La Perla

Describes the setting of a scene in a play or a film. It refers to everything placed on the stage or in front of the camera—including people. In other words, mise en scène is a catch-all for everything that contributes to the visual presentation and overall “look” of a production. When translated from French, it means “placing on stage.”

Setting

Setting

Location

Explanation

The movie is set mostly in the coastal village of the family, where the photographer used many outdoor shots of the ocean and sky. The ocean is a constant presence in the film and is loud and roaring during key plot points to signify the danger that follows the family throughout the story. The village features many hut-style homes that contrast drastically with the luxurious concrete home of the doctor, which is cluttered with many fine possessions and fabrics. The pearl is the most important prop in the film and inspires many of its stylistic choices. The pearl also initially symbolizes the family’s hopes and dreams for a better life before souring and being a heavy weight in the movie that brings the family down into a life surrounded by greed and tragedy. This dark presence from the consequences of finding the pearl follows the family around in the form of circles being found throughout the movie. This concept can be found in other props, such as a magnifying glass and rounded fireworks, or in the framing with people gathering around them in perfect circles and a pearl over their mental image of their future. The movie also starts with a sunrise and ends with a sunset in the title sequences, demonstrating another endless cycle in which the family is trapped.

Timecode

0:01:24 & 0:51:32

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Lighting

Lighting

Eye light

Explanation

The lighting in the film plays a key role in intensifying characters’ expressions. For example, when the Kino shows the pearl to onlookers from their village, the light is manipulated to show their eyes gleam with an amazed look in some and a greedy look in others. Later, once Juanito dies, the couple’s eyes shine with a similar brightness, but this time in sadness and with tears filling their eyes. Shadows also play a role in intensifying dramatic or terrifying scenes by making them appear dark and foreboding. The use of shadows to make dark profiles and silhouettes of characters carries a heavy meaning in particular. After being turned away from the doctor, Kino looks away from the door and camera with his wife’s full facial profile in the background. This foreshadows the scenes where Kino overpowers his wife and her decisions by keeping the pearl against her wishes and throwing her to the ground multiple times in his greed. Also, the profile of the horse of the hunters is in the background, right before Juanito is killed. The presence of darker shadow details before key plot points further cements the symbolic role of the shadows and associates them with tragedy and destruction.

Timecode

0:23:25 & 0:14:27

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Costume

Costume

Matching and Stereotypical Clothing

Explanation

The differences in clothing in the movie signify many codes and ideologies. The poor people in the movie have plain, simple clothing, while the extravagant clothing with a lot of detail is only worn by the characters who have wealth. The rich were also constantly obsessed with shiny pearl-like objects and were characterized by matching jackets and hats. Gender ideologies are constantly shown throughout the movie with clothing, as the women had a white cloth around their faces to frame them, while men were constantly getting undressed until only their undergarments were on. These choices affect the audience by displaying the gender ideologies of the time and setting of the movie, which was further continued with the exertion of manliness (abuse) onto the women. The last interesting detail of the movie was that the man hunting the pearl is being led by two tracking experts with white cloth ties around their heads to imply that they were typical “natives” or outdoorsmen, once again utilizing stereotypes for characterization purposes.

Timecode

0:20:12 & 1:21:39

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Figure Behavior

Example

Dramatic and Exaggerated Behavior

Explanation

Throughout the movie, the actors constantly have dramatic facial expressions and movement to communicate their emotions and intentions to connect to the audience. All the characters stare intensely with their eyes fully open at the person speaking, demonstrating that they are paying attention. In addition to this staring, the main character, Kino, occasionally speaks to himself, demonstrating that he is in deep thought while intensely staring at nothing in particular. The dramatic style continues after the pearl is discovered; Kino raises his eyebrow for long periods of time, acting more serious and “rich”, to convince himself of his newfound status. Another instance is when he states, “la perla nos hará libres,” and he does an exaggerated villainous laugh, pushing for the obvious narrative. The over exaggerated emotions continue when the townspeople celebrate Kino’s new wealth with a parade, where they intensely smile at the camera, dance, and play loud instruments. It is also clear that the stars are famous and are only portraying starving people, but appear very well-groomed in reality.

