Thriller Film Analysis

Road To Perdition

Road to Perdition is a masterclass in cinematography and acting directed by Sam Mendes in 2002. Produced by Fox and making a gross of $104,054,514. Featuring Oscar winning actors such as Tom Hanks and Paul Newman this film captivated audiences and really stretched the general conventions of a gangster film. With the cinematographer of this film being no other than Conrad Hall this film was bound to be a success. Many reasons for it's success was down to the breathtaking use of lighting and eerie underscore.

This screenshot gives a perfect example of how shadows and lighting was used in this film. With the film being set in the 1930's, Mendes played around with the Film Noir feel, incorporating it in many shots. With the characters at the bottom of the shot mere silhouettes this gives connotations that they don't want their identities to be shown. Furthermore with the diegetic light coming from the street lamp this draws our focus on the characters in the fore ground, Also, with their being little to no lighting in the scene it gives the audience a sense of scepticism as they are unsure as whats going to happen. The dark night setting gives connotations of mystery and betrayal. The camerawork in this screenshot is fabulous, Hall has used a long wide shot slowly panning upwards displaying the whole street, this is effective because it shows how desolate the streets are. This leads the audience to believe that the men in the shot are of importance or are well known as they are the only people in the whole street, as if no-one wants to be involved with them. The soundscape in this sequence also adds to the effect in the scene, for example the eerie, crescendo underscore partnered with the sound of rain slapping against the road compliments the anticipation created within the scene. These are all common conventions with the thriller genre and more specifically gangster films. The camerawork in this seen gives the feel that we are following the men towards to the car, as if someone is watching them. Also, the fact that there is no-one else in the shot of the whole street except Newman and his cronies could be interpreted as a metaphor for the power and dominance he has.

In this screenshot a clear sense of power is displayed where Paul Newman is walking along in the road surrounded by his men. The fact that it is a relatively low angle mid shot suggests that he has a lot of power and is above the others around him. In addition to this the mise en scene of this sequence is very conventional of Film Noir. For example, the long coats and flat caps are a common feature in most old school gangster films. The rule of thirds is used extremely well in this composition as the main character at the head of the group is on the right side, This draws our attention to him drawing our eye and encouraging the audience to look really observe and understand the characters power. To add to this the deep focus is on the character at the front of the group showing his dominant role.

In the next shot we see an over the shoulder shot displaying a dead man in a car which then switches to a reverse shot of Rooney's expression from inside the car. This piece of camerawork is very clever as displays the characters monotone facial expression instigating to the audience that he has seen death before and is a cold man because any normal person would be shocked or horrified. However, Rooney just looks at the body then turns and looks around him as if nothing had even happened. The score in this sequence is very effective as it is very loud and almost soothing. This contrasts what is happening in the scene as you would expect it to be more fast paced music instigating panic but the soundscape remains calm. Furthermore, the sound of rain cuts out in this shot to make the viewer focus solely the camerawork and plot.

In this next sequence we see the character Rooney turn around and then it cuts to a captivating POV shot. This shot puts us in the shoes of the character instigating a sense of panic as he scans the area for the drivers killer. All we see in the POV shot is buildings consumed by shadows and the dimly lit floor being splattered by rain. This is done for effect as it adds a sense of mystery to the sequence where the viewer and the character both are in the same position, looking for the perpetrator. The low lighting in the scene and the POV shots mixes together to create a panic feeling causing the audience and the character feel a sense of vulnerability.

In the next sequence we see Rooney's henchmen being gunned down from in the shadows, all the audience see is the muzzle flash from the Tommy Gun and his men dropping dead.The use of a low angle mid shot is very beneficial in depicting what is happening in the scene as it gives a view on the panic that is created when the bullets are being fired. To add to this sense of panic Mendes has introduced a louder more frantic piece of music in the background, this perfectly fits with what is happening in the scene as it instigates even more panic. The effectiveness of the prior eerie slow music really comes into play when there is a change in tempo and volume because it shows the change in attitudes of Rooney as a character. He came into the scene confident surrounded by his henchmen, but when the shooting starts and the music gets louder the atmosphere flips completely.

In conclusion the sequence grabs the attention of the audience through various ways. The use of shadows and silence is incredibly important in building tension and mystery within the film. The mise en scene is fairly simple and fits in with the general conventions from a typical Film Noir.