The film’s use of close-up shots support the comedic side of the film by allowing the audience to see the actors’ facial expressions, how they feel, and what they are thinking, which is important when trying to convey comedy through a silent film. The characters’ expressions and body language were the only way of connecting to the audience and expressing feelings of angst, worry, etcetera that gave it a comedic feeling, since there was no sound to communicate emotions through. While the close-ups made a connection with the characters, the long-shots seemed more connected to the time and actual event happening, the Civil War. The long/extreme long shots were used more to depict the time period by showing the town, army tent set-ups, the railway, and wilderness around them; these allowed the audience to see the history behind the film.
The sophistication level was raised in this film from colored and painted in objects to real effects such as the gunshots and explosions creating real smoke. They also elaborated on the sets, adding in tables, boxes, horses, and other things that may have actually been in an area, instead of the studio-type, plywood sets they used in earlier films. Editing has also become more sophisticated by this point, so there is not a major leap between scenes any longer, and the film lasts longer than previous films that were cut short by the length of film used.
Good job, Jessica.
ReplyDelete