Film Studies Blog

‘The director is always the most important influence on a film'. Compare how far your two chosen films support this statement.   Both ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘The Lady  From  Shanghai’ are films from directors who are labelled as auteurs, which is defined as a sole creator of a film, that uses their personal style an ideas to make their films unique to them. Evidence of Ridley Scott and Orson Welles being auteurs comes from their signature styles, because this makes an auteur identifiable. When it comes to their films, an example of Scott’s style from ‘Blade Runner’ could be the “Tears in a rain” monologue, this is because of its use of rain, which is prevalent in many of Scott’s movies due to his English upbringing, the scene also uses smoke which makes an appearance in multiple of his films, then there’s the actors being shot with lowkey lighting, and the elaborate set designs of the buildings and the neon sign making the world feel real and it also shows Scott’s love ...

How does the aesthetic quality of 'Trainspotting' depict ideological issues of youth and addiction? Your answer must refer to two scenes. The opening scene of Trainspotting, introduces the audience to the style and the main theme of the film, heroin addiction. The fast paced editing along side the quick, upbeat, non-diegetic music work together to create a high energy feeling, simulating the rush of being young and getting high. By adding Renton's voice over to the film the audience is given immediate insight into his ideological values, and from his accent and language they can make assumptions on his status in society. What he says in his voice over monologue, demonstrates his thoughts on society, he displays a distaste for the lives of ordinary people, he mocks them and his continuous swearing illustrates his anger at the norm; he ends his speech by explaining that he didn't choose life because he has heroin,  w hich indicates Renton decided to destroy his chances ...