A Discussion Of the Camera Angles Used In the Film "The Searchers" By John Ford (1956).

 

A Discussion Of the Camera Angles Used In the Film "The Searchers" By John Ford (1956).


I decided to use this movie as a talking point due to its immense impact on the Western genre, and for its themes of hatred, alienation, and loneliness that I find fascinating when dissecting this films nature and goals.

The first shot I'd like to discuss is actually the final shot of the film, and perhaps the film's most famous. This medium long shot boxes the subject into the frame and showcases the loneliness within him. By staring the scene with a mass of characters entering the building and having the subject not enter with them it demonstrates the internal struggle of the subject. This medium long shot makes gave me a great insight to character through the display of his body language in the film's final moments, it also made me recognize where the subject's hatred led him (a path of loneliness).

The next shot I'd like to dissect is this pan/establishing shot that starts the film. By following the subject out of dark cabin and panning to the expansive western landscape before her it correctly sets the period and feel of the movie. By starting inside a cabin and panning to an expansive desert shot one can tell that this film is most likely set in the past and will be dealing with themes found in the western genre. The inclusion of figure heading towards the subject and purposely leaving the subjects face out of the shot also serves to bring some tension into the opening minutes of the film and captivate the audience (that's what it did for me at least).

This next scene is actually my favorite in the whole film. This shot would be considered a dolly due the camera's movement in the scene and its focus on the subject. The scene begins with the subject being confused about the situation around her, then, just as she's realizing the danger that surrounds her the camera rushes forward (pushing the other subjects out of frame) and focuses on her horrible realization. What makes this my favorite shot in the film is how well the camera is able to purvey the emotion of the subject. By using a dolly shot you can really feel the rush of dread and fear that cloaks the main character with her realization.

This next shot would be considered an Extreme Long Shot. What this shot serves to accomplish is to showcase how the cave acts as a safe haven for the characters who are leaving the harshness of the next scene (a rough battle with Native Americans). This shot also acts as a moment of levity for the harshness endured and signifies that the fight fought by the characters has finally reached its conclusion. A level of death and hatred is also prevalent in this scene with the darkness that surrounds the characters and implications of death set in the scene pervious.

For my final shot I'd like to dissect this close shot of John Wayne's character. This shot is successful in showcasing the authority of Wayne's character and the determination of his mindset. With the grim look on his face and his pistol propped in his left hand you get a sense that Wayne will do anything his way and that his authority will remained unquestioned even if its rooted in unmoral standards. By makin Wayne the sole subject of the scene Ford is also able to stress the characters importance in the scene. The raw emotion I got from this scene is how powerful Wayne's character can be an also how freighting.