Apocalypse now notes

Apocalypse now opening scene.

Mis-en-scene, editing and performance.

Starts off with a wide shot of coconut trees and The doors "the end" starts to play. The shot of the trees starts off the audience with a sensation of calmness and a relaxed pacific mood. The use of the music refers back to the mid 60s where the Vietnam war's most cruical years took place and The doors were a very famous and significant band in that time. The wide shot of the trees although calm, also gives an impression of mystery as the guitar of the song is very psychedelic. Smoke rises and when Jim Morrison sings the first lyrics, "this is the end", napalm is released on the trees and completely distroys them with fire. The editing of the lyrics and napalm is significant because just as Morrison says the word "this is the end", its almost as if he is refering to those trees as if they have their end, but also refers to the war which also links with death and the title of the film which is Apocalypse now, and Apocalypse means the end of the world. Helicopters are seen flying past the trees now which makes it clear the setting and location is in a war zone in Vietnam.
Martin Sheen's face appears on the screen but faded which seems as if he is remembering what had happened. The audience are also given the impression that he is the protagonist because it is the first face they see. The use of the close up being faded shows that he is remembering what had happened but also gives the hint that he might of been a part of it, and the guilt is almost stalking him which makes him always remember it. More helicopters are shown which makes it clear that they are important in the film and expect to see more of them later on the film. But this time the burnt coconut trees are shown with a orange and red background which looks like hell, with also branches and leaves falling. This really drags the audience in because a minute ago the wide shot of the trees was very secure and calm as if it was like heaven, and now the trees are destroyed and the background is red and orange with smoke flowing through which really gives an atmosphere of hell. The rapid change of the two settings is exciting for the audience because it lets them transport from one scene and location to another with a whole different mood and atmosphere. Noises of helicopters become louder, as the camera on Sheen's close up spins around him. This shows the audience that he is really cursed with his past in the war that he keeps remembering it and also is not happy and feels uncomfortable as his eyes are wide open whilst he is in bed which is seen by the white sheets, which shows he is unable to sleep because of his not so much nostalgic thoughts. We then get a slow moving shot which is still faded like the close up of Sheen, with burts of fire still apearing on the screen, of his messy desk with books, files and a picture of a woman which hints that it could be his wife. This gives the audience the impression that he has his own personal life even though his troubled past. The use of his belongings being messy and left as if they are thrown on the desk, also gives the impression that he isn't too happy with his life or even that he has no care for it. We come towards Sheen again and drift to the cupboard next to his bed.We see a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, a glass of whiskey with the bottle and we then see his hand with a lit cigarette and move towards the bed. The props on the cupboard are very common for a man of solitude because the whiskey gives the audience the hint that he wants to escape his past by forgetting it with drinking, and also the cigarettes and vippo lighter just refers back to the 60's where a large majority of people smoked. On the bed next to him is a pistol which shows the audience that he was a soldier in the war that he is trying to forget, but the use of the placing of the gun on the bed shows the audience he is also a bit insane because nobody sleeps with a gun in their bed unless they are afraid and want to protect themselves. The music fades out and as it does we see the fan on the celing rapidly spining but the noise of a helicopter is heard showing that Sheen is remembered by his past everywhere. The use of the diegetic sound of the hellicopter prepeller with the focus of the fan shows us that hellicopters are significant and also shows us that Sheen cannot escape his past.

Micro analysis

Micro analysis - Pick 5 favourite films

-Pulp fiction
-The godfather
-Apocalypse now
-The deer hunter
-A clockwork orange

Pick two favourite scenes from each film.

Pulp fiction - The scene where Travolta and the drug dealer have to give Uma Thurman an adrenaline shot, could talk about camera work- editing and also performance.

Apocalypse now - The opening scene of the film where Martin Sheen wakes up at the hotel in Saigon and has a nervous breakdown, could talk about performance and editng, sound editing.

The deer hunter - The russian roulette scene where Robert Deniro and Christapher Walken play russian roulette, could talk about mis-en-scene and performance.

A clockwork orange - The rape scene where the gang enter and break into a house which contains a man and his wife, mis-en-scene and performance.

The godfather - resteraunt murder scene.

Goodfellas opening

 

Task: Analyse Goodfellas opening film clip applying the micro-elements of film. Aim to discuss TWO points of each micro-element.