Cast: Ralph Fiennes [M. Gustave], Jude Law [Author], Tony Revolori [Zero Moustafa]
The Grand Budapest Hotel: A popular European ski resort in the 1930s, run by concierge Gustave H. with Zero, a junior lobby boy, becoming his friend and protege. Gustave prides himself on providing first-class service to the hotel’s guests. When one of Gustave’s lovers suddenly dies, he finds himself the recipient of a priceless painting and the chief suspect in her murder.
Inspired by: Writings of Stefan Zweig
My rating: 9/10
Narrative aspects
‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’, directed by Wes Anderson, is a film that stretches out the extent to which one’s imagination can be built upon and presented to an audience. Inspired by the works of Stefan Zweig, Anderson developed brilliantly multi-layered characters with intricate and lavish set design and a plotline that is captivating for an audience no matter if they like films with this one’s aesthetical layout or presentation. The film plays around with narrative, building a skeleton that seems as if it is a take on Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception’:
1st level = A girl reading a book called ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ by a statue of remembrance
2nd level = Old ‘Author’ telling the story into the camera about his book ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ from when he worked there
3rd level = Young ‘Author’ meeting the elderly Zero Moustafa, who tells him the experiences he had when he was younger.
4th level = Young Zero Moustafa travelling on adventures with Gustave H. while being the lobby boy for The Grand Budapest Hotel.
This in-depth take on a story reflects how impactful and captivating the experiences of Zero and the event revolving around Gustave H. were in the history of the hotel as well as for the Republic of Zubrowka. Generations continue to talk and discover more about this particular part of history in the fictional world Wes Anderson created. There is a story within a story and each level of the plot is vital to the other one progressing. moreover, the fourth level of the story (as described above) is further divided into five different chapters, further giving the film the feel of the audience reading a visual book than watching a film. It steps out of the conventions of a film, combining and creating synergy with two different entertainment mediums. Also, it follows the idea of the film’s core plot being eventually written into a book that the young girl in the first level (see above) reads.
Infer & Deduce: ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ shares its name with the hotel in the film that serves as the main turning point in the plot as well as where the main character, M. Gustave H. works. It is the heart of the story while serving as a topic that generations read and talk about, as seen in the film. An audience immediately sees the relation and significance of the hotel to the entire plot of the film.
Technical Aspects
Wes Anderson is an auteur with a unique visual style. Where his narrative lacks in depth, the aesthetic in which he presents the world of stories makes his films visually pleasing and entertaining. He is truly an artist, using his films as a canvas to portray the world of his imagination.
Much like with his other films, Anderson incorporates unique camera movements that set his film aside from other films at the box office. Especially in The Grand Budapest Hotel, all camera movements consist of panning left and right, tilting up and down, dolly forwards and backwards and using a crane for moving the camera up and down. Rarely (i.e. 2 or 3 shots in the film), the use of hand-held shots are made. The camera movements complement the fairy-like setting for his characters as well as the homage he pays to a vintage look in The Grand Budapest Hotel, is apt for the time period in which it is set. Similarly, Anderson is more prominently known for the colour palettes he incorporates into the look of the entire film as well as different colour schemes from scene to scene. The colour palette in this film is bright but elegant, filled with purples, yellows, reds and pinks. These colours reflect some sort of special occasion’s colour scheme, or desired colours for desserts and pastries, an element that is closely associated with the hotel business in the film. The old aesthetic is also seen through the elaborate, time, setting and character-specific costumes and props that give implicit details on the personality of the variety of characters, the aspects of the locations used and the plot as well.
To add on, there is a lot of diegetic voice narration in the film, which helps to establish certain plot points from a third person point of view. Also, it reminds the audience of the ‘story within a story’ concept of the film, where the author is telling a story of Zero Mustafa. Moreover, the variety of aspect ratios used within the film (Cinemascope, 4:3 etc) helps to differentiate between the different levels of the story and help establish the time period in which each level takes place. Also, it is aesthetically pleasing!
Favourite Scene
This scene is one of my favourites. It is near the beginning of the film and introduces the two main protagonists of the film: Gustave and Zero. Gustave meets his new lobby boy and decides to interview him while he completes his daily errands, and the humorous side of both the characters is established in this introductory scene. While Gustave asks the new employee questions about his prior experience in the hotel business, Zero answers every question with a comedic ‘zero’, indicating his lack of experience and alluding to his name.
