ipl-logo

Man In The Mirror Visual Analysis

2552 Words11 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Write a critical analysis of the music (not the video) michael jackson man in the mirror

Video Audio
Black screen dissolves to wide shot (WS) of an empty cinema. The curtains are drawn only to introduce a completely black screen. The camera pans towards the cinema screen. Soft Music of Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” plays gently in the background, throughout opening scene, continuing onto the following shot.
A title appears on screen - “magical negroes”. The text is printed in white in contrast to the utterly black background. Title fades to leave two seconds of black screen. The non-diegetic soundtrack slowly decreases in volume, but remains until the title appears on the screen. As the title dissolves, so too does the soundtrack. Silence for two seconds.
Cut to: a montage of extracts featuring the magical negro. Title …show more content…

The camera is also positioned in a close up shot of Coffey’s face, which basks in soft, gentle light. This highlights his facial expressions, while conveying Coffey’s innocence and sincerity, which adds to the ‘magical negro’ stereotype.

Clip continues to play.

Clip pauses on a close up frame of Edgecombe’s face, the rule of thirds is used. Edgecombe is frowning while looking up at Coffey. Coffey:” I know you hurtin’ and worryin’, I can feel it on you, but you oughta quit on it now.”
Narrator: This line is a prime example of the ‘magical negro’ archetype. Here Coffey reaches out in reassurance, both physically and verbally assuring the white protagonist not to worry. Coffey’s wisdom and infinite knowledge is displayed when he says he can feel how Edgecombe hurts from within, before offering him a solution to his problem.

Clip continues to play.

Clip does not pause as the previous two shots, but continues to play. A close up shot of Coffey is seen, and the rule of thirds is used. The lighting used in this shot is dim, apart from the oft lighting which shines on his face, effectively highlighting the water in his

Show More
Related
1596 Words | 7 Pages

He highlights his message to his audience by exampling a ship lost a see and whose sailors were dying of thirst. The only way they managed to survive was after they had listened to the advice of the skipper who told them to “cast down their bucket” into the sea and bring up the fresh water. This analogy exemplifies how blacks were also

Read More
789 Words | 4 Pages

A “Black Man and Public Space,” by Brent Staples was written in 1951 about his experience of being a black man in different public areas. Staples throughout the story makes it a point to emphasize the gender and race of the different people he encounters. He uses the word victim to describe his first encounter which has a very racial and stereotypical feel towards him. The issue Staples has with this is that as a reader I, a Caucasian/Mexican female, relates more to the white woman or the victim.

Read More
511 Words | 3 Pages

Similarly, the cinematography of Casablanca also strives to shape the viewer’s attention to the time and space of the story. The film employs a handheld movement of the camera in certain instances, to display the mise-en-scene in a genuine manner that emphasizes the setting and time of the movie. For example, evaluate the scene in the film when the camera sought to illustrate the workings of Rick’s establishment. The handheld movement of the camera explores the club in a manner that brings the viewer’s attention to the viewpoint camera. The point of view of the camera, at this point of the movie, demonstrating a human experience of observation, and fixates on investigating war uniforms of characters and their actions.

Read More
1024 Words | 5 Pages

Introduction In Ronald Takaki’s book, A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America, Takaki argues that despite the first slave codes emerged in the 1660’s, de facto slavery had already existed and provides evidence to support this claim. While he provides a range of data, these facts can be categorized in three groups: racial, economic, and historical. These groups served as precursors to what eventually led to slavery codes to be enacted and the beginning of one of the darkest chapters in American History. Racial

Read More
287 Words | 2 Pages

Ronald Takaki a renowned pioneer in the field of ethnic studies has over the years authored numerous books on diversity in American society. As a grandson of Japanese immigrants who became the first black studies professor at UCLA, Takaki for many years has continually tried to bridge cultures and ethnic groups in the United States. In his book “A different mirror: A history of multicultural America”, Takaki addresses the idea of multiculturalism in our society, and also talks about how for many years we have been told to acknowledge the notions that the core principles of our nation uprooted only from one group rather than a contribution from other various cultures as well. The ‘master narrative’ posed by Takaki describes the growing

