Film Stills Analysis

This film still is from ‘Panic Room’ (2002). The mise-en-scene shows the divide
between the protagonist and the antagonist. It is clear to identify who is the
protagonist and who are the protagonists as the lighting indicates the purity of the
two females on the right hand side of the shot and the lack of lighting suggests the
dark thoughts that the antagonist on the left hand side may be thinking. The
antagonist’s face is also a clue as to what character he might play as there is anger
and determinism in his face to get to the other side of the wall. His actions and the
positioning of his legs illustrate this due to the strong actions which would occur due
to the positioning of his legs.

This film still is from ‘Seven’ (1995). The mise-en-scene shows an establishing shot or
long shot of a white bedroom, white perhaps representing that this innocent young
woman has died. “Pride” is written in blood above her bed on the wall and is in capital
letters, perhaps illustrating the killer’s strong feelings about the girl being too proud
of herself as she is a young model and why the killer needed or wanted to murder her.
There is a picture of the woman behind her pillows. This perhaps was placed there to
show how the woman feels about herself and her looks as there is a close up of her
face. The woman is wearing clothes which only a confident woman would wear and
blood is strewn about the bed, leading from her body. There are four detectives in the
room which perhaps give an idea as to how important her death is.
This film still is from ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (1997). The mise-en-scene
shows the antagonist, this is illustrated by using dark lighting and the choice of him
wearing a hooded cloak, concealing his identity. The shot is as if someone is looking
up at him, as he is on a raised platform, so the audience shares the same emotions as
the character who is seeing him. This choice of the low angle shot also illustrates the
dominance or power that the killer has due to him looking down on the character and
at the camera.