Snatch and Amelie

Within Snatch, movement is utilized to display the hyper masculine characteristics of the gangster film genre in contrast with the characters feminine attributes to show how masculinity and femininity are not defined by genders. From Mickey's first fight, derogatory feminine terms are used to describe him to emphasize the weak objectification which the majority of the characters in the film associate with femininity. Lateral movements and extreme close up shots pan with Mickey's movements as he is being thrown down by Gorgeous George. These camera movements increase the speed, anxiety, and suspension of the fight scene. Guy Ritchie, the director, uses anticipatory shots to increase the suspense of the violence by not showing the affect of violence and instead, pulling away. Mickey comes back to hit Gorgeous George in one punch as the background is in slow motion around him while he remains in fast motion. The significance of this scene is how Snatch demonstrates the low regard many of the characters, such as Gorgeous George, have for human life. They show characteristics of greed, power lust, and a need to show strength. Mickey demonstrates restraint in the anxiety of the fight to emphasize how he is the only main character to have regard for human life. Although mercy is often regarded with femininity, Mickey is the character to win the fight and comes out on top in the end of the film as well. Originally in the scene, the camera moves from left to right as it does when Gorgeous George hits Mickey suggesting the psychological normalcy which is associated with this movement. When Mickey comes back to hit Gorgeous George, the punch is from left to right. This adds to the idea that although Mickey is associated with derogatory feminine terms by all the characters, femininity should not be associated with negativity considering he is the one to win the fight. The jump cut shot of Tommy fearing his life as the slow motion tear moves down his face adds to the apprehension and reality of the characters masked masculinity. In addition, throughout the film there are murky colors, decay, dark grays, and dilapidated walls. Each frame is also fairly empty to demonstrate the excessive violence and disregard for human life the characters exhibit.

With the dark humor of the film satirizing masculinity, there is a greater emphasize on the faults of the masculine actions of greed and power with the characters little regard for human life. By Mickey coming out on top, movement emphasizes how masculinity and femininity are displayed in both genders.







Within Amelie, movement is used to demonstrate the feminine characteristics of the film which contrast greatly from Snatch, but are still utilized to demonstrate the masculinity and femininity which both genders exhibit. As Amelie moves down the street in this scene, the fast motion and shaky handheld camera movement allows the audience to view the world in all its beauty through Amelie's eyes. The very lyrical movement emphasizes the beauty of her surroundings and the metaphorical meaning of giving a blind man the opportunity to see all he is missing. The film focuses on these moments of being and existence through noticing the aspects of life that may be passed over, but create something of substance in memories. Fast motion cuts of a baby laughing, a dog playing, and bright colors and flowers surrounding them all emphasize the feminine characteristics of love (even if it may be a love of life) and a want to help/nurture others. The frames within Snatch are often barren and display the little regard for embracing life which the character's exhibit and oppose greatly with the female lead of Amelie. Although Amelie is a female lead, she demonstrates many characteristics normally associated as masculine. Within this scene, the close up tightly framed camera movement is oppositely used as a form of freedom and expression versus constraint and entrapment. The camera pans with Amelie's movements because she is taking charge of

the situation and has power over where she leads the man. The opposite use of close up tightly framed shots emphasizes the control and understanding Amelie has of the beauty of life around her. Although mostly hand held camera movements are used during this scene, dolly tracking shots allow for the journey to be captured more accurately. Throughout the movie, Amelie's journey to love is shown through her character development into realizing the importance of her own happiness and confidence. Her face is often completely in the frame to demonstrate the control and identify of self which she gains by the end of the film. The film reads like a book from left to right in order to show the character development in a more lyrical context. Amelie utlizies movement to create a feminine movie which also embraces the role masculinity and femininity plays within both genders.

Mise en Scene in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

     Life deserves to be lived. Although it appears to be such an exaggerated proverb in today's society often passed over because of its generalized truth, as Oscar Wilde states, "Most people exist, that is all." A life lived solely for existing is a life not lived at all. Capturing life within a frame is the goal of many cinematographers. Mise en scene communicates through its visual orientation the meaning behind the work allowing a film to capture the essence, or lack thereof, of life. Within The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, mise en scene is utilized to showcase the importance of embracing life through observing a person's surroundings instead of sacrificing life and having blind absorption in the monotony of day to day obligations.

