Fargo

Fargo (Coen Brothers, 1996)

     Class discussion

• Camera - There is large use of over the shoulder shots used in the bar scene, and the constantly cut between each other, this works well to create tension in the scene between the main characters, also there is pre-figured aggression in the gestures that are made and also in the dialogue.

• Sound - Strange music created with a string section(to create tension) is used and appears to be a very traditional style of music, the music is repeated throughout the first part of the opening before going into a crescendo when the object, which turns out to be a car towing another car, pulls into a populated area. The music when the main characters meet in the bar is very typical country and western which adds to the verisimilitude of the film.

• Editing - the shot reverse shots are fast cutting and therefore this creates tension amongst the dialogue the figure which is distorted and in the background but then which moves to the foreground and becomes the main point of focus in the opening credits is used to good effect to create the feeling of remoteness in the scene

• Mise en scene - A misty background is used which creates an idea of the unknown, the screen is not completely white, but a murky, blue/white colour, you can see a figure appearing on the right third line, but you can only see the outline and not what the object is until it gets ups close.

• Font -

The font is bold dark blue, and all in capitals, this makes it easier to read because of the similarity in the colour of the text and the background, the font is fairly small to show the expanse of the background and is closer to the bottom, so it doesn't draw full attention away from the action in the background (the strange object coming into focus). When the actors name appears, the last name is spread out, this may be to make the text more interesting instead of having all the text bunched together, it also gives each letter a feeling of loneliness, which also adds to the idea of being lost in an unknown expanse. each bit of text fades away after a few seconds, which works well to add to the idea of fog in the background.

List of Credits used -

• Polygram Filmed Entertainment - Presents
• In association with Working Title Films
• Frances McDormand
• William H. Macy
• Steve Buscemi
• Harvey Presnell
• Peter Stormare
• Fargo

Hyperlink -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI_4wvBHkrw