Archetypes In Spaghetti Western

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Eye to eye and face to face is where Harmonica and Frank found themselves. They were both seconds away from pulling the trigger, but who draws first is the question? This grand showdown was produced by one of the best western directors in the game. His name is Sergio Leone. Sergio Leone combined the smallest and largest details to create a “spaghetti western” movie. The so called “Spaghetti western” film that I will be focusing on will be, Once Upon a Time in the West. I found that Leone is very precise with his facts about the historical western era plus his ability to put us in the setting of the film. Leone demonstrates in this film how he brings together the different camera angles, the mise-en-scene, but also the musical composition aspect …show more content…

The death of Frank is symbolic to the death of Harmonica’s brother in many reasons. The death of Frank provides Harmonica a sense of justice and revenge. I add the revenge part into the scenario, because Harmonica feels that Frank took away his brother from him, so by taking Frank’s life Harmonica feels that he is getting the payback he deserved. For example, at the beginning of the flashback, Frank plots to kill Harmonica’s brother with Harmonica carrying out the actions. Harmonica’s justification for Frank’s death is very fitting. To me, the good in this movie prevails to defeat the evil in the movie, but paints the way for the final dual scene between Harmonica and Frank. Frank and Harmonica were the last of the “gunslingers” in the movie, and this was critical to the west. The men were the ones who settled that land and expanded the …show more content…

In the opening scene, the camera zooms out to focus on both the men individually. The camera switches focus back and forth from Harmonica to Frank. The camera views the men from their faces to the whole body picture. By doing this effect to the men’s character it builds suspense on who may or may not fire first in the movie. Throughout, the beginning moments of the duel, the camera angles follows both men capturing them both, but the while the camera angle is facing both of the men I can see the emotional expressions in each of their faces. In Harmonica’s face, I see revenge, hurt, but also a man of much courage and bravery to defeat a man who had him kill his brother. In Frank’s expression I see a man of much confusion since at this point in time he still does not truly recognize who Harmonica is. Both men lead to a very suspenseful, but meaningful ending to the movie. I can sense violence in the future by the way the camera was used. The camera angles allowed Leone to depict a scene of terror, but builds the bigger picture of what Leone intended for it to be. I feel that movement was also a major key in the film. Right before, the men start to approach one another Frank begins to take off his coat and throw it to the grown. From this, Frank realizes that he is going to have to face the consequences of his actions, and be a man about it. I

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