Over the weekend I watched “Holes”, a movie based off the
top selling book. The opening scene
alone uses a lot of the media techniques that we have learned about in class. In the opening scene of the movie, music is
used to help get a point across. The
scene shows a group of boys digging holes, while a man with a gun walks past
them, helping to show that they are doing this against there will. The song that is playing in the background
keeps repeating “Digging them holes, with broken hands and broken bones”, to
help symbolize there hardships. The
camera then pans showing a good amount of the workers, and then a close up to
the sun to help show the heat that they were working in. Mis en scene is used when the man with the
gun is the closest and largest thing to the camera, helping to show how many
power he has over the boys. Then an
aerial long shot is used, showing all the holes that have been dug. Music is used again when one of the boys
purposely gets attacked by a rattlesnake in order to leave the camp. As the boy’s foot gets closer and closer to
the snake, the music builds and builds until he finally gets attacked.
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Holes is a great film with a very happy ending. The opening scene is meant to shock the viewers showing boys digging holes with strict supervision by a man with a gun. I agree the music is hinting to the hardships and them digging against their will. Mis en scene is used when the man intimidates them with a gun and has inadaquete facilaties like showers and water supply. Shia Labuf is wrongly accused and placed their because of his bad luck. Flashbacks to the old days and his great grandpas curse are frequently shown. It is soon realized the whole camp is exploiting young men to search for a treasure that is buried in the desert. This movie is about greed, overcoming hardships and standing up for what's right. Shia ends up helping this young man hector find his family and read. They become close and share a fortune at the end. Rock n roll music is played when one boy steals the truck symbolizing fun. Long shots and medium shots are frequently used to show all the actors. aerial shots are shown to show the vast desert and mountain that represents a thumb. I agree that mis en scene is used with the gun to show the power over the kids. It is sad that one kid had to get bit by a rattlesnack just to leave. The music is very important to brighten the mood when most kids are gone. When any type of action like Hector running away happens, music is played louder and louder to mimmick excitement. High angles are used also to show the lessened power of the boys.
ReplyDeleteHoles is a really great movie that you can see many film techniques in. Some of my favorite parts in the movie is when they do flash backs. You see them do this because essentially, the warden is making them dig to find buried treasure. These flash backs are there to show you how the treasure got there in the first place. While Holes is shot in modern day, they take the flash backs to western times. In one of the flash backs, you see how Kate is laying in the dirt with a shovel and she says that no one will find the treasure for a hundred years. That was just so. Stanly found the treasure that was rightfully his. Near the end of the movie, when Stanly and Zero find the treasure, you see a really interesting fill technique. The boys snuck out to find the treasure and while doing so they woke up a supervisor. You only see him when the boys notice him. For a quick second, you only can see the outline of him. After that, he turns on his flash light that floods the screen. Then they cut to the boys with the flash light being a spot light on them to show that they are in a lot of trouble
ReplyDeleteHoles is one of my favorite books and movies. The film direction is very amazing and the actors were amazing for the time. The opening scene really sums up the hardships the entire facility is dealing with. The parched mis en scene with sweaty young men just digging holes all day is all that can be scene for miles. The camera angle also plays a huge part in this scene. It slowly starts to zoom out and show all of the inmates digging holes, and dug holes for a huge distance. What I also find incredible is the lack of water that they give them. The boys are pretty much dying out in the desert but not even a drop is administered to them during the process. Its very ironic at the end of the movie after they find the chest, that everything goes right for them. It even rains, which is unheard of in a desert. But the rain is also a literary element in this movie. Since the basic necessity of water was pretty much denied to all the characters when they needed it most, the rain at the end symbolizes victory and that they have beaten all the opposition and enemies.
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