SUMMER TASK

CASINO ROYALE

The opening scene is in black and white and contrast is achieved through shadows and light. In the first few shots there is diagetic light coming from the street lamp and when the villain steps out of the car the audience can see hair light, his features are not extenuated at all as we only get a glimpse of his face which is slightly shadowed. The long wide shot/low angle shot of the surroundings and building makes the subject small and also lets the audience see the scene properly and establish the setting. There is no narrative in this part which leaves the audience wondering, the buildings are almost trying to explain for us/give us an idea. The same goes for when at the beginning "Prague, Czech Republic" comes on the screen. When the man enters the office everything is in shadow which creates an air of suspense, something crucial for films of this genre (thriller/spy). During the flashback the scene goes from being relatively slow placed to then getting faster and faster (as the music changes) and tensions rise. There is tracking of the hit man which involves the audience and fits well with the fast pace because the hit man is running towards Bond. During the fight between Bond and the hit man, the majority of the shots are close ups of Bond, showing him as heroic, defending himself.

                                                                 LA NOIRE
At the start of this video the surroundings are picturesque and dream like, almost perfect. Themes of pioneering/new ideas/the American Dream can be seen. There is a change in tone when the narrator mentions the 'undercurrents' of the city. It reminds me of the Mafia and films like Goodfellas because of the American Italian characters. The colours used (earthy tones) show the context (late 1940s). The rich narrative also tells us a lot about the background as well as themes like prosperity, financial growth and development. The characters also show the viewer context through their costumes with men wearing suits and trilby hats and the women wearing long dresses and skirts in lighter, faded colours.