Gustave’s personality is understood with more depth through this scene as he is witnessed genuinely caring for the hotel he works at as a concierge and does not consider it as just a job. He is also the core powerhouse that the entire hotel operations runs on, as all his subordinates ask for his approval for certain hotel management aspects while he interviews Zero.
Visually, the scenes seem to have natural lighting (at least in the appearance) which contrasts with the unrealistic use of colour and costumes. Within the hotel, the setting is not over-illuminated as it would be expected in a fairytale-like surrounding that the hotel looks like. The lighting also aids with the saturated colours within the setting that enhance the tone and mood of this scene, and the entire film in general. This scene, being at the beginning, establishes the mood of the film through its array of bright colours. To add on, there are a variety of shot types, movements and angles in this short duration of the scene that also compliment towards setting the round-off idea and feel of the film that viewers can familiarise themselves with.
What would I do differently?
‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ uses brilliant camera techniques, has a multi-layered story with intriguing characters and is aesthetically very pleasing to watch. Personally, I would not choose to change anything. It is the perfect movie for my own viewing and every time I watch it I enjoy it as if it is my first time.
Cast: Kathy Bates [Annie Wilkes], James Caan [Paul Sheldon], Richard Farnsworth [Buster]
Paul Sheldon, a novelist, is in a serious car crash and is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes, who claims to be his number-one fan. Annie brings him to her house in the suburbs, where her obsession for him takes a horrifying turn when Sheldon is killing off her favourite character, Misery, in his upcoming novel. As Sheldon comes up with a plan for escaping, Annie becomes more controlling and violent as she forces the author to write according to her wishes.
Based on: ‘Misery’ by Stephen King
My rating: 8.5/10
Narrative aspects
‘Misery’ is a film that explores a brilliantly thought out plot that is simple but yet multi-layered. The film mainly takes place in the house of Annie Wilkens, limiting the settings in which the protagonist Pal Sheldon is exposed to yet, the film remains to be interesting until the end. A main point about the film is the character portrayal and development that aid the story to move forward and engages the audience into the surprises of the unknown:
Paul Sheldon – The famous author for the ‘Misery’ novel series suffers from a celebrities worst nightmare when he is taken hostage by a woman who claims to be his number-one fan. Paul Sheldon is thankful at first but as the story progresses he starts to realise that whatever happened to him with the car crash was a complete disaster and far from any good. The audience sees him start to struggle and suffer, which would ultimately bring an inner awakening to a person who would be assured of being arrogant and egotistical. Paul has a successful novel series and out of nowhere, he is in a situation he never thought he would end up in. It makes one realise how sufficient we are on our own but also how easily we can be brought down to nothing from illness or injury. Paul is seen bedridden and completely dependant on Annie Wilkens, who sadly, by his bad luck, is not someone who he would want taking care of him.
Annie Wilkens – The antagonist of the film is seen with a variety of attitudes, from content and civilized to completely rageful and horrific, which would lead an audience to immediately conclude that Annie is suffering from bipolar disorder. She is easily triggered into feeling angry by the slightest of words or actions, and Paul falls victim to it. Annie’s innocence is shadowed upon a few scenes after she appears, at first making an audience question the outburst but once it continues repeatedly on occasions, an in-depth look into her character could unearth more origins for her behaviour. Annie is portrayed as someone who is most likely having ‘Celebrity Worship Syndrome’, an obsessive-addictive disorder, where clearly, Paul is the famous personality in this situation. For Annie to stumble upon her idol is beyond her dreams and she displays to be ‘overly involved and interested (i.e., completely obsessed) with the details of the personal life of a celebrity’ (PsychologyToday). This leads her into controlling Paul as if he is some sort of play-doll or pawn in a game of chess, with her demands being every move towards reaching ‘checkmate’ and gaining the version of the ‘Misery’ novels she would be pleased with.
According to Wikipedia, based on the book by Christopher Booker:
Overcoming the Monster
The protagonist sets out to defeat an antagonistic force (often evil) which threatens the protagonist and/or protagonist’s homeland.
Rags to Riches
The poor protagonist acquires power, wealth, and/or a mate loses it all and gains it back, growing as a person as a result.
The Quest
The protagonist and companions set out to acquire an important object or to get to a location. They face temptations and other obstacles along the way.
Voyage and Return
The protagonist goes to a strange land and, after overcoming the threats it poses to them, they return with experience.
