The movie is epic and is based on an Arab set up. Lawrence is a 29 year old lieutenant selected to evaluate the Arab revolt. He is expected to unite the Arab tribes in the times of war. The film is based on the historical and cultural experiences, and through the use of techniques like cinematography, lighting, direction, design elements like costuming, main themes were brought out. The identity of Lawrence is of main importance in the film, how the world seems vast is also a point of concern in the film, and more focus is brought in with overcoming the faced challenges.
The identity of Lawrence is significant in the film because he is portrayed as someone who knows his identity, and nothing makes him loose this, however tough the challenges. He is of pure heart and is not willing to hurt anyone. His love for the Arabs symbolically makes him part of the Arabs even though he is British. Through this big heart he is made a leader. With this he makes victory possible for the Arabs by uniting all the tribes and emerging the winner in the battle between Arabs and Turks, and eventually got the city of Damascus to the Arabs. After the war, his behaviors drastically change due to being tortured and emerges to be tougher. With this, he seeks to be sent home away from the experiences of the war and the desert. As such, Lawrence of Arabia is a film that focuses on the need to have an identity. By attempting to help the Arabs attain their freedom, Lawrence creates his identity. Before being sent to the desert he had a limiting job, but when in the desert he emerges to be someone great by being the link between the Arabs and the British. As he journeys on, he faces difficulties and gains a new identity that was totally not part of him, acting against his beliefs. For this, he pays the price of being caught up in a war.
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Filmed in the desert, Lawrence of Arabia shows how the world is vast. Consequently, the movie brings the viewers to content. The wide shots emphasize on the location. The entire movie was frozen, from left to right to have the film insinuated as a journey. The cinematography depict the whole movie having a good view and interesting to the viewers at large. The lighting was natural, since the desert was the backdrop of the movie. Scenes of enclosed space were, however, three point and low key approaches were applied to give a clear view of the mood of the moment. The scenes were particularly in the behind view of the war. They were also applied in the interrogation room and during sad moments of frustration. This was also used to make the themes. Had the film makers not considered the lighting, it would have interfered with the themes, hence, the whole film (Behrens, 2013) . A good look is the interrogation scene, high key lighting could not have the effect of emotion take-away at the audience. Lawrence shows an exciting performance on the role vetted on him as the main character. As the dominant character, he is kept on the left- hand-side as the opposite side is subordinate. Lawrence changes the positions as he progresses with his journey. He is clearly seen to have control, and is arguably comfortable in the role. The soundtrack used emphasizes the scenes, and additionally adds the element of drama to the film. This is seen when the music tempo quickens when battle is taking place.
Lawrence of Arabia’s characters try to overcome the faced challenges. For instance, the imagery present in the film was carefully shown. Lawrence and Tafas entering a tiny passage riding camels on the desert showing the use of direction. The two will face hardship, which they must persevere to attain what they aspire for. Creaking and swaying tent seen when Lawrence talks to the prince with the main focus on the weight of the decisions Lawrence makes that could sway him and his kingdom out. After Lawrence’s meeting with the Prince, he is in deep thoughts of what to do to ensure that the decision he takes is the best. He is seen walking in a shadow of the night’s darkness as sand blows. The sand symbolizes the opposition he is facing, and the darkness is a symbol of what he must do away with from his mind to have a good decision. Lawrence was sent by the British to unite the Arab world so England can have the access of more control in the Arab world. When he comes to stay with the Arabs, he becomes fully incorporated with them and even changes his British clothes into the ones given to him by the Sheriff. Thus, there was the element of costuming that Lawrence pursued to bring out the theme of his focus to attain the set goals. The unique contemplation for film costuming is how outfits will relate through the lens of a camera (Bright, 2016). Normally, it is hard to leave one’s homeland for a foreign land because one faces a culture shock. Lawrence even faces the general wearing the same clothes to show that he had become a part of the Arabs, and is with the British no more. Lawrence has an allegiance to the two parties, but the most significant point to note is that he knows he only has an allegiance to himself. With this he died for what he believes was right, but at the end of it all he is confused on whom to owe the allegiance for he could be allegiant to himself. Nevertheless, the film portrayed the Arab culture as a vicious, brutal, tribal society (Woolf, 2013).
In conclusion, Lawrence of Arabia is focused on the identity of Lawrence, how the world seems vast, and how challenges were evaded. The use of techniques like cinematography, lighting, direction, and design elements like costuming, ensured the main themes were brought out. Hence, Lawrence emerged a winner by fighting through the desert, facing challenges, and finally overcoming them.
References
Behrens, L. (2013). The Art of Film Lighting: Understanding and manipulating light from an artistic standpoint . Alumni.sae.edu . Retrieved 7 April 2018, from http://alumni.sae.edu/2013/03/10/the-art-of-film-lightingintro-understanding-and-manipulating-light-from-an-artistic-standpoint/
Bright, M. (2016). A Case of Interdisciplinary Course Project: Costuming in Historically based Film . Lib.dr.iastate.edu . Retrieved 7 April 2018, from https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1685&context=itaa_proceedings
Woolf, C. (2013). Is Peter O'Toole's Lawrence of Arabia fact or fiction? Public Radio International . Retrieved 7 April 2018, from https://www.pri.org/stories/2013-12-16/peter-otooles-lawrence-arabia-fact-or-fiction
