The Road Home: Symbolism

An important symbol I found after viewing the film was the banner that was placed in the school house. Di made the banner early in the film, and by placing it in the school, it was supposed to bring good luck. The banner was made with red yarn and she dedicated much of her time to making sure the banner was tightly woven so that it would last longer.

In the beginning of the film, after she finishes the banner, it represents Di’s feelings towards the teacher and her hope that they may be together. The symbolism of the banner changes towards the middle of the film when the teacher becomes aware of her feelings towards him. He then treasures the banner and refuses to have the banner taken down, not even for repairs. The symbolism changes again at the end of the film when it becomes a symbol of their love for each other.

The banner is a constant object in the film, since once it is placed in the school house, it remains untouched. This represents the constant growth of Di and her lover’s feelings for each other, and how a long lasting love is worth holding on to.

The 400 Blows - Visual Style

A scene in The 400 Blows that I found to have interesting visual style was the shot in which Antoine was stealing a typewriter from his stepfather’s work place. The shot is a close-up of Antoine holding the typewriter as he’s leaving the room, with his face half turned away from the camera. In this shot the viewers can see that Antoine is focused on the task at hand, with his eyes focused on the floor and each step he must take to exit the building without being caught. 

A follow-up shot is then shown with Antoine holding the typewriter, except this time he is caught by security after trying to return it. This shot again shows Antoine, but his face is half obscured by shadows. These are important shots to the plot of the film as they show Antoine’s transition from one path in his life to another. Originally he was going to continue on with his theft, but he changed his mind and decided to do the right thing by returning it.

 

 

Interesting Camera Angle or Shot

The interesting camera angle I chose is an extreme close-up from the film Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016). This camera angle was interesting to me because the shot shows the victim from the zombie’s point of view. In this scene the zombie’s vision is blurred, which distorts their view of the victim, and allows the viewers to see from the zombie’s perspective. The shot also captures the fear and surprise on the victim’s face as the zombie approaches her, using a dark color palette to emphasize her fear, as well as strike fear in the viewer.

About Me

Hello everyone! 

My name is Natalie Trzcinko and I am a junior at Alverno College. I'm a Math major with supports in Film Studies and Business Analytics. Some of my current TV show obsessions include "New Girl", "The Flash", and "The Office".