Response for Monday Nov. 12th

As for the films shown in class on Monday, the one I found most interesting was John Smith's 2004 British film "Worst Case Scenario." In this film, the use of both observation and humor serve the direction quite well. With the focus on individual characters as they go about their business on a busy weekday, obvious parallels are drawn to Alfred Hitchcock's classic "Rear Window." What I mean is that we, "the viewer", are observing other people, almost in a spy-like nature. We see an older man reading a newspaper, the woman walking her dogs, an afternoon romance between a young couple. These are all things that we are focused on at one point during the film from an above location and without the subjects own acknowledgement. Rather than remaining passive, we have become investigative viewers like Jimmy Stewart's character (minus the binoculars and broken leg). As for the humor, that is represented in the pristine editing. The traffic intersection is the first example that comes to mind. Here you have the subjects of pedestrians anxiously awaiting to cross as well as the subjects of impatient drivers nervously awaiting a green light. We hear horns blasting and car engines reving and at once the cars and pedestrians clash as each goes it's own way. At one point we see people walking and then a sudden cut to a car passing over them; giving us the impression that the car turned on red and made a hit-and-run. However as the fast edits continue we see the pedestrians and cars blend into one another panning through each image, representing a hurried chaotic motion. This was very interesting to see the balance of both subjects interacting in a heavy traffic jam...giving us the irony of testy mood swings following after-work hours. Again, with quick focused edits both humor and observation were exemplified and personified the film quite well. Fun little film.