Sound, Acting, and Drama: Titanic

The 1997 film of Titanic was not only a classic, but it was also Leonardo Dicaprio’s first oscar nomination.  However in this blog I will attempt to sink the unsinkable ship and discuss sound, acting, and drama in which is seen in this film.

Titanic has arguably one of the most iconic featured songs in this time era.  The song My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion is such featured song.  This song, and other sound to in the film have importance for the structure of the characters, and also the plot of the film.  An example would be the the start of the song.  The sound of slow and passive violin just depicts Jack’s character.  As the violin picks up and a flute joins in, it gives a sound that would be identified by the Liverpool.  Just the beginning of the song we already know what one of our character will be like.  Later, in the scene when Jack finally makes it onto the ship, and goes to the front of it.  The sound picks up and has a dreamy feel to it.  We want to think that Jack has overcome the conflict of getting out of Liverpool, and finally can make it to America.  Finally the sound drastically changes to fast pace and dark.  I like the fast pace music because it shows how fast the water is rushing onto the ship.

For drama, I want to focus on the aesthetics of the film.  First off, just by looking at the costumes in which our two main characters are wearing can show off their class in the film.  Jack is wearing rags, or whatever he could find, while Rose is wearing an elegant dress with an umbrella.  Also to add to class, Jack is in a shady bar playing a card game to win an opportunity to get to America, while Rose is being chauffeured to the gigantic ship.  The drama of these two characters are so drastically polar opposites.  However this makes for a perfect love story, which is exactly why this film is loved.  I also find it interesting that because of what they’re wearing, and the situation they’re in shows off their gender.  Rose has this look of being a princess, while Jack has almost a feel of being a low life rat.  This just adds to the gender role of the time period.

Based on the drama which was explained above, the acting had to be on point.  It takes a special actor to have so many faces like Leonardo Dicaprio has.  I personally believe that this performance in Titanic was one of his best.  One reason I think this is because although he is poor, and just barley getting on the ship yet to because of one scene we are to think that he really is the king.  The famous scene of Jack being on front of the ship yelling “I’m the king of the world” is just to show that he is still going to be himself although supporting the lower class.  It takes some special acting to be able to do this.

Jurassic Park: Movement and Editing

Everyone’s dream of being to close to dinosaurs came to life in 1993.  Steven Spielberg’s production of Jurassic Park was a work of art.  This film would not of been as amazing or special if it was not for the camera movement and editing.  Throughout the film, there are a few scene’s that stick out that really compliment the camera movement and editing of the film.

In the first scene that I selected to use, is the oh so famous and always recognized kitchen scene.  As we all know the two children are hiding from the velociraptor.  The camera movement in this scene is in comparison with the fear that the children are feeling.  The raptors seem to move in a slow shifty way.  The camera moves from showing the kids hiding behind the table, to a show shift up to the raptors as they communicate with each other.  This slow camera move shifting back and forth between the raptor and the children just imply that fear that we see as the audience.  As the children begin to crawl on the floor of the kitchen trying to stay out of sight of the raptors, the movement of the camera starts to switch from top to bottom.  The flashing of the camera does not only show the panic of the children, but it shows the two kids avoiding the ferocious predator.

The next scene that a picked from this film is the oh so famous toilet death.  This particular scene has a special place in my heart.  I can remember talking about this way back in early elementary school.  This alone was the funniest scene to an eight year old boy.  However now looking at it I see excellent camera movement and editing.  First when Dr. Grant yells at Ian to freeze.  The camera zooms in fast to show how serious he is.  You would think that it would be obvious reckoning there was a giant T-Rex right there.  When Ian starts to run away from the T-Rex the camera movement sways back and forth in a frantic way.  This camera movement is to represent the frantic movement to show that he is running.  I think that this camera movement because it shows the chaos of the scene.  Moving to the toilet death part.  The editing of this particular moment in the film show the little cabana shaking due to the giant T-Rex running toward it.  Spielberg’s film did an excellent job showing how massive the T-Rex really was.  When the T-Rex finally arrives and knocks down the little toilet shed the camera movement slowly zooms in as if the light was slowly falling through his fingers.  When the camera finally reaches him so doest he T-Rex, and yes he has the look on his face like he just pooped himself.

Martin Ferrero (Donald Gennaro) is hiding in the portable bathroom.

This film is a great example for camera movement and editing.