Running head: ASSIGNMENT

Mohammad Alrawashdeh

M9 Assignment: Film Analysis

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The following assignment contains questions that draw upon what you have learned through
completing your learning activities and practice exercise. Building upon this information, answer
the questions fully and completely, incorporating your own words and thoughts. Please do not
simply copy information from your book; I want to know what you think in relation to these
questions!
Watch one of the following movies, and answer all portions of the assignment, listed below.
Gaslight (Time: 1:53:38) (1944)

1. Introduction (5 points): I watched the movie George Cukor’s Gaslight of 1940. It begins with the

murder of an old lady (Alice Barlow).

2. Building Blocks of Film (25 Points – 5 points each): Identify the following elements as

described in your learning activities and practice exercise.

 Characters: Identify the protagonist – Bergman played the role of Paula, antagonist –

Boyer Played the role of Gregory Anton, foil - Joseph Cotten (The detective), sidekick –

Nancy the maid played by Angela Lansbury, confidant – Vincent (Paula’s cousin), sidekick –

Her dog, and hero/heroine – Paula and Gregory Anton.

 Plot: The plot of the movie begins with the murder of Paula's aunt. It is a suspense thriller as

no one comes to know about the killer until the Film ends.

 Setting: The movie takes place in Pimlico Street in London.

 Theme: The main subject is the murder taken place in the movie, and the activities are done

by Gregory Anton to prove that his wife, Paula, is mad. The movie shows the flickering of the

gaslight in the room, this re-occurs and therefore, it can be said that there a leitmotif in the

movie. Yes, there is a moral to this movie that greediness may lead to arrogance and even loss

of life. The film starts with the killing of an old lady named Alice Barlow for rubies. The

killer could not find them. Later, A couple comes to the same house after years. The husband

tries to prove that the wife is going insane day by day. The wife has also started to admit that

she is going insane. She notices the gaslight going dim every night. Her husband does not
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allow her to meet her cousins and relatives. A detective is seen in the movie that was once a

part of Alice's murder case. He follows up with this man named Gregory Anton and doubts

him. With his confidence, he proves in the end that he was the killer and was in search of the

rubies. And the climax, the killer is exposed and arrested.

 Genre: The movie is a psychological thriller as it starts with a murder, and the suspense is

created throughout the film. The antagonist tries to hide things and then blames it on her, then

the detective in the movie creates excitement with his assumptions and builds the viewers'

interests.

3. Elements of Film (25 points – 5 points each): Choose 5 of the following film elements that were

used in the movie: Point of view, tracking shot, cinematography, close-up, dissolve, elongated

moment, freeze-frame, lingering take, pan. Provide the following:

 the name of the element and its definition in your own words –

o Point of view – It is a shot taken keeping the camera focused on the subject.

o Tracking shot – The camera shot is taken as the subject or the character moves;

the camera follows.

o Close-up – These are still photography.

o Elongated moment - These are scenes that are shot for a brief time but shown for

a long time.

o Lingering take- This is a long take that was taken in the movie.

how it is used in the film, and the effect this creates in the movie.- The above elements were

used in the film to give intensity to the movie. The camera was at the point of view since the start,

and the murder took place, then the instances of missing things took place the camera faced the

wall, etc. The tracking shot also took place that followed Gregory Anton when he left his house
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every night. The close–up pictures also showed the actors' intensity, like Paula was thinking that

she is becoming mad. There were elongated scenes to create the viewers' suspense, like door

number 12, 14 of Pimlico Street. The lingering/long take that was shot in the movie was gaslight

becoming dim; the movie's main theme was highlighted through a long shot.

4. Music in Film (15 points): Pick one specific scene and discuss the music used in it. – The

particular scene would be the dignified musical concert at Lord (Lawrence Grossmith) and Lady

Dalroy's (Heather Thatcher) House.

 Identify the genre of music used (classical, hip hop, jazz, etc.). - The music played was

classical.

 Explain how you think this does, or does not; enhance the scene, incorporating some of

your vocabulary. - Gregory did not want to go to the concert because of his wife's illness.

Yet they went when his wife Paula insisted him to go. While the music was live (The pianist

was playing the piano), Gregory psychologically rebukes his wife, and his wife breaks down

in front of the public. He proves that his wife has stolen his pocket watch, and his wife starts

crying in front of everyone while the music was on.

5. Use of Color in Film (5 points):

How would this movie change if it were to be colorized? Would it change the effect of the

film, explain your reasoning fully. - The movie's impact would change if it was colorized as the

movie is a suspense thriller, and the killer is after rubies in the film. The rubies that were seen in

black in white would have a different effect on color. Other aspects like the brightening and the

dimming of the gaslight would have impacted the viewers if it had been colored.

6. Conclusion (5 points): Wrap up your main points. – The director of the movie George Cukor

makes to create suspense throughout the film. The viewers are glued to the screen until the end of
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the scene. The dialogues used, the music, the plot, and the theme perfectly sums up the movie. The

actors have justified their performances. Overall this was one of the best thrillers that I have

watched.
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Work Cited

What is gaslighting? The 1944 film Gaslight is the best explainer. (2020). Retrieved 2 November

2020, from https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/1/21/14315372/what-is-gaslighting-gaslight-movie-

ingrid-bergman

(2020). Retrieved 2 November 2020, from

https://bbaddins.schoolcraft.edu/addins/Hum210v2/Videos/M9gaslight.html