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Film Studies Essay

The Lord of the Rings

Lord of the Rings is set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, and this scene is set inside a very enclosed space. The scene starts with a wide/medium shot and this is to show the audience just how dark and dangerous the scene appears to be. It is showing the audience an enclosed space, and how the scene jumps from light to dark. This scene has low key lighting which has the effect of building up tension throughout the scene and builds up more suspense. It is a very sinister setting, and the dark space seems endless and isolated. The rocks close the frame, which focuses on how dark the environment is and brings it to the audience’s attention. This adds suspense, mystery, tension and vulnerability to the scene.

The next shot in the scene is a POV shot (point of view) which suggests that there is mystery around the corner, and this builds up tension and gives the audience an idea of Frodo’s vulnerability. It is a tracking shot, and it tracks forward to give the scene a more natural effect and also adds tension at the same time as nobody knows what is going to happen next. This helps to place the audience in the scene and they are able to empathise with Frodo and can feel his emotions.

As Frodo becomes more tense and vulnerable, it is still a POV shot which gives the impression that somebody is watching and that Frodo is not alone. We can empathise with Frodo again, as we can physically see how scared he is judging by the way he is hiding behind the rocks and we know that he is feeling isolated.

The scene switches, and there is now a medium long shot/low angle shot which suggests that Frodo is still afraid, even more afraid than before. The background is focused in this scene and shows a skeleton which builds an idea that Frodo is in danger and the skeleton portrays what may become of him.

The audience are now fully aware that Frodo is being followed, and the camera is even blocked by the wall. It is now a medium long shot which positions Frodo in a dark cave. As Frodo tries to get out of the spiders web, he realises that it is both obstacle and dangerous which is an insight to the fact he will get trapped in a web later on in the film. Due to the position of the camera (being blocked by the wall) the spider could come at any angle and at any time which makes Frodo tense as he is aware of what may become of him.

The camera moves back after the spider has been seen by Frodo, and this is a medium wide shot/close up and this gives the audience a sense of how Frodo has nowhere to go as there is just darkness and rocks surrounding him and he is now trapped in this cave.

The next shot is a POV of Frodo, and as Frodo listens to the noise he has now heard from the spider, the camera is panning left and right which builds up mystery and tension and the fact that nobody has been the ‘monster’ yet gives both Frodo an audience a sense of just how frightening this monster may potentially be.

The next shot shows Frodo looking and feeling defenceless, there are bodies surrounding him (skeletons) and it shows us that Frodo is without a doubt in danger and should be in fear of his life. The camera cuts in and is a close up shot and it shows the environment of the scene which portrays death.

The final shot is a POV of the spider, and it shows how the spider is chasing Frodo with the camera representing the spider. A high angle/tit shot has been used along with tracking to make it believable that the spider is literally chasing Frodo without the audience actually having to see the spider.

Laura Sheridan