Comedy
A light and humorous character with a happy or cheerful ending; a dramatic work in which the central motif is the triumph over adverse circumstance, resulting in a successful or happy conclusion.
Tragedy
The protagonist’s character flaw or great mistake which is their undoing. Their unfortunate end evokes pity at their folly and the fall of a fundamentally good character.
Rebirth
An event forces the main character to change their ways and often become a better person.
‘Misery’ fits in the categories of ‘Overcoming the Monster’ (where Paul makes it his mission to get rid of Annie, the antagonist, and break free from being held captive), ‘Rags to Riches’ (Paul is successful at his work as an author and it all goes away when Annie finds him after the car accident. Paul grows as a person with more consideration as he escapes from Annie’s home), ‘Rebirth’ (Whatever Paul goes through makes him realise that he should change his ways and so ends up with a new mindset about himself and his work). The combination of these plots allows the story of the film to become more in-depth as well as continue to remain entertaining with multi-layered characters till the credits roll. It is storytelling at its finest and combining many of these plot concepts is not noticeable in the film, nor probably in the book by Stephen King.
Infer & Deduce: The film’s title shares its name with the novel it is based on by Stephen King, though contains a hint of mystery since the word ‘Misery’ is also the name of the book series that the main character, author Paul Sheldon, creates and writes. Additionally, this is also the name of the protagonist in the book series that is in the book written by Stephen King that the film is based on. Humorously, it sort of feels like something Christopher Nolan would conjure up. Moreover, the use of the descriptor ‘Misery’ would apply to the emotional state Paul Sheldon goes through while being held captive at Annie’s house, as well as what Annie feels towards Sheldon.
Technical Aspects
‘Misery’ uses a variety of techniques to convey the mysterious and disturbing attitude of the character Annie, for example, or the nature of the plot itself. While the soundtrack enhances the atmosphere and makes the scenes more suspenseful, the variety of shot types allows certain implicit messages to be translated for the audience:
Bird’s-Eye Shot – In the few beginning scenes, shots taken from a helicopter while flying over a landscape create the setting for the rest of the film, allowing the audience to familiarise themselves with where the story takes place and how the setting could affect the fate of the characters.
Long Shots – These kinds of shots are used for establishing a setting but show the more intricate of details when compared to a bird’s-eye view. An example of this are scenes from the beginning where the snowy mountains and location is shown while Paul Sheldon drives on the road. Like the Bird’s-Eye Shot, it enlightens the audience about the setting where the film could prominently take place and how the snow, in this film, could act as a helping hand for the protagonist when he is in a life-or-death situation. In ‘Misery’, it is the snow that causes him to be taken hostage by his psychotic number-one fan Annie Wilkens.
Extreme Close-Up Shots – These kinds of shots are used to either direct the focus of the audience to a specific aspect in particular or if an object is of small sizes, like the orange Novril pills that Annie gives to Paul for his pain. Moreover, a sequence that extensively uses these shots is when Annie is coming back home from getting the paper Paul requested for his typewriter while Paul is hurriedly going back to his room so that Annie does not suspect anything. Movement and facial expressions are emphasised on as the pace of the scene rises. Paul is seen struggling with his injury but hastening to his room with close-up shots of the door nob and him locking the door with a bobby pin, for example, or Annie shoes as she walks into the house.
Low Angled/High Angled Shots – These camera angles allow an audience to view the world from certain characters’ point of view without the shot being in the first person. Low Angled shots are used to create the view of Paul Sheldon since he is lower in height when talking to Annie because of being on his bed recovering. Similarly, the audience sees a repeated use of High-Angled Shots that portray how Annie sees Paul, towering over him and looking down. Moreover, these shots depict the level of power in the situation where Annie is seen as superior and controlling over Paul, and Paul is inferior and helpless.
Pans/Tilts/Dolly Movements – Camera movements of any kind keep the shots more interesting to watch for an audience. While in some moments they help reveal details an audience would not have seen in the setting, camera movements follow characters throughout a scene allowing the audience to feel as if they are in the situation rather than watching characters on a screen. This film uses movements to their advantage in scenes that are high in tension with no knowledge of the fate of characters. This keeps it fast-paced as well as the audiences on the edge of their seat.
