A High-Class Meaningful Movie and the Integration of Modern Techniques - Essay Example

American Hustle VS the Wolf of Wall Street Introduction Mise en scene when applied to the film industry has specific meanings. It comprises on the scale of shots towards the information that is to be received by the viewer to enjoy the film. The compilation of different long and short shots gives the complete scene that creates the harmony between the screen play and the direction. It is based on the ingenuity of the director to apply all these details in each and every scene to portray the meaning. It is not only through the dialogue delivery which makes the movie worthwhile but the compilation of gestures, posture, makeup, camera zoom and the surrounding that complete the depth of the meaning. Mise en scene hence is the collection of all such elements from characterization to their delivery which have the highest regard in stage setting The recent block buster movies American Hustle and the Wolf of Wall Street although had many similarities and differences was much of a battle against Leonardo Di Caprio’s acting against the versatility of Christian Bale. There are many comparisons that can be made in both movies in respect to the story line, visual style; characterization etc but both movies provide premium quality of movie time. The major comparison that is to be put in mind is the fiction VS non-fiction in terms of themes. The Wolf of Wall Street is based on a real life story whereas American Hustle is a fiction movie. Throughout the comparison of the two movies there are techniques used for the viewer to understand their meaning. This is done through character placing in the frame and the detailing of which is explained further. Theme: the Wolf of Wall Street Based on the memoir, the Wolf of Wall Street theme is based on the con artist and his group of friends he trains towards becoming stock brokers who sell penny stocks. The theme is based entirely towards becoming rich in the booming Wall Street economy in the 80’s. Jordan Belfort’s 22 months in prison produced such a great memoir that when applied into screenplay gave one of the best productions. The movie proceeds as Jordan tries to move from a low level life towards being engaged as a small level stock broker in the heart of New York City from where the company collapses and he is left with no earnings. Trying to find a job he then joins the suburban group of people who try to lazily sell the penny stocks of companies who are never able to make it to the main market. Through his persuasion skills, he is then able to make a profitable account by selling penny stocks and then starts to set up his own team. Now being involved in selling fake stocks and being involved in every drug habit possible, he ends up leaving his wife and marries a English/Dutch woman. After he has to deal with major police threats, the turning point of the movie happens as he is about to leave the company but then plans to stay and increases his company earnings. Now being forced to move outside U.S, he tries all different techniques to move all of his money out through friends and family. While doing so he loses his wife and ends up turning his wife in after he tries different drugs that create a problem of communication for him. The theme then basically compiled show how his communication skills to which he took very proudly while selling stocks got him into doing illegal stuff and his addiction towards drugs led him to lose control and was not able to manage his wealth. He turns his friends and team in and is put in a limited jail time shown also in luxury as money speaks everything. The power of money is completely covered in all aspects of the movie where Leonardo Di Caprio, playing as Jordan Belfort tries to make the best of the reality that went around that time. Theme: American Hustle American Hustle theme is also based in the 80’s and 90’s with the same ideals of con artist doing different businesses and getting involved in FBI business forcefully to capture different political people who are involved in underground money business. The movie is majorly focused on two people as compared to the whole group in Wolf of Wall Street. It captures Christian Bale’s and his girlfriend’s aspect towards becoming rich by doing illegal selling’s of paintings and telling them to double their investments. This movie starts from their scene of the bigger con they are trying to make to get the New Jersey Mayor to take bribe for building casinos. It is then back tracked towards how Christian Bale playing as Irvin gets involved in a relationship with Amy Adams playing as Sydney to get rich through different illegal business. The theme is changed when Amy Adams takes the check from Bradley Cooper playing as FBI agent and is put under custody. From there on out, Amy Adams plans to manipulate Bradley Cooper by falling in love with him and tries to get involved with him but it is a complete part of Christian Bale’s and Amy’s plan to take a hit on bigger money. Irvin (Christian Bale) becomes good friends with the Mayor of New Jersey, Carmine Polito and directs his interest towards getting involved in money from illegal sources such as Arab Sheikh that wants to put in 2 million dollar for Casino investment. The complete plan is backed by FBI to catch all the political and underground leaders who take the money as gift towards their cause. Happy in his success Bradley Cooper as an ambitious FBI agent thinks his success happens when he records the call from a person whom Christian Bale setup from the party him and Amy Adams met as the point person to engage the building of Casino’s. The recording as successful to FBI does end up transferring two million dollars to an untapped wire that goes to Christian Bale and Amy Adam. With no proof as to where it went, Bale and Adams are left with no police time and become rich turning into a huge loss towards FBI. Mise en Scene: American Hustle The visual style of both movies towards grasping the attention of the audience is remarkable. In American Hustle, Christian Bale himself is amongst the major visual aspect that is eye catching. His constant weight gaining and losing techniques and his style of talking show how is able to fit any role he takes. In particular this time, he gained fat than anything else which show his persistent towards being open to play any role. Actors such as Amy Adams enhance the screenplay as her change in accent show the credibility of the role as faking a high class English woman. Whereas Jennifer Lawrence plays the unpredictable housewife who tries to make any step towards making sense to just herself. The narrative style applied by David O. Russell show the perfect detailing of the plot he developed. Going through different scene’s with the thinking patterns being said out loud, the viewer gets the correct idea of what is going on while urging them to see what is to come. Setting of visual aspect is kept in the late 70’s and 80’s and the Mafia introduction of De Niro has been tried to fit in the message. The systematic approach towards story telling with each case presented in the movie is short but to the point while it is also scattered. Cinematography is kept simple and the use of light is majorly done where most of the movie is shot in day light. The hairstyles in all the movie is kept highly stylish that truly depict the popular culture that went on during that time. Surrounding cars and system amplify the technology used back in 80’s. The element of space is much covered and the shots are taken through an angle that capture the intensity of the time of the act taking place. Mise en Scene: Wolf of Wall Street The Wolf of Wall Street major flaw in the visual settings is the length of the movie. Having so much to grasp in the three hours, it is a movie where the focus constantly shifts. In majority of the movie, the space is filled of the ornaments that one can acquire living a high standard life. The characterization is done brilliantly as De Caprio completely promises the role of a rich stock broker in that time based on reality. His looks although match the current and the older times show the same style of talking, acting done by Leonardo Di Caprio in all of his movies. The costume of all the actors in the movie are kept to the time, there isn’t much that can be seen but rather modern clothing can be seen in most the movie where nudity has played an important role toward having major visual catch of the movie. This also has direct link towards the character placing in the movie where everything is placed in the centre showing most of the attention. Most shots are carried close-ups that put impact of the emotional weight of the movie. Hairstyles and makeup done is fancy and simple at the same time according to the character. Jonah Hill plays an important role throughout the movie as supporting actor and his costume and makeup is of high importance. The characterization of group is done in a very versatile manner that shows maximum participation of actors towards supporting the meaning of the movie. Conclusion Both of the movies have many ideals that have been followed and the competing themes relate towards producing a high class meaningful movie by correctly implementing the class of the past through the integration of modern techniques. The level of commitment shown by both directors is phenomenal and there are certain lags that one movie contains while the other doesn’t. Visual styles of both movies have correctly filled in their meaning by applied all the necessary strategies to make their movies a big hit in the public. References: Kolker, Robert. "Mise-en-Scene." Mise-en-Scene. 2013. Web. 4 May 2014. . Read More