SOUND ~ Skyfall

VIEW CLIP

The fast pace music throughout the clip adds to the narrative by creating tension and suspense. As the clip progresses the sound of trumpets are added to the shot. The first sound of trumpets sound we hear in the clip is when Eve looks over to her right to see that the train is going to travel into a tunnel, this is effective as we realise that the character Eve has a limited amount of time to take the shot, thus tension and suspense is created. As the climax of the fight scene progresses the sound of the violins increase in a high pitched minor key, this musical gesture is a classic way (especially in a fight scene) of pushing the audience to the edge of their seat, the audience is now craving the outcome. This non-diegetic mood music has a pace that is elevated as it progresses, as it is an action scene this could be to mirror the sound of and elevated heart rate that would also increase as the suspense and tension in the scene rises.

When we see Bond get shot all music is silenced, all the sound that remains is a faint echo of the gun shot, the sound of the wind against Bonds falling body and then the eventual splash of his body hitting the water, this could be adding to the narrative by showing a moment of reflection on the event that just took place. These diegetic sounds within the silence are hyper-realistic, this has been done to create more feeling within the audience; to emotionally invest them in the consequences.

Film Response - Full Metal Jacket (Directed by Stanley Kubrick)

4.0

Full Metal Jacket is a story about a pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the U.S.-Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.

One of things I love about this film is the quirky structure. The film is divided in to three parts; part one: Parris island training, part two: life in Vietnam and part three: war in Vietnam. Kubrick uses fades outs to suggest the endings of each part. The diversity of each act almost makes the film seem as though it is three short films with reoccurring characters. This interesting structure differs from the usual two act screenplay formula; this makes the story tell process longer but it also makes the viewer more connected with the characters.

The film should be highly praised on it's blunt telling of the messiness of war. Many American film about the Vietnam war exaggerate the plot to eventually become rather bias. The story although fiction depicts many truths about the Vietnam war; such as the propaganda sent to the US about the war giving false hope and confidence to the American people. One of the reasons I love Jokers character, played by Matthew Modine, is because he tells it as it he doesn't seem to want to glamorize this war but those superior are pressuring him to exaggerate the truth.

CINEMATOGRAPHY~ Full Metal Jacket

In the opening scene of the movie we are shown close-ups of the soon-to-be marines having their hair shaved off, the shaving of the hair represents the removal of their freedom, individuality and normality; from this day forward they are no longer men, they are marines. The use of close-ups works effectively as it manages to convey emotion whilst still being able to have all the action on screen; any further away would look impersonal and too distant for the audience to really connect with these characters effectively.

When the marines are in their training on Paris island, the drill sergeant, Hartman, informing them on what the war in Vietnam will be like and how they need to compose themselves in such conflict. Hartman says "...you will be in a world of sh*t, because marines are not allowed to die without permission!". As he says the latter part the camera cuts to a shot of Lawrence (aka Private Pyles). This could show foreshadowing to the scene where Lawrence shoots Hartman and then himself because in that scene Joker says "Leonard, if Hartman comes in and catches us we will both be in a world of sh*t" to which he replies "I am in a world of sh*t!".

Peace badge on display (left). Peace badge not on display (right).

One of my personal favourite uses of cinematography is in our last with Joker (the mercy killing scene). We see Joker just before he shoots the sniper and his peace badge is on display but immediately when he pulls the trigger the peace badge is hidden from our view. The execution of the girl shows a psychological breakdown; the completion of Joker's military brainwashing. This subtle visual is a very blunt representation of the loss of peace and hope felt by Americans and the Vietnamese. As a wartime journalist Joker was also fighting the propaganda war; many stories were manipulated to give the American people false confidence even though it was a stale mate. Providing a false confidence shows that if a nation cannot be honest about the facts of war, they cannot conduct one properly and they can never win it; which is such a case with the Vietnam war. With this in mind we can consider this use of cinematography as death to the dream that the war would one day end smoothly and peacefully.