Timecode

0:25:38 & 0:28:16

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This is the art of photography and visual storytelling in a motion picture or television show. Cinematography comprises all on-screen visual elements, including lighting, framing, composition, camera motion, camera angles, film selection, lens choices, depth of field, zoom, focus, color, exposure, and filtration. Cinematography sets and supports the overall look and mood of a film’s visual narrative. Each visual element that appears on screen, a.k.a. the mise-en-scène of a film, can serve and enhance the story—so it is the cinematographer’s responsibility to ensure that every element is cohesive and support the story. Filmmakers often choose to spend the majority of their budget on high-quality cinematography to guarantee that the film will look incredible on the big screen.

Point of View

Point of View

Subjective

Comments

The use of the camera in the film to convey perspective plays a powerful role in the audience’s understanding of the story. At the beginning of the movie, when Kino is diving and finds the pearl, the audience is transported into Kino’s breathless struggle. The scene features two distinct camera styles: close-ups that show Kino’s perspective during the dive, and a wider angle that orients the viewer within the distorted underwater space. For the close-ups, the camera focuses on either Kino’s feet or hands as he works his way through the water. This choice for the long hunting scene orients the viewers to the strength and determination required to swim for a livelihood, deepening the character’s financial and laborious struggles prior to finding the pearl. Additionally, the close-up of Kino’s hands in the boat with the pearl gives insight into his priorities as a character and foreshadows the upcoming importance of the pearl for the remainder of the movie. The pearl in his hands, with a blurred background, shows what Kino’s vision has turned towards: hope in the form of a pearl.

Timecode

0:21:06

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Framing

Framing

Low Angle

Comments

Although most of the film is shot straight and level, key moments are highlighted with a low angle on the characters. This choice allows viewers to see emotions clearly and serves as a marker for scenes with either large amounts of heightened emotion, such as grief and joy. In one scene in particular, after Kino dreams of all he can buy for his family with the pearl, the couple is shown at a slightly lower angle in the center of the frame. Juana is looking at Kino with admiration and trust while he holds a determined look of confidence. This framing contributes to the viewer’s understanding of the couple’s dynamic as the tallest point of the shot is Kino, demonstrating his power over the family and the resulting tragedies. This shot, along with the couple's other interactions, allows for greater understanding when Juana begs Kino to throw the pearl away, and he denies her the request out of pride. Kino’s ego is shown repeatedly in his expressions, actions, and higher location in the framing when interacting with those whose fate he can control.

Timecode

0:25:33

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Scale

Scale

Extreme Close-up

Comments

The extreme close-ups in the film seek to emphasize certain objects of importance to the story. For example, when Kino and Juana show the pearl to others in their village, they are asked what they will do with all the money. Kino begins to describe his dreams of having a rifle, new clothes, and shoes to the others. The camera then does an extreme close-up of the pearl in his hand until it fills the entire screen. By filling the entire frame with the pearl, the director is able to communicate the symbolic weight of the pearl in this family’s life. This stylistic choice also emphasizes just how idealized the pearl is to everyone, conveying the feeling that the real world falls away in the presence of the pearl. Furthering this effect, an image of the couple’s child in school learning with other children and books is superimposed onto the pearl. This layering reveals the hope that Kino sees when he looks at the pearl, marking his dream-like, enlarged fantasy surrounding the object.

Timecode

0:25:14

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Movement

Movement

Tracking Shot

Comments

The camera’s movement in many scenes effectively communicates the characters' focuses and emotions. In one particular scene, after being hunted and losing their son, Kino and Juana are returning home. The town is silent, and the only sound heard is a narrator telling of the life and death that the pearl brought. However, the strongest element of this scene is the camera's movement as it follows them down the line of silent townspeople. The camera moves at the same pace as the couple, as if they are being watched and followed from within the crowd. This choice is mirrored by the intermittent shots of the onlookers’ faces, which are mystified and concerned, as they slowly turn their heads to track the path of Kino and Juana. These movements emphasize the couple’s grief and isolation following the death of their son. What’s more, with the town and camera looking at them so carefully, it is solidified that there is no escaping what has occurred. The camera then shifts to a lower angle, closer to the couple, making them and their grief appear larger. However, this angle holds a simultaneous meaning of demonstrating power and bravery, foreshadowing the couple taking control of their future after tragedy by throwing the pearl back into the ocean in the subsequent scene.

