1. Witness
Directed by Peter Weir
Released 8 February 1985
The film stars Harrison Ford as a disillusioned cop involved in the case a young Amish boy,
a witness to a murder in a train station where he and his mother (Kelly McGillis) have been
travelling. The script, which had been circulating in Hollywood for several years, had been
inspired by an episode of ‘Gunsmoke’, an American Western drama series, the film’s writers
William Kelley and Earl W. Wallace, had written during the 1970s.
“It's a fascinating and quiet world that Weir paints. But underneath the blossoming relationship
between Ford and McGillis and the overall calm, lies the inevitable danger that they will be
tracked down and violence will enter their world. A lot of care and attention has gone into both
the Oscar-winning screenplay and the beautiful cinematography, to create a powerful and
romantic story. On that level this is a deep and moving film. But a tacked-on, Hollywood-style
ending mars the tender emotions explored here. It spoils things slightly but arguably serves to
remind us that such an idyllic lifestyle can't last forever. – BBC Film Reviews
2. Witness Case Study | Generic Conventions
In the film ‘Witness’ (1985), director Peter Weir uses a variety thriller conventions, such as his choice of camera angles to build the
suspense. For example, an extreme close up shot is used on Samuel’s eye when he is witnessing the murder; this allows the audience
to experience his fear with him, as his wide eyes connote horror and shock. Extreme close ups are seen in many other thrillers, such as
‘Psycho’ (1960) and ‘Vertigo’ (1958), both by Alfred Hitchcock, as it also creates a sense of surrealism for the audience as it is such an
unnatural sight to behold. Shot-reverse shots are also used when Samuel is trapped inside the cubicle and watches the door being
broken open; this puts the audience in his position, thus building the tension of the scene as they experience the fear with him, while
also imagining how they would react if they were in his situation.
The sound is also effective in building tension. Diegetic sounds are emphasised – such as the opening of the knife and Samuel’s heavy
breathing – which could represent how, when a person is scared, their senses are heightened; therefore, this connotes fear and leaves
the audience on edge throughout the scene. The soundtrack features high pitched notes which makes the audience uncomfortable
and acutely aware of the dark proceedings of the scene. Similarly, long, sustained notes are played during the murder which seems to
make time stand still, mirroring the shock of the audience while allowing them to try and absorb the horror of what they just saw.
Extreme eye close up (‘Psycho’, ‘Witness’ and ‘Vertigo’) Shot-reverse shot of cubicle door
The scene also features lots of close up shots of objects that are of importance, such as the lock on the door and victim’s notebook;
this emphasises their importance in the plot, and contributes to the tension of the scene, as the audience are left contemplating their
significance. This is a convention also seen in the thriller ‘Psycho’ with Marion Crane’s stolen money, a recurring motif throughout the
film. Close ups are also used by Weir to unsettle the audience; for example, when the murderer washes his hands and straightens his
tie, a close up is used to highlight his obsessive attention to detail and cleanliness, alerting the audience that not all is as it seems.
This links to the fact that, later in the film, the murderer is identified as a cop; this will further unsettle the audience due to the fact
this representation challenges the stereotype that policeman are trustworthy and law-abiding, leaving the audience in turmoil.
Close ups on objects (‘Psycho’ and ‘Witness’) Close up on washing hands/straightening tie
3. Thelma and Louise
Directed by Ridley Scott
Released 24 May 1991
The film stars Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon as the title characters, who embark on a
road trip after becoming outlaws. Numerous critics and writers have remarked on the
feminist overtones: Kenneth Turan calls it a "neo-feminist road movie“, while writer Jessica
Enevold argues that the movie "exposes the traditional stereotyping of male-female
relationships" while also rescripting the typical gender roles of the road-movie genre.
“Thelma & Louise is powerful in part because it's about more than friendship. Movies that
examine the bonds between women are few and far between, but Thelma & Louise transcends
the genre; it's about transformation and liberation that at once intensely personal and deeply
political. It's about escaping, however fantastically, the agonizing constraints of gender, class,
time, and place… At a recent viewing, aged 28, I was entranced, silently mouthing my favourite
lines along with Sarandon and Davis, laughing semi-hysterically at every sad-funny scene
featuring Thelma's twitchy-eyed sexist jerk of a husband, and choking back a sob when Louise
bade her final farewell to Jimmy.” – The Atlantic Film Reviews
4. Thelma and Louise Case Study | Stereotypes and Intertextuality
In the film ‘Thelma and Louise’ (1990), director Ridley Scott challenges the stereotype of women in film. Traditionally, they are
portrayed as weak and slightly stupid, often dominated by men and largely sexualised; however, Scott disputes this representation, as
seen during the film through his use of camera shots and angles, such as when they are pulled over by the cop. High angle shots are
used when the police officer is being forced into the trunk, which connotes weakness and vulnerability, opposing the traditional view
that men are the dominant figure who control the women, instead of the reverse. The composition of this scene is also important as
the cop is in the lower third of the screen, which further emphasises his weakness as it makes him look small and pathetic. In contrast,
low angle shots are used when Thelma and Louise are on screen, such as when they shoot out the police radio, connoting strength
and power, therefore highlighting their authority and control over the police officer.
Scott has intertextually referenced the film ‘Psycho’ (1960) by Alfred Hitchcock during the scene where Thelma and Louise are pulled
over by a police officer; this is similar to the scene where Marion Crane, too, is confronted by a cop. The shots and composition are
almost identical, with the low angle shot of the policeman looking through the window, underlining his authority, while high angle
shots are used to make the females look weak. However, as Scott is challenging the stereotype, his reverses the roles later on in the
scene, with Thelma leaning through the window of the car to intimidate the cop, instead of the opposite seen in ’Psycho’. This
highlights how women’s role in film had changed dramatically over 30 years; however, due to the fact that Scott killed off the
characters of Thelma and Louise at the end of the film suggests that women are still not seen as indestructible and strong as men.
Low angle vs. high angle (weakness vs power)
The shots and composition are almost identical (‘Thelma and Louise’ and ‘Psycho’)
