Cinematography
Cinematography
is a group of techniques used to capture images and it includes camera angles,
camera frames and photographic techniques.
Introduction
For this
assignment I will be talking about the 2011 superhero blockbuster, X-Men: First
Class directed by Matthew Vaughn. The film contains many elements of mise en
scene that depict the ending of the story. The setting is very essential in a
film as it plays an important role in the way a story is told. The setting in
this scene of the film is very natural and includes a high key lighting which
could possibly manipulate the audience by building a certain expectation that
it will solely be about a fantasy film rather than a thriller involving crime
and death. X-Men: First Class is a superhero film based on the X-Men characters
from Marvel comics. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names
Professor X and Magneto, they were too men just trying to discover and control
their powers for the first time. Professor X and Magneto started off as the
closest friends, they were almost like brothers to each other and would work
with other mutants before they became archenemies. However, during the process of the mutants working
together to train their abilities a split between them occurred.
The Opening
Young Erik
Lensherr (known as Magneto) is separated from his parents by Nazi guards at a
German concentration camp in Poland during 1944. Lensherr suddenly channels his
thoughts and is able to bend a metal gate until a guard knocks him unconscious.
Whilst this was happening, scientist Sebastian Shaw observed this as he looked
through his window. He then tells the guards to bring Lensherr to him. Once
Lensherr was in Shaw’s office, he put a metal coin on a desk and told Lensherr
to use his powers to move it. Lensherr tries to do so but fails, which forced
Shaw to kill Lensherr’s mother right in front of him. In his anger, frustration
and rage, Lensherr manages to use his magnetic skills and kills the two body
guards that where in the room and destroy two rooms. This was enjoyable for
Shaw and in his delight tells Lensherr that they will “have fun” when
developing his power.
Slide 1
This shot
contains two characters from the waist up which is the hero Charles Xavier
(Professor X) and his love interest, MacTaggert looking ahead at a wrecked
ship. On the top right hand side of the shot, there is sunlight beaming down on
the two characters. This could imply that the two characters are pure.
Although, on the opposite side is the anti-villain; Lensherr who is placed
above the ship which implies that he is evil and there is a big difference
between the three characters.
Slide 2
This shot is
an extreme close up as it contains one characters face which is Lensherr’s.
This image contains the most detail as we already know that this character is
supposed to be a villain, yet, this shot almost depicts a different side to
him. If you look closely you are able to see the hurt and rage in his eyes and
like he’s almost ready to breakdown. It also looks like he is determined. The
cut above his right eye indicates that he has been injured but he is going to
get up and fight back.
Slide 3
These two
images from the film are taken from the same scene. However, in the first image
which is a mid shot it looks as though the two characters who are villains;
Sebastian Shaw and Frost are further away from each other but in the second
shot which is a long shot, they look like they’re a lot closer to each other.
In the second shot, it looks Shaw has his arm around her. This could foreshadow
the death of Shaw at the end of the film and how even though Shaw and Frost
worked as a team and were supposed to be close, she ends up betraying him and
going off with the enemy instead.
Slide 4
In this
cutaway shot the subject is of the two mutants; Hank (known as Beast) and Raven
(known as Mystique) which is why they are closer to the screen and the two
other characters are further away. In this scene, both Beast and Raven are
starting to develop their powers. However, Hank is also trying to create a
vaccine that is supposed to change his and Raven’s appearance by making them
look normal. Although, when Hank takes the vaccine, his mutant features enhance
and he ends up having blue skin and fur and is several times stronger.
Slide 5
This is an
over the shoulder shot. In this image, we are looking from behind the person at
the subject which is Raven. The person’s shoulder who we are looking over is Lensherr
and he is out of focus. This has been done so that the main focus is on Raven and
how she is in her natural form as throughout the film she pretends to be other
people as she is embarrassed of whom she really is. Another reason this has
been done is to show the audience that Raven feels most comfortable around
Magneto as she can be herself. Raven is almost like Lensherr’s protégé.
Slide 6
This slide is a wide shot taken from the
film which reveals all of the destruction and havoc that is being caused by the
main villain in the film, Sebastian Shaw. The angle of this
shot is high which suggests that the villain who is stood in the centre of the
room with a very straight posture has a very high status and a lot of power.
The Ending
X-Men First
Class ends with a big split. This is due to Lensherr killing Shaw by slowly
forcing the coin that Shaw taunted him with as a child through his brain.
Lensherr then announces to his fellow mutants that the humans are the real
enemies and that mutants should come together as a whole and fight them. Xavier
tries to persuade Lensherr to stop having this mentality but it doesn’t work.
Shortly after, two fleets then fire missiles and shells at the mutants, which
Magneto then stops whilst the project tiles are in mid-flight but then turns them
around on both fleets. Professor X and Magneto then begin to fight as Professor
X believes that what Magneto is doing is wrong and wants to stop him. In the
ensuing fight, Professor X manages to distract Magneto but as he does this,
MacTaggert shoots at Magneto multiple times, however, he deflects the bullets,
with one striking Professor X in the spine. Magneto rushes to help Professor X
and takes the bullet out of his spine but because he was so unfocused, he
allows the missiles to fall harmlessly into the ocean.
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