FLM 170 - Fargo Analysis PDF

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Shot analysis paper for the film "Fargo."...

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Sequence Analysis Essay – Fargo The Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan, have created many movies together since 1984 that cover almost every genre. Some of their best known works are O Brother Where Art Thou?, The Big Lebowski, and Fargo. There are many important scenes in their Academy Award winning 1996 film Fargo but there are some that are more important than others. An example of this is the scene near the beginning of the film when Carl and Gaear are driving away with Jerry’s wife in the backseat and a State Trooper pulls them over. Carl cooperates with the Trooper, then everything goes south when he tries to bribe the Trooper. Gaear takes “control” of the situation when Carl’s plan fails. Gaear ends up shooting the State Trooper in the head and then pushes the body away from the vehicle. The mise-en-scène, the editing, and the sound in the scene work together to create a tension that occurs in almost every scene Carl and Gaear are in for the rest of the film. There are not many aspects of mise-en-scène, such as props, in this scene. The lack of details only enhances the tension and climax of the scene. The scene is set during the night so there are few lights. Carl and Gaear stay in the car for the entirety of the scene. The characters are lit from the back by the State Trooper’s headlights shining through the rear windshield, and at times, by the cop’s flashlight. Both Carl and Gaear’s faces are illuminated by the reflection of light from the rearview mirror. When this happens to Gaear it only increases his air of danger. Carl just seems nervous as he watches the State Trooper in the mirror while the light hits his face. The costumes that Carl and Gaear wear are dark colors without embellishment, and the State Trooper wears a brown uniform with a gun belt and hat. Gaear’s hair is a platinum blonde color that is slicked back and he has blank stare that seems both dangerous and uninterested. Carl seems frightened by him. Gaear has a cigarette hanging in his mouth during the entire scene.

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During the shots where the State Trooper’s torso is visible, his gun is clearly in the shot, if out of focus. In this scene there are many edits that increase the pace and tension of it. As the scene gets closer to the shooting of the State Trooper, the number of cuts increases. After that there are fewer cuts. The majority of the cuts in this scene are after someone finishes their sentence, then cuts to the other person to see their reaction. A few of the cuts though are during someone’s sentence or in the middle of an action. There is only one instance of another camera movement: a tilt when Carl shows the State Trooper his license, registration, and the bribe. The lack of sound during parts of this scene adds to the tension. The scene begins with a score track that is low but once the action intensifies so does the music. This music tells the audience to prepare for the action. A low pitched music begins when the State Trooper exits his vehicle and walks toward Carl and Gaear; it is at a low volume and the audience can hear the dialogue over it. Once the climax of the scene has been reached the music is at its highest in terms of pitch and volume. When the guns fires, the music stops. Then after a pause it begins again but at the low pitch and volume as it was at the beginning of the scene. There is not much dialogue in this scene. Carl has the majority of the dialogue in this scene when he talks to the cop. After the climax there is not much dialogue because it seems that Carl is momentarily shocked by the events, but Gaear is not fazed and mocks Carl. Sound effects are also used throughout the scene, sometimes to enhance the tension. The audience can hear the sound of the State Trooper slamming the door on his vehicle then his footsteps on the road. Since the low music accompanies it, it makes the audience as nervous as Carl, who does not hide it well. Other sounds in this scene are Jean’s whimpers and screams from the backseat though the audience does not see her. Then, of course, the State Trooper’s cries as he tries to release himself from

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Gaear’s grasp before the gun fires. After the gun shot the sound of the blood spewing from the State Trooper’s head is all that can be heard due to the lack of music during these few seconds after the shooting. The sounds used in this scene are mostly diegetic sounds. Some sounds are diegetic in one shot but non-diegetic in the next, for example, in one shot the audience can see the State Trooper’s vehicle door start to slam shut but do not hear the door slam until the next shot where it has become a non-diegetic sound. This scene is one of the most important in the entire movie. Carl and Gaear have committed a crime by kidnapping Jean, Jerry’s wife, but that was all they had intended to do. This scene shows the escalation of violence that will continue throughout the movie. All of these aspects, mise-en-scène, sound, and editing, add to the experience this scene gives to the audience. The audience can clearly see these are unsavory characters who should not be messed with, but this scene takes the tension to a new level. Before this shooting, it was unclear whether they would hurt Jean, but it did not seem likely because that was not what they were paid to do. After this scene, the audience is not so sure that Jean will live. This scene creates a worry and a doubt in the audience. There are many more important scenes in the Coen Brother’s film Fargo but this is the first scene to show the cold-blooded murder that will continue throughout the film....