2. The film that I have decided to use is
‘The Book of ELI’
I have chose this film because of the amount of enigma in the opening scene.
I also like the actor ‘Denzel Washington’. All of the way through the opening
scene you are thinking who is this person and what is he doing in this
abandoned place. There is also a very impressive fight scene where one man
gets his hand cut clean off. This shows us that the film producers have put a
lot of money in the film because it looks very convincing. Directed by the
Hughes brothers. The film was first realest in 2010.
Main cast:
Denzel Washington = Eli Gary Oldman = Carnegie Mila Kunis =Solara
3. How the actors look
The actor Denzel Washington who plays the role of Eli looks very fitting to
the scene. He is wearing dirty clothing and has most of himself covered up.
This connotes that he doesn't want to stand out and just wants to get past
without getting interrupted. The bandits look as though they are in clothing
that they have acquired from all of the people that they have stole from, for
example they are not all in the same type of clothing like a uniform so they
stand out from each other. The girl in the middle of the road is in a dress, this
connotes that she is venerable and that she needs help. This is good because
it makes the audience trust her but we then find out that she was with the
bandits.
4. Stand out moments in this opening.
The main stand out moment in this opening is when the bandits attempt to
rob Eli but he ends up cutting one mans hand off and then kills all of them
without a problem. This stands out because of the graphic content on the
mans cut off hand, it look very realistic and makes you gasp and cringe.
Another stand out moment in the opening is when Eli first encounters the
woman in the middle of the road. At first the audience thinks that she is
venerable and that he is going to help her but then it soon escalates and all of
the bandits come out.
Another standout moment in this opening is when is does a establishing shot
of the high way that is full of destroyed cars. This stands out because is
contrasts with the normal world and really draws you attention in to the film
because you want to know what could have done this to this many people.
5. The book of Eli summarised plot
Eli (played by Denzel Washington) is appointed the task of finding and
delivering the book (bible) to the ship where a collection of all of the most
famous book are being saved. This takes place after a nuclear apocalypse so
most of the land is desert. He comes across a gang of bikers and there boss
wanted the last known bible so that he could rewrite history with him playing
the part of God. Once he has delivered the book, they copy it thousands of
times and spared the work of God.
6. MELCS
Mise-en-scene
In this opening there has been good use of setting and props. For example the
woman is on the floor she has a shopping trolley by her side and all of the
content has fallen out. This makes her look vulnerable to Eli so he isn't
threatened by her. Another good use of props is the weapons the bandits use,
They all look to be real. The setting is very effective because it looks to be
set in a place where it was once very populated but now is left abandoned. At
the very start there is a dead body on the floor, this shows the audience that
the film is going to be violent throughout. This is then supported when it goes
to the fight scene and Eli has to kill all of the men. At the start the setting is
in a dark forest which connotes danger and evil. This also links in the film as a
whole because it is a very violent film with lots of blood and gore.
7. MELCS
Editing
Low key green lighting in the forest right at the start of the film, this
connotes that something is going to go wrong and people should be afraid of
this place . Extremely good continuity I saw no errors that would make the
film seem to be unreal of poorly made. This connotes that the film was good
quality and that the film producers have put lots of money in the this film to
make sure that it all goes right and according to plan. The start of the film is
very slow pace, This will build up tension and create lots of enigma. This will
intern make the audience want to carry on watching the film to find out what
will happen next. The transitions that are used are cut transitions. They use
these because they make it more realistic then is they was to put a star cut
in.
