Of Mice and Men: Comparing 2 films version

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 Of Mice and Men: Comparing 2 films version (1939, 1981)          

John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is a book exploring into the lives of two migrant workers, George and Lennie and their dream of one day setting up their own ranch and as Lennie would say “Live of the fat of the land”. This for men like George and Lennie would allow them to be their own masters and live a free life away from rules and the ability to be canned.

Both film versions of Of Mice and Men begin with a chase scene showing George and Lennie being pursued by a group of angry workers wielding powerful weapons; however the manner in which they are chased differs greatly. In the 1939 film starring Lon Chaney Junior and Burgess Meredith, George and Lennie are chased by men with dogs running on foot. Earlier in the film there were signs that something bad would happen. The black mushroom cloud symbolized that a bad event has occurred and possibly something bad will happen in the future. Also the rabbits scurry in all directions, just as George and Lennie arrive running away from the chasing group of workers giving the notion that all is not well.

On the other hand in the 1981 film starring Randy Quaid and Robert Blake the pursuers are on horseback and the chase scene is shot in a field rather than the woods used in the earlier film. Also there are two points at which George and Lennie in the later film are looked for by the workers once before they meet with Aunt Clara and once after. The music in this section suits the action very clearly there is separate music for both the chasers and George and Lennie which emphasises the video. Furthermore when George and Lennie return to the home of Lennie’s Aunt the tune “Red River Valley” is played. This is a song about returning to the place where you feel safe home.

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During the chase scene in the earlier film George, Lennie and the hunting pack of furious workers are never seen in the same shot, this could be due to a lack of money in which to fund the onsite filming; therefore by not having them in the same shot the scene could be back projected in a studio saving money. Back Projection is the process by which an actor or actress will perform their part on the spot whilst a video of the surroundings is projection behind them.

However the chasing sequence in the later film is in ...

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