Although camera angle shots are important, they are not the be all and end all of Seinfeld. Obviously Jerry receives the lion’s share of the episode’s filming and the camera is often very much focused in close up on him although he shares a lot of it with others. The quaintness of the sets is also intriguing and very much in keeping with the show’s themes.
Other important aspects of the show are its themes which usually break with convention especially a post-modern interpretation of such. In fact Seinfeld has been compared with Monty Python in being the first TV show to be culled with the label of postmodern. With a show typically consisting of conflicting characters there is very little emotion throughout the series even when someone dies. The roots and identities of the main characters are also pretty vague without much history. All this contributes to the post-modern aspect which demonstrates that the show was highly original and although a comedy, real life situations were still very much in keeping with what went on.
Erin Brokovich
Erin Brokovich is an excellent film which shows the intricacy of the American legal system and how politics intrinsically affects lives. The story where Brokovich is a single mother and finds out that the American legal system has wronged her grossly is vastly compelling and the sense of injustice is rather palpable to say the least. It shows how politicians manage to manipulate the system to their devious ends to enable them to continually influence people’s lives. The fact that most of the time’ legislators are also past lawyers and attorneys continue to confirm the fact that politics is a corrupt institution and needs serious reform. In This sense Erin Brockovich was an instructive way to learn about politics and the American legal system which continually invades people’s lives and takes away their liberties.
Seinfeld differs from Erin since it offers a comedy like parody of American life while Brokovich is far more dramatic and sober in every respect.
Works Cited:
David L, Seinfeld L: Seinfeld; New York, Columbia Pictures Entertainment 1989-1998
Roberts J; Erin Brockovich. Warner Home Media DVD
