10 Cloverfield Lane Essay

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After experiencing a traumatic car crash, Michelle, the protagonist of director Dan Trachtenberg’s film 10 Cloverfield Lane, wakes up in an underground bunker owned by a man named Howard. Howard claims to have saved her from a widespread chemical attack that has contaminated the air, with his bunker being the only place to take refuge for the next couple of years. Yet as the film progresses, Howard’s controlling and threatening demeanor eventually brings Michelle to escape, allowing her to come across the actuality of the situation outside the isolated bunker. Throughout the production, Trachtenberg arranges close frames, manipulates the camera’s focus, and chooses specific lighting to create an ominous tone that mystifies and disturbs viewers. …show more content…

Though the majority of the film remains well-lit as the characters remain in the generator-powered bunker, the scenes begin to darken with low-key lighting as the film nears its ending, reflecting the more sinister and suspenseful aspects of the plot. In the chase to escape from Howard, Michelle is flooded with shadows and darkness as she crawls through the air ducts to reach an air filtration system room with a door leading to the outside world. The unpredictability of Howard catching up to her already triggers a thrilling sensation within the audience, causing their hearts to race with adrenaline. Along with the action, Trachtenberg enhances these emotions of fear by dimly lighting the film sequence in order to generate apprehension towards the uncertainties held within the shadows. As Michelle frantically manages to break open the door, low-key lighting continues to add intensity to the still shot of her standing in the darkness of the night outside the bunker. This holds the viewer in their seats and encourages them to glance around at the corners of the screen, anticipating a jump scare to come out of the shadows. Though previous scenes have been flooded with light, Trachtenberg’s use of darkly lit scenes presents a stark contrast, creating suspenseful tones that impose feelings of fear and adrenaline on viewers and making the film out to be incredibly

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