Thriller Analysis: In class 1

Fargo:

Fargo is a crime thriller that was written by the Coen Brothers in 1996 about a guy that has a car dealership that goes wrong and needs some help from other people during the film. While the car dealership is happening on the side there is also a kidnapping of which occurs. This means that the money is desperatly needs to help fix everything, when the events change to something that goes horribly wrong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI_4wvBHkrw

The opening sequence occurs by showing a reverse screen of a white background and black text that either includes the main actor’s names, the director and the film title. By adding this it is showing the inverse of what usually occurs and how the film maybe a typical thriller with the usual conventions, however the story line is very different. Furthering on this idea it is so bright that the writing dulls it down a bit, but still makes it clear that these are so important to the film. Advancing this idea you can see the idea that they were trying to make a point and exaggerate what is happening.

Titles that are icluded in the opening of the extract: 

• This is a true story --> With an explanation
• Polygram Filmed, Entertainment Presents
• In association with worring title films
• Frances Mcdormand
• William H. Macy
• Steve Buscemi 
• Harve Presenell
• Peter Stormare
• Fargo 
• Fargo, North Dakota

Camera:

The extract consists of one type of camera shot, and that one is firstly known as a long shot of when Jerry first enters the bar. This is done to add the thought that Jerry is clueless and the type of character that doesn’t know what he is doing or looking for, but knows that there is two people he needs to find. Furthering on this idea it may have been added to suggest the need of help and whatever has happened would have been by accident due to not knowing what he is doing. Adding on to this the long shot allows you to see what type of character he is through what he is wearing, by representing a smart guy in a suit, but tried to blend in by putting on the coat to cover up. This suggests that he needs help from the two guys, and needs to dress like them for them to believe he is one of them.

Sound:

To add more to the opening sequence sound is used to allow the person watching it to hear what is happening. At this point of the extract an opening sequence is added of a montage of the directors name, actor’s name and the title of the film to allow them to know who is in the film and the director in case you like what they have created. The sound type used at this point is diegetic sound of a slow tempo song. This implies that they are slowly going in to the story and how you can’t easily predict what is going to happen. To widen this idea you can tell that the delicate music used goes into a car being towed away to maybe suggest that this is one of the parts of the film where there isn't two much drama happening.

Mise – En- Scene:

Mise-En-Scene is the way of describing what is seen being able to be seen in the extract. In the extract Mise-En-Scene is presenting the lighting and colour of the screen and what is happening. The colouring at this part is very bright and beaming to keep people interested from the beginning. By starting off this point with something different it attracts the audience to want to see what happens and get an explanation for it. Advancing the idea of colouring, it may be this to fade into the type of weather that is snowy, cold, and a beautiful setting to be looking at, that makes entrance of the film built up to something filled with a lot of drama as well as a setting wanting to look at. Adding on to this it is showing that even though all of this is happening, the rest of the world is calm and simple.

Editing:

In the extract editing is portrayed through shot reverse shot straight after the opening title sequence to represent that a conversation is occurring between the three men. At this point of the conversation you can see that one man is standing up to suggest that he wanted something from the other two and may desperately need it. The two men sat down are at a low angle shot looking up at someone to try and imply that they are listening to the character of Jerry, but may not do what he would like from them. Furthering on this idea you can see that Jerry was very nervous about asking, when you heard the way he was talking and the body language was very timid and awkward to suggest that Jerry was desperate to get the money.