Essay

This essay will look at how cinematography, mise-en-scène, editing and soundtrack, are used to create the presentation of the characters and the story, in a scene from the film The Matrix (1999), directed by Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski.

Thomas Anderson is a computer programmer, but is also a hacker called Neo. A man called Morpheus contacts him, and following that, a girl called Trinity takes Neo to meet Morpheus. The scene I have selected comes near the beginning of the film. It is when Neo meets Morpheus for the first time, and asks him what the matrix is. Morpheus explains to him that what it is, cannot be told, but can only be seen. He then proceeds to offer Neo two pills; one is red, and one is blue. If he takes the blue pill, he will continue living his life as he is. If he takes the red pill, Morpheus will show him what the matrix is. Neo takes the red pill.

Bordwell and Thompson (2008) believe that cinematography is how a shot is filmed. In the selected scene, there are many close-ups on Morpheus’s face and Neo’s face. A close-up means the focus is on their expressions (Lacey, 1988). This suggests that Morpheus and Neo are important characters in the film, which is why so much attention is being given to their expressions, and how they feel. There is a long shot near the beginning, and is used to set the scene (Lacey, 1988). This gives viewers an awareness of the setting. There are extreme close-ups, which are used when showing Morpheus’s hands, and his eyes. Bordwell and Thompson (2008) believe an extreme close-up magnifies and isolates an object. Morpheus has a pill in each of his hands, and an extreme close-up emphasizes that these pills are an important part of the story. In the third extreme close-up of Morp...

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...at Morpheus is talking about. At this time, Neo is leaning forward on his chair. The posture shows that Neo is very focused on what Morpheus is saying, and the box he is holding. Following this, Morpheus opens the box and takes out the contents, then leans forward. Neo instantly leans back, and is then shown gulping, which indicates that he is nervous. The box contains the red pill and blue pill. Keeping them in a box initially, builds suspense for the audience and Neo, and makes them wonder what is in the box and why is it so important.

Diegetic sound present in the scene which helps in characterization and building the story is dialogue, and the thunder. Dialogue is diegetic, however, thunder is non-diegetic. Morpheus delivers his dialogues very clear and concisely, and his vocabulary is very complex. This gives the impression that he is wise and knowledgeable.