American Beauty: Opening Scene Evaluation

Mise en Scene
1. Use of the Rose- Classic sign of love, it's a contrast to how Lester and Carolyn feel.
2. Back seat of the car- shows his importance in his family.
3. Colour of their house- Red, white and blue are the colours of the American Dream. Shows the patriotism.
4. Fences- They are trapped in their own life. Cannot see the real world.
5. Colour of Lester's suit- Bland, shows the lack of individuality.
Cinematography
1. The wide shot shows how insignificant he is to the rest of the world.
2. Lester looks through the window over to Carolyn- He's living in a world that she controls.
3. Low angle shots on Carolyn- She is the dominant person in the relationship.
4. Close ups on Lester- Creating an emotional bond with him. Putting him in a separate sphere.
Editing
1. Longer shots on Lester- Creates an emotional attachment with him- We get to know him better.
2. Shorter takes on Carolyn and Jane- We see a 2D image based on their first impressions.
3. Political Economy of Stars- Lester has more screen time- He is the main character.
4. Continuity editing- Shows its been going on for some time- It's continuous throughout the film.
Sound
1. Music- Stays the same throughout the film- Their relationship doesn't change.
2. Lester's commentary- We automatically take side with him.
3. "In less than a year, I'll be dead"
4. "I'm already dead"
5. "I have lost something"
6. These phrases connote other emotions- Death and Love
Performance
1. From this film we get mixed emotions
2. Happiness- From the Jim's, they are gay and go against the 'American Dream'
3. Sadness- The Burnham Family, the follow the 'American Dream'
4. Desperation- Lester continually sighs- A sign of desperation and frustration.

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American Beauty: Opening Scene Evaluation

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	Created by djel96 about 10 years ago