One of my favorite movie moments is the short scene from Terminator 2 when Linda Hamilton is trying to escape from the mental hospital and sees Arnold Schwarzenegger coming out of the elevator: time 1:00:40 to 1:01:10. From the beginning to the end, James Cameron utilizes different camera angles and slow motion to show the range of emotions that Hamilton's character, Sarah Connor, experiences.
There is a LS used when in the foreground the elevator door is opening and Hamilton is down the hall. Her full body can be seen which helps show her excited body language. Meaning that can be taken from this LS is that she is vulnerable and alone. The angle emphasizes the danger she is in and that she has only herself for protection. It also shows her as small when in comparison to the low angle, CU shot of Schwarzenegger which occurs within the next 2 shots.
There are several MS shots during this scene of Hamilton running away from Schwarzeneggeer: one that particularly stands out is when he first is seen walking out of the elevator with his face in profile. It is important because it catches her off-guard since he is still far enough away to barely recognize him. Because of his clothing and the shotgun, the audience recognizes that it is him. The MS shows his deliberate manner of walking and this allows him to appear inhuman. It sets up the next shot of Schwarzenegger in a CU.
The CUs that stand out are the CU of Schwartzenegger's face after a CU of Hamilton's when he comes out of the elevator. The CU of Hamilton serves to show her recognition of Schwartzenegger and his CU serves to confirm that he has not changed since she last saw him. There is a clear juxtaposition as her face is panicked while his is stoic and emotionless. It heightens the contrast of their characters and the intensity of the scene.
No comments:
Post a Comment