"American Beauty" is a film compiled by Alan Ball and aimed by Sam Mendes in the entire year 2000. The film is about Lester Burnham, who is searching for happiness. Lester Burnham can be an ordinary-looking man in his forties. Lester is at a loveless marriage because his wife, Carolyn Burnham, who feels that success is the most crucial thing in life, neglects him due to her obsession to her real estate career. Inside the film, Lester often mentions that Carolyn doesn't acknowledge him. Lester's daughter, Jane Burnham, is psychologically faraway from her daddy, and often cases how pathetic she thinks Lester is. In the very beginning of the film, Lester was informed that he was in danger of losing his job. Each one of these factors dramatically culminate into feelings of desperation and vulnerability for him. This commences to improve as Lester is introduced to his daughter's friend, Angela Hayes. Lester overhears a discussion between Jane and Angela, where Angela states that she would have sexual intercourse with him if he would start working-out and building up his body. The idea of developing a teenage female finding Lester "hot", excites Lester thus start Lester's change throughout the movie (American Beauty, film, 2000).
I will be analysing two moments of the film that i found to be the most significant in terms of how it helped me form my interpretation of and mental reaction to the film. Both scenes involve major switch of occurrences in the film regarding Lester Burnham and I found that the cinematographic features of the moments played a major part in adding to the movie's overall so this means. Corresponding to Richard Barsam, cinematography is the process of acquiring moving images on film or some other medium (Barsam 2007, p. 140). Barsam claims that, "Although cinematography might appear to exist entirely to please our eyes with beautiful images, it is actually an intricate words that can contribute to a movie's overall interpretation up to the storyplot, mise-en-scene, and performing do" (Barsam 2007, p. 140). Which means that the utilization of the several aspects of cinematography such as lighting, framing, camera sides can help donate to interpreting this is of the film itself.
The two cinematographic elements that happen to be mainly used in the displays include composition and camera movements. Barsam expresses that the composition element refers to the set up of visual elements within a shot (Barsam 2007, p. 161). There can be numerous visual elements within a shot. A number of the elements include light, shot compositions (long-shot, medium-shot, close-up), and powerful compositions. Barsam points out that a key component of composition is light. The lighting styles what sort of movie appears and helps inform the storyline (Barsam 2007, p. 148). Among its properties are its source, quality, direction and style. Barsam state governments that the different properties of light interact with other elements to look for the overall feelings and meaning of the arena (Barsam 2007, p. 154).
According to Barsam, the second cinematographic component, camera movement, can transform just how we start to see the images because any movements of the camera modifies the several components of framing. These elements include camera angle, level, level, types of pictures and size (Barsam 2007, p. 176). The moving camera starts up cinematic space, and so filmmakers put it to use to attain many results. Barsam points out that the moving camera leads the viewer's eyesight, or focuses the viewer's attention and, by moving into the picture, helps create the illusion of depth in the chiseled screen image. (Barsam 2007, p. 176)
The first world I will be analysing is the world where Lester first places Angela. In such a world, Lester and Carolyn decided to support Jane at her college where she was performing a boogie at half-time. This field is significant since it shows how Lester starts to rebel against who he is, consequently of Angela's sexuality. The field begins with Lester and Carolyn arriving at the field hockey game before Jane's performance. Then as the performance begins, almost immediately into the dance regime, Angela is given an upward position in the body elevated with dynamic composition. It is dynamic composition because there is activity within the permanent shape (Barsam 2007, p. 161). By giving Angela an upward position within the body, it suggests that Lester is taking notice of her. As the scene persists, Angela has gotten Lester's full attention. Angela is shown moving for the camera in another powerful composition shot complemented by the camera zooming in on her behalf. This enhances Angela's presence and this also provided me a concept regarding the amount of attention Lester is offering Angela due to her sexuality.
The scene proceeds with a static structure shot of Lester. Corresponding to Barsam, a static composition shot is where there is absolutely no activity within the framework, unlike a strong structure where there is motion (Barsam 2007, p. 161). The camera then commences to zoom in on Lester. As the camera zooms in, the masses is eliminated and only Lester is shown in the shape. Furthermore, Lester's sight is apparently bigger than they actually are due to way the camera is concentrating on them. This makes Lester look as though he's drooling over something he wishes. At this time, the camera works a point of view shot displaying what Lester's eyes are fixated on, and that is Angela. This again exhibits the amount of enchantment that Angela has placed over Lester. In Lester's mind, only Angela and himself exists at that time, and everybody else is filtered out because they are not of any importance to Lester.
The field then concludes with a shot-reverse-shot of Angela and Lester. A shot-reverse-shot is where one figure is shown looking at another persona (often off-screen), and then your other persona is shown looking again at the first personality. Since the people are shown facing in complete opposite directions, the audience assumes that they are looking at each other (Yale Film Studies Program 2002). This allowed me to note that in Lester's dream, Angela is dancing erotically simply for him, giving each other the same amount of attention. Mainly because the Lester is desiring a girl that is his daughter's years, it ought to be known that Angela and Lester should never be shown in the same framework in the scene as this shows that there may be some barrier in between them.
Another technical aspect which I discovered that added to the effectiveness of the arena, was the lamps. In the idea of view shot from Lester's perspective that revealed that he was fixated on Angela, Angela was shown by herself in the frame. And as mentioned above, this is to indicate that Lester only has his attention on Angela. The lamps used complemented the shot as the lighting helped to focus my attention on Lester's bigger eyes and this confirmed me that he was being enchanted by what he was seeing.
