Week 2- Schindler’s List Mise en Scène

http://cinema.com/articles/2664/schindlers-list-dvd-features.phtml

For this week’s blog posting I decided to pick Schindler’s List to detail the impact lighting can have on the overall plot, mood, or general tone represented in a story. The visual accounting of such a significant time period is highlighted in the only color shot featured in the movie simply known as the girl in the red coat.

Using a style of low-key lighting the intended effect seeks to highlight the dark overtones present in the plot and theme of the movie. Considering the horrific events that took place in the concentration camps carried out by the Nazi war machine the hopelessness shown on the faces of the characters is highlighted by the lighting technique used. This correlation between lighting and theme are highlighted in Film: From watching to seeing stating “Many elements of the mise en scène may be symbolic, whether representing story themes or character attributes or social metaphors (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, pg.2,2014).

In the trailer number three, shown below, you feel the absence of light as you watch the scene of people being moved out of their homes, hiding in the walls, and being pushed in to train cars. The lack of lighting accents the shadows to strengthen the overall sense of despair captured on in the scenes by the cinematographer.

Since the film used the same low-key lighting feature throughout the film, the scene in which a little girl is walking next to a pile of burning bodies depicts the young girl in a bright red coat. This insert visual represents life and a future. If the movie were changed and shot in color, the theme would loose the significant tone represented by the girl in the red coat.