Essay on Mise-en-scene in Citizen Kane and Persona

The mise-en-scene used in Bonnie and Clyde is what created the classic film we enjoy today. While the film editing in this film was revolutionary to the entire industry, that isn’t what viewers remember. According to the book, Film Art, “Many of our most vivid memories of movies stem from mise-en-scene.” In this film, the mise-en-scene is an important as that quote suggests. It is responsible for a variety of the most essential aspects of the movie. Bonnie and Clyde implemented mise-en-scene to describe characters, promote symbolism and solidify motifs throughout the film.

In this assignment an analysis will be done on the opening scenes of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope written and directed by George Lucas (1977). A discussion on the salient elements of mise-en-scene and mise-en- shot, along with the various editing techniques through which pockets of meaning are created will also be examined in detailed in order to present a thorough understanding between theoretical and application response to Film Art. Under mise-en-scene an analysis will be done on the different aspects that form part of mise-en-scene in film namely; examining the film’s setting, lighting, and custom and makeup. Thereafter an analysis on mise-en-shot elements will do done in the same light as the mise-en-scene will be examined, thereafter

To what extent does the Mise-en-Scene in ‘Night of the Hunter’ reinforce an understanding of the film's mood, character and narrative themes?

In the film “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” directed by Steven Spielberg, elements of mise en scene and cinematography are utilized narrative form to progress the story of Indiana Jones. A chain of events in a cause and effect relationship used in order to tell a story, the depth given to the main character by means of different sides of the protagonist’s life as well as discussing the settings and surroundings of events and actions of the film.

What is mise-en-scene? Mise-en-scene is the arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place where a movie is enacted. It is most commonly used to show the setting of the movie. But if used correctly can be used to portray the feelings of the characters and to help tell the story. Orson Welles made sure to use the props, actors, and even the camera to use mise-en-scene to tell the story of Charles Foster Kane to its fullest. Character positions, camera angles and music, and framing used to tell the story in Citizen Kane. It’s use of mise-en-scene made it not only ahead of its time, but it made it a masterpiece.

This film’s mise-en-scène shapes my feelings by visually being straightforward and realistic. Visually the film makes me feel like I am a part of the character’s different paths in life, including the citizens of the small towns that are equally being affected financially. This is evident in the visual decay of each town. This film, despite the tense and criminal scenes, has the power to make me pause my scrambled thoughts as the camera pans to a West Texas inspired sunset that expands across the bleak earth. This ultimately makes me feel warm and experienced as if I was one of the citizens that face such harsh economic conditions during the day yet an alluring scenery at night. Another aspect of the mise-en-scène in Hell or High Water is the use raw lighting. Through the use of hard lighting, such as the bold shadows and sunlight beating down, the movie truly captures a sense of

The American films The Godfather I and II directed by Francis Ford Coppola, included mise-en-scene to emphasize certain characteristics and themes during both films. In this essay I will discuss how mise-en-scene was used to portray the lives of the Mafia families in the 1940s and 50s.

Citizen Kane Citizen Kane is often called the greatest film ever made. Its use of film techniques often taken for granted nowadays were completely new and had not been done before. Simple things like ceilings on the sets and realistic scenes such as the newsreel, which would not stand out in a modern film, were combined to make a film full of innovative techniques. The director, Orson Welles, developed the use of deep focus to make the flat cinema screen almost become three dimensional, which added a realism that had not been explored before.

     In the movie Citizen Kane , young Charles Foster Kane is very energetic, optimistic and has a very positive outlook on life. At the same time he hates his old and bitter guardian, Mr. Thatcher, who has secluded himself from the everyday man and the only thing he is after is money and stature. Later on in life Charles Kane turns into an exact carbon copy of Mr. Thatcher, even though that is exactly what he wanted to get away from. In this essay I will prove how the used of sound, in the scenes in Thatcher¡¦s library and Xanadu, as compared to the earlier scenes in young Kane¡¦s newspaper office, help establish this development in Kane¡¦s character.

The aspect of the Citizen Kane’s mise-en-scene that stood out to me the most were the sets. The first scene showing the once amazing and repugnant Xanadu now in disrepair helps to portray the psychological disrepair Kane experiences over the film. The giant oversized office of Mr. Thatcher portrays the cold decrepit old men who are in it. The huge interiors of Xanadu show the isolationism of his relationship towards Susan and his own loneliness in the world. Each of the sets in the film help to show the progression of the character. The sets along with the other aspects of mise-en-scene create the effect of reality by its change. The mise-en-scene of the film is a reflection of the character progression throughout the movie. The scene where

The whole story of Citizen Kane is based on the word ‘rose bud’, it is the last word that Kane said before he died. Because of that the producer was not satisfied with the documentary made for Kane, journalist Thompson interviewed everyone who was still alive and was connected with Kane in order to find out the meaning of ‘Rose bud’. Kane’s life was uncovered through the memories of the five interviewed people. Despite the story of the film, ’Citizen Kane’ was a film that bravely broke the classical Hollywood linear narrative system but developed in a non-linear diversified narrative form, with many flashback shorts. It points out the clue: rose bud at the very beginning of the movie and makes the journalist kept mentioning this word to promote

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope (1948) creates suspense through the dramatic irony of a dinner party where the missing guest’s dead body is hidden in the very chest off of which the guests dine. Brandon (John Dall) and Phillip’s (Farley Granger) Nietzschean ideals are not fully revealed to the audience until the introduction of critical supporting character Rupert Cadell (James Stewart). An impeccably dressed, suave, intellectual man, Rupert reveals critical information about the men which eventually spoils Brandon’s plan. The expository characterization of Rupert through performance and costume elements of mise-en-scène adds important background information about Brandon and Phillip and challenges them intellectually, thus creating tension around the linear temporality of Brandon’s plan and the plot.

Through its various components, the mise-en-scène in the contract signing scene in Citizen Kane provides viewers with a more in depth understanding of the symbolism of the transaction. In this sequence, in the foreground, Kane’s mother and Mr.Thatcher consult the contract that the man is offering the family to bring Charles with him and, in the clearly defined background, the child is playing with a snowman. Thus, the window through which we see Charles becomes an additional frame inside of the shot: a division is formed between the inside and outside of the home, creating a strong contrast between the mise-en-scènes of the two scenes. The distinction is particularly noticeable through lighting ; the slightly overexposed window caused by the abundance of snow contrasts with the dark interior of the home.

This can be created by using setting, lighting, costume, makeup, staging and performance. An example of this would be when a character in a scene such as Landa from Inglourious being more lit-up and visible than the other character. Thus, the audience only focus on Landa. The action can also suggest that one character is more superior or important than the others in the scene, thus, also attracting more attention from the audience. The book suggests the mies-en-scene is important because it creates the magic in the film, for example Melies creating a match-cut with a bus and a hearse. Therefore, the audiences see it as a bus being transformed into a hearse. I believe that the location of things in a frame can be important because it emphasizes the actions and make the story more clear since the audience will not miss out on any important events if their eyes and attentions are properly directed. Most importantly, the way things are in a frame can suggest different feelings, meanings and interpretations. One example of how the setting of a shot can affect the viewers is in Big Hero 6 or in Wendy and Lucy where the first scenes were the locations which gave the audiences background information about the story and the characters. The setting can also tell where the events will take place,

Mise-en-scène is a French term and originates in the theater. It means, literally, "put in the scene." For film, it has a broader meaning, and refers to almost everything that goes into the composition of the shot, including the composition itself: framing, movement of the camera and characters, lighting, set design and gen earl visual environment, even sound as it helps