Furthermore, the lighting techniques allow another level of emotion to be felt by the audience as it creates an intimidating atmosphere in some settings while giving a natural, homely look in others. In scenes hot during the day, lighting is mostly natural from the source of the sun, while indoor scenes use lamps and candles to illuminate the set. In addition to that, an interesting use of lighting is when it starts to rain in the area where Annie lives. When she enters into Paul’s room with surprise, the scene uses the lightning outside to create a dramatic play of light and shadow on her face, enhancing the menacing and malevolent attitude of Annie.
Favourite Scene
This scene explores a different side of Annie Wilkens as she is seen with a unique attitude when compared to the rest of the film. Annie is seen to have an inner realisation about the situation with Paul Sheldon, stating that because he is almost finished with writing the Misery novel that she wants and that his legs are getting better, he would demand to be let out of the house and go home. Annie would not have any control over his life and situation she seems to be enjoying and the rain outside continues to remind her of that ‘inevitable’ future.
The scene uses an array of camera techniques to portray the emotions that Annie in particularly is feeling, with close-up shots emphasising on capturing her facial features and expressions of despair and melancholy. This makes an audience’s strong pessimistic feelings towards her psychotic behaviour previously die down a little as she is seen to have a progression of character and forget about her delusions. Annie seems to know that she cannot have everything she wants anymore. While this scene has comparatively focused on Annie with lengthened shots on the character, the reactions have been countered with Paul’s expressions being shown from time to time as she looks at him and says particular words. From the way Paul reacts, he would seem to feel exactly the same as the audience and be hopeful that once the new Misery novel would be over, and Annie receives the story she wanted, she would let him go without any harm. There is a look of relief on Paul’s face. The low-key lighting in this scene adds to the gloomy atmosphere created by the rain which in turn affects Annie’s normally energetic attitude. Moreover, the natural lighting sources of the lamps in the room make the scene feel less scripted or fabricated and more of an actuality. To add on, the sound from the rain outside hitting the windows also brings more emotional pain to the scene while making it more naturalistic.
However, all restored faith in Annie Wilkens drains away when she seems to become detached from the rationale she was leading Paul towards believing and pulls out a small revolver from her robe pocket. Immediately the audience, as well as Paul, realise that Annie definitely has some psychological conflictions with herself and would do anything in her power to achieve what she wills. The tension rises in the scene, creating anticipation towards what horrific action Annie would commit next, or when she would have her next anger outburst. The final dutch-angled shot in the scene taken to show Annie exiting her house and stepping onto the porch portrays a sense of displacement between the character’s attitude as well as their morale.
What would I do differently?
Of course, producing this film with modern day technology would allow it to be high definition and consist of different settings, clothes and props as times have changed though I would not change anything about the film. It was pleasant to watch, disturbing at times which is exactly what it intended on, as well as, entertaining. The actors did a brilliant job in portraying the characters and the emotions they felt in the situation.
Cast: Robert Mitchum [Harry Powell], Billy Chapin [John Harper], Lillian Gish [Rachel Cooper]
Serving time in prison for car theft Rev. Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), who is a religious fanatic and serial killer, meets murderer Ben Harper (Peter Graves) who confesses that he hid $10,000 that he had stolen. After being released from jail, Powell is obsessed with taking the money for himself and tracks down Harper’s widow Willa (Shelley Winters) and her two children John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce).
Based on: ‘The Night of the Hunter’ written by David Grubb
My rating: 8/10
Narrative aspects
‘The Night of the Hunter’, a film based on a book about how greed can lead to a human being losing his or her conscience and way in life, is still relatable in today’s world. The narrative progresses from one point tot he other gradually, allowing viewers to absorb and understand what is taking place within the plot without overwhelming them. Every scene contains a level of suspense and a hint of dread as the audience fell in favour of the children, the protagonists of the film, and want them to succeed. In many of the film’s moments, tension rises and falls, being replaced with another instance where John and Pearl are faced with a fate-changing situation. Though this film is a crime and thriller, in its essence it is a mystery of where the money is hidden, which spirals into the survival of the children. From the moment Ben Harper, John and Peral’s biological father, reaches home with the money in his hands, the money’s real hiding place is kept hidden and is not shown or mentioned. This involves the audience and heightens the effect that the mystery genre creates.
