critical analysis on movies
Indian movies use the settings and colors as the main element of mise en scene. The setting and color are used to reflect the varying moods of the character. Mise en scene refers to the way in which the background, incidental and ambient detail could imbue a scene with added meaning and make its dramatic content resonate more richly. My thesis includes the aspects of scene setting, character introduction and cinematography used in the movie “Alaipayuthey means the wavy movements”. In particular, I am analyzing the setting and colors used in this movie to reflect the various moods of the character. In Alaipayuthey, Manirathnam focuses his camera on wedded life and the rough course it typically takes, even in love marriages. In scene 1, the hero goes to the railway station to pick his wife from work. On his way a policeman diverts him to take a different route as there was an accident that evening in that spot. In this scene, the frame covers the ambulance which adds up to the policeman’s words. This scene is illustrated by the picture 1 where we see the setting effect as the public is surrounded and the ambulance depicts the situation of an accident. Picture 1 The use of fade in and fade out in the scene when Karthick is looking for his wife in the train to depict that he is going back in his memory thinking about the past( picture 2). The tension is built up by giving the blue lights. The use of blue lights signifies the mood of sorrow and tension. As Karthik continues his vigil at the station in vain till the last suburban train has left. In between the flash back the director narrates the story of the 'electric train love of Karthik and Shakthi. Picture 2 The flash back takes us to a wedding scene in the village where karthick and Shakthi met for the first time. The location used in this shot was a village house with lots of bright natural lights enhancing the mood of joy and happiness. The elements of Mise en scene are used well to denote the joy of the wedding. The setting includes the flower decoration, the relatives and friends dressed illustrate the occasion of the wedding as in picture 3. Picture 3 We get an idea about the social status of both karthick and Shakthi from their home settings. The house setting with dark color background gives the gloomy dull effect showing Shakthi’s family as poor and in real contrast in the next shot, we see Karthick eating in his house and the lighting is bright which shows the economic status of the family which is good as in picture 4. Picture 4 Both of them fall in love for each other which is depicted with the elements of mise en scene. The recognition of love in each other is intensified by the slow train movement in opposite direction and the use of yellow tinted glass to reflect the sunny and happy mood. The train movement in opposite direction and the point to point shot brings out the feeling of love in their faces. In Picture 5, both of them striking a one to one eye contact depict the recognition of love. Picture 5 Shakthi’s sister Poorni is being introduced in this scene when Karthick express his love to Shakthi. The building up of a character is seen again in the train which is a usual style used in this movie. This scene helps to illustrate the support the heroine gets from her sister (Picture 6). Picture 6 Karthick riding his bike by the waves of the beach depict his mood of happiness. The element used here to depict the feeling of happiness is the beach waves and he riding alone in his bike .This scene is shown from a long shot to a close up shot to enhance the happiness of Karthick. The song sequence in Pachai niramae (green color) uses different colors which are compared to the beauty of Shakti and the mood sequence. This song has lots of mise en scene elements in it as each color has the background set out with the same natural color and each color setting gives us the meaning for different moods like green depicting success in love, red depicting attraction towards each other, yellow depicting the sharing of feelings which is illustrated in Picture 7 Picture 7: Song depicting different colors In Indian culture, women have to respect men in many ways. For instance, if a man is sitting then the woman has to stand. This is one of the ways to show respect to men which has been brought out in the phone conversation scene when Karthick is sitting and Shakti is standing.