Introduction to Film
Introduction to Film
Enemy at the Gates (3/9) Movie CLIP - Do You Know How to Shoot? (2001) HD
After I watched and reviewed the chosen scene in the movie entitled “Enemy at the Gates,” these are my opinion with regard to its cinematography.
In the setting, the cinematography is perfectly done well; it shows the essence of the scene that is focused on the account of the battle of Stalingard, Germany as one of the bloodiest battles in World War II history. As a viewer, I can say that I feel the momentum when Vassili, the sharpshooter from the Urals, started to shoot the five German military officials one by one. The context is very clear and realistic, images have its unity, and though there are destructions around the scene, still I can see the whole picture of it.
How does it inform the characters?
The characters on the scene, especially Vassili and Russian political adversary Danilov, their aura are realistic enough to convince the viewers’ interests. My inner self is captured with the emotions conveyed by the characters. It really shows the intense emotions such as fear to be caught, trust to a newly found ally, and confidence of Vassili’s skills in particular. I am impressed how the cinematographer perfectly combined the cinematographic balance, colors, and rhythm. Its cinematography determines everything from the details of color to the depth of the field; the number of shots in focus, in opposition to the number of times it is blurry, from zooming to the position of persons and different objects within the given structure.
What do the choices made by the cinematographer tell you about the mood at this point within the story?
The sequences are in rhythm, I described it as a perfect rhythm. In the scene, when Vassili starts shooting the German military officials, the movements of the camera from one place to another are smoothly done. The cinematographer has chosen the right flavor to its mood in terms of its directionality. From Vassili’s position as he aimed to shoot the targets, it shows a perfect direction; the cinematographer has made sure to emphasize the directionality of the scene, the proper timing of the movement. There is no way to commit failures and cannot avoid or escape from the scrutiny of the viewers. Personally, I am able to recognize the patterns and how the cinematographer delivers the sophisticated scene of its visual composition.
How does the cinematography contribute to symbolism and/or metaphors in the clip?
The cinematography contributes great picture of art in the chosen scene or movie clip. It symbolizes the ability of the cinematographer beyond making the scene very attractive to the viewers. Every scene is just like paintings because of the remarkable work of the cinematography. The scene communicates the true meaning of the story of bravery and confidence, everything in the movie clip captured my deepest impression as a viewer. I could commend that the sophisticated work of the cinematographer is considered as a real world creator of an exceptional talent not to stray the kind of images or pictures found during the battle happened in Stalingard, Germany. It is a breath-taking movie I ever seen and I watched the movie a countless time, just for the record.
Reference
Movie Clips. (2012). Enemy at the Gates (3/9) Movie CLIP - Do You Know How to Shoot? (2001) HD,
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMvTR012Dmg
Grimes, N. (2011). Elements of Symbolism in Cinematography, Retrieved from
http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/video/articles/97616.aspx
