Requiem for a Dream Deconstructions.

Requiem for a dream.

Requiem for a dream clip (6 seconds-33 seconds)-
                http://www.reelz.com/trailer-clips/45994/requiem-for-a-dream-clip/

Camera angles/shots.

Long shot throughout the whole 30 second clip, you can see the whole scene and the different areas within it.

The extreme close up of the pills and them being taken allows the explanation as to why everything is going faster.

The fisheye effect reminds the audience that we are just looking on and aren’t ‘in the film’ as such, we have been segregated. The fisheye effect also makes the audience feel as though they are intruding on the present scene.

Sound.

The non diegetic synthesised soundtrack is an upbeat one which is repeated and runs parallel to the pace of the people moving. The non diegetic voiceover also sounds like an explanation to not only the other characters but also seems to be the audience. Harry is explaining about selling drugs and doubling their money, this allows the audience to hear that they are obsessed with drugs and making money from it.

Mise en scene.

Minimal furnishings with no wallpaper only plain concrete, they aren’t bothered about the luxuries on life, as they want to spend their money on other things like the high tech music system which isn’t a necessity but they have it. They have a full length light which a bright and almost harsh on the eyes, this contrasts the dim and dull wallpaper.

Editing.

 The increase in speed of the clip represents their drug induced nature, in the middle of the clip the speed increases even more so, however once everyone leaves the room it slows down as though the drugs are wearing off.  The use of the fish bowl enhances their drugged up state.

Clip-

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlcxW8KUzks&feature=relmfu

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The scene starts with an extreme close up of lipstick being applied, it is a deep red which seems very seductive, then there is a close up and we see
Marien’s   full face which is very pale with dark eye makeup and black nail varnish which give out negative connotations of mystery and death etc.

·          Alongside this there is non diegetic orchestral music which is a slow pace. A phone starts ringing and cuts to a long shot of the bathroom which is very dimly lit and basic. When Marien answers the phone and realises its Harry it jump cuts to a close up of him sitting down with a pay phone. He is in a graffiti walled hall way and the lights are flickering which shows it is a rundown place.

·         Harry says to Marien to ‘wait for me’ and starts crying allowing his emotions through, however when Marien starts crying she just wipes the tears away as though she is not allowing any emotions in.

  

This far into the film we can see that the obsession for more money and getting to the top has taken over the main characters minds, yet it hasn’t helped them. We sympathise with Harry and Marien as their plan has not worked.

Requiem for a dream website-

http://www.requiemforadream.com/

When first clicking on it you would be welcomed to what looks like a game show website saying ‘We have a winner’ it then becomes distorted a flickers to a page that looks like a gambling website then again to a weight loss page.  However all of these WebPages are related to the film. The site is very interactive; you have to click on different parts of the page to get to the next one. You can also play on a fruit machine which again is interactive for the viewer. The site is very ambiguous as it doesn’t follow the stereotypical film websites where it has information about the cast and the film.

Requiem for a dream trailer-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77Ieh1sMkk0

Camera Angles

Throughout the whole trailer there are close up shots of the characters to show their emotions/ drugged up state. There are low angles showing the characters in a higher status than the audience however this changes to high angles as though the audience are looking down at them like they are losing their authority, this could be due to the fact that drugs have taken over their lives especially the mum.

Sound

The ear ringing sound at the beginning is initially an upsetting sound, the mum says ‘purple in the morning, blue in the afternoon, and orange in the evening’ as though these drugs will be taking over her whole day. She is obsessed with losing weight, to be smaller for the Television. A non diegetic upbeat soundtrack starts up and more beats are added to the soundtrack as the scenes become more intense and change quicker. The subtle sound of a non diegetic fruit machine being used infers that gambling or money making is involved. The ending of the trailer with the woman underwater suddenly screaming follows the convention of trailers, where it makes the audience jump.

                                      Mise en Scene

The trailer as a whole is a montage of different scenes, including drugs being a main focus throughout the film, this could be either selling of drugs to make more and be more, or to lose weight to be on a game show. However following the conventions of a trailer it doesn’t give away the full story line. Except that a red dress, drugs, and four pills are shown throughout so they could possibly have a significant place within the film.

Editing

The split screen at the beginning allows the audience to see the woman talking and what she is looking at as well. There is a montage of people taking drugs that includes an extreme close up of a needle, miro organisms moving in a fast pace and an extreme close up of an eye becoming dilated as the drugs take effect on their body. There are also scenes which have been sped up as again the drug takers are being affected.

At the end the fish bowl effect infers the woman is under the influence of drugs and it is affecting her.

.·         The bold shows clearly what it is called, requiem means to hold a mass for the dead this could be some indication to what the film is about. It is in the middle of the poster which follows the typical convention of posters as it is in the viewer’s eye line and can be easily seen.

·         The picture shows a serene scene with blue sky on a pier with a woman in a red dress, stereotypically people in red dresses are usually quite seductive and sexual.

        Extreme close up of a dilated eye. Indicates the person is on some sort of drug.  The fact it is looking straight forward makes the passerby seem uncomfortable as it won’t stop looking at them.

·         The title, eye, and scene all contradict each other on what the film could potentially be about.  There isn’t a tagline which doesn’t follow the conventions of posters.