movement and editing

Life is full of movement, the moving cars the moving people wind in the trees, everywhere in the world there is movement. Each little movement of anything creates a different effect than before and film can use this to create meaning and life. Editing in a film is necessary, however it can jerk a viewer out out of a film or create distortions as it isn't something experienced in realty. However, these editing techniques can create a film into something with more meaning than something with no editing. Editing is necessary in films, as is movement, but They can also be used t create meanings and emotions in a film. Movement and editing techniques bring a movie to life. The techniques of movement of editing are used in all films but the correct use of them can alter and create the feel of a film. The films Snatch, Amelie, Across the Universe, Memento, Vanilla Sky and Donnie Darko all use the techniques of movement and editing to create the story, feel and emotions of the film.

Movement in the films Snatch, Amelie, and Across the Universe increases understanding of the characters and brings the audience closer to the characters, and gives an understanding of thematic ideas.

In the film Snatch movement is used to convey themes of masculinity versus femininity. The movie's movement argues that these traits aren't defined by gender. In Mikey's last fight he is portrayed as a weak feminine character, but the movement shows otherwise and lets the audience into the strong feminine aspects of his character. The pans and lateral movements of the camera follow Mikey giving a sense of entrapment. Anticipating shots give the audience anxiety and leaves them anxious for the outcome of each punch of the scene, but the movement keeps the audience from seeing the actual violence. Mickey is expected to show a lack of respect for human life, just as everyone else in the film acts, but his power shows through in his femininity when he waits for the right time to fight back and save the lives of his friends and family. His characterization of femininity and power express that femininity and masculinity can be expressed in both genders. The movement in Amelie expresses love and freedom. In the very last shot the shaky hand held camera and the speeded up time give the characters a sense of freedom. The speed of the world around them burrs the world making it so its like its just the two characters leaving out the world and keeping them in a happy bubble of love. The fast movement is freedom in the characters allowing them to zoom through the world and life without things tying them down. The movement in  Across the Universe in the song Strawberry fields 

parallels the death and emotion Jude is feeling to the pain of the soldiers in Vietnam. The lateral movement of the camera panning across the row of strawberries represents the endless death of people. The shaky camera holding in the TV showing the faces of the soldiers represents the shaky ground their lives are on, and the possibility of their own death.
movement in Snatch, Amelie and Across the Universe add to the emotional aspect of the films and brings the audience closer to the characters.

Editing in Memento turns the story into a puzzle. The alternating black and white clips and colored clips create an effect on the audience and creates confusion and problem solving, forcing the audience to "solve" the movie. The editing technique creates a bond between the audience and the main character with the similarity of trying to understand the main characters life. With his memory problem his own life is a puzzle and a series of notes, the same evidence the audience has to understand the film. This puzzle piece order of the story makes memento the story it is. Editing is used in the same way in Vanilla sky to express the confusion of the subconscious. The editing of little things into the scene gives a dream like feel, everything is normal and the same but a few things aren't quite right. His passing in the mirror before he crosses into view creates confusion and disorientation. The flash forward disorients the audience in time. This particular flash forward was more dream like and surreal with everything else happening around it. With jump shots to his confused face we understand just how unusual the situation is. The empty times square is his subconscious leaking into his reality. The editing in Donnie Darko deals with the same confusion of reality. As the interactions with Frank, the rabbit, get stranger and stranger the understanding of reality gets skewed. Donnie has to wrestle with whats real and the reality everyone else perceives. The editing and effects of the film give a creepy feel to everything, which is the feeling given from the prospect of time travel. Donnie has to learn to trust Frank, even though he shows up in the shadows, waiting creepily for him. The jump shots from Donnie to Frank gives a strange, surreal connection to them that Donnie has to trust to be the hero he needs to in the story.



The films Snatch, Amelie, Across the Universe, Memento, Vanilla Sky and Donnie Darko all use editing and movement to tell their stories. Movement and editing are important and powerful tools in creating a powerful films and all of these films create a powerful theme using movement and editing.