Taking a Closer Look at The Godfather

The 1972 film The Godfather ends with Michael eliminating all of the heads of the rival families, while Michael's niece is being baptized. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O789amyaMvw&feature=related.

This scene is considered to be one of the greatest endings to a movie. Francis Ford Coppola is a directing mastermind as he displays an excellent use of mise - en - scene in this scene. The term "mise - en - scene", according to our textbook The Film Experience, literally means "placed on a stage" or in more simpler terms "onstage". Mise - en - scene contains certain elements from the movie, such as the actors / actresses, the sets, lighting, etc.

Some great examples of mise - en - scene in this scene are the Corleone soldiers preparing for the executions of the heads of the five rival families. He does a brilliant job of positioning the actors. For instance, the head that exits the building and points out to his wingman that there is a cop giving him a ticket, the man waiting calmly in the stairway, the man coming up the stairs with a package are examples of positioning the actors in this scene. When Michael is asked if he renounces Satan, the five heads are murdered. Their corpses are perfect examples of mise - en - scene, as they were planned to be put in a specific spot.

In conclusion, Copolla uses excellent mise - en - scene in this scene. His use of positioning the actors in this scene are great examples of mise - en - scene.

The 1972 film, The Godfather, was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. This film narrates the Corleone crime family, who reside in New York. This film takes place in 1945 and begins with the wedding reception of Don Vito Corleone's daughter, Connie Corleone Rizzi (played by Talia Shire). Meanwhile, Don Vito Corleone A.K.A "The Godfather" (played by Marlon Brando) is listening to requests inside his house. Soon after, the Don's youngest son Michael Corleone (played by Al Pacino) returns home from war to join the reception.

Weeks later, a drug dealer named Sollozzo A.K.A "The Turk" meets with the Corleone family. Sollozzo asks the Don for money and protection so that Sollozzo can distribute and import heroin. The Don refuses, because he feels that his influence among very powerful people could be jeopardized. Shortly after the Don refuses Sollozzo's request, the Don is gunned down by Sollozzo's men. The Don does survive though, but this is what initiates a war between the five crime families.

The Godfather, is arguably one of the greatest movies ever made. The film is full of suspense and twists and turns to keep the viewer entertained. I can easily say that this film is, by far, my new favorite movie of all time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPXVGQnJm0w&feature=related

A Closer Look at Apocalypse Now

All throughout Apocalypse Now, Francis Ford Coppola uses excellent cinematography techniques, such as camera proximity, camera angles, and color. As Captain Willard is being asked to assassinate Colonel Kurtz "...with extreme prejudice...", Coppola uses great camera proximity as shoots the faces of Willard, General Corman, and Colonel Lucas at a reasonable close - up distance. I noticed that Coppola zooms in on objects as well. For example, when General Corman and Colonel Lucas play back voice of Colonel Kurtz, Coppola zooms in on the "tape recorder." The camera proximity technique adds to the intensity of the film as the audience can read the emotion on the actors faces.

Copolla also uses really good camera angles in this movie. For example, during the ride of the valkyrie scene, I noticed many canted shoots of the soldiers, helicopters, tape player that played the music, etc. These shots add to the excitement of this scene. As U.S. Helicopters are flying over the "hairy" villages near the AirCav, Ride of the Valkyries is playing in the background. Copolla also uses good high angle shots in this movie. Using the same scene, Ride of the Valkyries, Copolla offers the audience good views of the ocean that the U.S. soldiers are flying over. He even gives great shots of the helicopters from an elevated distance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz3Cc7wlfkI

Finally, Copolla also displays a very good use of color in this movie. A perfect example of color in this movie, is when Jay "chef" Hicks discovers the white puppy on the Asian trade ship. I strongly believe that Copolla uses color in this movie to imply certain things. For example, I believe that the white puppy meant peace. As soon as Willard ship was attacked and the puppy disappeared, there was no more peace in that situation.

In conclusion, Copolla uses excellent camera proximity, color, and camera angles in this film. He does this to add to the excitement and the intensity of this film.

