Bladerunner Analysis

The Film blade runner is in the iconography of the genre (hybrid) sci-fi/action.

The shot types involved in this scene of blade runner differ to create various notions of the film to be effective. The opening starts with a long shot to show the audience who is involved in the scene as well as where the scene is taking place, i.e. its surroundings. Then as the scene progresses the shot type alters into a close up to convey the emotion on the man’s face as well as the state of his face. Furthermore use of extreme close is used to show the audience the coldness in the other males eyes, which helps to engage and question the audience into what’s about to occur next.

The camera angles which are used differ from where the camera is facing at. Whenever the camera focuses on Harrison Ford, the camera angle is shown to be lower, connoting that he in comparison to the other man is less superior or not as powerful as him. Adding to this, the other male in this scene is shown to be in a high angle, therefore symbolising that thins man to be superior and much more powerful/stronger than the other. The camera movement is shown to be of a gathering consisting of panning mainly, to show audience the whole surroundings and who is involved. However the camera movement is mostly stable, with the use of transition of shots being swift, to represent the quick pace of the scene, the shots are cut shots, hereby making transitions fast.

The Mise-en-scene consists of all that is in the frame - this includes: colour, Lighting, costume, actors and their body language, props. In this scene the weather plays a factor in creating a dark/dim colour as well as a contrast to the characters. The rainy/dark weather is known as pathetic fallacy which helps to create a representation of death or some form of conflict about to occur. The lighting used is mainly low key lighting as well as shadowy/silhouette used on the actors. This connotes them to having a loss of identity as in shadows you can’t identify a persons face. Moreover the lighting relates to the scene as well as the characters to being involved in something dark or bad. However the lighting changes on the other man’s face, as a bright light is shone on his face later, this could symbolise him to be a “good one” and that he is innocent/Godlike. The costumes they are wearing, suggest to audiences to type of conflict they have been involved in. Harrison Ford is shown to be in black, connoting death/destruction .The other actor is shown to be in nothing but blue shorts, which could give insight into his character and that the fact it is raining and that’s all he is wearing, suggests he may be superhuman etc. 

Both of the body language is shown to be serious as well as violent. Harrison fords body language may alarm audiences as he keeps trying to escape from this man, hence audiences will automatically assume the other male is dangerous/villainous. The use of props helps to question the audience, as the other supposed “villain” is seen to be dangerous, however in one of the shots he is shown to have a white dove in his hand, which connotes purity and innocence. Also it may represent him and how he wants to break free from society.

The use of sound helps to achieve a certain atmosphere through the scene. The Diegetic sound is of the dialogue they are speaking as well, as the sounds of the rain patting down and running. The sound of broken breathing also connotes someone is in danger. The Non Diegetic sound is off the music in the scene. The music is heard to be very serious, also there is a clock to be heard clanging in the back ground, however the audience don’t see a clock. This could represent something off the other characters, suggesting maybe that one their time is up (death).