Another way the lamps was used in the picture was when Angela was shown together in the frame and the backdrop in the shot became a great deal darker. At the same time, a glowing light shined on Angela from above. The lighting in this shot is high contrast and low key. It is high comparison because the difference between the light and darkness is clear. Barsam state governments that low key light is when little or no fill light is used, the ratio between bright brightness and deep shadow is high (Barsam 2007, p. 152). That is shown in the shot because Angela's shadow can be seen behind her and shadows is seen on the others of Lester's face, excluding his eyes.
I discovered that lighting contributed quite a bit in this arena. Firstly, I sensed that the light glowing solely on Angela portrays Angela as the thing of Lester's attention. Barsam claims that lighting tossed down on a personality from above can be utilized for most different effects, (ie: vulnerability) (Barsam 2007, p. 153). In the case of this arena, the light may be portraying the innocence and purity of Angela as she was a virgin throughout the complete film so when light can often be associated with good and darkness with bad. The darkness in the background may signify her artificial personality where she lies about her sexual experience to the people around her. The darkness adjoining Lester through the close up shots of him may be representing the intimate thoughts he fantasizes about in the landscape. And therefore the darkness surrounds him throughout the photos of him paying full attention to Angela.
The second field I am analysing, is the arena towards the finish of the film when Lester's fantasies and dreams are going to become certainty. This field is significant since it shows the next turn of happenings which transforms Lester again, but this time around back again to the mature person he was previously, and also making him realize exactly what it meant to make him happy. This landscape also employs composition and camera movement.
The scene begins with Lester moving close towards Angela who is lying on the couch. The camera pans right while following Lester. I came across this to build up suspense to what would happen next. So that the camera steps to the right, it moves back down. That is a energetic shot with downward movement. Dynamic as a result of movements within the shape and downward activity because the camera moves in a downward activity. Corresponding to Barsam, this downward movement implies a negative action (Barsam 2007, p. 177). In this case, the negative action is Lester's intimate tendencies towards Angela who is an adolescent. Barsam also mentions that the downward movement implies the loss of something (Barsam 2007, p. 177). In cases like this, losing is of Angela's virginity.
The next shot is of Angela showing up at a 45 degree position in the frame. This is known as a Dutch-angle shot. Regarding to Barsam, a Dutch-angle shot is when the camera is tilted from its normal horizontal and vertical position such that it is no longer straight, giving the audience the impression that the globe in the framework is out of balance (Barsam 2007, p. 174). The Dutch-angle accentuates the unnatural aspect of the actions in the shape. In this case, it is of the unnatural result of Angela, who is about to have a sexual experience for the very first time. As the scene carries on, the camera pans from left to right and to left following Lester's hands as each goes up and down Angela's body. I found that this intensified the erotic feeling of the scene.
In another shot, the camera goes to a vibrant crane shot, exhibiting Lester's hands unbuttoning Angela's shirt. Relating to Barsam, a crane shot is a go created from a camera attached onto an elevating arm that, subsequently, is installed on a vehicle capable of moving by its own power leading to it being more flexible due to the liberty of horizontal and vertical activity. The shot is then followed by a shot-reverse shot of Angela and Lester looking at one another. Inside the scene, Angela was given the low position shot, finding out about at Lester. Barsam claims a low-angle shot is made with the camera below the action and typically places the observer in the position of sense helpless in the presence of a superior power (Barsam 2007, 171). Quite simply, a low-angle shot emphasizes anxiety, dread and vulnerability. The actual fact that Angela is looking up at Lester also means that Lester is in control. However, I discovered during the crane pictures, Angela's position in the frame is always greater than Lester's. In a way, therefore that she actually is 100 % pure and innocent because good elements are usually given an increased position over bad elements (eg: Heaven up, Hell down).
In another shot, Angela discloses to Lester that she actually is a virgin. At this point, the shot dates back to Lester, who is in a Dutch-angle shot smiles and asks if Angela was kidding. The reason for the Dutch-angle shot is because Lester has came to the realization what he was doing was unnatural. After this shot, is the second major turning point in Lester's transformation, where he finally realizes after all this while, that being lustful for a teenager wasn't what it meant to be happy.
The lighting approach used in this scene appeared to portray the light and darkness symbolic and therefore was mentioned above. Throughout the whole scene, there is always a light glowing down on Angela but Lester was always held in darkness. And with structure of Angela's white shirt and the tender light shining onto it emphasizing the white color of the shirt, the light signifies purity and innocence because Angela is a virgin. Whereas, the darkness that surrounds Lester, and the nominal lighting glowing on his hands as he steps his hands along Angela's body symbolizes the impurity of his actions. The light used throughout this landscape was low distinction and low key. Low comparison because the lighting used was dim and somewhat gray.
In the final images of the scene, the light used were low contrast and low key as well because that signifies a sense of mystery. As being a viewer, although Lester had come to realize what it designed to achieve happiness, there is something which maintained me wondering what would happen. And true enough, the film finished with Lester getting killed.
Throughout the film, there have been many more cinematographic elements used which emphasized the personalities and characteristics of every figure such as high-angle shots, the utilization of short-focal-length lens and Long might take. However, because I interpreted the movie as Lester's transformations through being "reborn", I found that the cinematographic attributes used in the two moments I analysed to be the most important in my own interpretation of and mental respond to "American Beauty".
