Sunday, July 8, 2012

Week 3 Blog Post: Shadow of a Doubt


The presence of smoke in “Shadow of a Doubt” is extremely prevalent, symbolizing both imminent danger and the evil intentions of Uncle Charlie. From the billow of smoke that escapes out of the top of the train to the continual cloud of smoke that surrounds Uncle Charlie and his cigar, smoke seems to be a common image in this film that symbolizes the threat that Uncle Charlie poses to the Newton Family and all of the residents of Santa Rosa.

            Hitchcock uses clever cinematography and mise-en-scene to film the train’s arrival in Santa Rosa, therefore emphasizing the menacing black smoke in the shot. Hitchcock uses an extreme long shot while the train is still far in the distance, which allows the audience to see the row of peaceful shops along the left side of the frame (part 2, 6:10). Even at such a far distance, the heavy black smoke contrasts with the light sky, making the train’s arrival appear menacing and threatening. By filming the train when it is still so far in the distance, Hitchcock allows us to watch the slow approach of the train as it gradually becomes larger and larger in the frame. The billowing smoke becomes more prevalent as the train approaches, and the audience’s tension increases as they wait for its arrival. Hitchcock has all of the other characters walk off in the distance except for the younger brother, and his small frame is completely dwarfed by the huge train (6:32), creating a feeling of isolation and pending doom. As the train passes, a dark shadow is cast on the boardwalk (6:37), foreshadowing the destruction and chaos that Uncle Charlie’s arrival will bring.

            Smoke also surround Uncle Charlie as his smokes his cigar, most noticeably when he is lying in his bed at the Newton house (part 4, 2:57). The lamp on the bedside table lights one-quarter of Uncle Charlie’s face, but the rest of his face remains in shadows. This lighting hints at Uncle Charlie’s two-faced nature and reveals that he might be hiding an important aspect of himself from his family.  Uncle Charlie then takes a drag of his cigar, and he blows out the smoke in a perfect “O” shape. The light color of the smoke contrasts with the darker background, making the smoke one of the focal points of the shot. The medium shot portrays Uncle Charlie as a man of leisure because it allows the audience to see his elegant suit and relaxed posture, but the ominous smoke and strategic lighting hint at Charlie’s dangerous nature.

1 comment:

  1. Week 3: The Rope
    Sorry for continuing to post as comments. As unbelievable as it is, I still cannot seem to post as an author.
    At 29:30 Brandon lights the candles on top of the bureau where the corpse is. The color of the fire is so bright it grabbed my attention for about five seconds. Since the audience knows the secret, we are in an uncomfortable position whenever anyone in the room spends too much time by the corpse.
    Between 36:24 and 36:58we get a medium close up of David’s father and Brandon. Mr. Wilson’s upper body is very much illuminated by light. On the contrast Brandon’s dark blue suit blends in with the dark items behind him and allow us to almost lose the outline of the left of his suit to the darkness. We can interpret this as the moment when Brandon, If he has not done so before, has fallen into a slippery slope of entertainment and malice; he doesn’t know when to stop. Their “morbid” discussion of death is so fascinating but this is the point, for me at least, when I did not know whether he or Rupert were playing around or not.

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