     Walter blindly sacrifices life for the duties and responsibilities of day to day obligations through the mise en scene of the film to point out the importance of embracing life. The opening medium tightly framed shot of Water's apartment demonstrates the lack of life which he emulates. The subsidiary contrasts of the apartment in highly symmetrical designs, dull/lack of color, and lines of blinds/books behind him all showcase the sense of entrapment in a lifeless existence. Having the dominant be Walter's eyes in close ups, which are constantly in a dream like state, adds a dramatic context to his constant state of absorbing into himself unaware of his surroundings. In addition, the public distance of proxemic patterns which the camera often keeps away from Walter exemplifies his inability to connect as his eyes never fall straight into the camera. The closed frame includes all information in the confinement of the shot to emphasis Walter's ability to look closely (at a computer screen), but not seeing the flaws of his own life. Having a closed frame allows for an anticipatory setup of a life which is constantly in motion with no time to

truly see. A.O Scott of the New York Times states how Walter suffers from an "excess of maturity" and a sacrifice in "a life of duty and drudgery"(Scott). Focusing in on elements of his life such as the balancing of a checkbook suggests his life has become nothing more than dull and boring expenditures. Altering the aspect ratio of the film to widescreen and letterboxing unintentionally brings the closed frame more into its tightly framed confinement of dull obligations. In addition, the irony of a man who works at Life magazine passing elements of greatness in the covers which he prints and quote of the company each day demonstrates a want for the character to escape his own confinement. In the confined space around him, Walter is surrounded by color and the celebration of others living their lives when he is tightly framed into his daily obligations. Even as Walter passes the subsidiary contrast of covers of Life magazine the dominate remains upon him to emphasis the importance of finding the will to live. Parallelism allows the audience to view Walter's full evolution in a similar scene in the Life building with a very different Walter. Mise en scene is utilized to demonstrate the confinement of Walter's life of obligations which keep him from embracing his life.

     Through mise en scene, Ben Stiller (the director) showcases Walter's evolution from sacrificing to  embracing the world around him, and through doing so, highlights the importance for all people to
embrace their own lives. When Walter travels to Greenland in the hopes of retrieving the missing photo

from Sean O'Connell, his character begins taking risks and observing the beauty of the world around him. In a cinematically stunning skateboard journey down a hill in the chase to find Sean, long, loosely framed, and open form shots create a feeling of freedom and openness to the character which was lacking. The fluidity of open space and countryside behind him while he embraces a side of his personality which he thought forever lost showcases the importance of taking the risk to embrace a person's life. Walter's physical appearance and coloring become brighter and more alive as the dominant contrast of his eyes become more personal and engaged. Aleatory conditions of the shooting of the frame allow for a more realistic view of the beauty which Walter is finally seeing. Ignoring classical cinema, the shot puts less emphasis on the individual and more emphasis on the scenery to draw attention to the beauty of embracing life. Continuing on the journey, Walter finally encounters Sean on the top of a mountain facing challenges and life's beautiful craziness like he never imagined before. Walter's proximity to Sean suggests a connection with people where he was previously detached. A further change in physical appearance is seen in Walter through his change in values by a red jacket, growing facial hair, and letting go of his perfectionist cleanliness. Space is completely open, little depth, and very loosely framed in order to evoke a sense of freedom in the character. Iris and masking are not used in order to create the most realistic perception of life possible. The visual weight of this shot is heavier in the lower section of the frame to create a greater sense of balance and equilibrium which mise en scene strives to create. It leads the eye towards Sean's camera which has been the cause of Walter's journey the whole

time to emphasis the character's later realization of how the impact of the journey was greater than gaining the photo. When Sean sheds light on the photo he shares, "Beautiful things don't ask for attention." Through this line and the mise en scene of the scene, the audience understands how important embracing life is. A person can find "the quintessence of life" in day to day to actions just by taking life in and not allowing it to become monotonous. Through mise en scene, Walter's character evolution leading to him embracing life encourages others to do the same.
   
     What the human race always strives to find is meaning. Often times that meaning can be found in embracing a person's life. Capturing the human experience as something beautiful through the contrast of tightly framed shots to long, loosely framed shots suggests the importance of recognizing this beauty. Too often people become caught up in day to day duties and obligations which blind them from seeing the importance of capturing their own "quintessence of life." Life does not need to be a constant state of risk to be embraced. Adventure can be found in daily life through seeing the beauty of things "which don't ask for attention."

Works Cited 

Scott, A.. "He Can Balance a Checkbook, but Not His Imagination." The New York Times. The New York Times, 24 Dec. 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/25/movies/the-secret-life-of-walter-mitty-stars-ben-stiller.html>.
   
