Film Techniques

The short film Bunny used many high angle overhead shots to depict the point of view of the moth. This perspective puts the audience in the position of the moth so we feel more sympathy when the bunny starts trying to kill it. Dutch angles, or canted angles were used primarily during the oven sequence to promote confusion and uncertainty since this is uncharted territory for the bunny and the audience. I thought that maybe the moth was the spirit of the bunny's husband because of the close-up of the moth on their wedding photo and the fact that the moth is so persistent in trying to get the bunny's attention. 

In Harold and Maude, the first scene we viewed starts off in deep focus since we can see both the mother and young women talking in the foreground as well as Harold's "suicide" in the outside garden. The camera interacts mainly with Harold during this scene especially when he breaks the fourth wall by looking at it directly. This act acknowledges the presence of the audience thereby making us complicit in his actions because we know what he has done. A power struggle emerges when Harold looks away from the camera and notices his mother's judging gaze. Now his mother has the control over the scene as she makes Harold avert his eyes to the floor in a sheepish expression. 

The junkyard/graveyard scene establishes a genuine connection between Harold and Maude. Each time they switch locations, there is a jump cut. These sudden shifts are meant to disorient us slightly as this is what Harold must be feeling as Maude passes on life wisdom to him. An interesting detail was the visual comparison to the daisy field and the graveyard. As the camera zooms out from the graveyard, the graves becomes so small they starting blending together into a field of white, almost looking like daisies. 

Paris, Texas starts off in the desert where we meet our protagonist Travis, who is dressed in stark colors compared to his sandy, one-tone surroundings. He wanders aimlessly with no discernible path, much like the camera that lazily drifts along to follow him. Travis walks parallel with power lines at one point, perhaps unconsciously trying to seek out connection as we soon discover he is trying to find his wife. 

When Travis finally finds his wife in a weird brothel adjacent place, he keeps his identity a secret at first. When she discovers who is really on the other side of the mirror, she breaks down and the story of their relationship is finally told. Travis chained his wife in a tiny room in their trailer and once again he has kept her captive in a small room since she cannot leave her work station. The camera remains steady for long periods of time where we do not get to see every reaction from either party since it is not their turn to get their perspective of the story told. Travis never sees the unfinished wall on her side of the mirror which I think is indicative of how he doesn't realize that his wife is still working on herself but he refuses to acknowledge the progress she has made since she ran away.