This film has a variety of underlying themes that provide a better understanding of the plot, characters and their emotions:
Religion – The belief system of human beings plays an im[portant role in this film, where all characters either use religion as a basis for their own advantage or show strong faith and practice. Henry Powell, the protagonist in the film, is a serial killer posing as a preacher to sway the people around him into a trance that whatever he says and does should be accepted and followed blindly without questioning. He is a tool in the brainwashing practice he follows with anyone he meets, like when marrying the widow and mother of John and Pearl, Willa Harper. He uses religious biblical verses out of context and bends their meanings to fit his own personal interests and get away with the deceiving-kind attitude he presents to the outside world. It makes an audience question what is right and wrong since someone posing as a preacher could commit heinous crimes in a film does not mean it cannot happen in reality. To juxtapose his character, Ms Rachel Cooper, an old woman who has devoted her like to taking care of young children that don’t have a home, is one of strong belief and uses it in the correct ways while sharing biblical triumphs and stories with the children to allow them to understand the situations they encounter in their everyday lives. The film starts with Ms Cooper telling a story to the children she cares for which references some verses from the Bible which actually does foreshadow the story that would proceed in the film:
Now, you remember children how I told you last Sunday about the good Lord going up into the mountain and talking to the people… And then the good Lord went on to say, ‘Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly, they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them.’
Authority – The film has constant references towards authority and how character’s sacrifice their individuality and free-will in the hands of much superior force, whether human or other. This relationship is seen in Henry Powell and his -not-so-genuine belief in God and religion and using that level of authority to get away with his disgraceful choices. Moreover, Ben Harper is an authority figure to his son John Harper, who is given the task to guard the secret of where the money his father stole is hidden with his life. This commitment completely changes the way young John lives his life and the way he acts, becoming a more mature child and acting as the caretaker of his sister when his parents cannot. Similarly, Henry Powell is an authority figure in the eyes of Willa Harper, John and Peal’s mother, while also Ms Cooper is someone the children look up to and obey. The film’s theme of authority battles between giving authority to the correct person for the correct purpose against depending on authority to help you escape impossible situations for which one is guilty.
Good (Innocence) vs. Evil (Greed and Deception) – Without a doubt, the concept of ‘Good vs. Evil’ is linked to every scene, plot point, character and theme as well. While Henry Powell acts as a manifestation of Evil in the film, the people around him are, in a surface-level sense, the counter Good. Powell is fueled by his greed and materialistic behaviour while also using the art of deception to sneak past unsuspecting town-folk and achieve his goals. The saying ‘Looks can be deceiving’ is one that is the main message of the film where, while Powell seems good because he’s a ‘preacher’ and spreads the ‘word of God’ but is completely far from it, John comes out as being a strong-willed individual with the loyalty towards his father in his possession and the determination to bring injustice to his step-father. On the other side, when looking at greed and deception, the persistence in manipulating a child, like Powell does with Pearl and asks her to play the ‘secrets game’, exhibits the level of inhumanity a person can possess to confirm that they succeed in their business. It is a sad and devastating reality of the world and how many people use this tool for their own selfish desires. In this way, this film is very relatable in any time period since the characteristic of being selfish or greedy is close to being innate in people.
To add on, the film sports a few parallel moments, ones that are visually similar and others that reference other characters in literature. Firstly, the film’s starting involves a scene where John watches his biological father, Ben Harper, being taken down and arrested by the police to be sentenced to hanging. This causes the boy to feel extremely distressed and angry, shouting out to the policemen to stop hurting his father. While the audience is met with the young boy’s courage and determination to keep his father’s secret safe, the film exposes John to another moment towards the end that mirrors the way in which his father was taken away, but this time having Henry Powell to be the subject being arrested. John is taken aback by the similarity to something that happened very recently in his life and is immediately distressed as he lives through this ‘deja vu’ moment once again. To move forward, other parallels in the film include the story of Blue Beard and the concept of Old Mother Goose, which are both allusions to literature. Blue Beard shares a similar story to ‘The Night of the Hunter’ while Old Mother Goose is seen to be similar to the way Ms Cooper acts and cares for the children in her care.
Infer & Deduce: The choice for the film’s title could be because it is based on the book by the same name. This way, people can relate their understanding to the book and may even want to seek out the book after enjoying the film, and reading it for further entertainment. Though, digging deeper into the overall meaning and significance, ‘The Night of the Hunter’ could be a literal order of words put together. Many of the scenes and especially important plot-progressors, do take place at night, the film plays around very intelligently with shadows and the main Antagonist, Henry Powell, is depicted quite like a hunter who is after the money hidden by the children, whom he refers to as ‘lambs’.
