Mise en Scène (Lighting)

Title: What Dreams May Come

Year: 1998

Writers: Richard Matheson (novel) and Ronald Bass (screenplay)

Director: Vincent Ward

Actors: Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., Annabella Sciorra and Max von Sydow

Lighting: In “What Dreams May Come”, there is a constant transition; three-point-lighting changes to low-key, then to high-key (all within the same scene). This type of lighting is vital to the dramatic effect of the story. Cinematographer Eduardo Serra worked with director Vincent Ward to create the stunning visual effects in this film. “What Dreams May Come” won the 1999 Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

The protagonist in this film was played by Robin Williams. After dying in a car crash, Williams searches for his wife in the afterlife. Discovering that his wife is in hell, Williams travels throughout the underworld and into his wife’s mind. The use of low-key lighting while he travels on the boat, wading through the lost souls of hell, creates the suspenseful and ominous mood of the scene. If high-key or natural lighting was used, the scene would be remarkably less dark and tortured. In addition, the film’s genre is fantasy (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011). Therefore, the use of natural lighting would be much less effective and even contrary to the film’s theme.

During the scenes in which the characters are in Heaven, the use of lighting drastically elevates the mood. According to Chapman (1998), the influence for these scenes come from a Caspar David Friedrich painting entitled “Two Men Contemplating the Moon.” (below)

Computer software was used to blend components of the painting with footage shot at Glacier National Park. The lighting used was a style called “mysterious luminescence” and the use of light actually symbolized “truth”. During the most vivid scenes, the filmmakers used stained glass color because when you are in a church you see the rich colors of the glass due to the light behind the panes (Chapman, 1998). This use of high-key lighting created the bright “other-worldly” mood. Any other use of lighting would have taken away from this and the scene would have been obtuse, if not disastrous.

The overall use of lighting in this film allows viewers to experience the various emotions that Williams feels throughout his journey.

Resources:

Chapman, G. (1998, October 12). “Air Base Furnishes Dream Location for Film Firm”. Oakland Tribune [Oakland].

Friedrich, C. D.(1825). Two men contemplating the moon [Oil on canvas]. Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/2000.51

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011). Film: From watching to seeing. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Ward, V. (Director). (1998). What Dreams May Come [Motion picture]. USA: Universal Studios.

What Dreams May Come (hell) [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwrmILnrzbk

What Dreams May Come Official Trailer #1 – Max von Sydow Movie (1998) HD [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmZ- FuBThuQ

Narrative/Storytelling

Title: Schindler’s List

Writer: Steven Zaillian

Director: Steven Spielberg

Actors: Liam Neeson (Oskar Schindler)
Ben Kingsley (Itzhak Stern)
Ralph Fiennes (Amon Goeth)
Caroline Goodall (Emilie Schindler)
Jonathan Sagalle (Poldek Pfefferberg)

Year: 1993

Story: Schindler’s List is the true story of German businessman, Oskar Schindler, during the World War II period. Set in Poland, the movie depicts the story of the Jews during the Holocaust–both their struggles and triumphs. Schindler originally uses the Jews for the purpose of cheap labor and later realizes that human lives are worth much more than money.

Plot: Schindler’s List opens with unidentified hands lighting Sabbath candles. This is soon followed by a Hebrew prayer blessing the candles. This scene is shot in color and the scene fades out with the wisps of smoke from the candles. The smoke from the candles become smoke from a train, as the movie transitions from color to black and white. Suddenly, the sound of typewriter “clacking” fills your ears, as a close up scene appears–seemingly endless lists of Jews arriving in Kraków, Poland.

As the story begins, Oskar Schindler starts making friends with high-ranking Nazi officers who can help him with his business ventures. Using manipulation, flattery and bribery (excessive gifts, etc.), Schindler forms his dubious business connections. After establishing these connections, Schindler next goes to the Jewish council within the Kraków Ghetto and meets a talented accountant named Itzhak Stern. Schindler seeks Stern’s help with convincing Jewish individuals to invest in his business venture by providing the capital (cash). In return, Schindler promises to pay them in manufactured products (pots and pans) that can be used for trade in the Ghetto. A reluctant Stern organizes a meeting and the proposed terms are agreed upon. In addition, Schindler uses Jewish smugglers to procure luxury items for him that will come in useful for bribing Nazi officials.

As the business starts up, Stern helps Schindler by securing Jewish workers for his factory. The Jews are significantly cheaper than the Poles. The Jew’s wages are also paid directly to the Nazis, as Jews are forbidden to earn money. Although this is slave labor, Stern knows that this status will save them from being removed to death camps. Stern uses this knowledge to recruit as many Jews as he can, even those who are considered unskilled or unfit for industrial work. At first, Schindler is unaware of Stern’s personal motives. As Schindler begins to gain awareness he is at first upset and angry.

Later, the Jews are violently evacuated from the Kraków Ghetto and sent to a forced labor camp run by a Nazi Officer named Amon Goeth. A cruel and sadistic man, Goeth clears the ghetto with extreme violence and bloodshed. Schindler watches the scene unfold from the top of the hill where he had ridden horses with a girlfriend. He watches the destruction as a spot of color comes into the black and white scene–a little girl in a red coat all alone, making her way through the carnage. After this event, Schindler begins actively helping the Jews. He begins by convincing Goeth to allow a sub-camp for his industrial workers.

As time progresses, Schindler beings to actively try to save people. He sells off jewelry and other personal items to use for bribes. Schindler gives more and more as time progresses. He “buys” as many lives as he can as the Nazis continue to murder the Jews. Later on, Goethe is ordered to exhume the bodies of those in mass graves and burn them. Schindler convinces Goethe to sell his workers and he then transports them to his factory in Czechoslovakia, using two separate trains. The train carrying all the women was mistakenly sent to Auschwitz, where Schindler is forced to buy them yet again.

The movie concludes when the war ends. Knowing that he will be considered a war criminal, Schindler must flee. Schindler tells the workers that they are free and says his goodbyes. The workers surprise him with a gift–a gold ring made from a worker’s tooth filling. The ring is engraved with the following words: “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire”. Touched by this gesture, Schindler breaks into tears and expresses his sorrow at not being able to save more people. Schindler and his wife leave and the next morning, Russian soldiers arrive and liberate the camp. The ending scene show the Jews walking to town and the black and white landscape turns to color. The film ends with present day “Schindler Jews” putting rocks on Oskar Schindler’s grave. The last person seen in the film is Liam Neeson placing a single rose on the tombstone.

Chronology: Schindler’s list uses non-linear order to make the film more interesting. Although much of it is in chronological order, parallel editing is used, which illustrates the differences between the captives and their captors. This stark contrast highlights the hardships the Jewish people endured, along with the Nazi’s disregard for them. A linear presentation of this film would not have made such a profound impact.

The non-linear form also allowed for richer character development. Oskar Schindler’s character started out as a self-centered playboy and ended with a changed man. Indeed, Schindler became a haunted man who had many regrets, including not being able to save more lives. A great example of foreshadowing is Schindler’s flippant use of bribery for personal gain which later becomes intense bribery to save the Jews from certain death.

Resources:

Molen, G. R. (Producer), & Spielberg, S. (Director). (1993). Schindler’s List [Motion picture]. United States: Universal Pictures.

Schindler’s List – Official® Trailer [HD]. (1993). Retrieved June 19, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdRGC-w9syA