2. FRAME 1
The scene starts off with dramatic low
key music alongside a medium shot of
walking legs, the floor is bombarded by
rain and the long shadows cast by the legs
stretch off shot. These are all very strong
characteristics of noir, they are all markers
which cement to the viewer a pessimistic
and intents theme. The steps are in time
with the music- this use of synchronised
music draws importance as to where the
characters are going. More and more feet
join the march, they stop and the camera
tilts up showing a crowd of half
silhouetted citizens .
3. FRAME 2
The crowed are looking up at this-a
silhouetted man about to be hung, the
silhouette makes the scene more vivid,
allowing the audience to image the look
on the mans face, also the strong use of
silhouettes is key to noir, implication and
associations come hand in hand with the
dramatic music and intense story line.
Crime. Crime is mostly glamorised within
the world of noir with care free gangsters,
drugs and drinking , however within this
frame you can see how the director (Frank
Borage) has considered the punishment
and effects of crime.
4. FRAME 3
The scene fades to this, another silhouette
cast upon a child's bed, it resembled the
man hanging, the camera pulls back to
show it is a child's toy, sinisterly placed to
mock the childes farther. The child seems
to be being bullied because of his fathers
criminal exploits, a side rarely shown in
not just noir but film as a whole. The
room is light by a window, it leaks bright
light onto the bed, clearly showing the
child crying under the covers. The crying
is all foley, in fact it doesn’t even match up
with the child’s mouth. It seems that the
child may be in a orphanage but it is not
clear yet.
5. FRAME 4
Elliptical editing is used to show the child
older, this time in a playground fighting
with a school rival. Other children can be
seen running towards the fight, as they are
all boys it seems more probable that this is
in an orphanage or school. As ever the
shadows are long and the music is
dramatic. The rivalry between these two
children all could stem from the farther
being hung, the scene shows the ripples
of ones mans crimes.
6. FRAME 5
Again conflict is shown between this one
child and the other boys- they hold him
up against the wall and rub dirt in his face.
The boys face is shown half in darkness,
these techniques are often shown in noir ,
weather it be to show fractured
personalities or to reinforce the
pessimistic dark world with surrounds the
characters. The high angle tells the
audience that the bullies are in control and
that this defenceless boy is a victim, the
shot asks the audience to pity the boy
despite his fathers roots.
7. FRAME 6
The next frame shows a high school
dance, well light and reflected in a swamp
like marsh. The fore ground is almost
completely black, only showing the outline
of leafs and shrubs. This shot shows
seclusion; distance, not only for the
audience but for the characters among this
forestry land. As this is a teen dance it
could be said more elliptical editing has
been used.
8. FRAME 7
The marshes are the perfect setting for the
final conflict, its dark and mysterious. The
bully seems smug and confident, smartly
dressed and styled . The victim is scruffy
and dark he has been destroyed by the
bully. The lighting is coming from the
moon and is fractured by the trees, typical
of noir. The sound within this scene is
ambient forest and residual noise from the
high school party.
9. FRAME 8
This long shot shows the conflict in
progress, the scene has moved to a
near log cabin, these darkened
scenes show an approaching climax,
the bullied teen is almost completely
hidden in blackness, the bully's
white suit is carefully light. As far as
the music is concerned is quite quiet
and low.
10. FRAME 9
The bullied teen is cast in almost complete
darkness, his eye sockets are completely
black and his attacking the bully, the
audiences opinions of this victim are
shifting, as the bully is on the floor,
defenceless, and the teen is above him
with a rock in his hand – an attack seems
imminent. The audiences shift opinions
quite quick, we feel sorry for him and feel
ashamed of routing for him. The music is
low key and quite orchestral. This climax
shows the result of countless bullying
encounters.