   

Mystic River

Within this tightly framed shot of Mystic River, elements of mise en scene contribute to Jimmy's entrapment. Surrounded by two rings of police officers, Jimmy struggles to escape the enclosement to locate his assumed dead daughter. The director, Clint Eastwood, utilizes intimate proxemic patterns and extreme close ups to increase the audience's emotional attachment to Jimmy's heartbreaking realization. Starting with a high angle and moving to a bird's eye shot, there is no doubt of the power the police officer's have over Jimmy through his constant struggle. Eastwood focuses in on an extreme close up of Jimmy's face blurring the police officers around him in order to increase the intimacy and emotional attachment between the audience and Jimmy's pain over the loss of his daughter. The intimate proxemic patterns increase the proximity to the character and allow the audience to feel Jimmy's emotion as much as he does. In addition, the territorial space and depth in this frame is used to further emphasize Jimmy's entrapment. As Louis Giannetti addresses, "Space is a medium of communication" and the tightly framed elements of this shot emphasize Jimmy's inability to escape to see his daughter, but more importantly to escape his own loss and need for revenge later on in the movie (Giannetti). Little depth is used in order to add to the dominate contrast of Jimmy's face. The shot moves to a bird's eye view circular view of the father and switches to a similar

circular frame of his daughter's entrapment in death. Furthermore, the quarter turn of Jimmy's face throughout this frame increases intimacy to the character. The audience feels more invited into the emotional depth of Jimmy's heartbreak because of almost addressing the audience directly in eye contact. In this shot, Jimmy's emotional and physical entrapment is utilized by Eastwood to introduce the character's emotional motives throughout the film.




Mystic River utilizes mise en scene in order to demonstrate thematic moral flaws of humanity. As A.O. Scott of the New York Times writes on the film, " the basic moral distinctions we depend on in our efforts to make sense of the world (and to survive its random, inexplicable cruelty) are hopelessly and fundamentally flawed " (Scott). From the beginning, the parallelism used as Dave is entrapped within a car by both the molesters and then the Savage brothers suggests how

innocence can not always be saved. The tightly framed shot and the dominate contrast in Dave's face with the blurred subsidiary contrasts of those who entrap him, emphasize a childhood innocence which is forever lost by the second time the scene arises. Lines of moral distinctions are constantly being questioned. Within the first parallel shot, the dominate contrast of the molesters ring is supposedly suggesting a religious man considering the cross he wears on his hand. Although Dave is entrapped, normally suggesting his guilt, those who entrap him are always to blame. Dave's innocence as a person and in committing the crime of killing Katie each time he enters the car adds to the idea that innocence can not always win. Although people normally believe those to blame will always be brought to justice, that is not always the case. The affect it will have on the innocent is long lasting, as seen through Dave never recovering from entering each car. Justice is further questioned by Jimmy

killing Dave. In the scene when he speaks about the murder to Sean, Jimmy walks down the street in a very openly shot scene. He appears to be free, but Jimmy moves his arms outward in a Christ position symbolizing his realization of all moral lines he has crossed as a character. In a way, he has sacrificed himself for the sake of his family representing the openness of the frame. Morally, murder should not be condemned yet his character is set free. Within Mystic River, lines of moral distinctions are constantly being redrawn in order to demonstrate their flaws.

The Royal Tenenbaums

In this medium tightly framed shot of The Royal Tenenbaums, mise en scene is used to highlight the symbolic meaning behind the shot. Locating Chas and Royal in a confined space, such as a closet, further entraps the characters in this tightly framed shot with no open spaces. Everything is filled. Having a profile shot of both characters suggests their etnrapment within their own life and thoughts due to their unawareness of observation through this profile eye level angled frame. The subsidary contrast in the frame is the games highlighting the visual confusion which surrounds Royal and Chas further entrapping them into their unhappy lives. For Royal, the games Risk, Operation, and Monopoly all allude to the entanglements of his lie about his sickness in the hopes of regaining a relationship with his family which appears to be already lost. For Chas, Risk, Operation, and Monopoly still have the common theme of danger to them which he feels paranoid in his inability to escape after his wife's death. Chas's lower angle/height from his father represents a vulnerability and dominance which Royal has over him despite his un-fatherly qualities. The dominant of the lightbulb in the center of the frame turning on and off alludes to the further confusion of the family situation around them where they are unable to find a constant of light or
darkness/ happiness or sadness. Having the lightbulb at the top of the frame suggests a dominance over the characters. Not only is the lightbulb a dominance over the lighting, but the characters are weighed down by their own entrapments and "game" of a life which they feel unable to control. In addition, placing the important visual element of the boar's head outside of the frame suggests Royal's own separation from the family because of his isolation in recent years. The boar's head appears to be a metaphor for Royal in this regard. As Wes Anderson has said, "It's all here, it all exists here, " each shot truly symbolically balances and defines the characters in the framing of the scene.



