In the interest of variety, this week I am veering away from classical Hollywood to focus on more recent work. A fine choice for this is the American-Canadian supernatural gothic 'I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House', currently available to watch on Netflix. The production is a portfolio of beautiful cinematography courtesy… Continue reading Frame Analysis: “I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House”
While kooky and understandably campy by modern filmmaking standards, Tod Browning’s 1931 Dracula adaptation is not only historically significant (reportedly selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry) but a personal favourite of mine. It is relatively short with a 75-minute run time and deviates greatly from the original… Continue reading Frame Analysis: “Dracula”
Casablanca is unquestionably one of the most famous moving pictures engendered by the Golden Age of Hollywood. Spectacular cinematography along with the combined star power of Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid instantaneously cemented the romantic drama in the minds and hearts of the global public. The events of the film unfold during World… Continue reading Frame Analysis: “Casablanca”
Vertigo, Alfred Hitchcock's acclaimed thriller-romance, is debatably one of the greatest American films of all time. Although it met with mixed reviews when released in 1958 - the complex plot exciting for some and convoluted for others - it earned $7.3 million at the box office, and made $4.8 million in profit. In the film,… Continue reading Frame Analysis: “Vertigo”
Many mystery films toy with notions of watching and being watched, particularly in relation to the main investigator. In the course of trying to trace the perpetrator, the hero often spies on suspects to find leads and observe occasionally incriminating behaviour. Miss Marple goes undercover to do precisely this in Murder, She Said (1961), the first in… Continue reading Frame Analysis: “Murder, She Said”
Blending scares and cerebrality, Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut The Babadook (2014) comprises a rare example of mainstream art horror. Overseas success warranted showings in chain cinemas as well as small art houses in Australia, and the film currently holds an approval rating of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. When her young son becomes suddenly debilitatingly afraid of the… Continue reading Frame Analysis: “The Babadook”
His admiral work on Get Out (2017) and BlacKkKlansman (2018) established Jordan Peele as an eminent director and producer, and his most recent film secured his permanent place in the Hollywood Hall of Fame. Another horror feature, Us (2019) follows an American family who come under attack from malevolent doppelgängers. It was a critical and commercial success, earning $255 million at… Continue reading Frame Analysis: “Us”
Mise en Scène 