Mise-en-scene/Elements of Moving Image Expression in "The Piano".

Essay by SpliffyUniversity, Bachelor's November 2005

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"The Piano" is set during the 1800's so the women are all wearing long dresses and gothic looking clothing. They are also quite constrictive as they are quite tight and have funny petticoat things coming out of them. This shows the lack of freedom that the women have by being in a mans world and also the loss of language that Ada has. She has no freedom and no voice. This is also true for all the women in that the men have the most say over what they do.

For the first part of the film the mother and daughter are wearing almost identical clothing clothes. This is a way of symbolizing the unity between them and their togetherness. The dresses are black and sort of show the way the mother is still mourning the loss of her husband.

The daughter has to wear big dresses which are very confining and don't allow her to run around and be free.

In one scene she is shown playing in her underwear and a fairy costume which is a way of being a proper child and away from the responsibilities of looking after her mother.

Once Ada has her piano and is playing on the beach she begins to look more relaxed and the daughter is shown dancing and playing around in only a white petticoat. This is showing that the mother is happy and that the child is also happy and by dancing around she is doing what children do. Whilst the mother is still wearing black the daughter is in white and this is a happier color than the black. After this, the daughter starts to wear more white and she is happy with her new life in New Zealand.

Ada mostly wears her hair tied back...