Film techniques used in casablanca

In this essay i will focus on a particular aspect of visual design and staging in casablanca, namely the use of aperture framings, i. They aim to bring the classic film casablanca to a new. To help steer the discussion, here is a plot summary from imdb. Presented and represented as both a center for cultural ambiguity and potential liberation, the titular city serves as curitzs primary rhetorical device. The lighting techniques used in casablanca, is really what makes a difference in the movie. Filmmakers of that era did not adopt the range of artificial lighting that was already standard equipment in photographic studios and widely used by. The lighting techniques used in the early cinema of the late 1890s and the first years of the twentieth century were astonishingly primitive in comparison with those used in still photography. Film language into film into film film in education.

An analysis of the salient techniques used in the train station scene in casablanca. Casablanca is a 1942 american romantic drama film directed by michael curtiz based on murray burnett and joan alisons unproduced stage play everybody comes to ricks. Griffith to steven spielberg, each has built a reputation on his individual interpretation of plot and the means chosen to realize it. One director that had a large influence on the film was jeanluc godard, a major french director, whose film breathless jeanluc godard, 1960 contributed to the french new wave by introducing new innovative film techniques. Casablanca is a movie that took place in casablanca, morocco, which was the pace for people trying to get away from the bad conditions of the war in europe as well as the nazi concentration camps. Movement can be used extensively by film makers to make meaning. May 04, 20 the lights of casablanca an indepth look into the lighting techniques employed and the context in which they were used, caught between film noir and the classic hollywood style.

It is a very unique movie which encompasses the difficult and tumultuous time period of world war ii, and plays out the romantic struggles of an american expatriate meeting a. Throughout the decades as filmakers have used and improved this formula, casablanca still remains a classic because it is a primary source on how movie making should be done. The film stars humphrey bogart, ingrid bergman, and paul henreid. An undisputed masterpiece and perhaps hollywoods quintessential statement on love and romance, casablanca has only improved with age, boasting careerdefining. Nominated for the 1944 academy award for best blackandwhite cinematography. Home essay samples entertainment casablanca casablanca movie analysis. Located in the centralwestern part of morocco bordering the atlantic ocean, it is the largest city in the maghreb region and the eighthlargest in the arab. Movement techniques in casablanca film studies essay. Movement techniques in casablanca film studies essay uk essays. Provided in this alphabetised list of film techniques used in motion picture filmmaking.

Casablanca 1942 directed by michael curtiz written by julius j. A comparison of the film casablanca and the book 1984 by george orwell. Elements in the highers media analysis include representation, purpose and narrative structure. No one making casablanca thought they were making a great movie. In 1942s casablanca, michael curitz utilizes certain artistic manipulations to construct a romance within the contexts of total war. Why does editing play such an important part in casablanca.

In the early years of world war ii, december 1941, the moroccan coastal city of casablanca attracts people from all over the world, particularly nazioccupied europe. Casablanca, american film drama, released in 1942, that was loosely based on murray burnett and joan alisons unproduced play everybody comes to ricks. The setting, time, political and moral atmosphere, and ricks character are established in the first few minutes of the movie. In the film psycho, director alfred hitchcock uses several innovative film techniques to maintain the audiences sense of suspense and tension. A film in short has to have a surplus of different experiences for the audience, and also demonstrate an imaginative use of cinematography. The first matrix film had the bullet time sequence, and people will most likely associate that technique with the movie. For instance circular and archshaped framing devices are used even if there is. The following analysis reveals a comprehensive look at the storyform for casablanca. A fastpaced, emotionally charged romance set against the tumultuous backdrop of world war ii, the film is one of the most celebrated and iconic. Oct 15, 2012 the lighting techniques used in the early cinema of the late 1890s and the first years of the twentieth century were astonishingly primitive in comparison with those used in still photography. Sep 28, 2015 if you have seen casablanca, i invite you to join me in breaking down and analyzing the movie.

