Friday, October 10, 2014
The Graduate
The Graduate, released in 1967, still remains as one of the highest ranked films because of its special film techniques. Particularly, in the last segment watched in class, rack focus is used when Benjamin tells Elaine that the girl he had an affair with was her mother. Before Ben can even get his words out, he looks through the tiny frame of the door and sees Mrs. Robinson. The focus slowly shifts from Elaine, to Mrs. Robinson. From the shift in focus, we are given a subjective point of view, as it signifies Ben looking to Mrs. Robinson. Aside from rack focus, another technique used is framing. When Ben looks over at Mrs. Robinson, she is framed in between a tiny opening of the door. This symbolizes how unimportant she is to Ben, and how small she seems now that he has gone on a date with Elaine. Shortly after Elaine rips her head off to him, he sees her the next day through his rearview mirror in his car. This is another example of rack focus, while he is putting on his seatbelt he is first focused on the road, then switches his focus to Elaine who is walking out of her house. The use of rack focus communicates his existing interest in her. Another time rack focus is used, is when he follows her to Berkley College, and sees her through a statue. At first the focus is on the statue, but as she gets closer the use of framing through a hole in the statue and the use of rack focus (by focusing on her) is used. The fact that he is able to spot her in a busy crowd on campus proves just how much he knows her. Later on, when Ben stops Elaine near one of the brick walls, the use of framing between the walls is used to communicate the love, and affection they have for one another. She kisses him goodbye, and in between the walls tells that they are the only two around, even though there were many people walking by. It signifies their deep relationship. Lastly, when Ben runs out of gas, he sprints as fast as he can to the wedding. As he gets closer, the camera does not move, and although he is sprinting, he still looks so small. This shows his inferiority, and sense of failure that he could not stop her from getting married. However, we find this to be misconceiving, as the two run away together on the bus.
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I really enjoyed your examples of rack focus and framing. Many were ones that I had never thought about before. I think another interesting use of rack focus in the Scarborough Fair montage was when he walks around the campus and it looks as though someone is watching/filming him from behind bushes and this continues until he sits down in front of the fountain. Then the point of view is switched to subjective, so you see what Ben sees which is Elaine walking out of her class. I also think it is interesting when you say that Ben couldn't stop Elaine getting married to another man and the use of rack focus makes Ben look inferior because of this. But in the end of the film, Ben does succeed because he runs away with Elaine. Overall, I really enjoyed your analysis of the use of framing and rack focus.
ReplyDeleteWow colb these are really great examples of camera techniques. I agree with Caroline, there were many points throughout the film that you brought up that I had never thought about before with the usage of rack focus-awesome job! I find that rack focus in the examples you brought up all had something in common which I think is to represent a state of confusion or deep thought. I really like how the director used it in this film because it conveyed that feeling of uncertainty without the usage of any dialogue. This reminds me of the song, "sound of silence" because sometimes silence is more powerful than words.
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