"Saving Private Ryan" Essay

Essay by harrrocksHigh School, 10th gradeA-, September 2006

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Analyse the methods used to make the opening battle sequence of "Saving Private Ryan" both shocking and realistic and say how effective you find it as an introduction to the film.

"Saving Private Ryan" is a film set in the genre of war and directed by Steven Spielberg, it was made in September, 1998. the film is set in set in June 1944, intended to reflect the chaos and horror of Second World War. Steven Spielberg directed the film and gained 5 Oscars because of it. Other films such as: ET, Jaws, Jurassic Park and Minority Report he helped to create. Spielberg used a range of techniques to ensure his films were a success intended to:

"Hit the sets much like a newsreel cameraman following soldiers into war."

Although some of his techniques brake some of the traditional conventions of the war film genre by using hand held camera's during the battle scenes etc, they helped him in maybe creating one of the most shocking and realistic films of its time.

By using hand held cameras in his battle scenes Spielberg makes the audience feel more involved and lets them see what many men saw.

Camera angles are used through out "Saving Private Ryan." In the first scene many different camera angles are used. The film begins with a close up of the American flag and then moves into a low angle shot, slowly moving up to see the face of an elderly Private Ryan. The camera then moves diagonally left to show the thousands of crosses which represent the number of men who died. This makes the audience shocked to see how many deaths occurred. During the lead up to the battle, in the boats, two main camera angles were used. These were: a close up...