Celine's Film Blog

FILM STUDIES EXAM QUESTION How far do your chosen films demonstrate the importance of visual and soundtrack cues in influencing spectator response? Refer in detail to at least one sequence from each film? (40 marks) In ‘No Country For Old Men’ the Coen brothers mostly rely on visual storytelling through the cinematography of the film to influence the spectator's response as there are scarce soundtracks throughout the film. This allows the audience to be more active and interpretative as there isn’t any music to manipulate them into feeling a particular way. The opening scenes of ‘No Country For Old Men’ and ‘Captain Fantastic’ are vaguely similar in terms of cinematography. In ‘Captain Fantastic’, we are initially presented with long shots of the natural world for a long duration. This was probably done on purpose by the director to allow the audience to appreciate the beauty of the forest and nature as a whole. There are diegetic sounds and no artificial lighting, the colors are b

 NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN - Acceptance of death and nature of life, "you can't stop what's coming" - We initially expect the movie to be about a 'good guy' defeating a 'bad guy', however, no one is the 'good guy' in the film - The world as Chigurh sees it is something he needs to impose some sort of order on - He believes in rules just like sheriff bell, to the point where he can only let fate decide things - The end scene encapsulates how violence preys upon the soul, and a reminder to the audience that it's not the world that changes, but us. - Death is essentially the resolution - Coin toss with jean, her death becomes honorable because she took control over it rather than letting fate decide for her - Jean may have cracked Chigurh to the point where he could be questioning his morals when he realizes that he takes control of someone's life by using fate  - The character arcs are unexpected and not satisfying  - The last we see of Chig