*Done without notes*
"With reference to the films you have studied for this topic, explore some of the film techniques that are particularly powerful in triggering an emotional response in the spectator" [35]
The techniques employed by Stanley Kubrick in both Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) and A Clockwork Orange (ACO) make the two films effective in provoking an emotional response in the spectator.
Both films use alignment and allegiance, or a lack thereof, to engage the spectator and trigger an emotional response using form and content.
For example, both films' opening sequences are important when it comes to alignment.
In Full Metal Jacket, the opening sequence is repetitive and does not focus on one main protagonist. Each character is framed the same using a close-up shot, and we watch as they sit emotionless and get their heads shaved. Both things here have been done deliberately in order rid each character of an individual, personal identity. Each character is merely part of the marine core, and this group is how they will be identified. This is done in order to prevent the spectator from identifying with any particular character early on and thus preventing an alignment with any character.
In direct contrast to this is the opening sequence of A Clockwork Orange, which opens with an extreme close-up of Alex's eye, tracking back into an ECU of his face, staring directly at the spectator. This shot gives the spectator a sense of immediacy and a connection to Alex as it is clear that he will be the protagonist. As he gives his voice-over, the camera tracks back further and reveals the strange dystopian landscape we have been positioned inside. Our lack of understanding of the surroundings means we are reliant on Alex to help us form an understanding based upon what we see and what Alex tells us in his informal, friendly narration. This immediacy we get from Alex and our inevitable reliance on him means that straight away we align with him as the protagonist.
Form and content play a big part in the spectator's emotional response to the films, as the 'soap beating' scene from FMJ and the 'interrogation' scene from ACO illustrate.
The 'soap beating' of Private Pyle sees every one of his fellow marines in his group hold him down and beat him with bars as he sleeps. The beating is brutal and tough to watch, whilst his cries for help are chilling, yet the spectator does not feel as sorry for Pyle as they possibly should due to the context that the beating is in. Pyle is seen as a burden, and as, unlike in ACO, the spectator will likely have some prior knowledge of the marine core and their strict ways, the spectator will see him as someone who needs to be dealt with in order for the core to succeed. Furthermore, the spectator is not aligned with Pyle or even Joker, they are aligned with the Marine core as one group, meaning that they will likely share the ideology that Pyle needs to be 'dealt with'. Pyle is also shown throughout using a wide shot, something that does not highlight him as vulnerable or in need, thus meaning the spectator will not see him in such a way. Due to this use of content, the violent form we see on screen is slightly diminished.
Comparing this to Alex's interrogation, the spectator's lack of prior understanding of the setting comes into play, as well as their alignment with Alex. In this scene, Alex is practically bullied by the police officers and his former head teacher. Alex is no longer in his usual costume; in particular the phallic-looking mask and codpiece are missing, emphasising his loss of masculinity and his innocence, something reinforced by him being dressed all in 'pure' white. Alex is framed using high angle shots which highlight his vulnerability, whilst the authority figures are shown from Alex's POV using low-angle shots, emphasising their dominance over him. Despite knowing that Alex has committed violent rape and murder, the spectator feels sorry for him in this situation as they are aligned with him and see the world through his eyes, and here the spectator sees that Alex is being mis-treated. There is also more of an emotional response provoked here than with the 'soap beating' in FMJ as Alex is spat on by his former head teacher, an act that most people find disgusting, disrespectful and almost inhumane. Despite spitting on someone being less violent and less likely to have a long-standing effect on someone than a calculated beating, to the spectator it is worse to watch than said beating.
As discussed, the setting of both films would also provoke an emotional response in the spectator. FMJ is set in a marine boot camp and then in Vietnam; even if the spectator has no real prior knowledge on either subject, they would know what to expect from both settings as they would likely be typical of the genre and fulfil the audience's expectations. This means that their knowledge of the location is not being forged by the film and the characters, meaning they are not as reliant on the characters in FMJ as they are on Alex in ACO.
In Full Metal Jacket, the opening sequence is repetitive and does not focus on one main protagonist. Each character is framed the same using a close-up shot, and we watch as they sit emotionless and get their heads shaved. Both things here have been done deliberately in order rid each character of an individual, personal identity. Each character is merely part of the marine core, and this group is how they will be identified. This is done in order to prevent the spectator from identifying with any particular character early on and thus preventing an alignment with any character.
In direct contrast to this is the opening sequence of A Clockwork Orange, which opens with an extreme close-up of Alex's eye, tracking back into an ECU of his face, staring directly at the spectator. This shot gives the spectator a sense of immediacy and a connection to Alex as it is clear that he will be the protagonist. As he gives his voice-over, the camera tracks back further and reveals the strange dystopian landscape we have been positioned inside. Our lack of understanding of the surroundings means we are reliant on Alex to help us form an understanding based upon what we see and what Alex tells us in his informal, friendly narration. This immediacy we get from Alex and our inevitable reliance on him means that straight away we align with him as the protagonist.
Form and content play a big part in the spectator's emotional response to the films, as the 'soap beating' scene from FMJ and the 'interrogation' scene from ACO illustrate.
The 'soap beating' of Private Pyle sees every one of his fellow marines in his group hold him down and beat him with bars as he sleeps. The beating is brutal and tough to watch, whilst his cries for help are chilling, yet the spectator does not feel as sorry for Pyle as they possibly should due to the context that the beating is in. Pyle is seen as a burden, and as, unlike in ACO, the spectator will likely have some prior knowledge of the marine core and their strict ways, the spectator will see him as someone who needs to be dealt with in order for the core to succeed. Furthermore, the spectator is not aligned with Pyle or even Joker, they are aligned with the Marine core as one group, meaning that they will likely share the ideology that Pyle needs to be 'dealt with'. Pyle is also shown throughout using a wide shot, something that does not highlight him as vulnerable or in need, thus meaning the spectator will not see him in such a way. Due to this use of content, the violent form we see on screen is slightly diminished.
Comparing this to Alex's interrogation, the spectator's lack of prior understanding of the setting comes into play, as well as their alignment with Alex. In this scene, Alex is practically bullied by the police officers and his former head teacher. Alex is no longer in his usual costume; in particular the phallic-looking mask and codpiece are missing, emphasising his loss of masculinity and his innocence, something reinforced by him being dressed all in 'pure' white. Alex is framed using high angle shots which highlight his vulnerability, whilst the authority figures are shown from Alex's POV using low-angle shots, emphasising their dominance over him. Despite knowing that Alex has committed violent rape and murder, the spectator feels sorry for him in this situation as they are aligned with him and see the world through his eyes, and here the spectator sees that Alex is being mis-treated. There is also more of an emotional response provoked here than with the 'soap beating' in FMJ as Alex is spat on by his former head teacher, an act that most people find disgusting, disrespectful and almost inhumane. Despite spitting on someone being less violent and less likely to have a long-standing effect on someone than a calculated beating, to the spectator it is worse to watch than said beating.
As discussed, the setting of both films would also provoke an emotional response in the spectator. FMJ is set in a marine boot camp and then in Vietnam; even if the spectator has no real prior knowledge on either subject, they would know what to expect from both settings as they would likely be typical of the genre and fulfil the audience's expectations. This means that their knowledge of the location is not being forged by the film and the characters, meaning they are not as reliant on the characters in FMJ as they are on Alex in ACO.
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