An interesting thing to note about the film is the biblical references Henry Powell communicates with the letter markings on his hands, the left hand spelling out ‘HATE’ and the right-hand spelling ‘LOVE’. What is an implicit and subliminal reference to the plot and the character in the film turns out to actually be something very intelligent, with on the film’s poster the left hand’s knuckles being on display pointing straight to the camera. Before even watching the film, a viewer would notice and understand that the character in the picture, Powell, is associated with negativity.
Technical Aspects
The film uses a variety of technical aspects to get its implicit meaning across to the audience. While shot types and angles, like bird’s eye view and close-ups to establish the setting and convey deep emotions felt by the characters, respectively, are used with their significance to capture a moment in the film with ambiguity but still providing a lot of information, music in ‘The Night of the Hunter’ plays a key role in the suspense and thriller atmosphere heightened throughout. The loud booming soundtrack adds a sense of danger to the backdrop of the film while the lyrical songs scattered across which are sung by different characters give the film an eerie feel, for example, the song that Powell sings ‘Leaning on the Everlasting Arms’ (‘a hymn published in 1887 with music by Anthony J. Showalter and lyrics by Showalter and Elisha Hoffman.’ – Wikipedia) may have an innocent and soothing nature and meaning though it becomes associated with Powell committing his acts of crime.
Along with the above, the major aspect of the film, for which it is famous for, is the use of lighting to complement the nature of the scenes. Lighting in the film is used to maintain a degree of secrecy, ambiguity and mystery, in a film that is all about its suspense. The play with shadows in the film impact the way in which characters and scenes are perceived by the audience. The expressionistic usage of light, rather than realistic, is what makes Henry Powell a cunning criminal with psychopathic tendencies, and on the other hand, the light technique makes the audience feel pity for the children while being shadowed in the large and devasting world they live in. These messages are constantly switched from one to another and it adds to the ever-changing attitude of the audience towards the way certain characters act. To add on, the lighting setup is done decently well, with accuracy and consideration given to the time of day and the source of light (like the position of the sun and moon, or lamps and candles inside or outside the setting). It seems as though a lot of the day scenes have been shot with natural lighting and a limited use of added external lights to enhance the scene. This allows the characters to seem more realistic rather than over-exposed. Though on the other hand, many of the scenes take place in the night and this compliments the shadowy, eerie feeling portrayed throughout the film. An interesting concept in relation to lighting is that in a couple of scenes the lighting technique creates the shape of a triangle around characters. Being a film with a major influence of faith and belief, the triangular shape of light could symbolise the Holy Trinity.
Favourite Scene
When Henry Powell is out to catch John and Pearl once and for all, they escape his villainous capture by rowing a book down a river bank and letting the current guide them to wherever they can find shelter. This scene is one of the more calmer and non-distressing parts of the movie that actually makes one quite sad for the poor children who never asked for such a complicated life. The first significant thing about the clip is the song that young Pearl sings to herself and her doll:
Once upon a time there was a pretty fly
He had a pretty wife, this pretty fly
But one day she flew away, flew away
She had two pretty children
But one night these two pretty children flew away… flew away
Into the sky
Into the moon
The lullaby bears a lot of similarities to the situation John and Pearl are in the middle of, involving their own parents and the fact that they have been taken away or have ‘flown away’ from them. The effect of this song in this scene makes the audience feel more emotional and sympathetic towards the children, growing their desire to see them have a happy ending and find a family once again. The symbolism in this song is strong, with comparing the children and their parents to bugs and ‘normal folk’ whose lives are pretty insignificant to the dominating predators, like human beings and in this case, Henry Powell, who could just swat these ‘flies’ away in order to successfully receive his desires.
Another interesting concept portrayed in this scene is how the children, in their wooden boat, pass by a couple of animals who are seen living in their homes, like a spider on its web and a frog by the water. This could perhaps symbolise that through the children progressing forward down the river, they have no home or place of belonging, compared to these animals who seem to have a satisfactory system of survival. John and Pearl are drifting forward with no idea about what the future could have for them and yet desperately needing to escape the comfort of their home since the threat of Henry Powell rules over them.
