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Stylistic Analysis Of Fargo

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An extract I have chosen is taken from Ethan and Joel Coen’s film Fargo and I am going to analyze it in terms of its geographical, social and economic context and then focus on how it uses cinematography, critical reception, editing, genre codes and conventions, mise-en-scene, narrative structure, and sound to convey meaning according to filmmaker’s intentions, vision and their influences. Fargo is a reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. The Coens made this snowbound film noir about a mundane crime story reportedly based on real events. This idea brings them close “to everyday life and ordinary people” (Maslin). The geographics of the frozen north brings out some atypical warmth in the film makers, although the film is …show more content…

A j-cut is also presented as we hear the audio of the clip before the actual scene, which was the deputy talking to Marge through their communication device. The two officers casually talk about the case and this helps us visualize what will happen next. Ironically, Marge notices the tan Sierra that she has been looking for throughout the film. This is shown through a cut away of Marge to the tan Sierra. Of course, Marge goes to investigate the stolen car and the perpetrator. Instead, she went to investigate the loud noise. As she walks, the tan Sierra is shown in the background to show that she will get more than she bargained for from the case. The noise was coming from Gaear shoving Carl into a wood chipper as blood is splattered all over the white snow. This shows a geographical perspective as it would make sense for Minnesota to have snow and strangely portray death through a wood chipper, since Minnesota has an abundance of trees. Marge soon draws out her gun for safety precautions as she walks towards the crime scene. She notices the situation and circumstances through a cut away of her to the wood chipper chaos. An l-cut is presented as the noise from the wood chipper shows what is happening when Marge saw the occurrence. We notice Carl’s foot peeping out of the chute, which adds more realism to the scenario. Marge walks closer to Gaear with her gun pointing right at him and repeats “Police” a couple of times before he actually notices her. The background music in the scene adds a dramatic mood and/or atmosphere to the overall event. The scene ends here and it shows how money and greed can make people do extremely bizarre

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“The screen is a magic medium. It has such power that it can convey emotions and moods that no other art form can hope to tackle.” The written word and the moving image have always had their entwining roots deeply entrenched in similar narrative codes, both functioning at the level of implication, connotation and referentiality. But ever since the advent of cinema, they have been pitted against each other over formal and cultural peculiarities – hence engaging in a relationship deemed “overtly compatible, secretly hostile” (Bluestone 2).

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In 1959, Alfred Hitchcock released yet another adrenaline filled action blockbuster, North by Northwest. The renowned auteur displayed his minimalist style, captivating his audience with creative visuals and suspense ridden scenes. Hitchcock’s unique visual style earned the rightful title of Hitchcockian (Palmer, 2009). Since the eminent director passed in 1980 (Biography.com, 2016), fellow aspiring film students have mimicked the Hitchcockian style but were unsuccessful in doing so. Alfred’s classic movies have become a platform for other works throughout the years.

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