Analysis Of Disturbia

Analysis

Camera Shots

The first shot is of "Dream works". Dream works is normally a children's company for films like Shrek and Bolt. However the shot of Dream works does have an eerie sound effect over the top to enhance the genre of a thriller or mystery.

The next shot is of a black screen with a voice over. This is conventional. This also uses a sound bridge and a voice over to create the thriller genre.

There is a father ad son bonding session of fishing.

There is a shot of the fish biting the bate. This could be a sense of fore boarding for the events later on in the film

The next shot is of the fish getting free. This also could be a sense of foreboding as the killer previously got away.

The next shot is of the special bond shared. This is a comical moment as Kale jokes with his father about moving to Reno and "having a kid"

There is a shot reverse shot of several conversations

The next scene is of the car accident a crab shot is used as well as close ups and pans to show the accident. As the father is about to be killed the camera moves away to see the car spinning around. The convention typically used in any thrillers is used to not see the death and just hears the sound creating a vivid image inside the audiences head.

There is a reaction shots showing Kale in pain whilst there is a pan of surroundings.

Then the title comes up on a black background in white writing. Which is conventional and could be seen as originating from the Film Noir time period. The writing is in medium font whilst also having the letters in Block Capital Letters.

*One Year On*

Then there are shots in a class room that are long shots. Whilst the teacher through a board rubber across the room to Kale. The camera follows it.

The next shot is of Kale punching his teacher and then it goes to court showing a close up of Kale's teachers face and his black eye.

The next shot is of Kale's face showing no remorse for his actions.

Sound

At the start of the film there is eerie music played over the top of "Dream works" creating tension

Then throughout the film up until the death of his father all of the music has been ambient

When Kale's father's dies's there is sad music (non diagectic)

Mise-en-Scene

Characters

Kale: In the start of the film Kale is happy and is wearing fishing gear matching his father's and a hat. In the next shot Kale is wearing a black hoodie whilst behaving like a stereotypical teenager. Kale is portrayed as lazy as he is asleep and hasn't done his homework. Kale is portrayed as being sensitive and violent (another stereotypical image) as he hits his teacher. In the third part of the opening sequence Kale is wearing a suit and doesn't seen remorseful for his punishment (stereotypical image again).

Father: The father is seen to be a caring person who has a good bond with his son. He is wearing fishing equipment identical to Kale's except the colour. This could be showing the close bond between them.

Mother: The mother is only seen a shot while whilst being on the phone to Kale's father before his death. She is seen wearing black and talking on the phone, whilst having a laugh with them both. The mother and father are seen to share a special bond as the only way he spoke to her is using the word "Babie"

Teacher: The teacher is portrayed as harsh towards Kale "what would your father think" one year after the accident. The teacher is wearing a suit and seems to be a harsh marker as when Ronnie gives his presentation he is quick to tear him down.

Ronnie: Ronnie was wearing a green t shirt with a fashionable hair style. Seems to be well liked by most of the people in the class. Ronnie is also seen to be the jocker of the pack as he makes everyone laugh and seems to be good at school in comparison to Kale in Spanish.

Settings

The setting is first in a countryside contrasting the harmless countryside with the violence of a death in a car crash

The second setting is in a typical classroom where the colour pallet is dull expect from Ronnie's T Shirt. The classroom also has laughter to show the typical school.

The third setting of the Court Room is calm and looks clean. Whilst also having a dull colour pallet.

Editing

There is editing of putting the shots together to create the effect of shot reverse shot and reaction shots.

Background Information

The film “Disturbia” was made in 2007 by the director D.J. Caruso. The main actors are Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer, David Morse, Aaron Yoo and Carrie-Anne Moss. The film runs for 105 minutes. Disturbia was filmed on location in the cities of Whittier, California and Pasadena, California. It was released on the 14 September 2007 in the UK. The genre for the film is Thriller and Mystery. The plot is after Kale's father is killed in a car accident, things take a turning point in Kale Brecht’s life and he is placed under house-arrest for punching his Spanish teacher after his teacher made a comment about his father. Having nothing better to do, Kale occupies himself by spying on his neighbours. But one night, Kale witnesses what appears to be a murder at Mr. Turner's house. Kale becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind these murders but, after a few unsettling run-ins with Mr. Turner, it becomes a matter of life and death for them both.
The tag line for the film when released in the cinema is ‘Every killer lives next door to someone’ I was drawn towards the film from the tag line and the trailer. This is the cover to the film. The cover drawn me in as there is a conventional black background vs. a white text. Also the conventional black and white colour pallet of the face indicates mystery and the indication of a thriller. The contrast of colours also indicate a mixture of different emotions and rules but also the battle of a thrilling plot to me.