This extract has used many different lighting, sounds, and shot techniques to portray Mr. Jackman/Jeckle’s James Nesbit) double personality. With use of CGI, low key lighting, quick cuts and reaction shots the editors are able to build up tension for the viewer.
Near the opening of this sequence the audience sees Hyde collapse to the floor after colliding with a young couple getting intimate in a tunnel. When Hyde stands to his feet the camera cuts to a well framed shot of an alley way in one point perspective coming together into a vanishing point. The lighting behind Hyde makes his whole body look silhouetted. We also see quick flashes of bright light while Hyde recuperates representing his confusion and split persona.
Billy is introduced to the scene as low class violent boy trying to be the dominant male of the three characters (Mr. Jackman, the girl and himself) for the shots of Billy intimidating Jackman the camera is shot at a high angle on Jackman and a low angle for Billy representing his power over Jackman.
Throughout this sequence mis en sene plays a huge act on presenting Jeckles split personality. Jeckle has intentionally been dressed in black and white and is shot in low key lighting; making him almost black and white (representing a good and evil side to his personality) where as Billy is dressed in a blue hoody making him look like a young child.
There is repetition on the camera returning to a three person shot of the characters silhouetted in the tunnel. These shots place the audience into the picture like a fourth observer.
The mood begins to dramatically change as Hyde changes to Jeckle and the role of dominant male changes from the young boy with the knife to Jeckle. Before the change emerges in Jeckle there is non diagetic sound in the background of a bell almost mimicking a clock counting down to the change. We see a conversion in character in Mr. Jackman as the camera tracks across his face; with one side of his face being well lit and the other half in darkness. Billy and the girl also notice this and become more intimidated and scared. The final stage of Jackman’s transformation is when he removes his wedding ring.
A series of reverse over the shoulder shots are portrayed during Jeckle’s conflict with Billy. However unlike the traditional over the shoulder shot, these have been filmed on the wrong side of the shoulder making the audience feel uneasy.
Lighting, camera shots, editing and clothing have played a big part in presenting the difference between Jeckle and Hyde. There is an extreme close up on Jeckle’s eye that has been shot with a green filter. Here the editors have used special effects to quickly tighten on his eye. They have also used a green filter on the shot; mimicking the hulk or a style of monster. We as the audience also notice that since Mr. Jackman’s change his clothes have loosened on him. After the obvious transformation Jeckle can be compared to the joker from DC’s batman comics; he has a chilling grin on his face while antagonising Billy and the girl. A canted shot is seen when Jeckle is talking; this is done to portray his extreme other half.
More non diaget sound of ticking overlays the scene after Jeckle’s change representing Billy heart rate, or a countdown to the end of his life. Jeckle also begins to talk about himself in third person telling Billy he has a good doctor (being Hyde). Backing up that he is defiantly not the same person he was at the start of the scene.
Juxtaposing the previous shots Jeckle is not shot from a low angle whereas Billy is shot from a high angle; making him inferior to Jeckle. More special effects are used when Billy takes three shots at stabbing Jeckle. As Billy runs up to him it looks almost like Mr. Jackman disappears and reappears; giving him a supernatural form.
While Jeckle breaks Billy’s neck his eye line doesn’t not break from the scared girl as he tells her he doesn’t like killing children. After Billy’s death the girl runs into the dark tunnel; condemning her to the dammed. More special effects are used as Jeckle is face to face with the girl and his jaw drops revealing sharp teeth (like Dracula).
A child like persona comes over Jeckle as he asks the girl to play lions with him. He begins to act like small child acting out in a tantrum. This is continued when he lets the girl run off and he says “C-c-c-catch you later” this compares to porky pig in Looney Toons “Th-th-th-thats all folks”.
Post a Comment