Mise-en-scene in Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr.Fox

Mise-en-scene is the elements putting into the scene. According to Bordwell & Thompson in Film Art, there are 4 general areas which are setting & props, costume and makeup, lighting, and staging & performance (movement and acting). In here we are going to discuss the mise-en-scene of Fantastic Mr. Fox. 

Fantastic Mr. Fox is a stop motion animated film based on the book by Roald Dahl. The film is about a fox who steals food each night from three mean and wealthy farmers. They are fed up with Mr. Fox's theft and try to kill him, so they dig their way into the foxes' home, but the animals are able to outwit the farmers and live underground.

First of all, the movie setting on land surrounding three major farms/factories owned by the three wealthiest men in town. Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) and his wife Felicity ( voiced by Meryl Streep) are both young and stealing chickens together as nature intended them to until they reach a point in there lives where they get caught. 

Secondly, the lighting of the film is setting which gives off the classic yellow/orange tint. With this lighting, along with the canted shots of their trap, as well as close ups of both of their faces when fearing death and the arrival of a child you begin to relate and feel for the characters despite their animalistic qualities.

Lastly, the staging and performing carry out the characteristic of the characters. Those of the characters performing very well even though it is stop motion. The character talking way and expression as similar as human, they can perform with emotional such as happiness, sadness, anger and so on. This make them seem like human instead of animals. 

  

Aesthetics of Asian Cinema - Chungking Express

Asian cinema refers to the film industries and films produced in the continent of Asia, and is also sometimes known as Eastern cinema. More commonly, however, it is most often used to refer to the cinema of Eastern (HongKong, China, Korea, Japan), Southeastern (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand) and Southern Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh). Today, I am going to discuss about the aesthetic of Asia (Hong Kong) cinema by selecting a few examples from the film, 'Chungking Express'. The aesthetics of Asia (Hong Kong) cinema are mostly the kong fu part, the reality of Hong Kong, the story of particular occupation, Hong Kong style's comedy, love story, and etc. 


Chungking Express is a film directed by Wong Kar Wai (a famous Hong Kong director) in 1994. The film consist of two stories told in sequence, each about Hong Kong policeman and his love story. The first story is about a cop QiWu who waiting her girlfriend back until his birthday. During his birthday, he approaches a woman in the blonde wig at Bottom Up Club. This woman help him to moving on instead of waiting. The second story is also about a policeman who waiting her flight attendant girlfriend back, he like to talking to himself to express the sadness, however he don't know that a snack bar worker Faye was falls for him.      

In order to discuss the aesthetics of asian cinema, let's talk about story in first. Hong Kong film like to telling story related with particular occupation such as police, doctor, fire fighter, pilot and etc. People who familia with Hong Kong film will see the trending of film which is Hong Kong people like. In Chongking Express, the story also focus on the love story of two policeman.

Secondly, Hong Kong films like to talk about life, issues related contemporary Hong Kong society. They like to putting the society issues by using film and cinematography. In Chongking Express, the policeman reflect the loneliness of Hong Kong people. In the film, we can see that both of them love to talking to themself instead of disclose to others.

Thirdly, Hong Kong films like to include love element into the story. Most of the Hong Kong film will consist of love element. (some kung fu's film may not have) Love story can consider one of the topic most of the director love to play with it. Wong Kar Wai is one of the director who can handle this topic very well especially in different kind of relationship and background. In Chongking Express, he bring up the relationship between policeman and drug seller; policeman and snack bar worker. Both of them are different background and he try to link up them together. 

Wong Kar Wai love to using object, lighting, self taking to show the inner of the actor. For example, he like to using cigarette to show loneliness, using neon light to showing how's the society and intra communication of the actor to showing inner conflict of the actor. 

Mise-en-scene and cinematography in Yasmin Ahmad's Sepet (2005)

Sepet (Yasmin Ahmad, 2004) is a Malaysia film directed by Yasmin Ahmad. It's follows a love story between Orked, a young Muslim Malay girl and Loong (Jason), a young Chinese Malaysian who engages in selling pirated VCDs on a street market. The plot revolves around the two young lovers from totally different background, cultures and how they cope with their families and social pressure throughout the film.

There were several important issues highlighted in the film that I would like to discuss about. These include the mise-en-scene and cinematography. 