8. MELCS
Lighting
Low key under the bridge when the fighting goes on. Low key lighting in the
forest connotes danger and horror. This sets the tone of the film and givers
you a good idea of the genre. This will create a large amount of enigma for
the audience and makes them feel uneasy about what the film is going to be
about. In the image at the bottom shows Eli to be on a high way that has been
abandoned. there is low key lighting to show that many people have lost their
lives in this place. It also shows that Eli is the centre and the world is all gone
in to chaos
9. MELCS
camera
Low angle shots of Eli to show that he is superior to the other men. There is a
restricted shot at the start of the opening scene where the camera is showing
you around the location and then it goes down to the floor so that you cannot
see what is there. This creates a mass amount of enigma and really makes you
want to know what is there. This will make the audience want to carry on
watching the film to find out what is happening. They use a pan camera shot
right at the start of the opening, this is to show the audience all of the
location of the setting to exaggerate that the man is all alone. This is very
affective because is shows dead people and shows that Eli is the only man left
alive.
10. MELCS
Sound
Slow pace non-diegetic music is used as it connotes danger and horror. They
have done this because it will make the audience need to engage with the
film to know what is going on. It also sets the tone of the film and allows the
viewers to know that the film is going to be gory and have some jumpy
moments throughout.
The film also uses diegtic sound for the cross bow when he shoots the cat.
There is next to no sound until you hear the twang of the arrow cutting
through the air towards the helpless cat. This builds up enigma because you
don't know what Eli is going to shoot as there is a dead bodies next to the cat
so it makes you think that he is shooting people.
11. Conventions
The film shows the title “The Book of Eli” right at the end of the opening
scene. This will build up enigma and make the audience need to use their
brain to find out what might be going on and indulges them in to the film.
The opening also shows the names of some of the main actors such as Denzel
Washington. This tells the audience that the film has had a big budget as
Denzel Washington is a highly regarded actor and has been in many good films
with a high budget.
They also use the studio logo in the opening so that the audience know a bit
more about the film like the genre and things like is the film going to be a
cartoon or real people.
12. Conventions
The film also introduces you to the main character very well. You see Eli
looking in buildings and cars for supplies. This tells that reader that he knows
what he is doing in this situation and makes them think that it has been going
on for a long time.
They use a good establishing shot at the start to show the whole location and
to exaggerate how alone that Eli is.
The equilibrium in this film is used to create a world in the future where
there has been a nuclear explosion destroying a large amount of the world
leaving it as one large desert.
13. Enigma
One question that is raised in the opening scene of this film is, what is the
book? The fact that they don't tell you what the book is right until the end of
the film makes the think of all sorts of things, you really want to know what
the book is about and how it can restore hope to the world.
Another question the opening raises is, how did Eli survive the nuclear
apocalypse all by himself? This makes the audience think that the book could
have given his some kind of powers. This is supported by the fact that he is
capable of killing all of the bandits with ought them ever touching him.
Another question the opening raises is why is there a dead man there? Did Eli
kill him? of was this man Eli? This is very effective as it makes the audience
feel uneasy because you don't expect to see a dead man right at the start of
the film. It helps to establish the genre because if there is a dead man they
you know that the film will be a horror or a action film.
14. The opening scene establishes genre
The opening scene establishes genre because of the low key lighting. The low
key lighting would connote that the film is going to be a action film or a
horror as people would expect a horror or action film to be in the dark.
Another way the opening scene establishes genre is the dead man with a gun
next to him. The gun connotes danger and fast pace action and the dead man
connotes horror. This will allow the audience to understand the genre.
Also the opening scene establishes genre by showing the man with a bow and
arrow. This connotes that the film is going to be a fast pace action film.
15. Narative
This film opening does not have a supportive narrative throughout. This is not
used because it will help to build up the amount of enigma. If the opening
was to have a narrative then it would not be as effective in the way that all
of the information that is hidden would be given away to easy and make the
film boring.
16. What makes the opening good
I think that this film is good because of the amount of enigma that is created. It
makes the audience want to know what is going on and makes them want to
continue to watch the film.
Another reason why this film opening is good is because of the low key lighting
that has been used. This sets the tone and genre of the film and also ads even
more enigma to the scene.
The opening scene is good because it doesn't show the actors names right at the
start so no attention is drawn away from what is going on on the screen
