The Outsiders Scene Essay

376 Words2 Pages
Discuss how film techniques were used in a scene to help identify a theme? In the 1983 film The Outsiders, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the theme of friendship is conveyed through the techniques used in the scene where Johnny kills Bob, a Socs member. Coppola uses visual and verbal techniques such as music, camera angles and sound to show the friendship between Johnny and Ponyboy. The director, Coppola, uses the verbal technique of music to help show the theme of friendship in the scene. It is used to create an atmosphere of tension and emotions. For example, when the car approaches Johnny and Ponyboy, there is dark, slow music. This shows the car is hostile and creates tension. Another effect of the music is when the Socs members start to attack and drown Ponyboy, the music speeds up and creates action. We can see that the effect of music helps show the theme of friendship in this scene when the music momentum changes when Johnny decides to save Ponyboy. Another technique Coppola uses is camera angles. Camera angles help show where the characters stand. There was a high angle shot on the Socs members to show they were in power over Johnny and Ponyboy who had a low angle shot which told they were in fear. The camera was put on a tilt when Ponyboy was being drowned. The effect of this shows the dramatic thrashing in the water. Friendship is conveyed through camera angles The technique of sound, which is used Coppola, sets the scene’s atmosphere. This helps us to understand the setting around the characters. For example the noise crickets in the background tells us that there is nobody else around. When the car approaches Johnny and Ponyboy we can tell it’s hostile because of the growl that it is make. This brings Johnny and Ponyboy closer together. The effect of sound conveys the theme of friendship by the sound of the pocketknife clicking out and
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