In this shot, the dysfunctional family of the Tenenbaums is displayed through the mise en scene. The tightly framed shot again suggests the entrapment each character feels within their own life. Each character has some sort of inner dilemma which is plaguing them and constantly follows them through each frame. The only loosely framed component of the scene, which doubles as the dominant in the center/viewfinder of the camera, is the chair at the head of the table which is missing its occupant, Royal. This not only symbolically represents the loss of Royal as a part of the family (father's are often thought of as the head of the family just as the chair is at the head of the table) but, also the loosely framed component alludes to Royal's role later in the film. Although Royal was the reason for much of the dysfunctionality of the family to begin with, through faking his impending death Royal saves the family from their own entrapments allowing them all to be content in their lives. The subsidiary contrast of the proximity of the glasses of milk and water on the table through an eye level shot looking up upon the family, suggests the physical/mental barriers many of the characters have built up entrapping  them in their own unhappiness and disconnecting them from the family. Having Margo and Henry at the end of the table is tactful as well because they both are outsiders in this seemingly connected family both hoping to feel a sense of belonging within it. Richie's locatation at the kid's table draws attention to how all the children are living in their past with the way they dress, their stagnate lives, and inability to move on from their preconceived notions of their father. Furthermore, Wes Anderson pays close attention to details in order to capture the symbolic importance behind each character's mentality in order to make it obvious for the viewer.

Photography Essay

            Photography is a catalyst to film. Through a cinematic shot, the director and cinematographer collaborate to visually create images in the film which capture its essence and symbolism. As Dorothea Lange has said, “ Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.”  Cinematographers work to capture the form of an image to symbolically represent its content in order to “alter life” in the context of a film. Through the utilization of photography, filmmakers have the ability to explore ethical implications by the presentation of cinematic shots. In this manner, highly debated issues of ethics are introduced to a wide audience in the creative outlet of film. Ethical dilemmas such as morality, love, and honor are questioned within The Usual Suspects, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Gladiator, in order to utilize various photographic techniques to convey each film’s ethical message.

        

Within The Usual Suspects, morality is questioned through the 
success of the villain justifying immoral 

actions and is demonstrated through the photography within the film. From the opening shot, the overbearing dominance of the villain, Keyser Soze, is introduced in order to establish his persona. Through the usage of low camera angles and close up shots, Keyser’s height increases as the camera pans upward on him urinating on the fire from above. Low key lighting establishes the film noir through the usage of shadows and darkness to further showcase the villainess behavior of Keyser. High contrast lighting of the fire surrounding the characters adds to the hell/devil metaphors, which Keyser emulates. Flames in the background surround Keaton entrapping him in high angle eye level shots of him glancing upward at Keyser. The photographic techniques are used to add to the mystery of the film and cause the audience to piece together their own predictions of Keyser’s identity. This is crucial in establishing the backwards-moral code which this film showcases. Having the audience question Keyser’s identity causes sympathy to play out for the other characters of the film making it easier to justify the opening scene later on. Keyser’s dominance causes the audience to glorify his immoral actions by the end of the film instead of fear them because of his revealed identity changing the perception of the scene. Film student Adam Clowry shares this perception of justified immoral actions by the statement, “ While the plot of The Usual Suspects is important, even more important is the manner in which it is told” (The Usual Suspects: An Analysis). Having a non-linear plot ensures the unpredictability of Keyser’s identity allowing the audience to sympathize with the other characters, especially Verbal. Verbal is characteristic innocent. His meek mannerisms, limp, and fear throughout the film cause him to appear the least likely of evil. As such, the audience believes in Verbal , the all trusting narrator of the film, and as Clowry says , is essential to the “manner in which it (the story) is told” (The Usual Suspects: An Analysis). The audience cheers for immorality because the audience falls in love with Verbal not Keyser. Furthermore, the scene when Keyser’s identity is revealed the audience’s identification with Verbal justifies his unethical actions. As Verbal limps down the steps of the police station, the long shot follows him down the street as characteristics of Verbal disappear. When Verbal passes the camera, the shot switches from eye level to low angle amplifying the understanding of Verbal’s identity as his limp disappears. The following scene is essential in the evolution of the film. It causes the audience to glorify Verbal’s actions as intellectual and epic. Although Verbal has killed, manipulated, and caused harm to many in the process, his immoral actions are forgotten because he is not Keyser the villain, but Verbal the character the

