The scene that I am choosing to analyze is at 1:15:35 and continues for about 5 minutes. It is the segment where Dith Pran hands in his falsified passport and attempts to hide his Cambodian citizenship, only to be caught and forced to stay in Cambodia.
I first listened to the scene without watching it, to get a sense of how the sound and noises of the scene informs me and influences my interpretation of the tone, without actually seeing the actors and their movements. The most striking element of sound in this segment is the Diegetic Sound, especially the thunder and the rain. It creates an ominous and foreboding tone, one in which the audience has to assume that something bad is going to happen. Without even seeing what is occurring between the characters, it is obvious through the diegetic noises that Pran will not successfully pass. It is clear when Pran finds out from Sidney that his passport was discovered to be false, as he optimistically says his fake name to Sidney and Sidney has no response to him. There are violins directly after this moment, which creates an almost serene, defeated sense in my mind, but there is no dialogue. The rain seems to then get heavier, adding to the pessimistic tone. The only noises emitted from humans are stifled cries and shaky voices saying goodbye. The tension in the scene is palpable. All this is created through only the sound, especially the diegetic thunder and rain and the non-diegetic violins playing in the background.
After only listening to the sound, I then decided to watch the scene without sound, only observing the characters’ actions and seeing the sense that I get from the visuals. After Sidney passes in Pran’s passport, the images of the rain and the Khmer Rouge driving through the streets and unloading dead pigs creates a harrowing image in my mind. Without sound it is unclear what is happening, but the transition from the dead animals to an image of Pran’s stern, concerned face spells doom for his situation to me. Many of the shots in this segment are close ups of Pran and of Sidney. In these close ups they are never smiling, they are always straight faced, seemingly staring off into the distance in worry. The mise-en-scene of this segment adds to the tone. When it is found out that “Mr. Brewer’s” passport will not work, the scene of the man holding his passport in disbelief in the rain is moving. Once Pran finds out his fate, the camera angles shift to a kind of “deep space” which creates a sense of separation from the characters. The audience sees Sidney tell Pran the news from what seems to be down a hallway, instead of directly next to the characters. They seem to exchange no words, only a nod of the head from Sidney and a look of despair from Pran. It is obvious that no words are necessary or appropriate to describe the disappointment. Finally, the acting in the last part of the scene, as Pran leaves and several men are crying and hugging him goodbye, the actors’ emotions are on full display and convey the tone of sadness that prevails.
Finally it is interesting to see the cutting as this scene comes to a close. This segment is the last piece before the movie directors decided to fast forward into the future. The first screen shot after we see Sidney standing in the rain, soaked to the bone, looking in confusion and dismay as his friend is taken back into Cambodia, is one of the Twin Towers of New York and a city skyline, creating a stark contrast between the lawlessness and jungle atmosphere of Cambodia, where we, the audience, were just moments before. It creates the sense that we are removed from this time period, but we then see Sidney still lamenting over Pran as he cuts photographs of his friend to send out to relief agencies.
While all of these observations help to add to this meaningful piece of the film, my favorite part, and the part that had the biggest influence on me as a viewer, was the sound. The thunder and the rain helped create the mood in my mind. In addition, I was particularly struck by the lack of dialogue for much of this scene. Once Pran discovered his fate, there was very little besides the melancholy violins and the pitter-patter of the rain to illustrate the tension in the film. I enjoyed this part, because it simplified a very complex situation in my mind. As I said before, it created the idea that, in this time of utter loss for many of these characters as Pran was leaving, there were no words that could capture the way that these people felt. The looks on their faces and their demeanors were all that was needed to illustrate the importance of the scene.
First off, I think that the approach you took is really interesting. What made you decide to do it in this way? Your opening is strong and successfully sets up what you are going to talk about. Something our blogs had in common is the idea of sound as foreshadowing. It is interesting how one tiny muttering or word can tell the audience so much. We also point to imagery as incredibly important in constructing the narrative. It is so powerful in transporting us to this time in Cambodia, even if only for a moment.
ReplyDeleteA point I wondered about is where you said that a scene was serene and defeated at the same time. Perhaps you mean that it is serene because they have accepted the end, but perhaps more clarification would help here. I also think you could provide greater detail in terms of the close ups. What is their effect? I noticed them in my scene too, and believed they did a good job of making us feel as if we were there with the characters.
I was intrigued by your idea of deep space as separation. It seemed to operate differently in my scene, as it created a common space where all people were seen to exist in a moment of serenity and lack of action. But it is a nice idea that a technique can elicit such different responses in different scenarios. I appreciate what you said about it being the last scene before the movie moves forward. I wonder why you think they chose this particular event, and what the effect of it is. Another strong point is when you discuss Cambodia in contrast to NYC. As the audience, we are incredibly removed from the situation. This scene is a good way to paint how so many Americans felt and acted in this historical moment. It make it easier to understand how people felt distanced or wanted to feel this way. Lastly, I am glad that this presented a moment of clarity. I know we both looked for this in other sources, and I am still seeking more of it in my own findings.