How would you use film language to make the final scene of 'Of Mice and Men' appealing to the modern audience?

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How would you use film language to make the final scene of ‘Of Mice and Men’ appealing to the modern audience?

ESSAY ON FILMS AS PART OF MEDIA STUDIES

HISHAM HASAN, Y9-2

26th March 2002

How would you use film language to make the final scene of ‘Of Mice and Men’ appealing to a modern audience? 

The media is a mode through which authors, poets, directors and others express their thoughts and try to persuade and/or inform an audience. The film is a completely different medium than the other media such as prose and poetry, the radio, theatre, newspaper and press, etc to convey a director/creator’s thoughts, feelings and decisions to an audience. The major difference is that it is primarily a visual agent to communicate an individual viewpoint. Besides, films are not meant to dwell on, as they cannot be referred back to, so the viewer’s first impression may form his/her final judgement of the film’s plot, thoughts and messages. Thus, the film must be designed to be very direct, emphasised and should follow the director’s intentions accurately throughout. In addition, films cannot be expected to give every descriptive detail as like in a novel’s vivid imagery; rather, for every scene, they convey a few camera shots to reveal descriptions. Films, therefore, rely on indications of their intentions to the audience. Second, the film medium is distinctive from the other media, specifically the theatre, in that it creates a visual image from several angles and perspectives, whereas in theatre, the spotlight and the audience’s eye is supposed to be on the speaker only. However, this does not mean that the film medium is any more or less effective that the other media, etc. Actually, the plot of a film may add life to a fantasy or fiction, and make them seem more realistic, as the camera records in real life. This fact allures more the youth of today who seem to enjoy movies more than novels (both fiction/non-fiction), which are blander. As evident, film is also more adaptable to convey ideas and feelings to a certain age group.

By manipulating camera, music and numerous devices, the director can possibly achieve a very powerful effect, to convince his/her audience. On the other hand, novels and screenplay do not have such a wide range of devices to capture the reader. To make up for it, they effectively employ a suitable style e.g. fast paced action, continuous scenes. Yet, films do carry their share of limitations. Some may argue that the film medium tends to be the far more biased viewpoint, than objective, as everything lay in the hands of directors’ personal interpretations. Actor/actresses’ also tend to improvise according to scenes. Finally, the film medium has a far more limited time to develop and present their characterisations than the novel or theatre. Thus, films can be less thought provoking and weaker in approach to an audience.

‘Of Mice and Men’, the novel by Steinbeck, frequently dramatises the constant action of back-to-back scenes. Consequently, the novel shares a strong sense of time, which is a formal element of most movies. Steinbeck’s novel is not targeted at a selective audience in view of its vernacular dialogue and informal touch. Also considering the fast-paced action, ‘Of Mice and Men’ is very adaptable to a movie version. Using various devices up his sleeve, it is very important that the filmmaker gets across a sense of setting and colour in connection with characters’ thoughts and feelings. In preparing the final scene of the movie version of ‘Of Mice and Men’ we were trying to focus on Lennie’s vulnerability in the outside world, the decline of George’s self-esteem with the demise of Lennie and how the setting and the environment (especially Lennie’s desired rabbits) reacted to the catastrophic conclusion. Our precise aims regarding filming technique were to use a combination of low and high-angle shots, camera FX to reflect the plot e.g., dew, steam, fast/moderate paced camera, and deliberate exclusion of the camera from any part of the shot. For soundtracks/FX, we especially tried to imitate characters’ moods and feelings. Finally, suitable dialogue in calculated manner and appropriate timing re-enforced our essence of Lennie’s demise and George’s position.  

The establishing shots arouse an audience’s preliminary attention and directly convey a filmmaker’s purposes. This is because setting, colour, smell, movement and a character’s intentions are all elements of this shot. In our film, George carries a great appeal to any audience

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and connects them with Lennie’s reality. In the first subjective shot, George scrambles onto his horse’s saddle and shoots past the ranch at top speed while camera does not linger on setting. I thought that because the camera does not linger on setting, an audience unaware of Steinbeck’s final plot might get mystified or puzzled as to why George acts so instinctively. We decided on this camera movement keeping in mind that George is very determined and sincere with his friend and he will do the best up to his ability to protect Lennie. The audience can now sense something will go wrong and George will try to help Lennie to get out of the mess. This shot will prompt most audiences to form their own speculations of what is to happen next.

The setting with its colours and activities tell a lot about the general aims of the plot. While George is riding, the camera pans and tilts blurrily. George’s speed is diminished. Strong winds ruffle slowly. Low-angle shot of plants and empty brush, while drops of dew appear on bush. Through the appearance of the setting, the thought of a very empty world is created. By portraying the setting as very unpredictable, we indicated that future events would be as erratic, and expected the viewer to anticipate an abrupt end to the plot. Here, we also tried to create a sense of George’s loneliness and the world’s selfishness at large, so an audience would be encouraged to think about Lennie. Then, by diminishing George’s speed and lingering on the setting, the audience’s subtle reaction to the shocking nature of George’s mission (to save Lennie from Curley’s evil by lynching his friend) was our main intention. We used white, black, and yellow-green to create the sense of a sun-baked setting. Alternatively, as these are cool, unusual afternoon colours with no signs of the sun, the audience could sense an irregularity. However, the colours also show a cool atmosphere, temperature and sun. There is a soothing feeling generated and this is very contrary to the sinister ending. An unaware audience may be hinted that everything is going to be all right.

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George’s clothing (dull brown shirt, light blue denim jeans, Stetson hat and low-heeled boots) was chosen to be unusually bland for the vibrant and attractive person. His low-heeled boots underline his inferiority to Curley as a labourer. George’s position is foreshadowed, because as George is going to lose Lennie later, his self-worth and respect is also going to decline. We used camera fixed frame to reveal this. We used a thawed image to show that George is pondering over his decisions. His body language also reveals his heavy heart, unhappy mind and the receding images make it certain to ...

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