Another approach of raising the feeling of realism in a movie is to use handheld camera. Casablanca follows the classical hollywood trend through lighting, editing and setting as well as pertaining to a certain style of propaganda film. Movement technique in casablanca film studies essay. It was also being made at the time when film noir was still in its infancy, and since noir is not limited by a genre, only by the style of the film, it spilt over into casablanca, giving it a different feel. Nov 28, 2014 the lighting techniques used in casablanca, is really what makes a difference in the movie.

Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. It is how a scene is put together to produce an image. My objective this week is to discuss the lighting technique that was used in this film. Casablanca 1942, directed by michael curtiz, is a perennial favorite, depicting unique humphrey bogart and ingrid bergman characters caught in situations out of their control. Research into bullet time shows that it was used long before the matrix. Casablanca creates a formula for future hollywood to follow. The early part of the 20 th century saw a factory style of film production, but as the years went by, directors began to employ new and untried techniques in their pictures. The main message that this film used a major theme of neutrality. The line play it again, sam appeared in the marx brothers a night in casablanca 1946. Oct 07, 20 before our viewing of casablanca, we watched a documentary about the hollywood style, which defined it as a type of film making in which the narrative story line takes precedence and all of the effects are used to move this story forward. Welles was extremely conscious of the importance of sound and used it very. But rick and ilsa are not getting all kissyface in a bubble.

The central concentration and all the focus of attention was directed to ilsa ingrid bergman. It is often used to reveal crucial backstory about characters pasts, as in casablanca, when rick reminisces about his doomed romance with ilsa in the care free days before world war two. Like other classical hollywood films of the thirties and forties, casablanca clearly prefers closed formal compositions as opposed to open one, and aperture framings play a prominent role in the visual. Before our viewing of casablanca, we watched a documentary about the hollywood style, which defined it as a type of filmmaking in which the narrative story line takes precedence and all of the effects are used to move this story forward. Citizen kane is a classic american film which featured many cinematic and musical techniques. With its blackandwhite earnestness, hardboiled male lead, and.

I wrote a film analysis today for my scriptwriting and storytelling course at school. Unlike most of the analysis found herewhich simply lists the unique individual story appreciationsthis indepth study details the actual encoding for each structural item. Before our viewing of casablanca, we watched a documentary about the hollywood style, which defined it as a type of film making in which the narrative story line takes precedence and all of the effects are used to move this story forward. In relation to bogarts character, rick, the filmmakers employ two discursive techniques in particular, perceptual veiling and repetition and frequency. Movement technique in casablanca film studies essay uk essays. Editing is very significant to the movie, which is a much different approach than in le grande illusion. Griffith, pioneer american motionpicture director credited with developing many of the basic techniques of filmmaking, in such films as the birth of a nation 1915, intolerance 1916, broken blossoms 1919, way down east 1920, orphans of the storm 1921, and the struggle 1931. The main agents of action represented in the film are the vichy government, the nazis and the resistance. Which of the following is used in the score to casablanca. Viewers had to entertain the possibility that the axis powers could actually win, that much of hollywood could be sent to hitlers concentration camps, and that casablanca and every other hollywood film would be erased from history. The early part of the 20th century saw a factory style of film production, but as the years went by, directors began to employ new and untried techniques in their.

Whether it was between countries or the characters in the movie. The lighting used in this film is the traditional three point lighting, the main reason i can tell that this type of lighting is used is by observing the way they manage to control the shadows with the use of three main light sources. I also saw this film today for the first time ever. It was an a list picture, to be sure bogart, bergman and paul henreid were stars, and no better cast of supporting actors could have been assembled on the warners lot than peter lorre, sidney greenstreet, claude rains and. If you have seen casablanca, i invite you to join me in breaking down and analyzing the movie.

Seeing as the film was released in late 1942, and the war ended in 1945, the outcome remained uncertain. Every great director throughout film history has had his own unique style. The theme of the survival of a hero in the movie casablanca and george orwells 1984. Rick blaine humphrey bogart, who owns a nightclub in casablanca, discovers his old flame ilsa ingrid bergman is in town with her husband, victor laszlo paul henreid. Along with gone with the wind and citizen kane, casablanca is probably the greatest example of the classic hollywood film. Jan 21, 2019 one director that had a large influence on the film was jeanluc godard, a major french director, whose film breathless jeanluc godard, 1960 contributed to the french new wave by introducing new innovative film techniques. Even so, curtiz deserves credit for a few directorial techniques.

