Mise-en-scene can be described as the elements that exist within a set, or rather in front of a camera. Lathrop and Sutton (2014) define it in detail as the “visual elements of a theatrical production within the space provided by the stage itself” (p.1). Therefore, it is a description of all the elements that exist within a frame, with each element being placed within that frame for a very particular reason. There are four major elements identified by Lathrop and Sutton (2014), which include the setting, the costume/make up, the lighting and the figure movement and expression or the actual acting. Directors and producers use mise-en-scene for different purposes; in some scenes, some elements may be superimposed to convey a deeper meaning, but the other elements act as backups for the entire scene and story. Therefore, this paper will compare two scenes from two movies: Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo Del Toro and Chungking Express by Wong Kar-wai to illustrate the use of mise-en-scene in film. These illustrations will be based on the thesis that although all major elements are used for every scene, directors may use particular elements of mise-en-scene to convey a deeper storyline for the audience.
The scene chosen for the first movie, Pan’s Labyrinth , occurs at around 5:40 minutes, where the main character, Ofelia, and her mother, get to their destination and meet with Captain Vidal. From the scene, it is easy to deduce a lot about the relationship between the different characters, even without hearing what they are saying. The second scene that will be contrasted to the first from the movie Chungking Express , occurs from the 22:15 minute of the movie, and also shows a side of the main character, indicating how he lives his life, and perhaps offering a glimpse into his mental state. The paper will be comparing these two scenes, and trying to decipher some of the messages the directors and producers of these films might have been trying to convey to their audiences. It will therefore be making use of not only the four major elements mentioned earlier, but other sub elements as the basis of this comparison.
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Setting
In the first film, Ofelia’s mother is arriving to meet her husband, Captain Vidal. The setting is in an open form, whereby the end of Ofelia’s journey seems to be a country farm, where the Captain and his men appear to have set camp. There is a lot of color value used within this scene (Welsch, 1997), with the predominant color being grey and colors close to this, such as a dull form of green seen on the truck within the scene. It could be argued that the director chose this color scheme for this scene to illustrate that the main character, Ofelia, had not arrived somewhere that she would feel loved, but rather, to a gloomy homestead that is more militaristic than homely. In addition, the visual density (Welsch, 1997) of the scene is moderate; not very stark, nor very detailed. The first shot of the scene allows the viewer to get an entire glimpse of the compound that Ofelia will be calling home; also indicative of the loneliness that such a girl might feel in such a homestead, and thus deriving the need for more action in the nearby woods as the storyline unfolds. The setting of the scene also enables the viewer to estimate the timeline of the movie in the 1940s and 50s.
In comparison, the scene in Chungking Express, the form of the scene is closed, with the main character Qiwu being in his house, which is quite small. The small size of the room was probably used by the director as a way of communicating the housing issues that were being faced (are still being faced?) by Chinese city dwellers. Due to this, the framing of the scene is very tight, with the character barely having room to sit or even move around. The director even adds a part in the scene where the character has to open a window to enable him to sit in a relaxed posture with his feet hanging out. However, despite the small setting of this scene, its density is packed with detail. The character is obviously living alone, and is not very neat, going by the cluttered space in his house/room. He is also into eating a lot of canned foods and fruits, meaning he spends minimum time in the house. Indeed, in the scene, there are two dominant facets (Welsch, 1997); the cluttered house that is full of cans, and the size of the room.
Lighting
The scene in the first movie is set outside, thus the lighting is moderate. Here, lighting is used to convey texture within the scene, which enables the directors to bring out the gloomy colors and nature of the homestead, including the seemingly derelict house the characters will stay in. The light also seems to have one source, indicating in the scene that it is the sun. In comparison, the lighting used in the second movie is both harsh and soft, with lighting being harsh at the background and softer at the foreground. This differentiation may indicate that the background is the kitchen area, while the foreground serves as the living room. In addition, there are multiple sources of light, and one light is placed close to Qiwu’s face, highlighting in detail his thoughtful, yet carefree nature. The lighting in both scenes is of great importance in determining the composition of the frame.
Costume
In Pan’s Labyrinth , the characters are dressed in seemingly old fashioned clothing, which showcases the timeline within which the movie is set. Besides, the use of soldiers, including the step father of the main character, may be taken to construe the stringent mood of Ofelia’s surroundings. The makeup used on Ofelia’s mother also seems to highlight a more benign character, reminiscent with women from a different generation compared to today’s aggressive woman. On the other hand, the dress code used by the character in Chungking Express simply illustrates modernity. He is still wearing his tie, though loosely, to indicate after work hours.
Figure Movement and Expression
The character Qiwu in the second movie buys thirty cans of pineapple, then eats all of them in one night, something he states is a new record for him. He has a smile on his face in the first instances of the scene, probably derived from his love for pineapples; but by following the flow of his thoughts, one can tell that he is obviously a man in sorrow. There is however not much to deduce from his expressions, but much to get from the setting. Conversely, in the first film, there are diverse movements and expressions by the characters. The Captain is not impressed with the lateness of his wife, and his face shows this. He is also not fond of his step daughter, and this is evident in the way he handles her. Ofelia is also not very fond of him, and there are obvious signs of awkwardness, distress and even fear in having to deal with her step father. Her mother portrays the character of a humble wife who bends to the qualms of her husband. This is indicated by her unwillingness to be taken for a helpless woman due to her pregnancy, yet she finally gives in to his request to use a wheelchair.
Clearly, all the mise-en-scene elements are crucial to the development of a scene. These elements enable viewers to connect the dots in terms of unspoken messages and the overall frame of the film. However, it is important to note that in the first scene, the director uses the element of figure movement and expression to communicate the strained relationship between daughter and her stepfather, as well as the abrasive nature of the father, and the soft nature of the mother. On the other hand, in the chosen scene from Chunking Express , the director uses the element of setting more to illustrate the depressive and cluttered state of mind of the character. Thus, it can be concluded that although all mise-en-scene elements play a role in the creation of a frame, each scene requires a particular element to communicate the most important aspect of that scene.
References
Lathrop, G., & Sutton, D. O. (2014). Elements of Mise-En-Scene. Retrieved on October 10, 2017 from http://www.proseproductionsink.com/1102_Licata_Elements_of_Mise-en-scene_modified.pdf
Welsch, T. (1997). Teaching Mise-en-Scène Analysis as a Critical Tool. Cinema Journal , 101- 106.
