Mise en scene in "Fargo"

• Directed by Joel Coen.
• 1996, USA.
  

The film starts with an almost empty, snow covered landscape with only brown road visible, which is similar to Hitchcock's "North by Northwest", because both of them symbolize emptiness and loneliness. The rest of the film also remains in winter. There are lots of shots with geometrical figures in them, like the one form birds eye where Jerry is going to his car which is in the middle of a snow covered field and there are trees surrounded by squares. 

There are also several shots where you can see interior and exterior, for example, when the pregnant police officer is leaving her house, you can see her husband by the table and also a door with windows in it showing Marge getting in her car.

Mostly bald colours used, hardly any bright colour can be seen, except the red, which symbolizes death and blood that is going to be shed.

Brown colour on Jerry symbolizes his passiveness, it's not hard to see that he is easily bullied and gets no respect from others. His body language shows that he is weak, not comfortable with the questioning. He is wearing a suit all the time, but in the end the police catches him while he is wearing only pyjamas, meaning that he has lost everything.

There is a physical difference between the two kidnappers Gaear(the big guy) is cold and silent most of the time, while Carl is talkative and more of a human kind.

Quite a shocking film at first, but the humor that has been put in it makes it very enjoyable, loved the accents of the police officers.  Overall, a good piece of film making because of the interesting shots, settings and characters, everything was well thought out, also a good usage of diegetic sounds mixed with non-diegetic. 

Analysis on mise-en-scene.

• Ending scene of "Requiem for a Dream", directed by Darren Aronofsky, year 2000.


• Main characters are Sara Goldfarb (played by Ellen Burstyn), Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto), Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly) and Tyrone C. Love (Marlon Wayans).

Scene starts with Harry's daylight dream of him running on the pier to meet Marion. It looks like he is screaming but only the sound of ocean is heard. After stepping back, a fall occurs. He then wakes up in a crowded hospital room and a nurse sitting in front of him. The camera is breaking rules and filming direct light which comes from the window behind nurse. Harry's face is covered with shadows, his make-up is used to create a sense of misery and loss. Leto shows a truly emotional performance, he is certainly into his characteristic role.

A shot of a dark room and door opening letting the light in comes afterwards. The room is surrounded by different possessions which are hard to recognize because of the lack of light. Marion's characteristic journey and life in this film ends with her sleeping on the couch, wearing almost like yesterdays make-up and heavy clothes, light flowing from her right side, she then falls asleep.

Tyrone's final play is held in a prison where he is spending his first night, wearing a prisoners costume. His bed is surrounded by other bed on one side and a cabinet on the other. Tyrone seems to be in a pain, but tries to fall asleep, dreaming about his long since dead mother. Light is flowing from his right side.

The film closes with Sara falling asleep and dreaming about her being on television show where she gets a prize - her son Harry. The stage is crowded by many other people whose faces are brightened by stage lights. The last shot shows Sara hugging Harry while rays from spotlights have created and "X", which could mean that their union is now destroyed and Sara is just dreaming.

From the scene where Leto realises he has lost everything and starts to cry, diegetic sound is mixed with a song from the soundtrack("Lux Aeterna" by Clint Mansell).

In each character's last scene, they turn on their right side and pull their knees up to their stomach, assuming the fetal position. In his final scene, Harry tries to do the same, but his amputated arm doesn't allow him to.

After all, a great film, magnificent performances, brilliant lights and sound, leaves a high impact on the viewer. I recommend seeing it!

North by Northwest

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. USA, 1959.
Action/Adventure/Mystery/Thriller.


*Interesting location that seems like a place in nowhere. Never-ending road, empty landscape, only few cars passing.

*Strange meeting of two characters and sense that something is going to happen, but it won't.

*Good usage of sound. Silence broken by diegetic sounds give the feeling of complete emptiness.

*Spectator is left wondering what's going to happen next.

*Estabilishing shots, close-ups, different angles. We see the actors point of view and then his facial expression.