5 thoughts on “IN AMERICA – OPINIONS… Choose a small 2 minute sequence and analyse it taking into account any contexts you feel are relevant.”
This is going to be my second attempt posting a comment on this page. I am going to be analysing minutes 3-5 in the movie ‘In America’. From the iconography of the torn pillow behind the children, the white worn out shirt being worn by the husband, and the worn down camera, the worn down car and the lack of any jewellery or watches in the character introduction scene, we can understand that the family is poor or in poverty. In addition, we learn that basic personalities of the two children, and how one is the foil of the other. The ‘main character’ or the narrator is portrayed as being introverted and shy, which contrasts to her sister as she is much more extroverted. In the next shot the camera pans to an establishing shot of Manhattan, which sets the setting on where the rest of the movie will take place. In the final few seconds of the 2 minute sequence, the husband changes the channel of the radio to a song. This song is originally diegetic sound but changes to non-diegetic as they arrive in Manhattan. In my opinion there is not much to mention about lighting as the characters are simply being introduced within the first few minutes of this film.
In the 2 minute scene I chose, it depicts 3 different locations with different people. In the first location, Mateo is seen to be throwing a massive tantrum and to be painting with his blood. The blood could be foreshadowing his death; or to show how ‘contaminated’ he thinks of himself, as he contracted AIDS and is awaiting his death. The tantrum/rage he had shows that he has pent up a lot of the anger or stress he has had; or to convey a sense of hopelessness, that he wants to give up. In the second location in their house, the parents are seen to be having sex. In contrast, it shows the parents still has hope in each other and their lives even though the environment they are in is not ideal at all. In the third location, the children are seen to be sitting in the ice cream parlour, having some ice cream whilst looking out into the city. The lightning was a smooth transition between all the different scenes. The thunderstorm could be interpreted as pathetic fallacy – Mateo is letting out all his anger by painting with his blood and destroying his poster, and the parents letting out their stress by having sexual intercourse. There is a lot of screaming during this scene (don’t really know what that could symbolise) and some sort of tropical/African drum music. The palette is also quite dark.
The two minute scene which I have analysed is the first scene where the family is shown to be passing the border into America. The Sullivan family is seen to be having trouble with passing the border, as they are attempting to immigrate using a tourist visa. Close to mid close ups are used to establish characters, hinting that the family is classified as a C – D on the demographic scale. This conveys a sense of hopelessness, as if the move into America is one that has been forced because of a mid life crises or a financial problem.
Frankie is first mentioned when Johnny and Sarah Sullivan answer differently when questioned about the amount of children they have – the small amount of detail used to describe this mystery child creates enigma. This enigma connotes a sense of loss – why did Sarah say that they only had 2 children instead of 3?
More information is slowly given about Frankie, and viewers learn that Frankie passed away because of a malignant brain tumor. The family, especially Johnny, are struggling to come to terms with Frankie’s death. The mentioning of Frankie at the start of the film shows the start of Johnny’s path of mental recovery, conveying the theme of trauma.
V.happy you added to sight, less media studies though, we are throwing audience far and wide out of the window. More to do with film, shot types and meaning behind them. colour palette things like that.
ib film is sick 
This is going to be my second attempt posting a comment on this page. I am going to be analysing minutes 3-5 in the movie ‘In America’. From the iconography of the torn pillow behind the children, the white worn out shirt being worn by the husband, and the worn down camera, the worn down car and the lack of any jewellery or watches in the character introduction scene, we can understand that the family is poor or in poverty. In addition, we learn that basic personalities of the two children, and how one is the foil of the other. The ‘main character’ or the narrator is portrayed as being introverted and shy, which contrasts to her sister as she is much more extroverted. In the next shot the camera pans to an establishing shot of Manhattan, which sets the setting on where the rest of the movie will take place. In the final few seconds of the 2 minute sequence, the husband changes the channel of the radio to a song. This song is originally diegetic sound but changes to non-diegetic as they arrive in Manhattan. In my opinion there is not much to mention about lighting as the characters are simply being introduced within the first few minutes of this film.
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In the 2 minute scene I chose, it depicts 3 different locations with different people. In the first location, Mateo is seen to be throwing a massive tantrum and to be painting with his blood. The blood could be foreshadowing his death; or to show how ‘contaminated’ he thinks of himself, as he contracted AIDS and is awaiting his death. The tantrum/rage he had shows that he has pent up a lot of the anger or stress he has had; or to convey a sense of hopelessness, that he wants to give up. In the second location in their house, the parents are seen to be having sex. In contrast, it shows the parents still has hope in each other and their lives even though the environment they are in is not ideal at all. In the third location, the children are seen to be sitting in the ice cream parlour, having some ice cream whilst looking out into the city. The lightning was a smooth transition between all the different scenes. The thunderstorm could be interpreted as pathetic fallacy – Mateo is letting out all his anger by painting with his blood and destroying his poster, and the parents letting out their stress by having sexual intercourse. There is a lot of screaming during this scene (don’t really know what that could symbolise) and some sort of tropical/African drum music. The palette is also quite dark.
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Good response and approach. signs of well thought out analyse. You’re officially my favorite film student right now with this response.
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The two minute scene which I have analysed is the first scene where the family is shown to be passing the border into America. The Sullivan family is seen to be having trouble with passing the border, as they are attempting to immigrate using a tourist visa. Close to mid close ups are used to establish characters, hinting that the family is classified as a C – D on the demographic scale. This conveys a sense of hopelessness, as if the move into America is one that has been forced because of a mid life crises or a financial problem.
Frankie is first mentioned when Johnny and Sarah Sullivan answer differently when questioned about the amount of children they have – the small amount of detail used to describe this mystery child creates enigma. This enigma connotes a sense of loss – why did Sarah say that they only had 2 children instead of 3?
More information is slowly given about Frankie, and viewers learn that Frankie passed away because of a malignant brain tumor. The family, especially Johnny, are struggling to come to terms with Frankie’s death. The mentioning of Frankie at the start of the film shows the start of Johnny’s path of mental recovery, conveying the theme of trauma.
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V.happy you added to sight, less media studies though, we are throwing audience far and wide out of the window. More to do with film, shot types and meaning behind them. colour palette things like that.
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