audience has grown to love. Naturally the underdog, the realistic/classical cinema element used in the film causes the audience to identity more with Verbal because he is so characteristic of the everyday man. Realists shoot the film without much manipulation in order to capture Verbal in a more relatable context to justify his immorality by the end of the film. Through the use of various photography techniques within The Usual Suspects, morality is questioned and immoral actions justified.

            Within Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, photography techniques are used to question ethics through manipulation of love by technology demonstrating how all relationships, even the painful ones, are worth having. Through the loss of Joel’s memories of Clementine, the audience sees how Joel has the unique ability to fall in love with the memories all over again. By having the opportunity to view a relationship backwards, the audience sees the importance of retaining the memories of lost loves not only for the bad, but for all the good. When the house crumbles around them, Joel’s final memories of the two fall apart as well. The conflicting forces of Joel and Clementine are shown in their cool and warm colors. Joel’s calmness, tranquility, and boring qualities are contracted with Clementine’s passion for life and love, impulsivity, and anger. The realist lighting has a symbolic importance of the memories slipping away as darkness in the background contrasts with the spotlight following Joel in the foreground which he is unable to escape. The light suggests there still is a hope of love even when darkness comes to take it. A blurred filter begins to fill the screen as the memories fall apart with the house. Medium shots pan to Joel’s feet then face emphasizing his remorse and nostalgia over their relationship. Through this scene, the audience sees the unethicalness of losing the memories of love through the regret and closure which the two possess. Expressionists use the formalistic cinema of the house crumbling around Joel and Clementine to portray the importance of having a relationship even if it ends. Love is worth saving even as a house crumbles around it. The audience feels the closure and doesn’t want the relationship to end proving the unethicalness of manipulating love through technology. In an analytical essay, Ph.D. student Kelley L. Ross states, “Much of the power of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is that the process of forgetting itself appears to reveal that there was enough there, that there always was enough of an affinity, that even a great deal of work would be worth the effort to renew the relationship”(Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind).  Through brining up

the unethical nature of removing memories, the film proves the power of keeping those memories in the hope of renewing love again. The risk of love is worth taking even if it all does fall apart because of its hope. Hope in love is constant. Even if the same relationship does not resurface, there is a hope in finding love again and learning from past mistakes. Finally, the parallel train scene from the beginning and end of the film showcases how painful it is to watch when the characters no longer remember their relationship. Realism is used to capture the realistic aspect of their love before the audience sees it fall apart and come back together again. It defines the relationship as something real before creating a formalistic statement of their love. Even natural lighting, the realist light preference, is used to capture their love realistically. Furthermore, the characters find love again despite their memories of each other no longer existing. Joel and Clementine decide that although their relationship ended once in turmoil, it is still worth having. They both still have a hope in their love. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind uses the importance of having a relationship even if it does end, to justify the immoral action of erasing love through technology.

            Within Gladiator, honor is questioned in order to redefine its meaning through the usage of various photography techniques. In the opening scene, Maximus is preparing and experiencing his final battle before returning home. A deep focus eye level shot pans in on Maximus contemplating the battle he is about to engage in. Long/medium oblique angle shots follow the battle in order to capture visually the anxiety of the moment at hand. Cool low key colors of the surroundings contrast the warm high key colors of flames which surround the battle. Through the usage of slow stock, these colors are captured vividly contrasting the fast stock often used for documentary style filming. The immense amount of harm and killing showcased in this first scene is used as a comparison for honor’s evolution in the film. Maximus feels fighting is necessary in ensuring the greatness of Rome. He kills because he has to. The opening scene is grotesque and intense because the audience sees the affect war has on its soldiers. It opens the question is war worth the lives it costs? Honor appears to be the number of bodies which a soldier kills, but is killing really an act worth praising through the glorification of war? Rob Wilson compares the Roman Empire within Gladiator to Pax- America by stating, “Ridley Scott’s Gladiator is situated and decoded not just as a representation of the Roman Empire but as a blasted allegorization of the Pax Americana itself in its modes of moral innocence, Euro-civililizational ratification, soft hegemony, and hegemonic technologies of sublime spectacle” (Gladiator). Wilson points out the pure hypocrisy of killing for sport and entertainment out of a need for glorified honor which, in a different context, violence plays a role today. The people of Rome find entertainment in the gladiator games and consider it an honor to die for Rome. As Maximus soon realizes, he was killing for Rome all along only to see the city’s current state was not worth fighting for. What is honor then? A final scene of the film

