How Does Sam Menez Use Cinematic Techniques In American Beauty
The 2000 film ‘American Beauty’ directed by Sam Menez, effectively contrasts the subtle beauty of life with the struggle of modern day stress and sadness caused by the materialism of modern Western Society. This is displayed excellently through symbolism, cinematic techniques and characterisation. The symbolism used includes the frequent use of the colour red and Ricky’s filming of beauty. Menez also employs a variety of Cinematic techniques such as camera shots and angles to explore the subtle beauty plus through the portrayal of characters particularly in the characters of both Lester and Ricky.
The film’s main protagonist, Lester, portrays stress and sadness through his somewhat self perpetuated imprisonment, within this he lives a mundane …show more content…
Some keys scenes and camera angles include the scene which takes place at the dinner table after Lester quits his job and also the scene between Janey and Ricky in Ricky’s room. In the scene at the dinner table after Lester quits his job there are arguments taking place amongst the family. Menez represents this dysfunction with camera angles as the camera does shifts close up to each of the family members singularly this portrays that the family are a family unit but are so isolated from each other. At the end of this scene we see the camera zoom out to show how far apart everyone is at the dinner table, which emphasises the point of emotional distance between them all and show how it is not an intimate setting. On the contrary Ricky and Janey share a scene in Ricky’s room where the two of them are having in depth conversation in this scene the camera takes close ups of both the characters for extensive periods of time. This instates to the audience how they both are intimate and real with each and are able to see the subtle beauty within one another as apposed to the dinner scene where we see the family give into modern western stress and
The film’s main protagonist, Lester, portrays stress and sadness through his somewhat self perpetuated imprisonment, within this he lives a mundane …show more content…
Some keys scenes and camera angles include the scene which takes place at the dinner table after Lester quits his job and also the scene between Janey and Ricky in Ricky’s room. In the scene at the dinner table after Lester quits his job there are arguments taking place amongst the family. Menez represents this dysfunction with camera angles as the camera does shifts close up to each of the family members singularly this portrays that the family are a family unit but are so isolated from each other. At the end of this scene we see the camera zoom out to show how far apart everyone is at the dinner table, which emphasises the point of emotional distance between them all and show how it is not an intimate setting. On the contrary Ricky and Janey share a scene in Ricky’s room where the two of them are having in depth conversation in this scene the camera takes close ups of both the characters for extensive periods of time. This instates to the audience how they both are intimate and real with each and are able to see the subtle beauty within one another as apposed to the dinner scene where we see the family give into modern western stress and