Apocalypse Now

The 1979 war film Apocalypse Now, takes place during the Vietnam War. Captain Benjamin Willard (played by Martin Sheen) is lifted from his drunken and depressed state and is approached by General Corman (played by G.D. Spradlin) and Colonel Lucas (played by the one and only Harrison Ford) with an assignment: travel up the Nung River into the Cambodian jungle to kill one of the U.S. army's own men, Colonel Walter Kurtz (played by Marlon Brando). Willard is informed that Kurtz has gone insane and Willard must end the Colonel's command.

The U.S. army has ordered a boat, commanded by Chief Phillips (played by Albert Hall), to take Willard up the Nung River. Joining Phillips and Willard are Tyrone "Clean" Miller (played by Lawrence Fisher), Jay "Chef" Hicks (played by Frederic Forrest), and Lance Johnson (played by Sam Bottoms). After many near - death encounters, Willard and his remaining crew finally make it to the Cambodian jungle. He approaches Kurtz and is taken hostage. Willard is determined though, to finish his mission and assassinate Colonel Kurtz.

Overall, I thought that this was an excellent and exciting film to watch. I loved all of the action throughout the entire movie. From the beginning of the movie, where Willard is ordered to take out Colonel Kurtz's command "...with extreme prejudice..." to Willard rising out of the swamp water to assassinate Colonel Kurtz, I enjoyed it all. I would seriously recommend this movie to anybody I know, because I think it was a very well produced movie.

All throughout The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Julian Schnabel (the director) displays a wonderful use of color and point-of-view-shots. Jean - Dominique Bauby has suffered a stroke and has been in a coma for twenty days. He is "...completely paralyzed from head to toe..." and his stroke led him into a condition called locked - in syndrome.

Schnabel offers the audience an accurate POV shot as the movie begins in a hospital room and Bauby is trying to wake up. It is as if Schnabel shoots from the inside of Bauby's eyelids. He uses accurate color schemes, such as the color of the inside of Bauby's eyelids and displaying bright light after his eyes are open.

When Dr. Cochetan is examining Bauby, Schnabel uses excellent techniques such as blurring the shot, correctly framing Dr. Cochetan's finger, and the light that he shines into Bauby's eye and opening and closing the camera lens making it seem like Bauby is struggling to keep his eyes open.

There is a particular moment in this scene in which Bauby dreams about the women that he loves (Ines). Schnabel uses a constant contrast in lighting in this moment. He flickers between bright and normal light, making it seem like an old - fashioned movie. Bauby also dreams about his son, of whom we find out about later on in the film. We discover that his son was with him when he had his stroke. Suddenly, a nurse comes into his room and wakes him up by pulling open the curtains of the nearby window.

Finally, the scene ends with Bauby's neurologist, Alain Lepage explaining to Bauby what has happened to him. Dr. Lepage says to Bauby that he has had a cerebrovascular accident and that he is "...completely paralyzed..." Schnapel uses the correct POV shot as Lepage talks directly to the camera. This makes it seem like Lepage is actually talking to Bauby.

In conclusion, Schnapel displays an excellent use of color and POV shots in the first scene of this film. He correctly portrays the perspective of Bauby. The audience can sense the fear of Bauby in this scene.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly describes the life of Jean - Dominique Bauby after he suffers a stroke that leaves him in a coma for twenty days. His stroke led him into a condition called "locked in syndrome". Bauby is "...completely paralyzed from head to toe..." and must learn to communicate by the blinking of his eye. Bauby will have a nurse in his room, periodically, who will act as a translator. She will ask him a yes or no question, and Bauby must either blink once for "yes" or twice for "no". She will also recite the french alphabet and Bauby must blink for a certain letter.

Personally, I did not like this film. I thought it was very hard and uncomfortable to watch. It was difficult having to see what Bauby's life was like afterwards. In the beginning of the film, Bauby is in a hospital room with a nurse. They are working on his communication skills. She is reciting him the french alphabet and he is blinking for each letter that he wants. He spells out "I want death." This was a very hard and difficult movie for me to watch.