occurs when Maximus kills Commodus in the games. The medium shots pan cyclically surrounding Commodus and Maximus by guards and the fans of the games. From the perspective of a man who has seen death constantly as a soldier, the unnecessary death displayed in the games seems ludicrous. The true honor is seen through Maximus knowing when to kill and when to not. He remains a good man despite his loss of family, home, and title. Commodus dying proves to the audience how crazy the games truly are, by killing the man who re-started them. Maximus’s death shows that all killing comes with a cost. It is not something to be gloried, but mourned. Within Gladiator, honor is redefined in order to make a statement on what it means to kill using photography techniques.

            Ethical dilemmas are constantly debated. Within The Usual Suspects, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Gladiator ethical issues of morality, love, and honor are questioned in order to portray their deeper meaning. Through the use of photography, cinematographers are able to capture scenes with their ethical implications. With the power of photography in film, a cinematographer has the rare opportunity to truly “alter life by holding it still” (Dorothea Lange). 

Works Cited

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. N.p., n.d. Web. 27      Sept. 2014. <http://www.friesian.com/sunshine.htm>.

"Gladiator ." Rob Wilson . N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2014.                       <http://www2.ucsc.edu/aparc/Rob%20Wilson%20for%20APARC/Gladiator%5B1%5D.pdf_1.pdf>.

"The Usual Suspects: An Analysis." A Lowry. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2014.     <http://tnlproductions.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/the-usual-suspects-an-analysis/#comments>.

MLA formatting by BibMe.org.

Mise en Scene Terms

Meg, Daria, Sarah 

Parallelism 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 

Toy Story 

Iris 

Women in White 

Silent Film 

Closed/Open Form 

Closed Form: The Shining 

Open Form: Princes Mononoke 

Depth 

Deep Focus Shot

Shallow Focus Shot 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a formalist film. Expressionists work to edit the film so the shots are distorted or stylized from reality in order to portray the deeper meaning behind the film. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind uses the loss of Joel's memories of Clementine to showcase the rawness and truth of love in its formalistic style of form over content. It questions if a relationship is worth having if it is bound to end? Are the memories worth keeping? Nihilism is a philosophical doctrine which suggests that everything is temporary and nothing lasts. A relationship always commences with the optimism that it will last forever, but Nihilism suggests the risk of love is not worth taking if it is all bound to fall apart. In the scene above, the two opposing forces of Clementine and Joel are always being torn apart. The warm colors of Clementine, representing this passion for life and love, as well as impulsivity and anger are attracted to the cool colors of Joel, representing a calmness and levelheadedness perceived sometimes as boring and brooding. The house crumbles around them as Joel's final memories of the two together fall apart as well. The formalist lighting of darkness in the background stresses the symbolic importance of the memories slipping away as a spotlight follows Joel. The light suggests there is still hope in the darkness of losing the memories. Although love is temporary, it is worth the risk. Worth the risk of a house crumbling down in order to save it. Medium cinematic shots of Joel pan at high and low camera angels to his feet and then face emphasizing his nostalgia and remorse over the loss of Clementine. Still, even as the house fills with water and crumbles around them, there is a hope in Montauk. A hope of love. 

The parallel editing of the scene above foreshadows future events and is as ironic as it is painful.  Close up eye level shots follow the dialogue, and hand held camera movements make this scene one of the few elements of realistic cinema. Within Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the realism is used to capture the realistic aspect of there relationship before and after the audience sees it fall apart and come back together again. It makes the audience connect more with the relationship by defining it as something real before using editing to create a formalistic statement on that love. Little is done stylistically to distort the images playing out before the eyes of the audience, natural light and color are used. The conflicting personalities of the two characters shows through their personalities and warm and cool coloring that is associated with Clementine and Joel. Despite the norms of society pushing them apart, the two characters can not help but be drawn to each other. References to there relationship through Clementine's hair color and name emphasis what they have lost yet there dynamic connection. Even the music suggests the irony of the situation playing out before them, Clementine and Joel oblivious to it all. Parallel to the beginning and end of the movie, the same scene has such a different meaning to its audience.