Reflection 17/9/12

Shot reverse shot of Al Pacino and Robert de Niro talking in a restaurant, in the 1995 film "Heat". What do these two seemingly simple shots suggest and what film noir characteristics do they portray?

   By framing the two characters almost identically, the audience subconsciously associates the two characters together; since the actors are at eye level, we also infer that their status and power are similar. Although in the film,  one is a cop and the other a robber, perhaps the director is trying to suggest that they aren't as different as expected.
   Also, the restaurant is very busy and crowded, which corresponds with the archetypal claustrophobic atmosphere and the insignificance of the protagonist in the Noir World.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehTY_FgQjKA

   These are some of the thoughts that I had deliberated on when Ms Wong showed us some clips that demonstrated typical film noir elements. This exercise was very helpful as it prepared my brain for the upcoming film project and essay, which will require critical thinking and detailed, in depth analysis. My role is sound design, so I did some research online. In accordance with the settings of the Noir World, common sounds are sax solos and blue cocktail piano, the "wail of a distant trumpet through dark, wet alleyways [and] hot Latin beat oozing like a neon glow from the half shuttered windows of forbidden nightspots".

Source: www.filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-sound-of-film.html