Frodo enters Shelob's Lair Analysis

This scene starts with a mid shot of Frodo in the foreground entering the cave with Gollum who stays in the background closer to the camera, this could be hinting to the fact that Gollum is aware of the dangers ahead and what is inside the cave and is staying back to avoid it. This scene is shot using low key lighting, the use of the low key lighting establishes that the cave is a very small and closed environment, and that Frodo is stepping out of  the safety of the light and into the uncertainty of the dark. The framing of this shot has left little room for the character to move around as he is surrounded by the darkness of the cave this shows that by entering the cave he is becoming trapped and isolated with no way out. The framing also gives it an element of mystery and danger because you cannot see very far into the cave or see anything other than the rocks illuminated by the small spot of light outside.

Next we see what looks like a POV tracking shot following Frodo, who is barely visible in all the darkness of the cave around the corner suggesting that something is inside the cave with him and is watching him, this builds tension and draws the audience in because they become worried for Frodo's safety, the use of shaky cam here also helps establish that something is following him because if the camera was stationary you would not get the same effect and emotions out of the audience. It could also be used to try and include the audience in the scene and make them feel like they are there with Frodo.

The next shot is a slight high angle POV shot showing that whatever is following Frodo around the cave is dominant and powerful and that Frodo is weak and vulnerable, the framing in this shot gives the feeling that whatever is watching Frodo is hiding in the foreground in the shadows. Next we get a medium shot of Frodo in the background and it refocuses and transitions to a skeleton in the foreground  this is foreshadows to what could happen to Frodo in the cave and lets the audience know that Frodo is in danger, this adds tension and anticipation as the audience starts to fear for Frodo's safety.

Now the audience is aware that something is following Frodo through the cave we get a shot that shows the audience and Frodo the danger inside the cave as Frodo gets himself stuck in a huge spider web on the cave wall, this establishes the danger of the environment and shows that the spider web is a obstacal Frodo will have to face. The web could be hinting to what has been following Frodo and what is in the cave, it is also foreshadowing to what will happen to Frodo later on. As Frodo becomes more worried the camera goes from medium to close up to show the audience the fear in Frodo's eyes and spins to recreate Frodo's feelings of confusion and uncertainty

Next is another POV watching Frodo from behind the rocks of the wall, the camera pans right to watch him but something makes a noise that grabs Frodos attention and when he turns to the direction of the camera to find the noise it quickly pans left to hide behind the rocks again. One again reinforcing that something is watching him, almost stalking him like prey.

Then we see a shot from Frodo's POV as he tries to find the source of the the noise made by the spider, the camera tilts down to show Frodo's feet next to a pile of bones on the floor, this shot puts the audience in Frodo's position and creates intensity as the audience are even more aware that this cave is dangerous and Frodo may die in there, then we see an action shot/cut in as Frodo sees the spiders previous prey this shot reinforces the last and foreshadows Frodo's future.

The last shot is a POV shot of the spider chasing Frodo as he starts running, the camera is representing the spider as the use of unusual camera angles make it believable that the spider is chasing Frodo as it shows the spider moving in ways a human obviously could not, this adds an element of intensity to the scene as the fast moving camera draws the audience to the action.