Joan Of Arc Film Analysis

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Joan of Arc: an Innocent Victim According to Dreyer’s Eyes Since the beginning of film history, directors and writers have used historical events and true stories to create their films. Carl Theodor Dreyer directed one of these films, The Passion of Joan of Arc in 1928. Joan was beatified and canonized many years before the shoot. By then, the society considered Joan of Arc as an innocent martyr and a hero. Just like most people in his society, Dreyer was convinced that Joan of Arc was an innocent victim and that can be seen in the acting, his choice of shots, lighting and editing. In The Passion of Joan of Arc, Joan of Arc is accused and killed for saying that she is on a mission from God. In the first five minutes of the film, Joan puts …show more content…

The type of shots has an important role in the understanding of Joan’s victimization. Medium close-ups and close-ups are used through out the film, creating a scary intimacy between Joan and the judges. In The Passion of Joan of Arc, Dreyer uses close-ups to show that Joan is struggling against forces much larger than herself. “Dreyer uses strange and distorted medium shots, emphasizing the aesthetic tension between a frightened and disoriented Joan, and of her cruel and mocking tormentors. ” This distortion creates pity and fear in the viewer. Also, the close-ups make us fully focus on the story and Joan’s emotion since the set, props or anything else that could appear in a long shot cannot distract the viewer. In addition, Dreyer shot torture instruments with a close-up. By giving us the chance to see the instruments closely, we become fearful and feel sympathy for Joan. Again, this emphasise, the clergy’s …show more content…

Another extreme close-up of a judge is used closer to the beginning of the film. The judge seems disgusting, hideous and atrocious. We can see warts and lumps in his face. Looking at this shot, it is impossible to like this character. To make him look physically ugly in this shot was definitely a decision of the filmmaker. He wanted us to agree with him on his perception of the man: he is an ugly man, inside and out. Joan is the

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