In the film "Much Ado about Nothing", the director Kenneth Branagh presents the theme of appearance and reality

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Much Ado about Nothing

Critical Evaluation of Media

In the film “Much Ado about Nothing”, the director Kenneth Branagh presents the theme of appearance and reality through important scenes and different cinematic techniques. I think Branagh wants us to realise that although something may appear better on the surface, in reality something less appealing, in the end, would mean more.

The masked ball scene is an illusion in itself and the characters of Beatrice and Benedick show illusion and reality within them. The theme is shown through these scenes and others, such as the denunciation scene. Certain cinematic techniques -costume, setting and lighting- also portray the theme.

Although the masked ball scene is supposed to be an illusion, it shows the most accuracy in the film. It deals with every aspect of the story so we can be shown the truth in every tale and the honesty of every character. Costume is used to show the theme through the masks that are supposed to hide them so well when, in reality, the masks give us an insight into their characteristics and allows comparison between characters. Claudio’s mask is a cherub, which accentuates his vulnerability, youth and innocence although he constantly puts on the façade of being a man. The mask that Hero wears is plain white and only covers half of her face. The white reveals her innocence and sensitivity, almost weakness –it shows her for what she really is because it covers up her prettiness. Beatrice and Benedick’s masks are a contrast to Hero and Claudio’s. Beatrice has the mask of a cat but often takes it off. The cat shows her cunning and her likeliness to pounce. When she takes her mask off, this is an example of how open and truthful her character is compared to Hero’s timid quiet character. Benedick’s mask is of a face with a huge smile and many laughter lines. This mask shows his jesting nature and that he is always laughing and joking. The wrinkles in the mask contrast with the young fresh skin of Claudio’s cherub mask. Throughout the film Beatrice and Benedick’s characters change dramatically and the characteristics of them in this scene become an illusion of their true intimate, honourable and gentle characters. Irony is also created where both masks, when shown in the film, hide the reality that their faces show. Under his sweet, smiling cherub mask, Claudio is crying and Benedick is actually hurt and upset compared to the grinning face covering his. This is a perfect example of the concept that Branagh is trying to put across, that reality is much more difficult, yet more rewarding than a dream.

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Another cinematic techniques used in this scene to display the theme is that whenever the camera cuts to a different group of people, they are rushing in and out of view; laughing and dancing in and out of the shots. This effect adds to the bizarre and almost confusing truths that we discover about characters in this scene. The warm colours and flickering firelight also add to the appearance of a dream in the scene and the overall surreal atmosphere. One last point in this scene that illustrates the theme is that the scene contains the first deceptions in a ...

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