How Figure Expression Can Create Meaning

In the film adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s novel ‘the Perks of Being a Wallflower’ (2012), the actors use their figure expression to highlight the contrast between their characters. There are 3 main characters: Charlie (Logan Lerman), Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller).

Charlie is shy and nervous; portrayed through his fidgety hands, constantly wandering eyes, and him often chewing his lip. He has slumped shoulders and almost drags himself along when he walks- reflecting his unhappiness with his day to day life and showing that he is often pulling himself through it, trying to make it to the end of the school year. His lips are often tight, his face blank, reminding us that there is lots that we don’t know about this character as his face gives nothing away.

Sam and Patrick on the other hand, are confident characters, shown in the way they hold themselves with an erect posture. They are both lively, shown in their tendencies to exaggerate both their movements and facial expressions. Sam’s confidence is often shown through her smirk. This also highlights her flirtatious nature, also indicated by her eyes. They are both more caring and gentle when interacting with Charlie.

As the narrative goes on, events occur that shake the characters and change them. Examples of this are how Patrick becomes very jittery/ shaky after his character goes through a bad break-up. Also towards the climax, Charlie goes through a mental breakdown, shown through his hands pulling his hair, his legs shaking and him crying.

How Setting Can Create Meaning

In the opening scene of Les Misérables (Tom Hooper, 2012), setting is used to create meaning. To create an atmosphere that seems inescapable, there are tall, even gigantic, stone walls/stairs. The fact that the majority of characters are stuck in a pit at the bottom of these walls shows that these characters are considered the lowest of the low in society. Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), is shown to be at the very top of the stairs, exerting and emphasising, his authority over them. The stone structure itself is quite grimy, representing the dirty lives these criminals have led.

The prisoners (indicated that they are such by their clothing and make-up.) are knee deep in water, which could be interpreted as them drowning in their sorrows, and the past they wish they could escape.

Another key element for the setting in this scene is the use of pathetic fallacy. At the start of the scene, the skies are extremely dark, and there is heavy rain pouring down. This shows that this is a stormy phase in our main protagonist, Jean Valjean’s, life. The rain could also portray the sadness of the prisoners, hinting that they feel like crying. Then, once they have finished their work and Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is being interrogated by Javert, the skies are clear, but the ground around him is still wet and dirty. By the end, the ground is completely dry and the sky is clear, showing the end of his imprisonment, and the start of a bright new day.

How Costume/Make-up Can Create Meaning.

In the 2007 Disney film Enchanted, costume and make-up are used to emphasise the characters personalities. One scene where this is clearly demonstrated is in the musical number which takes place in Central Park in New York.

Amy Adams’ character Giselle is wearing a dress which is bright and colourful, showing her personality which is quite lively and vibrant. The fact that the colours of the dress are baby pink and blue highlight her childish nature and innocence, as these are the colours often associated with young girls. It is covered in small flowers (which she also has in her hair), showing her affiliation with nature. Her dress is flowing showing her carefree personality.

Her make- up is quite simple, showing her to be quite modest. Her hair is curly, which gives off a sense of her being quite exciting and wild, rather than if her hair was straight (coming across as quite boring.)

In contrast, Patrick Dempsey’s character Robert is dressed in a very common, plain way. He is wearing a black suit, which are associated with formal, high paid jobs. This would usually have positive connotations, but in this context, next to Giselle, it shows him to be quite boring. The colour black is associated with mourning, and this could be why he’s wearing black, since later in the scene he reveals that his wife left him. His shoes are also plain black, emphasising his formality and stiffness as a character.

How Props are Used to Create Meaning.

In Christopher Nolan’s 2010 film Inception, props are used heavily to immerse the audience in the story and to add meaning to our understanding of the main character.

The first use of props in the film is when Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Cobb is taken by the enemies and the only two items on him are a gun and a spinning top. These two props are the binary opposition of each other, as one connotes childhood and innocence; whereas the other is associated with adulthood and violence. This symbolises how Cobb is always trapped between two worlds- the dream world and reality.

The gun is used in a very functional way, but the spinning top is contextual; it would be of no significance without the meaning that the narrative gives it. The spinning top shows us the instability of the character, and also is used to create suspense in those moments where we are waiting to see if it will topple or not.

Props are also used to help ground us in our setting, this becomes extremely important as a viewer as the film enters the more complex part of the narrative. As the settings are quite different, the props vary in each level of the dream state. For example, whenever we see the van, we know that we are on the first layer of the dream.

The van is also an important prop in the story, as it is used as the kick to pull them out of the dream.

Thelma and Louise: Film Response

Today we watched the 1991 Ridley Scott film, Thelma and Louise, starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. It was a well made film, but the narrative wasn't interesting enough for me to say I'd watch it again.

The film told the story of Thelma Dickinson and Louise Sawyer, who are on the run from the police after murdering a man. They try to escape by driving to Mexico, and the film details their journey and the complications that arise due to the police and other unforeseen obstacles.

The performances by the main cast were very good, with Sarandon and Davis' characters being the binary opposition of each other which the actresses played perfectly. Sarandon was multi- dimensional as Louise, playing both her strong confidence, but also her fear and vulnerability beneath the tough exterior as the film went on. Geena Davis was convincing as the naive and slightly dim-witted Thelma, and played the character development to a strong, independent woman in a subtle yet noticeable way. 

There were also memorable supporting actors too including Brad Pitt's charming but thieving character J.D, and Harvey Keitel's detective Hal.

The story was well set against the dry, desert background, and I was impressed by the use of pathetic fallacy throughout. I was also impressed by the use of props, the car especially. It was used well to portray the fact that it was Thelma and Louise's only escape from their hard, mundane lives. It eventually became your classic outlaws' get-away car. This transition was done very well.

The one thing that I was disappointed with was the ending. After all the development these characters went through and how the whole thing left you wondering the next step, the climax of the film felt like more of an anti-climax to me. It most definitely was a cop-out. 

Overall, an enjoyable watch, but not a favourite. Probably a 6 or 7 out of 10 in my opinion.