Another brilliant aspect used in the film, regarding mise-en-scene, is the use of lighting to portray a certain tone and mood in scenes. Though the lighting angle constantly changes, where at one point the character’s face is illuminated and the next it is not, the use of ‘natural’ moonlight appearing to shimmer and glisten as a reflection on the river adds a fairytale-like feel and atmosphere as John and Pearl drift ahead in the clam and dark night. The moonlight alone is enough to illuminate the scene and yet keep some aspects hidden in the shadows to continue the ambiguity the film has created for the audience. The scene is very simplistic and it is this point that deepens the meaning and the emotions projected onto the audience. The fact that children of such a young age as John and Pearl have to suffer such tragic and horrific times makes the audience feel more sympathetic towards them. One loophole in the lighting choice and direction is that during a wide shot of the boat on the water, the stars shine down on the characters but the moon, that is clearly seen reflected in the water, does not appear in the sky. This is a lacking on the design part since the backdrop omitted such a large part of the setting that would make the lighting logical and natural.
What would I do differently?
I thoroughly enjoyed this film’s plot and method of production. For the time, it looks incredible and it is brilliant that the story is still applicable in today’s time. If I were to create this film, I would aim to have a better continuity with the lighting. In many scenes the direction of light changes with the type of shot like, for instance, the scene where Ms Cooper is sitting near a window with her gun while singing a song. When the shot transitions from a medium shot to a close-up, the lighting changes. Though it is done to create an effect to imply certain hidden messages of the character’s emotions, it is pretty illogical since light definitely does not work like that in life. Moreover, I would use a better grade of special effects along with making the film in full colour. This would enable a modern audience to connect with the film better as it would be of the standard that films are of nowadays.
Cast: Ansel Elgort [Baby], Lily James [Deborah], Kevin Spacey [Doc]
Music-lover and getaway driver, Baby, is the driver of choice for heist mastermind Doc. Baby ensures that Doc’s assignments of violent, bank robberies with cronies he chooses to get in and out before it’s too late, with the perfect soundtrack picked by him for every job. Wanting to finish the job off finally with one last task so that he can escape with Deborah, a diner waitress, Baby faces obstacles along the way.
My rating: 8/10
Narrative aspects
The aspect of this film that keeps an audience member on the edge of their seat to find out what comes next is to know about the whole story regarding Baby, how Doc met up with him and why is he so musically inclined. The film cleverly fills in these details one bit at a time to keep the audience captivated enough to remain on their seats to watch it, like showing flashbacks of getting his first iPod as a gift for his birthday or showing the car ride that led to the accident that changed his life as a child. The first time that is shown, the shot cuts right before any damage is done, but the next time it is brought back it plays out until the car crashes into the lorry right in front of it. The film reinforces his trauma as a child, which then sort of points to being the reason of how he is as a grown individual. When Doc instructs that he “need[s] to sunset that ride” (32 minutes into the film), he watches the car being crushed at the junk-site with fear at remembering the accident. He sees the sadness of his childhood in everything, in almost every song he hears because his mom loved music and sang. Baby goes on to play ‘Easy’ by Lionel Richie on his music player, which is a good calming song for the background though later, viewers would realise its significance and link to the accident later on.
This film is written around the songs, unlike many others who insert songs into the story later on. Edgar Wright, director and writer of the film, stated in an interview that the inspiration for ‘Baby Driver’ came from listening to a song and imagined it being perfect for a car chase. Then Wright went on to mention that he thought of an idea that a car-getaway driver who needs the perfect song for his driving trips. This creates an interesting set up for each scene since the songs are so apt for every moment.
See ‘Baby Driver – SFX (Digital Trends)’ in the further references section below for more
Infer & Deduce: At first the title of the film may seem obscure, though after watching it does it grow clearer about its meaning and origin. One way the title ‘Baby Driver’ could be looked at is that his code name in the film is “Baby” (real name being “Miles”, appropriately picked out), while his job involves being a driver for a rotating group of robbers. Another way could be considering that he is a young guy and perhaps the youngest of the group everytime Doc, the leader, picks out a new team. At one moment in the film, Doc refers to Miles as “The baby of the bunch”, reinstating that this explanation could be plausible. However, as evidently clear from the last song of the film, the title could have come from ‘Baby driver’ by Simon and Garfunkel. Ignoring the first two lines of the song, some parallels could be drawn to the protagonist of the film:
My daddy was the family bassman
My mamma was an engineer
And I was born one dark gray morn
With music coming in my ears
In my ears
They call me Baby Driver
And once upon a pair of wheels
I hit the road and I’m gone
What’s my number
I wonder how your engines feel
Ba ba ba ba
Scoot down the road
What’s my number
I wonder how your engines feel
Technical Aspects
The variety of camera shots, movements and editing are diverse. As with any film, the use of close-ups signify the deeper emotions while panning the camera shows the entire setting and characters conversing, for example. Some of the transition editing techniques in this film are brilliantly done, blending two scenes together seamlessly, like a car passing by the screen which acts as a medium from one scene to another (acting like a wipe transition). Mostly consisting of cut-to transitions, there is a balance between these and the more longer scenes. While quick jump cuts are used for the car-chase scenes, the lengthier usually one-take shots are used for the normal and sort of ‘household’ scenes at his home or the diner. This could emphasise on Baby’s emotions felt through every scene, while being rushed with adrenaline pumping through his veins during the heist jobs (resulting in the concise shots) and a more calmed and relaxed feel other times.
