Choose a film and undertake an analysis of that film by exploring how space, time, movement and other designs create meaning.
Kalifornia, Dominic Sena’s 1993 film is one that utilises the concepts of space, time and movement to an effective degree as a journey into the serial killer psyche. The film is of the road genre and as such movement plays an important role, as do the exploration of spaces and the use of time. ‘Kalifornia’ follows Brian, a struggling writer who is researching a book on serial killers and his girlfriend, Carrie, a photographer. The two hatch a plan to travel to California visiting the sites of famous murders along the way. As they are unable to afford the petrol expenses they decide to place an ad on a college bulletin board for someone to travel cross country with them. They are joined by Early Grayce and his child-like girlfriend Adele Corners.
Movement in this film can be considered in the context of a journey. However, this journey takes place not only in a physical sense but also, as is usually the case with journeys, in a symbolic sense. As the four characters travel and move together they learn a great deal about themselves and each other. Physical movement within the film is explored throug
. . .
This is in stark contrast to the first time we see Carrie and Brian’s abode. The moment of realisation occurs when, upon Carrie’s insistence, Brian tells Early and Adele that they are no longer permitted to travel with them to California. It is the prospect of his physical journey being halted that brings Early’s true self to the surface, thus reinforcing the notion that the film is as much a journey into the psyche of a serial killer as it is a physical trip across country and the two intermingle to an affective conclusion. Brian and Carrie rarely appear in frame together, but when they do it is always with Carrie in the background and Early appearing in the foreground with Brian. The opening shot to the scene is from the inside of a warehouse, the camera moves towards and through the window to reveal Brian and Early in the foreground with Adele and Carrie in the background by the car. The use of cross cutting between Early’s shots and those of a woman hitching a ride adds to the apprehension of the viewer as it is all of a sudden evident that these two characters are soon to be brought together in somewhat sinister circumstances. The device of narration, as well as giving character insights also helps to keep the film moving, by way of introduction and as a device to tie scenes together. Brian’s idea to travel cross country visiting the sites of famous murders along the way is testimony to this. However, while he is busy infiltrating the spaces of these killers, unbeknownst to him, his own space had become encroached by one in the same.
Camera movement also plays an important part in the film, especially in setting up the tone. In the opening sequence of the film the camera is moving by way of a long dolly until finally coming to rest on a low angle shot of a man’s silhouette. This contrast works to create a feeling of entrapment for the two main characters and this becomes more evident as they learn the true nature of Early’s character. It is a very large space and although it is not expensively furnished it is still obvious that they are better of than Adele and Early. hout as a device which propels the plot forward.
Approximate Word count =
1483
Approximate Pages =
6 (250 words per page double spaced)
Simply subscribe to view this paper, and 100,000 others.
| CREDIT CARD |
ONLINE CHECK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
JOIN BY PHONE
|
|
|
