Shutter Island Analysis

Micro analysis, Macro Analysis and Title conventions- Lucy

Bradley

M icro analysis-Cam era

Camera- This opening includes extreme close ups
of several objects. Included within the credits
their is a tracking shot of entering the hospital.
Also their is a longshot of the hospital which
makes it look isolated. Finally their is a spiral shot
or the camera constantly turning from the top of
a spiral staircase to create a confused effect
which most of the people in the institute will be
feeling.

Editing
The speed in which has been used by the editing
team for Shutter island was fast motion within the
opening scenes. This feature can highlight the
patients within the hospitals thought, and the
way their thought process may be so rapid it puts
them into a state of panic. Also the editing
includes fades from one scene into the next to
create a smooth cut within scenes of the film.

M ise-en-scene
The location of this film is a physiatrist hospital for the
criminally insane. The lighting of the opening scene
contains mainly low key lighting to create and build the
genre of thriller, drama and mystery. The settings which
are shot include the entrance into the hospital which were
guarded by police officers, this creates a sense of
captivity and prison. There are close up shots of hands
creating fire with a match to create a dark atmosphere.
Their included a shot of snow which recognizes the
season of winter which symbolizes cold and dark feelings
for these people. Also there is the setting of one of the
cells in the psychological hospital and within the cell looks
almost like a torture chamber and shows how they used

Sound
In the opening credits the music starts of slow
and quite but then goes a lot louder, this creates
a very dramatic effect to the audience and
prepares them for the suspense which is going to
commence throughout the film. The music is nondiegetic music which includes brass instruments
to create the dark atmosphere.

M acro Analysis
Shutter Island

M acro Analysis
The key plot which has ben introduced in the title
sequence was introducing the psychological hospital
institution for the criminally insane. The order of the
story line which has been introduced was, shots
within the hospital, ten entering into the institution
making it look capsulated and completely isolating
people. Also we are introduced to the weather which
shows the time of year and it being cold which
supports the dampness of the shots taken in the
cells. We are not introduced to people apart from the
policemen guarding the hospital. This portrays that
by not being introduced to anyone else yet shows
people are in captive within the hospital.