This is England - Mise En Scene - Movie Review Example

Film 3: This is England (Mise en scene)

This film is a British independent movie of the crime and drama genre, set in the 1980s. It portrays the life of Shaun whose father passed away during the Falkland war. Racism was an issue during the Falkland War and Shaun was soon drawn into the culture of the skin heads. The film follows his transition from skin head to nationalist. The sequence selected for this analysis lasts three minutes which starts at the child’s bedroom with the mother and child having a heart-to-heart talk about the death of the father. The child expresses that he misses his father. The film uses shot-reverse shots, mostly close-up shots of the child and the parent. The tension building is noted in the scene, heightened by the close-up shot. Natural lighting is used in the scene, as such there is ambient sound used, adding naturalist and realistic elements to the scene. This type of shot is observed in dramatic films. The mis en scene and close up of the picture of the child and the father is of a light green colour. The colour green displays how proud the child is with the picture. However, damage observed on the wall also express that the picture and the father are becoming more distant from the actual realities of the life of the child.

The state of the picture also indicates the social class to which the family belongs, representing the group of individuals who are not financially stable in England. The camera then shifts to the characters’ hands as they hold hands with each other. This may refer to the emotional connection between the parent and the child, with the common sharing of the father’s loss. The viewer’s empathy for the pair is increased in the scene.

A white fade is seen as the scene transitions yet again. This may be associated with simpler and innocent times, or it may refer to a possible fresh start for the characters. The matching soundtrack which features an acoustic guitar sound with a soprano male singer heightens the element of realism for the viewer. The camera pans to the clouds, and later shifts down to the child. This transition may be observed in order to indicate that the father is still looking after his child even beyond death. A long shot of a familiar setting is also shown with the child being seen there earlier in the movie. The mise en scene included here covers natural settings, including vegetation, and amongst the vegetation, a small boat. There is a cyclical element to the scene with the child being seen in the same place where he is observed earlier. This may have been purposely carried out to help the audience assess how the character actually evolved throughout the story. However, in some ways, the scene may also portray how the character is actually still in the same state, still very much alone.

It is very much apparent to note that the character is alone during the shot when the camera shifts upwards while he walks away from the boat and moves to the shore. With the boy distancing himself from the scene, the shot is also elevated. This may be seen as a shot where the filmmaker purposely wanted the viewer to feel like the character is actually moving on and leaving his past behind. The mise en scene may have included specific elements in order to include escapism by the characters. The scene also seems to portray peace of mind and includes grey skies and water puddles which may indicate rainfall. This, alongside the image of the small boat seems to indicate how the scene is very much affected by the aftermath of the storm.

The small broken boat may also relate to the father travelling abroad to fight during the war. Since the boat shows signs of age, it also shows how the boat has been used for a while. When boats are sent off to sea, there are feelings of distancing observed with the journey of the characters becoming less certain. This may also present elements seen in the story of the boys. The child then gets the English flag from his bag, opening it as the camera closes in; the flag flaps in the wind. He walks to the shore and a long shot of the landscape is shown. This informs the viewer that he is a largely inconsequential individual in the larger landscape which becomes more imposing the closer he walks to the shore. The shot take of him turning shows his facial expressions. The viewer would likely feel sympathy for him as a glimpse of his stern but sad face is presented. He then proceeds to throw the flag into the sea. The throwing of the flag may be seen to represent the rise as well as the downfall of the nationalist side from his perspective. With the flag picked up by the waters, the possible idea of England being nothing but a sinking country according to the boy can be gleaned. The scene also indicates the lack of care he actually feels towards his country. This is not action for some individuals because getting rid of a symbol of national pride is hardly ever seen nowadays. The perspective shot in this scene also implores the audience to communicate with the character and view it from his side; thereby ensuring that the audience would empathize with the character.

A close up of the individual’s face is shown, the shot appears handheld with signs of motion and shaking are observed. Then the soundtrack stops at the last few strokes of the acoustic guitar and the boy is seen looking directly into the camera. The direct eye contact allows the audience to connect with the character. It may also be perceived that the scene was short that way in order to make the scene look and feel more real. Moreover, a mirror audience image for the audience is also more relatable. In effect, the scene portrays the idea that the character has actually understood the unfavourable principles of individuals in the 1980s in England. As such, the audience may see themselves in him. As the child is still young, the audience is allowed to reflect and to identify with the qualities of the child, believing the latter to be capable of making changes in his life by using life lessons from his past.