Auteur Presentation Reflections (Additions)

Techniques used in Hitchcock's movies

• Something often seen in Hitchcock movies is the leading female roles were mostly blonde. They were not just decorative pieces on the arm of their male leads; they were true lead characters. This dynamic nature of his female leads and their willingness to take action is probably what created suspense.

• Hitchcock believed that information and suspense went hand in hand, he believed in showing the audience what the character was unaware of. If something was going to harm your character in the future, show it at the beginning scene. Then you let the scene play like there’s nothing wrong. From time to time, remind the audience of the looming danger. This way you continuously build up the suspense level.

• Another method Hitchcock applied was in dividing action into a series of close-ups that were then shown in succession. 

Fish Tank scenes explanations

Sex scene
Low key lighting making the scene more creepy but natural, something a super realist film tends to emphasise with the use of
Shot through the male gaze asserts are highlited in certain scenes or areas of scenes
Wearing minimal clothing
No music focus in heavy breathing intensifies it making it creepier

Narrtive
Sex scenes highlights how wrong it is and challenges typical stereotypes of how they'e there for enjoyment as we feel uncomfortable as viewers
The dance she is doing is in ways provocative which shows her female assets towards Connor,  toying with the idea that she knows she has power over him and is experimenting
She distances herself and he pulls her in with his arm around , he initiates interaction stroking hair, then pulling away to kiss
Even though throughout the film Mia is seen in the position of power in this moment Connor is the dominant one


Lighting on mia brighter golden ,compared to Connor
Connor gave her the song she sings to
Hand held camera
Trying to impress Connor
Close ups
She isn't sexual ,she craves fathers attention and love
Sillueths
Father action- like dad hugging his daughter ,mias reading of the situation
He goes in for the kiss -male dominance
There's no consent ,no foreplay
He's getting what he wants
Talking about being better- being the bigger male
He don't take her feelings into acount

Winter's Bone

How far does "Winter's Bone" rely upon an nderstanding of its social context? Refer in detail to at least one sequence from the film (750 words response)

The whole plot of the movie is revolving around social context and we can see why it’s so important to the movie from the very first scene. After a research I found that the story plot is placed in a Christian County happening in in the Ozark hills of Missouri, an area known for being very rural and remote. These are conditions which allow for the making of methamphetamines. Although the production of meth is never shown, it’s constantly 'referred' to throughout the movie. Moreover, this rural area helps the viewer understand why Ree Dolly has such a hard time feeding and looking after her family and adds to the reality of the film. Also as the movie was produced in the US by an independent producer displays many differences when compared to most American movies. It concentrates more on character development, especially Jennifer Lawrence’s character making her a very dynamic character and although it lacks the Hollywood glamour and special effects, the incredible and real acting of the characters makes the movie unique.

From the beginning of the film ,starting with an establishment shot we see the dull and cold atmosphere of the surrounding with the low key natural lighting, foreshadowing how the whole film will look like and the idea of realism which we don’t see very often in the movies. When the camera moves to the next shot the diegetic sound of squeaking from the trampoline its mixed with the non-diegetic sound of the song Missouri Waltz, in the lyrics we see a lullaby about 'the times long ago' when everything was better, the 'dreams' and how the 'moon was shining high' before, an illusion contrasting with that harsh reality we are shown. Furthermore when the children are on the trampoline we only hear the diegetic sound of metal and the jumping but no laughing or talking as if they are part of the dull surrounding, they are playing without having fun, as everyone around them are surviving but not really living. 

In the following scene ,the camera is hand held, making the scene very real and creating an atmosphere for the audience as they are part of that moment, we can see Ree’s little sister, over ‘bars’ how she is taking out and hugging kittens. That’s a very innocent and contrasting image for the hard life they have, she is still very young and is able to smile and show affection towards the kittens, where as if the kittens were the only thing that could save Ree’s family she would skin them the same way she did the squirrel, as she has seen the dark side of life, being the only adult and also the parental figure in their family. We see the deprivation of the area and can make assumptions of what will happen later on just by the first 90 seconds of the movie, due to the mise-en-scene as the way the characters dress, the way they talk and the things they do. We never see the children play with other children ,or play in a way that most children would e.g. even when Sonny is playing with his skateboard he can’t really use it because of the dirt and the uneven terrain, althought he looks almost normal doing so  ,as if the place they are at simply have different rules on how to live compared to the rest of the world.

Then as the song (the non-diegetic sound) is about to end we see Ree dressing her little sisters doll ,showing she is the one caring in every situation, when something has to be done she is the one to take care of it .Then the image of branches appears/fades in with the sun above, however the whole picture looks grey , the lighting being natural low key ,and the branches themselves looking like a grid ,representing the many dangers and challenges Ree has to overcome to save the house and her family, or the idea of the secrets the whole community is keeping from her.