Read More
1038 Words | 5 Pages

In the final transition there is a short sound of music that is very humorous. Throughout the film, Welle’s includes these pieces of sound that relate with the dialogue, it is a continuous pattern throughout the film. Welles uses these unusual techniques to create different emotions among the audience. The transition between this shot and the next is characterized by a small dim of the light that darkens and transitions into the next

Read More
635 Words | 3 Pages

The principal ask if he believes that blacks are inferior and he says he does not. Then Wernicke says “it comes out under pressure I suppose” and Dadier responds “I suppose so”. In this scene, two white men are confessing the reality of race in America on the outside they are “colorblind” but deep inside the feelings of black inferiority is ingrained in their psyche and this alters the way they interact with

Read More
2552 Words | 11 Pages

Shot 1: 1:53:24-1:53:34 (10 seconds). Image: This shot is a bird’s eye view medium shot and it begins as a continuation of the pan from the previous shot that it faded from. The camera moves from edge of Jane’s bedroom and pans to the right. In the image the audiences see Jane and Ricky lying down together hugging.

Read More
719 Words | 3 Pages

We then cut to a wide angle shot of Deckard standing at the entrance to the room, there is a bright white light

Read More
779 Words | 4 Pages

These portions of the movie provide the viewers a visual feast. For instance, starting with a tracking shot from the air, the movie opened from Paris’ sky into a train station, and these beautiful sceneries of Paris first attract viewers’ attention. At the same time, the background music full of mysterious color provided infinite imaginary space for the audience. Not only providing imagination, the tight music also foil out the film’s tense atmosphere. Moreover, Asa Butterfield, a young actor who has participated in several excellent movies, does his great job again in this movie.

Read More
1302 Words | 6 Pages

As Smith uses his words to create a poetic trailer for this stereotype-free movie, he tells the story of a young African American boy. Rather than being focused on his color, he focuses on his

Read More
923 Words | 4 Pages

It can be said the film start with a new style in this field. The orchestral tone is not only broad complex, the sound effects have great boldness, and the music start with strongly compact speed and explosive force, so that both the exciting science fiction music movie and action film music is full of these black colors. The whole film music development based overture describing the action and suspense, gradually the variations become the later tracks in the strange sound. The strong various percussion instruments burst out of the high energy music and bizarre sound effects, the transmission of a peculiar type of future science and technology hallucinations. In addition, the use of the color is also very vocal.

Read More
671 Words | 3 Pages

The story represents the culmination of Wright’s passionate desire to observe and reflect upon the racist world around him. Racism is so insidious that it prevents Richard from interacting normally, even with the whites who do treat him with a semblance of respect or with fellow blacks. For Richard, the true problem of racism is not simply that it exists, but that its roots in American culture are so deep it is doubtful whether these roots can be destroyed without destroying the culture itself. “It might have been that my tardiness in learning to sense white people as "white" people came from the fact that many of my relatives were "white"-looking people. My grandmother, who was white as any "white" person, had never looked "white" to me” (Wright 23).

Read More
1188 Words | 5 Pages

The 1986 movie Top Gun, directed by renowned director Tony Scott, is a movie made particularly memorable due to its outstanding cast, amazing visuals, and action-based storyline. The movie stars acclaimed actor Tom Cruise, who plays the role of wildcard pilot Maverick, and Kelly McGillis who plays the role of Maverick 's instructor and love interest Charlie. The film centres on happy-go-lucky pilot Maverick (Tom Cruise) as he attempts to acquire the highly coveted "Top Gun" award at a US Navy fighter pilot school in California with his best friend and co-pilot Goose (Anthony Edwards). Moreover, Maverick begins to form a romantic relationship with his instructor Charlie ( Kelly McGillis).

Read More
1994 Words | 8 Pages

M.H. Abrams’s The Mirror and the Lamp: romantic theories and the critical traditions is one of the most influential books in the field of western criticism. It was published in the year of 1953. The title of the book refers to the two contradictory metaphors used to portray the artist – one comparing the artist to a mirror which reflects nature as it is or perfected whereas the other compares the artist to a lamp that illuminates the object under consideration. Professor Abrams in his book illustrates the transition of the perspective of the theorists on the artist from one to the other and the ramifications of the latter in aesthetics, poetics and practical criticism. The essay “Orientation of critical theories” is the first chapter of this book.

Read More

More about Man In The Mirror Visual Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document