Bonnie and Clyde

When looking at the way Bonnie and Clyde was edited we can see many different techniques that can be related back to the actions that are going on, on the screen. Throughout the film there are the traditional “cut and paste” techniques, where the scenes move and stream together nicely. This can be observed when the film was slow. This was usually when there was plot development, or when the characters were speaking to one another. These shots were much longer, as they were concentrating on a particular point in time. These shots can be contrasted to the techniques that were more quick and choppy. This editing style was used when the movie was picking up in action. Such as the chase scenes between the gang and the police, which occurred numerous times throughout the film. This type of editing made the film unique in the sense that it kept the audience on their toes. 

A major scene, which is a prominent aspect to the film, is a chase scene that occurs into Oklahoma. This take place just after the gang robs a bank and are being chased by the police. Most of the shots in this scene are very quick, only lasting somewhere between two to four seconds long. When the scene starts, a banjo begins to play a fast pace, upbeat song, which foreshadows how the scene is about to go. It gives the audience a sense of craziness. The scene is cut to show the gang then the police officers in the same place as where the gang was with the gang now in the distance. It cuts back and forth, so that the audience can see that the police are just missing the gang. The first scene shows the Barrows pulling away from the bank and then quickly the camera cuts to the same shot of the bank except with the police now coming around the corner and with the Barrows much further down the road than they were in the earlier shot. This use of the camera is used to link the gap of time that is actually passes between the two cars. This editing style also makes the chase scene more influential because the police seem to be much closer than reality. Again, the audience is on their toes, wondering if they are going to be captured.

It is important to note that in the chase scene there is music. This is the only point in time that there is. I think that this is done on purpose because the movie is about the relationship of the people. It is about their lives and how they are living in a time of depression.

It is also important to point out the earlier conversation or plot building scenes. For example when Bonnie and Clyde first meet, the camera follows them as they walk together. There is a point when the camera stops when an important recognition or finding is being made. For example when Bonnie asks a question, Clyde gives a shocking answer, Bonnie stops, as does the camera. The director wants the audience to stop just like the characters, and think about what we are learning about (in this moment) these characters. What they are saying is important to their development in the story.

Molly Koplos 

Group Four Presents:

Oh God, No....

Director's Commentary 

http://soundcloud.com/ben-gross/eng-281-director-commentary

Directors Commentary Transcript:

Ben Gross: Starting off one of the first things you notice is the music selection. The first song we chose is the intro to It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. It’s really happy almost a 50’s-esque sort of sound to it. It paints the picture of something positive and good going on. The first cut we do is you notice is outside, and before you actually see the title screen the actors are already on screen, and the title screen starts the movie and brings the audience into the story with the actors. It makes you feel apart of it. One of the first things with the camera work is the pan down to the cat, to show that the cat is one of the major players in the story line. You notice with the first transition that we use all of our smoother transitions, so fades and wipes to show the passing of time. Where as the direct cuts keep you still in the moment. The music also changes to the Psycho theme song, that’s when, the cat first strikes. That shows that the cat is terrifying, attacking and it’s trying to kill the cat sitter who is watching after him. We use a lot of close ups of the cat. For example in the second scene, it zooms up on the door to show the attempt of him trying to get her away. We use another close up of her sleeping on the couch. The cat is watching and is studying the enemy trying to take as many notes as possible.  Another close up is when she is in the kitchen and the cat leaves behind the poison. This shows the cats intent in the situation of him going at it, for the reason he is not at home with his owner, and he is hell bent on killing the woman for no apparent reason that we can see. We wanted to personify the cat in all of the shots, to show the scheming and conniving and planning that he has-- all of the things he does. He plans to lock her out. He plans to plant the poison. He plans to freak her out with the sign that said murder backwards on the door so that she sees it when she opens the door to the mirror. It was our intent to take a situation where everyone can see themselves watching a friend’s cat for a weekend while they are away. And try to make it seem like in the moment where the characters are you would be terrified. But watching it from this angle it is outrageous and it would never happen. So we get this view of something that is funny, it’s so ridiculous that you have to laugh it in the way that it is set up. When you get this close up of the phone, where it didn’t send the text message trying to say that she is being killed. You then get the last transition of music into the ukulele, which we had in the original sound. But since we cut the sound for the silent aspect of the film we re-recorded it because it fit so well with the dying in the tub. The cat actually being successful, in whichever task worked. That is sort of the mystery, you don’t actually know which one worked. Did he poison her or did he do something else. But he managed to succeed in killing this poor innocent girl, who is only looking after the cat for a few days for her friend. All in all, we had a good time filming, we had fun. We hope that everyone watching enjoys the video.

Psycho

In Alfred Hitchcock’s film Psycho, he implements a variety of camera angles to create a sense of anxiety by attacking the viewers’ senses. With a multitude of spilt second cuts, the scenes of attack become immensely real and terrifying. Instead of using a sequence shot to create one continuous, realistic scene, Hitchcock chooses to make lots of cuts between different shots to create a broken, anxious mood. This is especially portrayed in the shower scene where Marion Crane is stabbed to death. The beginning of the scene flows as one smooth, continuous shot in direct contrast of the chopped up cuts flashing back and forth between Norman and Marion.

At first, we see Marion peaceful in the shower, completely unaware of the horror that is about to come. We slowly see a figure creep in, whose identity is blurred through the shower curtain. Then all of the sudden, the shower curtain is aggressively ripped open, and the mood immediately changes with the shift from a sequence shot of her shower to rapid shots of her slaughter, instilling fear in the viewer. The dark silhouette of the attacker is outlined with the knife raised for slaughter. The camera zooms in for a close-up of her face, her mouth, to show the intensity her all-consuming terror as she screams out. The shots of her attack are shown from all different angles, which enable fear to completely consume the viewer. The shots rapidly flip back and forth from Marion, crying out in horror, to Norman indefatigably stabbing her. Back and forth, the struggle is shown from all perspectives to create a feeling of consumption and vulnerability: there is nowhere to go.

The rapid shots paired with the suspenseful music beating in the background, instill a building anxiety in the viewer as this scene of devastating violence unfolds. The viewer is put in the shoes of Marion as she is being brutally attacked and she tries to look up through the water. Along with Marion, the viewer cannot see the face of the attacker. The identity of the attacker is masked because of the water from the shower that fills her eyes, leaving the attacker dark and indefinable. At all times in this scene, the attacker’s identity is unknown. His face is hidden in shadows, blurred by the shower curtain, and distorted by the water.

Although the shots cover up the attacker’s face, they showcase Marion’s. The shots zoom in on her face in the light but hide his in darkness. The quick shots do not overly expose her body but portray enough to show that she is being stabbed, without any excess gore. In fact, we never actually see the knife enter her skin, but we see her stomach as the knife approaches in anticipation of attack. The quick switching of camera angles implies her stabbings and intensifies fear. This increases anxiety in the viewer being bombarded with different images. Our senses are overwhelmed with so many images and we begin to feel as though we are also being attacked along with Marion.

--Haley Gray