Scarface (1983) - The Art of Lighting

Brian DePalma’s 1983 re-imagining of the classic Scarface, starring Al Pacino and Michele Pfeiffer with screenplay by Oliver Stone (Internet Movie Database, 2014), artfully depicts the rise to and ultimate fall from power of Cuban refugee and future drug lord Tony Montana.  The film is gritty and violent, replete with dark themes and dramatic intent; it is prototypical of the gangster/crime drama genre.  While not entirely removed of it, DePalma’s Scarface, however, departs from the typical use of low-key lighting (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011) in films of its kind.  With many of its scenes occurring outdoors, DePalma makes use of more natural lighting sources.  For the indoor scenes, the film aspires to a grittier feel relying on basic fill lighting, as can be seen in Tony’s initial conversations at his mother’s house (Clip 1).  We do get a sampling of the extreme darkness and shadow of low-key lighting at the very end when Tony and Gina leave the house; however, much of the scene is more natural in appearance, the contrast of the characters achieved more from the color of the kitchen walls than due to lighting.

Clip 1:

Many of the movie’s scenes presumably take advantage of natural light sources, being staged and filmed outdoors.  In a relatively early scene, following Tony and Manny’s successful entry into the drug business, the casual conversations and interactions between Tony, Manny, and several onlookers (as seen in Clip 2) show the natural feel of the outdoor scenes.

Clip 2:

Still, the movie is not entirely absent the more dramatic effect achieved by techniques like three-point lighting (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011).  In most of these, the low-key effect of extreme shadows is maintained as if evident during Gina’s last minute entry into Tony’s office in attempt to avenge her new husband’s death at Tony’s hand (see Clip 3).  Note how distinctly Gina stands apart from the backdrop of Tony’s office.  Still, other moments achieve the effect in a more traditional application of three-point lighting, reducing the appearance of onscreen shadows while causing the actor to “pop” from the screen (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011).  This can be seen very distinctly during Tony’s last stand (see Clip 4) and possibly one of the most iconic moments in this movie and throughout pop-culture as a whole.  Here we see Tony clearly against the very busy backdrop of his office with very little interference from the shadows.

Clip 3:

Clip 4:

DePalma makes art of the science of lighting and cinematography in this gritty drama.  His use of multiple lighting strategies capture both the realism of outdoor life as well as the drama and intensity of some of the film’s most climactic moments.  It is no surprise that this film stands strong among an elite list of movies of its kind.

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References:

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C.P. (2011). Film: From Watching to Seeing. (Ashford University ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Graspinbtch. (2011, December 9). Scarface – Tony’s Mother. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8op0_1equSQ

Internet Movie Database. (2014). Scarface. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086250/?ref_=nv_sr_1&licb=0.124921994516626

Movieclips.com. (2011, June 16). How to Pick-Up Chicks – Scarface (3/8) Moviei Clip (1983) HD. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKpXTy-sCxg

Movieclips.com. (2011, June 16). Scarface (7/8) Movie Clip – Gina Shoots Tony (1983) HD. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4GsCEopbd4

Movieclips.com. (2011, June 16). Say Hello to My Little Friend – Scarface (8/8) Movie CLIP (1983) HD. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_z4IuxAqpE

A Clockwork Orange - Stanley Kubrick - 1971

The classic Kubrick film, A Clockwork Orange, like much of Kubrick’s work is a multifaceted and multilayered spectacle that is at times enthralling and as often cringe inducing, yet no less dazzling.  Originally a novel by author Anthony Burgess, the film was adapted for the screen, both written and directed by Stanley Kubrick (Internet Movie Database, 2014).  The film featured a young Malcolm McDowell in the role of Alex McDowell who was accompanied by a supporting cast that included Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke, and Aubrey Morris (Internet Movie Database, 2014) among many others.

In short, the movie follows Alex DeLarge through a series of criminal escapades, including rape and murder, ultimately leading to a rift among his gang of followers that results in Alex being sentenced to prison.  While in prison, Alex learns of an experimental aversion therapy which promises an early escape from his sentence.  Following a grueling process which leaves Alex unable to experience violence or sex without becoming extremely nauseous, Alex earns his early release from prison.  Unfortunately, Alex is greeted by the outside world with much the same enthusiasm that he applied to his earlier violence.  Through a series of unfortunate encounters, Alex winds up the guest in the home of one of his earlier victims, a writer whose wife he and his gang had raped and who Alex had beaten so badly that he was left crippled and in a wheelchair.  One might expect that this results in Alex’s final comeuppance, and indeed it seems so when Alex is coerced into attempting suicide by leaping from an upstairs window.  As it turns out, however, the final mea culpa rests with the government that arguably mistreated poor Alex who incidentally survived his fall.

The film is presented chronologically, dutifully establishing Alex and his gang’s violent ways and outlining his brutal path into the experimental program, which ultimately led to the completion of the circle in Alex’s being reunited with one of his victims.  One very interesting element, which serves as both a symbolic representation of the film and perhaps even foreshadows some of what is to happen is Kubrick’s repeated references to Beethoven, and specifically to his Ninth Symphony.  Indeed, the movie’s original trailer, which makes no secret of the violence in the film, is set to the Beethoven work (see below Clip 1, (MoviesHistory, 2014)).

Alex, in fact, becomes enthralled by Beethoven’s Ninth, which in the movie becomes his undoing, as the music is also linked with his conditioning against sex and violence.  This is the very device that ultimately drives him to attempt suicide, as his captor (originally his victim) blasts the music until Alex can no longer stand the sickness he feels.  Kubrick’s use of Beethoven is interesting on two fronts.  There is first the link to violence, which is thanks in large part to Hitler and Nazi Germany’s repeated use of Beethoven’s Ninth during the reign of the Third Reich (Hyong, 2011).  There is a slightly deeper and probably lesser known link to violence in Beethoven’s original inspiration for the symphony’s pinnacle movement coming from a particularly violent Schiller poem (Hyong, 2011).  In these ways, the symbolism behind Kubrick’s use of Beethoven is fairly direct.  There is another link though, one that is perhaps slightly ironic.

Kubrick also took advantage of the fact that Beethoven was at one time was culturally recognized as a link to utopian society (Hyong, 2011).  Given Kubrick’s portrayal of a dystopian London, it would seem that he may have been taking a bit of a stab at either our perceptions of Beethoven, or more likely our perceptions of society, utopian or otherwise.

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References:

Höyng, P. (2011). Ambiguities of Violence in Beethoven's Ninth through the Eyes of Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. German Quarterly, 84(2), 159-176. doi:10.1111/j.1756-1183.2011.00109.x

Internet Movie Databse. (2014). A Clockwork Orange. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921/?ref_=ttpl_pl_tt

MoviesHistory. (2014, March 23). A Clockwork Orange – Official Trailer [1971]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmm5jeeH8mY