Textual analysis of a Three-Minute Clip from the Successful
The Oscar-winning film Titanic (James Cameron 1997, U.S.A) proved to be one of the most profitable films ever made. In this essay I am going to analyse at a three-minute sequence from the film, where I will be specifically looking at features such as mise-en-scene, editing, framing, sound and lighting. I will then be discussing how these aspects help to reinforce the broader areas such as narrative, genre, representation and style. I am going to particularly focus on the representation of class as I feel that the class system is vividly portrayed in the film.Titanic is a love story set against real historical events: the sinking of the great ocean liner amongst the ice packs of the North Atlantic in 1912. Directed by James Cameron; famous for Aliens, True Lies and the Terminator movies, and starring actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet and Billy Zane; it is listed amongst the top ten grossing films of all time. It has won eleven Oscar awards including the much sought after award of 'Best Motion Picture', tying with the illustrious record set by Ben Hur in 1959. In its first year of release it sold more tickets than any other motion picture in history and it was the first ever to gross one billion dollars in worldwide
" The music then builds up from eerie music to a crescendo, as the shot of the wreck in the gloomy depths of the ocean, dissolves into an image of the Titanic in its former glory. Titanic is a cross-generic film as it has elements of a period drama mixed with elements of a romance. The camera tilts downwards to focus on some well-groomed dogs boarding the ship with other first class passengers, which suggests that third class passengers get treated worse than animals. Tracking is used to follow Cal, Rose and her mother as they slowly walk up the ramp dressed in lavish clothing with their heads held high. Rose narrates the film as a very old lady and we see things from her point of view through voice-overs and flashbacks. We see Rose wearing elaborate clothing, arriving in style and boarding the ship before everyone else and then we see Jack in a smokey pub, wearing drab clothing and gambling for his steerage ticket moments before the ship is due to leave. The clip I chose was slow paced and continuity editing was used to make it run smoothly and give the impression of the whole story. Action codes tell us that the third class passengers are having health inspections; a small boys mouth is being examined whilst a man is having his beard and hair inspected for lice. We see this idea again later on in the film when a close up is used to show the dogs being walked on the third class deck and Tommy Ryan, Jack and Fabrizio's Irish friend, says "that's typical, first class dogs come down here to take a shite. These aspects of realism add another dimension to the film. Todorov's theory of narrative structure is based on the idea that there are three parts to a narrative: equilibrium, disruption and new equilibrium. This creates a contrast between appearances of the two classes; they are radiant and well dressed whereas the poor are plainly dressed in drab colours and stand waving to their friends and families who have been 'lucky' enough to get a ticket in third class. This again emphasises the size of the ship because the car is a mode of transport itself and is tiny in comparison.
Common topics in this essay:
Cal Rose,
Ltd Southampton',
Modern Classics,
Leonardo DiCaprio,
Ruth Rose,
Rose Ruth,
Jack Rose,
James Cameron,
Rose You're,
Jack's Rose,
class passengers,
third class,
third class passengers,
main plot,
class system,
clip chose,
cal rose,
tommy ryan,
class passengers treated,
passengers treated,
romance jack,
rose dewitt bukater,
focus placed,
romance jack rose,
cal rose mother,
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Acceptance Essays
