The Crucible Film Essay -- Movie Revier Miller Crucible

The Crucible Film The Crucible; an intensely emotional and dramatic film based on the horrific story of the Salem witch trials. The opening and concluding sequences are of great importance in conjuring the melancholy atmosphere present throughout the story. The director uses various different devices to achieve this. A variety of camera techniques are used throughout the beginning sequence to enhance the mood and involve the audience. Camera techniques are harmonized with lighting effects to culminate this dramatic scene. I will begin by discussing examples of this. In the village, many close-ups and long shots are used to enhance facial expression and to set the sombre mood. Opening on a zoom shot of Abigail's face, an aura of gloom is created by the cold colour scheme and her shadowed expression. The bleak dà ©cor of the room shown in this scene is used to further emphasize the gothic theme of the film. The camera tracks then tracks her out into the village, it's angle showing the village as she would see it; claustrophobic and dark. This may be used as a visual metaphor implying the repressive, narrow-minded nature of the Salem society. A zoom shot is used to show the other village girls simultaneously rush from their houses after Abigail, towards the grim-looking forest ahead. This illustrates Abigail as the girls' leader, and the fact that the film opens on her establishes her as a main character. As the film changes scene, the camera techniques change likewise. Panning and tracking conjure a sense of tension and chaos, and this effect is teamed with austere colour schemes of purple and blue. The camera is in mid-... ...characters. The first sequence is guaranteed to widen an audience's eyes, getting their heartbeat racing as the tension builds. After the audience is put through feelings of anxiety, happiness and awe throughout the middle of the film, the mood is brought back down to a funereal sombreness, as the "favourite" character is brought to an end. But perhaps this scene could be made even more powerful if more focus was put on the battle for John's conscience, instead of the infidelity of the central character? Also, I think that an alternative end to the finishing sequence could be more effective. When John is hung, this could be shown from his perspective; the onlookers gradually becoming faded as he swung above them. The audience still left to imagine John's final state, this gives a more powerful and enduring image.