Analysis Of Cinematographic Techniques In Alfonso Cuarón’S Film Children Of Men
Alfonso Cuarón’s film “Children of Men” inherently displays the true importance of beginning a film with a memorable introduction. With the use of certain cinematographic techniques and mise-en-scene, he opens the audience to the impact violence has on the utopic world and the characters within it transport the audience to a dystopian society through the lens of a handheld/steadicam camera, which transforms the scenes into a POV stylistic manner. He also engages the audience through various forms of mise-en-scene such as sound, color, and placement to display the effects of violence of certain characters. The use of angles also allows the audience to understand the overpowering force that challenges the protagonist’s views on the society around him. The first 5 minutes of the film are vital in setting a strong foundation for the plot and for the audience to become engaged.
The opening scene sequence is a great example of the use of both cinematic shot and choice of placement within the scene to set a foundation for the course of the film. The scene opens up to the noise of a news broadcast which transitions to a busy café full of citizens watching the Tv’s. As all the eyes are glued to the screen, we meet our protagonist Theo as he walks through the crowd to order a coffee. This medium shot is the first glimpse into how Theo intakes violence around him versus how others do. The death of baby Diego shocks the crowd and leaves them standing still, whereas Theo feels no compassion towards it and goes on with his day. The placement of Theo within the crowd points him out instantly as an outsider. This technique draws focus to Theo and allows audiences to understand his emotion, or rather lack of it, towards this tragedy. The notion of isolation and numbness to tragedy displayed by Theo, which separates him from the rest of society, is a consistent theme throughout the film.
As the scene continues, the camera transitions from a high angle within the café to a steadicam walking behind Theo. This is crucial since it sets the type of filming that Cuarón uses throughout the rest of the sequence. As the camera is trailing behind Theo, it looks up at the screen displaying the death of Diego once again. This movement and POV angle reflect that the camera is in a sense a character within the movie, having its own views on what is important and placing viewers within the film. Fraying from the protagonist abruptly is important in assuring that the film is shot from a realistic, rather than a synthetic point of view. Through the use of the camera as a separate character within the film, viewers can see Theo’s experiences from a different perspective. For instance, when a bombing occurs in a nearby shop, as Theo takes cover and flees, seemingly unphased, the camera strays its’ attention from the protagonist and focuses on the disastrous scene of the explosion. The camera acting as an independent entity separate from Theo, emphasizes the excessive violence within the dystopian society, further establishing a sense of numbness in Theo’s character as well as defining him as an outsider. Establishing this type of filming technique allows audiences to discover a deeper connection to the experiences within the scenes. Cuarón uses this technique to accentuate the significance of the arrangement of scenery within the movie.
Along with the character like filming, Cuarón uses the aspect of sound to create inexplicit connections to different forms of violence throughout the following scenes. Drawing back to the opening sequence, sound if very subtle throughout. Within the café, the diegetic sounds that are heard is the voice of Theo and mainly the TV broadcast. With Theo being the only person talking within this scene, it enforces the connection between Theo and the events that are occurring around him. Following this is the bombing scene which contains a profound example of the use of sound and it’s interconnection with a form of violence which is prevalent throughout the movie. A bomb explosion at this magnitude within a crowded area such as the one displayed would likely cause many injured and panicked citizens, but not within this scene. The only voices we hear in result of this bombing are the screams of a woman. Withdrawing from using any other screams, allows for the screech of the woman to be prominent and lasting. This can arguably be connected to the violence that is portrayed against women, especially with the importance placed upon fertility, fertility testing and how the government is strict on women taking them. Since there is a great need for a fertile mother, it is implied that any woman who does not follow the testing standards would be prosecuted to the full extent.
The immigrants within the film can also be connected to the use of sound to display the discrimination, physical and mental cruelty against them. This concept is metaphorically demonstrated within the train scene. As the camera strays away from Theo walking off the train, again acting as a character within the film, it looks at an elderly woman within a crowded cage, speaking a foreign language to the guard. Connecting with the extreme long shot of Theo and jasper driving past the dead cows, there is a connection to the immigrants and the cows that is suggested. Both the humans and livestock are put in cages for the populations good, which in return provides some sense of value. With that being said, both the immigrants and animals are restricted by their language which allows them to become censored. Finally, the viewer is shown the burning cows which may be foreshadowing the termination of the immigrants. Sound is important within this sequence although it might seem subtle, it has the opportunity to reveal deeper messages that relate to the rest of the film.
While establishing multiple views of violence within this film, Cuarón uses the element of color and shadows to complement each other. Throughout the sequence, the film establishes this sense of a war-torn dystopia from the very beginning which is confirmed by the lack of color within multiple scenes. Within the opening long shot of London, even when colors are present, such as busses or cars, they are overpowered by the layer of greyness that is vivid throughout the shot. This accentuates the country slowly deteriorating from the beginning, which worsens as the movie goes on. Not only is color used to display the effects of violence on the city, Cuarón also uses the help of shadows to further produce this sense of weariness and doubtfulness. A particular scene that uses shadows to emphasize this concept is the office scene. The low-key lighting within the office accentuates the shadows surrounding the office, almost as if Theo’s environment is closing on him. These shadows are then seen when Theo approaches his boss at his office. The over the shoulder shot shows Theo’s back filled completely by a dark shadow encasing that behind him lies something unknown, as if he himself is lurking in the darkness. With this being said, the notion of Theo and the unknown can translate to the aspect that Theo is not willingly open in showing the truth when it comes to dealing with the terror of the society. He stays in constant denial which can be seen when he talks to his boss. Theo was almost killed by a bomb explosion in the scene before, but he claims to his boss that the death of Diego has taken a toll on him rather than the near-death experience he had. The early introduction of shadows within Theo’s life is important to display his unknown future he has to face as the film goes on.
Throughout the whole sequence, Theo is in a constant fight to numb the noise of violence around him. From the beginning scene, the TV is shot from a high angle shooting down to the people which gives the sense of power over the citizens. The violence is all around Theo and towers over him which he tends to get tired of. As seen in the office seen where the broadcast is once again playing on his coworkers’ computers, causing him to leave. He escapes this scenario but has to face it during the train scene. The scene opens up to the loud, shocking displays of violence around the world. Again, the camera angle portrays the TV over him displaying him as vulnerable but again he is seen as not caring about it until there is a source of violence where he can’t hide from. Rocks are thrown at him, which is the first time since the bombing where he has been imitated by a source of violence. This overwhelming sense of violence could be foreshadowing his quest throughout the rest of the movie where he must overcome his sense of self and face the world, he has tried so hard to silence.
Cuarón’s focus on the importance of the introduction to this film allowed the audiences to grasp a sense of the world the protagonist lives in and be brought into the movie itself in a very innovative manner. By using these cinematic techniques and mise-en-scene, he was able to transform this introduction into the substructure of the film to be built upon, while also allowing metaphors to flourish as the film goes on. The attention to detail regarding Theo and his reaction to his world grants the audience the ability to grasp a sense of his take on reality and are informed about it through the POV stylistic shots of the camera.
