A camera angle refers to the way the shot is composed."It is used to position the viewer so that they can understand the relationships between the characters. These are very important for shaping meaning in film as well as in other visual texts." Camera angle accentuates how close knit the family is and how we are getting inside the family.
Francis Ford Coppola uses the technique of camera angles a lot throughout the movie to show some drama effect, I think so at least. In class last week we talked about the hospital scene, when Michael came into the hospital and walked to the room where his father lays. You see a"2" on the door. The "2" is in a numerous amount of shots in the corner, though there was one shot where it was only the "2" for a whole 16 seconds. It is not normal to have a 12 seconds long shot of the same thing unless it is very important. In class we thought it may have meant that Michael is going to be the second Don. We also came up with a bunch of other conclusions, though this one kept coming up. If you think about it a lot it seems like it could be right.
Another example is when Michael is coming back from the hospital and going to see Sonny. Sonny says to everyone in the room that Sollozzo called him and he wants to have a meeting, with just Michael, McCluskey and himself Sollozzo. After Michael heres that he sits down and comes up with a plan. Which in tales that he meets with Sollozzo and McCluskey and blows their heads off with a shot to the head each. The Camera shot starts with a wide shot seeing everyone in the room, then the camera slowly comes closer and closer to Michael face. By the end all you see is him in the chair, it is a close up shot. I believe it is a very significant shot, because well Michael is taking responsibility, coming up with the plan all by himself. The camera angle empowers him.
Sakina
A focused and interesting response, Sakina. I like how you stayed on one topic and how you explored all its component parts. Nice final sentence.
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