s face being suffocated by the frame. There is also often a lack of visual context to the scenes, with the medium shots providing the only sense of space in scenes dominated by long, drawn out reaction shots.
ReplyDeleteHowever, while many of these qualities may be seen as a negative, they are actually the biggest strengths of the film. Dreyer’s intentions when making the film was to create discomfort and unease, thus allowing the audience to understand the raw emotion Joan of Arc was experiencing during the trials. The close ups, by removing all context, focus the attention on Joan of Arc’s expressive face, showing her despair through almost theatrical means. The story is told almost entirely through this expression, with the actors faces becoming the set pieces for the film. Every word uttered by the judges can be seen piercing through Joan, every slight causing a twitch of anger or sadness on her face. The despair is translated to the audience through these means, the unease of watching reflects Joan’s own hopelessness as she awaits her fate. Although unusual to watch, The Passion of Joan of Arc is a timeless wonder, a film which is able to create unmatched emotional responses with its truly personal cinematography.
#2
ReplyDeleteIn regard to the quote by Dryer, I completely agree with his filmmakers intent as far as what the plethora of close ups in Passion communicate in terms of Joan’s struggle against a corrupt institution. The mise-en-scene of the film establishes that the camera is a viewfinder that the audience is forced to bear witness to the trial. This viewfinder is presented as though it were through the eyes of Joan; ugly, old, white males who want her murdered in the most brutal way possible for speaking to god.
At first, the film is very sparing in it’s cinematography, with a smooth dolly establishing shot across the court to reveal the set. It is only when the trial gets underway and heated does the cinematography begin to draw attention to itself through the pairing of grand physical gestures by the actors in close up, and the use of discontinuity editing. At times the camera will pan, boom, or tilt into these closeups to provide extra movement in the frame as a means to heighten confusion. In a specific example, there is a scene in the film where at the trial, a priest approaches Joan and screams in her face. When framed with one another, there is a tight medium close up dutch angle of Joan and the priest, creating confusion, and the discontinuity editing attacks between extreme closeups of Joan crying and the priest foaming at the mouth as he shouts. Upon further reading, I learned that Dryer did not have any of the actors wear makeup to touch themselves up. The imperfections, scars, wrinkles and lines add to the grimey nature of the mise-en-scene, especially on the priests faces.
These techniques invoke what Joan is feeling. This is how the entire film is shot, and these jarring edits and angles aim at wearing down viewers over the course of the runtime, until we, as Joan, are battered and disoriented through the edits on screen.
Prompt 2
ReplyDeleteThe Passion of Joan of Arc uses close ups for the majority of the film. With what Dreyer states about using them as a way to make us feel the corruption being imposed on Joan, I completely agree, seeing Joan feelings so close during the court scene, the crying, the anger, and the occasional happiness makes us feel for her so much. I see almost none of this as negative, the only negative that appears to me as I watch it was the uncomfortableness of being so close to her through everything she is going for, which is the reason for them in the first place.
The highest concentration of shots that are not close ups is the execution scene, when we get a lot of medium and a few long shots. These shots are used to give us a feeling of being away from the conflict which is juxtaposed from the rest of the film, I believe that the reason these shots are like this is to make it seem like God or someone else of that power is watching the conflict happening, this is gets more backing by the way that the camera is in the middle of the conflict without affecting her, unlike the close ups which make you feel like you are there getting persecuted with her.
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