Timecode

1:23:54

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Editing is the process of putting a film together–the selection and arrangement of shots and scenes. Editing can condense space and time, emphasize separate elements and bring them together, and organize material in such a way that patterns of meaning become apparent. In addition, editing can determine how a film is perceived: for instance, quick, rapid cuts can create a feeling of tension, while a long take can create a more dramatic effect. The first photoplays generally had no cutting, owing to the fact that they were single-reel films; once filming began, you could not stop until the film ran out. (https://filmglossary.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/term/editing/)

Coherence, Continuity, and Rhythym

Comments

The beginning scenes of La Perla establish a slow rhythm continuity that represents the peaceful morning routine that is found in the village before the pearl is introduced. The editing demonstrates to the audience the everyday order and relationship between Kino, Juana, and Juanito, by passing objects, moving through the hut, and preparing breakfast. This continues throughout the scene, as the director employs a shot-reverse shot filmmaking technique, where Kino and Juana engage in conversation, with the narrative structure alternating between shots of Kino and reverse shots of Juana, creating the image of a continuous and personal relationship. This slow rhythm sets up the dramatic contrast with the dynamic pace later found in the movie, once the pearl disrupts the family with danger and chaos.

Timecode

0:03:51

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Editing Style

Comments

During the scenes where Kino, Juana, and Juanito are running from the trackers, the film uses cross-cutting to show two simultaneous occurrences. The family struggles to navigate the harsh terrain, swim, and survive without food or water, in contrast to the hunters who are following all of their movements easily. These moments demonstrate to the audience the spatial relationship between the two parties by showing that they are located near the same places. For example, Kino and his family arrive at a farmer's house, begging for assistance in one scene, but in the following scene, the farmer is dead, and the trackers leave the house in the same direction Kino did. As the chase progresses, the cross-cutting frames are shorter, resulting in a faster-paced sequence, which suggests that the trackers are closing in on them soon. Although it is unclear exactly how far apart the two parties are from each other, the film employs this technique to heighten the suspense during the chase.

Timecode

1:03:37

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Transitions

Comments

Throughout La Perla, the director employs various transition techniques, including dissolves and hard cuts, to convey moments of fantasy and danger. A crucial example of a dissolve transition occurs when Kino’s conversation with the village is shown, detailing everything he will buy now that he has the pearl. The camera zooms in on the pearl, and it dissolves into a fantasy future where Juanito is obtaining an education, while Kino narrates that his son will know what a book is and will learn how to write words and numbers. The scene then transitions back to the pearl in his hand, where he firmly grasps it and continues talking to the village as himself again. This dissolve transition creates a moment that signals Kino’s desires are distant, dreamlike, and exist only in his imagination. The director also utilizes hard cut transitions throughout the movie to highlight the danger that is occurring. During the final moments of La Perla, Kino is preparing to attack when suddenly the frame moves to the man with a gun. A loud bang is heard, and the cut immediately changes to the baby dropping the pearl in his hand and crying, signifying that he has been shot. The final cut then returns to the man, but this time, he is being stabbed by Kino. This all occurs within two seconds, using no transitional softening, disrupting the comfort and slow pace that was demonstrated at the beginning of the movie.

Timecode

0:25:10 & 1:23:15

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Sound is an integral part in a film. It refers to everything that the audience hears including sound effects, words and music. Sound is used in films for various purposes, including: providing the information to the viewer about the location of the scene, heightening the mood, telling the audience about the characters and advancing the plot. Every person who watches a film realizes that the choice of voices, soundtrack and music present in a film affect the way that the viewer perceives a particular film. As a result, the sound is an important and integral element of the film, one that determines the way that the viewer experiences and understands a film as a visual experience.

Narrative analysis is an examination of the story elements, including narrative structure, character, and plot. A narrative can be considered to be the chain of events in a cause-effect relationship occurring in time and space. In order to analyze the narrative of a film, we need to first make the distinction between the plot of the film and the story of the film. This is sometimes referred to as the discourse and story of a film. Narrative may also be called the story thought story mainly refers to the events that describe the narrative.

Film genres are various forms or identifiable types, categories, classifications or groups of films. (Genre comes from the French word meaning "kind," "category," or "type"). These provide a convenient way for scriptwriters and film-makers to produce, cast and structure their narratives within a manageable, well-defined framework. Genres also offer the studios an easily 'marketable' product, and give audiences satisfying, expected and predictable choices. Genres refers to recurring, repeating and similar, familiar or instantly-recognizable patterns, styles, themes, syntax, templates, paradigms, motifs, rules or generic conventions.