Casablanca is a drama, action, mystery, romance, and classic genre film directed by michael curtiz. Flashback a scene or sequence in the film set earlier in the story. A successful cinematography technique used in the film casablanca, is that of effective and sceneappropriate lighting. Bonnie and clyde was deliberately made like a film from the french new wave. In the beginning of casablanca, after hearing the officer mentioning that two german messengers were. It is frequently used to do documentary films and it gives the watcher the. In the opening segment, there is the use of voiceover, which is a reflective technique. Film studies casablanca, the movie that was provided in 1943, was.

Sep 18, 2012 in 1942s casablanca, michael curitz utilizes certain artistic manipulations to construct a romance within the contexts of total war. Clips or references to the film have been used in play it again, sam 1972, brazil 1985, my stepmother is an alien 1988, and when harry met sally 1989. While a formal education in film theory isnt strictly necessary to analyze film techniques, a little studying can give you a good handle on the basics. In casablanca, he plays rick blaine, the harddrinking american running a nightclub in casablanca when morocco was a crossroads for spies, traitors, nazis and the french resistance. In contradistinction, bonnie and clyde uses similar techniques to mirror a sense of rebellion against institutions and breaks away from the restrictive and conventional production code and ethic set. Editing is used extensively and is far more emphasized than other film techniques such as. Jan 28, 2015 what makes casablanca a masterpiece has a lot to do with what we talked about in class. This film expressed that during times of war, it was difficult for a country to stay out, because eventually there were. Set during world war ii, it focuses on an american expatriate who.

The lights of casablanca an indepth look into the lighting techniques employed and the context in which they were used, caught between film noir and the classic hollywood style. Free effective lighting techniques in casablanca essay. Editing is used extensively and is far more emphasized than other film techniques such as miseenscene and tracking or panning shots. Moorebridger, 2003 the technique movement used in casablanca. Shot entirely on hollywood sets, using studio actors, directors, and writers, casablanca perfectly displays the art of collaborative studio production, rather than the vision of a single, independent auteur. Casablanca can even be considered in the category of film noir genre boards similar like characteristics. In your blog response, please answer the following questions about casablanca and the hollywood style. Many people think of this film first and foremost as a romance. As time goes by citizen kane is a classic american film which featured many cinematic and musical techniques used later in the filmnoir style. As youd expect from a film based on a play, casablanca takes place largely in. This film only works if we believe that bogie who, leading up to casablanca, had played some pretty vicious guys might actually let victor lazlo.

Although, casablanca is a striking example of the movement technique used in the film, cinematography technique had also a huge great part of the movie. Citizen kane is a classic american film which featured many cinematic and musical techniques used later in the film noir style. A famous example of this, which uses dance extensively to communicate meaning and emotion, is the film, west side story. Film techniques of my big fat greek wedding at the beginning of the film, she is very upset because she was different and of different culture to the kids in her school, but then the movie gradually shows that it is actually a positive because that is what ian liked about her. Laszlo is a famed rebel, and with germans on his tail, ilsa knows rick can help them get out of the country.

It was the lighting in casablanca that captured the essence of the film noir style, and it was the lighting that gave the film its depth and earthy flavor. Director tate taylor leverages the dual visual and audio capabilities of the film medium to portray the real spirit of the movie adaption of the book the help. Bfi, 1990 and bordwell, on the history of film style, p. Various lighting techniques were employed throughout the masterpiece, most notably during closeup shots of the lead characters, rick and ilsa. This also means it has been incorporated into the dramatica story expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example. A new perspective throughout history, the film industry has seen many directing styles and techniques. The film is set in casablanca, morocco in the early days of the second world war. Study the basic building blocks of hollywood filmssuch as crosscutting and establishing shotsand then look at the way alternative movements such as soviet formalism or the french new wave. In the beginning of casablanca, after hearing the officer mentioning that two german messengers were murdered as carrying letters of transit. Casablanca follows the lead of the early film noirs in their use of lighting contributing to the expression of the mood and characters.