According to Bordwell & Thompson in film art, mise-en-scene including settings & props, costume and makeup, lighting, staging and performing. In Sepet (2004), the story setting use multi languages and races actors to show the uniqe of Malaysia society. Those actors using Mandarin, English, Malay and Cantonese to communicate in the film, just like what Malaysian did in daily life. 

Secondly, the costume and makeup of the actors represent them from different background and cultures. Base on the costume, audience can easily know that those actors is from what background, such as races, religion and culture. In the film, Orked wearing baju kurung, speak Malay to show that she is a Malay girl and Loong wearing normal T-shirt with jean and speak Mandarin to show that he is a Chinese.

Moreover, audience can see different kinds of lighting in the film. When Orked meet Loong, the lighting is slightly soften compare to other scene. In another hands, when Loong facing dangerous, the lighting is more dim and dark. The different kind of lighting applied in different situation to bring the different feeling to audience.

Lastly, the performance of the actors show that the realism of society. Malaysia is a country form by multi races such as Malay, Chinese and India. However, the society still very tradition especially in relationship. The people still cannot accept or even refuse their friends, family and children in a relationship with who are different culture, races with them. In Sepet (2004), the director Yasmin try to bring up this issues to audience and the community. She feel that we do not have to understand someone to love them; we should love someone for who they really are as we need no reason to love. 

In Sepet (2004), various type of shot were using, such as long shot, medium shot, close up and so on. Furthermore, Yasmin Ahmad also play with different kind of angle. One of the angle can find in the film is from up to down. When the gangster chasing Jason, the angle is from the top view.     

          

To sum up, Sepet is a film that recommended to watch. Not only the story, the technique of filming and the cinematography can consider one of the best in Malaysia film history.

Aesthetics of Asian cinema - 3 Idiots

Asian cinema refers to the film industries and films produced in the continent of Asia, and is also sometimes known as Eastern cinema. More commonly, however, it is most often used to refer to the cinema of Eastern (HongKong, China, Korea, Japan), Southeastern (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand) and Southern Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh). Today, I am going to discuss about the aesthetic of Asia (Indian) cinema by selecting a few examples from the film, '3 Idiots'. The aesthetics of Asia (Indian) cinema are mostly the singing and dancing part, the Indian traditional costumes, the traditional ritual ceremony, the typical plot of rich meets poor, distinct dominance, and etc. 

3 Idiots (2009) is an Indian film directed by Rajkumar Hirani started with the point of view of the narrator, Farhan Qureshi, telling a story of him and also a great friend he and Raju knew from university.  Farhan and Raju have been searching so hard for their best friend Rancho who has disappeared after the graduation. When they received clues of his whereabouts, they start a road trip to find their best friend back. 

First, let’s discuss about the performance art. In “3 Idiots”, there are scenes of songs and dancings, which are significant in Indian drama, no matter what genre or story plot it is. According to David Courtney (2012), most of the Bollywood film would be complete with a song and dance between the hero and heroine. When Pia falls for Ranchoo, she imagines herself singing and dancing in duet with Rancho. Meanwhile, having a group of dancers dancing the classical or folk dance with the main characters is also a signature part of Indian films.

Secondly, the Indian costumes are also the important part of Indian films. In India, even though western style of contemporary clothing like gowns, jeans, shirts tops can be seen in most Indian films, due to the influential of western culture, Indian film producers still maintain their traditional clothing for some scenes, and contemporary film like ‘3 Idiots’ is no exception. Indian traditional clothing is essential as different types of clothing represent the status and ethnicity of a person. Traditional clothing is also essential for different types of rituals, like wedding ceremony or funeral. For example, when Pia is getting married, she wears traditional Indian wedding dress instead of western style of wedding gown. Another example would be real Rancho's father funeral, all of the friends and families who attending the funeral were wear pale white clothing. 

Thirdly, the plot structure of Indian films is very much different from other films that follow the Three Act Structure. Most of the films have their climax somewhere at the second half of Act two or Act three in Three Act Structure. But for Indian films, they divide the story into few parts, and each part with its own climax. So the whole structure of Indian film is like continuously up and down until the ending. For the story of ‘3 Idiots’, it is divided into few parts telling different stories of each characters and how the three best friends get into one trouble into another one, and they solve them one by one.

In conclude, “3 Idiot” presents a story which is very much like other Bollywood films by putting the singing & dancing, and love story on the screen. The only thing there are different with other Bollywood films is the language using in the film. 3 Idiot mainly using english in the film rather then Hindi.