Film Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film Art - Essay Example While Zombieland may exist in the kitsch horror genre, the film can be analyzed with the same critical tools as more artistic films. This essay examines a portion of Zombieland to consider the way elements of mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, and sound combine to help the viewer understand the complete film. A film’s mise-en-scene is perhaps its most comprehensive element. Mise-en-scene is a French term referring to everything that appears on the screen.1 There are a number of prominent mise-en-scene elements in the clip from Zombieland. From an overarching perspective one considers that the entire film world has been altered as a means of establishing the post-apocalyptic environment. In this way there is minimal order. There are overturned cars in many scenes. Businesses are depicted as ransacked. In addition to these atmospheric elements, these scenes establish many of the narrative concerns that will be featured throughout the film. For instance, in one scene the mise-en-scene contains a football field, a man running, and a zombie running after the man. These elements are used to establish the importance of escaping zombies. In another scene the film displays an individual sitting on a bathroom stall. In this scene, mise-en—scene elements are combined with sound noises to create suspense and horror. A medium-range shot establishes the individual sitting in the bathroom stall. Loud zombie noises are then heard, before the individual is finally attacked by a zombie. Another major film element is cinematography. Cinematography is the movement of the camera capturing the film.2 This specific scene makes great use of cinematography. The opening shots feature an upside-down car. The camera is then turned upside-down as a zombie enters the screen. The next major scene is a long-shot the world. This long-shot of the world demonstrates to the viewer how large-scale the zombie problem has become, as it is clear that the