1.0 Introduction
Understanding the nature of films and their approach to exposing specific themes requires one to analyze the unique features the directors and filmmakers use in making the film. The film analysis process involves evaluating various scenes and how they relate or differ. A common theme in films today is racial discrimination. Although world leaders have been on the frontline against racial discrimination, it persists as one of the most prevalent social challenges globally. Films today use their platforms to expose the challenges in societies associated with racial prejudice. It is common for people to use racially-constructed stereotypes and slurs to attack others. The current analysis focuses on two films, one from class and one from the last year. The first film is Rear Window, released in 1954, and a mystery thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The second one is Break Through, a Chinese film released in September 2023 and directed by Daniel Sinclair. The two films portray various social issues around the topic of racial discrimination. The films use different techniques to portray the problems affecting societies. Although both films utilize editing techniques to depict moral decay in the community, Rear Window uses the Kuleshov effect to create voyeurism in the audience. In contrast, Break Through uses classical continuity editing to produce a consistent narrative about the role of women in establishing a morally upright society.
2.0 The Kuleshov Effect in Rear Window
The film primarily involves the main character, Jeff, a former journalist who had a leg injury and was forced to spend long hours inside a house in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. Jeff uses his binoculars and camera to spy on his neighbors from the rear window. Jeff shares his views with Lisa Fremont, his socialite girlfriend and a nurse who offers healthcare services named Stella. In his spying process, Jeff witnesses many irregular occurrences in his neighbors’ lives and is convinced of a possible murder. He investigates the case and involves the police to know the truth (Hitchcock, 1954). The film’s use of Kuleshov effect is evident in many scenes.
The Kuleshov effect helps engage the audience in a view similar to that of the leading actor. It involves combining shots to create a mental phenomenon by which viewers can understand the film (Crippen, 2021). To achieve the Kuleshov effect, filmmakers combine shots from different shots to induce the audience to see things from the leading actor’s perspective. In Rear Window, the director wants the audience to understand what Jeff sees, which contributes to making the audience understand his perceptions and fears. For instance, between 00:21:30 and 00:21:57, the film uses the Kuleshov effect to bring out Jeff’s obsession with his neighbors. The shots from his apartment reflect his close observation of his neighbors’ lifestyle and their unusual life. The implication is that when the audience sees the concerns in Jeff’s face and also sees the neighbors’ actions at the same time, it is easier to build a standard view that the neighbors need attention to understand their life choices. Also, at 00:42:10, the shot shows a reflection of the apartment in Jeff’s camera (Hitchcock, 1954). This reflection gives the audience a preview of what he is about to look at and the proximity of the building. Also, between 00:42:20 and 00:42:35, the Kuleshov effect helps the audience see Thorwald cleaning his handsaw, a view Jeff sees from his camera (Hitchcock, 1954). Apart from expanding the audience’s views about the neighbors, the film uses this Kuleshov effect to create voyeurism.
Voyeurism is evident in how Jeff finds observing his neighbors’ lives intriguing. According to Harfouche (2021), the male gaze creates voyeurism. Jeff uses his cameras to zoom in on his neighbors and observe their marital life. For instance, between 00:46:00 and 00:46:07, Jeff observes Miss Lonelyhearts in her bed as she admires herself in a mirror (Hitchcock, 1954). The audience can understand Jeff’s perceptions through the Kuleshov effect, which involves showing Jeff’s admiration and Miss Lonelyheart’s position in bed. Also, between 00:14:34 and 00:15:21, Jeff admires his neighbors making out before they close their rear window (Hitchcock, 1954). By combining the shots showing the neighbors and Jeff’s face, the audience gets the voyeurism intended in the film.
3.0 Classical Continuity Editing in Break-Through
The film involves a drug gang in Dongzhou, terrorizing the residents and making police work a nightmare. To catch the gang, the Dongzhou Public Security Bureau sends Mei Xiaodong as an undercover cop to join the gang and pretend to be one of them. Mei’s involvement is personal because Cheng Hui, his wife, died in a bomb attack by the gang. Their daughter, Mei Jing, is a Thunderbolt Women’s Commando member who also fights crime. The commandos, led by Mei Jing, break into the gang den based on information from Mei Xiaodong, but it turns out to be an ambush. Mei Xiaodong’s cover is exposed, and he almost dies as Mei Jing saves him before he dies. The commandos attack a convoy and finally win over the gang (Sinclair, 2023). The film uses classical continuity editing to build a strong female character and portray women as strong personalities in the community.
The choice of Mei Jing and the Thunderbolt Women’s Commando as the successful part of the authorities, and Mei Xiaodong’s failure and near death, is intended to build a strong female character in the film. This technique involves showing two shots in a continuous status, creating a seamless experience whereby the audience can see the events occurring in two or more different parts at the same time. For instance, between 00:04:12 and 00:04:48, the film portrays quick changes from one shot to the other and gives the audience a clear image of how fierce women can be. Specifically, at 00:04:43, the film shows a moment when the villain woman shoots a gas cylinder and causes an explosion (Sinclair, 2023). The scene shows the women’s strength in saving men from dangerous occurrences. Another scene where classical continuous editing occurs is between 00:40:44 and 00:40:48 when Mei Jing flips a gadget on her wrist, sending images to her people at the command center (Sinclair, 2023). The scene shows a seamless transfer from one scene to the other.
4.0 Comparative Analysis
The two films portray moments of unique features in the scenes, using filming techniques to portray the desired aspects of the actors. According to Nichols (2010), the use of male voyeur could be used to glorify or shame women. In the film Rear Window, the film portrays women’s unbearable lives and high dependence on men. For instance, Thorwald’s wife is bedridden, which means she depends on her husband for all her life needs. Miss Lonelyhearts is dependent on men outside her apartment to be happy. The voyeurism created through the Kuleshov effect shows this dependence. On the other hand, the film Break Through portrays women as strong pillars in communities. The film portrays women as effective crime fighters, lead investigators, and good combats. Thus, the two films use the two film techniques to portray women through different lenses.
5.0 Conclusion
The two films portray women using different approaches. Their roles in communities differ with context. Jeff uses the male gaze to create a deep voyeurism about the women in the neighboring apartment and shows how women depend on men to survive. On the other hand, the second film portrays women as solid combatants who save men from the dangerous drug gang. The contrast shows how film techniques could affect how the audience interprets the actors and their actions. A close analysis of the films also shows that the choice of film techniques could determine the audience’s perceptions about the actors and communities in which they live. Thus, the films show women’s position in life and the effectiveness of engaging the audience using different approaches to filming.
References
Crippen, M. (2021). Aesthetics and action: situations, emotional perception, and the Kuleshov effect. Synthese, 198(Suppl 9), pp. 2345–2363.
Harfouche, E. (2021). Fraiming women: examining the male gaze in Nadine Labaki’s films (Doctoral dissertation, Notre Dame University-Louaize).
Hitchcock, A. (1954). Rear Window [Film]. Patron Inc.
Sinclair, D. (2023). Break Through [Film]. Wolf Theatre.
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