Night of the Hunter is a black and white film from 1955 that focuses on a merciless killer named Harry Powell. He manipulates everyone into believing that he is a respectable preacher while he is actually trying to steal thousands of dollars from two children, John and Pearl.In the final scenes, Powell begins to fully hunt down these children after he brutally murders their mother, leaving the children no choice but to run away. This film is highly acclaimed mainly because of the director's brilliant use of cinematic techniques. It relies heavily on camera angles as well as lighting in order to convey the mise en scene, especially to portray the true nature of Harry Powell through low angles and silhouettes.
In many scenes, especially towards the end, the director seems to use silhouettes in order to express Powell’s evilness. For example, in the scene where Powell is looking for the children on horseback, we can only see his silhouette.
In many scenes, especially towards the end, the director seems to use silhouettes in order to express Powell’s evilness. For example, in the scene where Powell is looking for the children on horseback, we can only see his silhouette.
Here, we see John looking out towards Powell in the distance. The director’s choice to silhouette Powell’s figure conveys the feeling of intimidation and wickedness. The audience is further reminded of how much of a threat he is to the childrens’ safety by associating him with this silhouette. Along with this scene, I think it’s also important to recognize how the background behind Powell is full of light. It represents John and Pearl’s freedom but they must first find a way to surpass Powell since he is the only thing standing in their way.
Another instance where we are again shown the presence of Powell’s intimidation is the scene where he is with the kids in the basement after they are finally aware of his true colors.
Another instance where we are again shown the presence of Powell’s intimidation is the scene where he is with the kids in the basement after they are finally aware of his true colors.
This scene was shot from low angles to portray how Powell seems to have the upper hand in this scene while the children could only helplessly look up to him with fear. According to Looking at Movies, low angle shots are defined as a shot below the action that "places the observer in a position of inferiority" (Barsam and Monahan, 541). In this scene, low angles also have the effect of presenting dominance and power which is what the director seems to be trying to achieve with Powell. This dominance is further presented by placing Powell literally on a ground higher than them, which in this case, is the staircase forcing the kids to look up to him. This scene was also very representative of a majority of the film in terms of power. Powell always seemed to have an upper hand over the children until they meet Rachel Cooper, who eventually adopts them.
The film Night of the Hunter takes full advantage of using cinematic techniques such as lighting and camera angles in order to achieve a desired response from the audience. The director brilliantly portrayed these techniques when showcasing the evil and power that Harry Powell possessed. This evoked sympathy for the children as well as loathe for Powell within the audience, intensifying the plot line even more. Overall, I think that the film was very entertaining with a mix of mystery and suspense that was nor overwhelming or underwhelming.
The film Night of the Hunter takes full advantage of using cinematic techniques such as lighting and camera angles in order to achieve a desired response from the audience. The director brilliantly portrayed these techniques when showcasing the evil and power that Harry Powell possessed. This evoked sympathy for the children as well as loathe for Powell within the audience, intensifying the plot line even more. Overall, I think that the film was very entertaining with a mix of mystery and suspense that was nor overwhelming or underwhelming.
Works Cited:
Barsam, Richard, and Dave Monahan. Looking At Movies. 4th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2013. 35-63. Print.
Laughton, Charles, dir. Night of the Hunter. Prod. Gregory Paul. United Artists, 1955. Film. 4 Mar 2014.
First Photo:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VkJ35Ge6oyo/UGovWe4tHEI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/Lwb85XfhzNY/s1600/The+night+of+the+hunter+plan+19+shot+19.png
Second Photo:
http://ricksflickspicks.animationblogspot.com/files/2008/12/NightOfTheHunter.jpg
Barsam, Richard, and Dave Monahan. Looking At Movies. 4th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2013. 35-63. Print.
Laughton, Charles, dir. Night of the Hunter. Prod. Gregory Paul. United Artists, 1955. Film. 4 Mar 2014.
First Photo:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VkJ35Ge6oyo/UGovWe4tHEI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/Lwb85XfhzNY/s1600/The+night+of+the+hunter+plan+19+shot+19.png
Second Photo:
http://ricksflickspicks.animationblogspot.com/files/2008/12/NightOfTheHunter.jpg