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cbyrnes-02208
Reviews
Frazier Park Recut (2017)
Frazier Park Recut Review
I thoroughly enjoyed Frazier Park Recut. I thought the film had the perfect blend of humor and creepiness which appealed to me because I'm not a fan of terrifying horror films.
One of my favorite shots is Tom moving the saw up and down in front of his face. There's a light illuminating only half of his face, leaving the rest of the frame pitch black. The hole in the saw lines up with his eye at some point and the spikes stood out against the soft lines of his face. I thought this shot was effective because the framing was artful but still spooky.
I would definitely recommend Frazier Park Recut. Its clever use of found footage creates an eerie and amusing story that creatively includes a look at the amateur filmmaking process.
The Double (2013)
Simon James, an awkward, nervous office worker becomes unbalanced after his self-assured doppelganger, James Simon, takes the woman, the job, and the life he craves.
Lighting throughout the movie was dark, dreary, and oppressive, showing Simon's negative view of his world. The workplace is made of metal cubicles, metal that isn't reflective or responsive to light. The only purpose of light is practicality- when the characters need to see their surroundings or the audience's attention is drawn to something that is illuminated. Strange shades of light - blue light from the sky or yellow light machines - eerily illuminate characters' faces. Simon's face is almost always shadowed, giving him a gloomy look.
The camera work, like any film, is varied. Close Up shots are used when the a character's facial expression conveys something to the story. In the opening scene, Simon is gently swaying along with the motion of the train and a Close Up shot of him cuts out the mystery man that walks in front of him. Mid Shots are the most popular shot, since it easily focuses on one character (usually Simon) reacting to a situation. An Over the Shoulder Shot is used the first time Simon meets Hannah on the screen. The three main camera movements are the camera moving along with a character, camera staying still while characters move, or the camera zooming in as characters walk towards it. My favorite camera movement was the first of the three because the shakiness added a confused sense to the story, mirroring Simon's anxious behavior.
I think this film follows a linear story line, meaning the scenes on the screen are shown in chronological order. It is interesting that the movie begins and ends with men jumping off the side of Hannah's apartment building. The main conflict is Simon's increasing sense of hopelessness and invisibility as James victimizes him and no one seems to notice. The movie starts with Simon falling into unfortunate situations that veer from annoying to painful. The setting is a strange blend of futuristic and retro and the jabbing, sharp music reflects Simon's negativity.
Now why's it called The Double? Without spoiling the plot, all I can say that Simon's double, doubles his pain. You'll have to see it for yourself.