An Analysis of the Opening Sequence of Stanley Kubrick's ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ Focusing on the Use of Generic Conventions

David Bordwell wrote his article ‘The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film’ in an effort to convey the main idea that “art cinema” can be considered as a distinct mode of film practice, through its definite historical existence alongside other cinematic modes, set of formal conventions, and implicit viewing procedures. Rather than searching for the source of the art, or what drives the art in film, Bordwell compares art cinema to the classical narrative cinema, and highlights the differences in narrative structure. Bordwell makes the assumption that it defined itself against the classical narrative mode; especially with the way it deals with space, time, and the cause and effect link of events.

A film genre is a motion picture category based on similarities in either the narrative elements or the emotional response to the film. While films have at least one major genre, there are a number of films that are considered crossbreeds or hybrids with three or four coinciding genre or sub-genre types that they can be identified with them and most can be filed into categories that are easily recognizable to audiences (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 1998, p. 4.1). However, ever so seldom a film comes along that breaks free of its invisible bounds of genre and it leaves the audiences confused about the actual existence of genre. One such film is a film that most are familiar with Steven Spielberg’s classic Saving Private Ryan.

“Kubrick’s work reveals deeper evidence of the personal involvement which distinguishes the true auteur. His develpment has been remarkably consistent through an apparently heterogeneous range of projects, and each film’s meaning becomes more confidently definable when one places it in relation to its fellows (page 561 paragraph 2).”

The film Rear Window effectively and heavily implements all four aspects of mise-en-scene in order to create themes that can easily be understood and broken down by and for its’ viewers. Sound and lack thereof is also used successfully especially in scenes where conversations cannot be made out either because music is used to deafen the audience or simply because the conversations are seen from Jeff’s perspective in which case he is simply too far away to hear anything. The primary setting of Rear Window as well as the important costumes and props that are present in this film are what allow this film to flow so well. Character movements and performances in Rear Window leave viewers with enigmas as well as reveal motifs that will be constantly seen or mentioned throughout the film. Lighting and sound are certainly key as they add to the suspense of Rear Window and offer even more enigmas.

Being one of the world’s most popular art forms, it was inevitable that these archetypes would find their way into film as well. In this essay I will argue that the

In 'Rear Window, ' Hitchcock created an exclusive form of narration that guides the audience by symbolizing the windows as their eyes in which the majority the movie is shown through. As one of the signature scenes in Hitchcock’s movies, the first set of windows that the audience see are in Jefferies ' apartment in the opening-credits scene. The majority of the story was given away with regards to the forthcoming storyline, which has also presented an opportunity to set the tone of the film. It signified that the movie has officially begun when the bamboo curtain of Jeff 's window is raised and the courtyard is shown. This furthers the idea in which the eyes of the viewers are now has become a part of Jeff 's windows. Due to the metaphor, the audience 's

    Film and literature are two media forms that are so closely related, that we often forget there is a distinction between them. We often just view the movie as an extension of the book because most movies are based on novels or short stories. Because we are accustomed to this sequence of production, first the novel, then the motion picture, we often find ourselves making value judgments about a movie, based upon our feelings on the novel. It is this overlapping of the creative processes that prevents us from seeing movies as distinct and separate art forms from the novels they are based on.

Genre is a French word meaning ‘type or ‘kind’ (Genre, 2016). The film industry has been around for at least 100 years. The evolution of entertainment is growing rapidly through the use of media. And as these years go on, films have begun to fit into specific genres, and are important to appeal to the different types of audiences. Films can be described to genre in different types of ways, such as stars, director and narrative to help identify what genre the film is (Neale, 1990, pg. 49). Genre in films has become common because it helps give the audience a different expectation. One specific genre of film is a horror. Horror is a genre that tries to create, panic, dread and fear for the audience.

The five elements: frame, composition and design, territorial space, proxemics patterns, and open and closed forms; all contribute to the strategic arrangement the director chose for the frame. Without these elements, films would lack the underlying structure of symbolic meaning that contributes to the storyline as a whole. Both The Sandlot and The Longest Yard contained many scenes with successful use of mis en scene to reveal the inner workings of the director’s mind and the underlying symbolic meaning that the arrangement contributes to the

When analysing a film, to know if it is good or not we have to put four aspects in mind. Sound, mise-en-scène, editing and cinematography. In this essay I am going to have a close analysis of the opening scene of the movie Drive in terms of mise-en-scène and sound. Drive is a movie that is adapted from a book.

Auteur Theory is based on three premises, the first being technique, the second being personal style, and the third being interior meaning. Furthermore, there is no specific order in which these three aspects must be presented or weighted with regard to a film. An Auteur must give films a distinctive quality thus exerting a personal creative vision and interjecting it into the his or her films.

Understanding movies comes from describing and analyzing the cinematic, theatrical, and literary elements that combine to create meaning. These steps create a basic understanding of the artistic and technical elements found in moviemaking. In addition, the major characteristics of different film genres and classic movies will be analyzed. The purpose of this paper is analyzing the Academy Award winning film Chicago. This paper will describe the six steps that a person should think about when watching a movie. These steps include, (1) analysis of the narrative: story, plot and meaning; (2) theatrical elements, (3) cinematography, (4) editing, (5) sound and the (6) complete package.

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film, Rear Window, explores many dimensions in cinematography. The phenomenal film is well known for proclaiming its voyeurism issues that goes on in today’s society. Even though voyeurism is an act that should not be done, this film portrays it in an affirmative way. Rear Window introduces primary structural components in the first act which sets the mood for the audience to interact with J.B. Jefferies in a way as it is the audiences duty to help him solve the mystery on whether Thorwald murdered his wife or not.

This paper will focus on the film techniques used by Cameron in his three most known movies, Titanic (1997), Avatar (2009), and Terminator series. Mise-en-scene according to John Gibbs is used in film studies in the discussion of visual style. Translated literally it means “To put on stage”, but for the purpose of students, it is defined as the contents of the frame and the way they are organized (p 5). In addition, a director’s style can be identified only through the arrangement and orchestrations of the film’s mise-en-scene (Nelmes, 425).The films Titanic, Avatar, and Terminator series were successful

The release of Gordon Hollingshead and Alan Crosland’s The Jazz Singer in 1927 marked the new age of synchronised sound in cinema. The feature film was a huge success at the box office and it ushered in the era David Bordwell describes as ‘Classical Hollywood Cinema’; Bordwell and two other film theorists (Janet Staiger and Kristin Thompson) conducted a formalist analysis of 100 randomly selected Hollywood films from the years 1917 to 1960 in order to fully define this movement. Their results yielded that most Hollywood made films during that era were centred on, or followed, specific blueprints that formed the finished product. Through this analysis of Hollywood films the theorists were able to establish stylised conventions and modes of