Another phenomenal technical aspect in this film is how the songs are synced to perfection in every moment. They apply beautifully to the mood created in each scene and to add on, the editing of each song fits with the beat as well as the nature of the song, whether fast or slow. For example, the opening scene where Baby and the gang he’s working with are sitting in the car waiting for the right moment to start their attack on the bank, the editing cuts at the right moment in-sync with the song, a tune that is upbeat and energetic, ‘BellBottoms’ by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. To counter, the last scene has his mother’s cover of ‘Easy’ by Lionel Richie playing as they drive along the country with lines of trees on either side of the road. The shots are lengthened and serene, which fits the mood of the song. Additionally, the film intelligently uses the entire song for its scenes and in some cases extends the scene or shortens it in post-production to better fit the song.
Favourite Scene
The scene involving the iconic car chase and Baby lip-singing to the perfect song for the mood is probably the key choice for many people, though personally, the scene after the car chase where Baby goes out to get coffee for his colleagues is a favourite.
It may seem normal and casual for a picked-out scene, but the use of a one-take shot as well as the choreography to sync the lyrics of the song Baby listening to with keywords showing up on buildings walls, the road and lamp posts is phenomenal. Using the funky and ‘groovy’ song by ‘Harlem Shuffle’ by Bob & Earl, the camera and audience follow Baby across the streets of a section of Atlanta, Georgia in the United States. Though completing a close-to-daily errand, the audience clearly realises that every moment in Baby’s life deserves a song to go along with. From the beginning of the movie through this scene, he is portrayed as a character with good musical taste and a sense of timing as if every moment in his life is rehearsed. Like me, many other watchers of this film would after a few moments into the scene realise that there are words placed around as light ‘Easter Eggs’ that literally depict the lyrics of the song. Moreover, the scene starts with what looks like an abandoned building used for planning heist and ends a the exact same spot, taking the audience on a tour of the street block.
Another very interesting point of this scene is when Baby enters the coffee shop, he removes one of his earphones from his ear to hear the barista clearly. It is a subtle difference but when examined closely, the music’s volume fades a little, enough for the audience to understand the exchange of dialogue. Then once Baby puts on the earphone again, the volume is restored to its initial level. This minor detail makes it clear that the music in this scene is not just background ambience to add a lively effect to the moment but actually viewing the setting and the situation from Baby’s point of view. The audience experience what he can and cannot hear, making it a personal encounter and deepen the understanding of his character, from the very beginning of the film. It is a moment where there is a thin line between diegetic sound and non-diegetic sound. The source is clearly shown on screen as being the headphones through the music sounds like any non-diegetic sound, like a narrative voice-over.
What would I do differently?
This film captures action and crime in a very different way than others of the similar kind. Through the use of classical, old music, many in the audience may feel connected with Baby and enjoy the ‘blast to the past’. If I had to pick out on the smallest of details, I may have focused more on Baby’s disability to hear properly and put in some first-person point of view shots when he’s listening to Doc and the other members plan out their strategies. A scene example would be that the camera placed as if from his point of view, as non-diegetic music plays in the background coupled with muffled voices, where all the characters turn to look his way and he removes his earphones from being conscious. As his earphone move away, the sound fades with it.
This could highlight his disability and how he does not let it stop him from doing his job, and uses it to his own advantage. Moreover, the audience may feel more inclined towards understanding Baby and the choices he makes, along with the flashbacks shown of the accident involving him and his parents.
The director and writers of this film are brilliant and have played out the scenes in the most logical and concise way, with giving the audience just the right amount of what they need. As a whole, I would really not want to change anything.
Auteur Theory 