Cinematography task

                                         Raging Bull(1980)

  Country: USA                                                                   

  Directed by: Martin Scorsese

  Based on: Raging bull: My story by Jake LaMotta

                  Joseph Carter, Peter Savage

  Screenplay by: Paul Schrader, Mardik Martin

  Produced by: Robert Chartoff, Irwin Winkler

  Cinematography: Michael Chapman

  Editing by:  Thelma Schoonmaker

  Starring:  Robert De Niro

  Budget:  $ 18 million

  Box Office: $ 23,380,203

  Duration:  129 minutes

   

                              Cinematographic analysis of fight scene in "Raging Bull"

                          

Walking to the ring

In the the scene before final fight steadicam is fixxing tracking shots with Jake LaMotta,who is preparing to this fight. Selective focus on his face was made in order to show a spectator LaMotta's concentration and excitement about forthcoming fight.

Entrance to the ring

If  at first a viewer can see medium and close-up shots of Jake's face, notwithstanding in the moment of going to the crowd position of steadicam is changed and with wide-angle lens faces of crowded fans can be seen.It was made so as to show reaction of audince on LaMotta. After that horizontal panning is used (when Jake is entracing to the the ring) in order to show  how many people are here for Jake's supporting. A set of medium and close up shots gives a watcher feeling that he is in that place also.

The fight

During  the fight a range of close up and extremely close up shots can be revealed.  This kind of shots with low angle and eye level makes a spectator feel pressure and tension because emotions of boxers can be seen exactly(for them them nothing is important now except this fight).Once time one medium shot with high angle is used to show not only faces but movements both boxers clearly.

End of the fight

The fight is ending with close up shot with canted angle of Jake's rival. It was made to emphasis ache of this boxer and his impossibility to continue fight. Slow motion of judge’s serious face is used to reinforce importance of this triumph.

Celebration

The celebration is beginning with tilt shot with low angle of Jake, who is standing on pedestal, so as to accentuate that now he is on top of the world. After that extreme close up shot with eye-level with Jack displays his tears of this victory, he is happy as never before.

Jack Reacher

                                                 Jack Reacher(2012)

  Country: USA                                                                          

  Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie            

  Based on: One shot by Lee Child

  Produced by: Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner, 

                        Gary Levinsohn, Dana Goldberg

  Cinematography: Caleb Deschanel

  Music by: Joe Kraemer

  Editing by: Kevin Stitt

  Starring:  Tom Cruise

                 Rosamund Pike

                 Richard Jenkins

                 Werner Herzog

                 David Oyelowo

                 Robert Duvall

  Budget:  $ 60 million

  Box Office: $ 218,340,595

  Duration:  130 minutes

  Genre: Action, thriller, detective

    

«He doesn't care about the law,he doesn't care about proof, he only cares about what is right»

What impressed me most of all in film

First of all I want to say that despite the fact I am not a fan of such genres like thriller and action this film I find very thrilling. The plot was really unpredictable. If in most of cases in detective films I could divine who was the main villain and how occurrences had happened here from the very outset I had no idea at all who could organize assassination of 5 seemingly unknown to each other people and what were the reasons of that. So when the main character, Jack Reacher (a person without any past) appeared I watched what would be further with high aspiration. Generally a main culprit is found out at the end of film by chance, what can be very improbable, but in this one the main character is going towards his aim step by step so evolution of story is made in logical sequence. There is a feeling that Jack is absolutely confident in his knowledge and past experience. Hence he knows exactly where to start investigation and what should he do. What I want to mention is that due to all his and Helen Rodin inquiry I was under pressure because it seemed that something could affect them. Besides, when in the middle of the film thanks to Jack the name of criminal was come to light I was until recently sure that father (public prosecutor) of Helen was in cahoots with these delinquents but indeed it was assistant of public prosecutor, what made me be in a shock.

                     

                          

What I don’t think was so good

  

Although I enjoy sense of humor, strength of will, high mentality and trained strong body of Jack Reacher I don’t think that such person can exist in real life. In spite of level of peril it seems that he isn’t afraid of anything, what looks highly unlikely. Naturally, I can believe that when 5 guys attacked he could keep cool because he realized that his own experience in fighting was much greater and he could win them easily. However, when a professional murder rang him up in order to tell that he abducted Helen Jack answered that he had proof of this murder’s guilt and the life of this girl wasn’t interested him. After that Reacher called this guy himself and told him the condition of solution of this situation. In my point of view, it was too unreal. It is a feeling that this character, Jack Reacher, is a part of dominant ideology, that suggest intrepidity, great intelligence and impregnability of men.

The settings and light of final fight

The final fight takes place in desolated canyon at night. There is a huge space and virtually no light. It was made in order to spectator feel tension and can’t predict what will be next during this scene. Moreover, at night this scene seems more mysterious and impressive. There are 2 places, which are shown. One is in the heart of canyon and another is on the top of mountain. There are displayed because in these locations people prepare for final fight,

which will be fateful for both of them (on the first location main    evildoers are waiting for Jack Reacher, who they must kill and in the second local position Jack and his ally themselves get ready to release Helen).