Posted on Monday, 7 March 2011

ONE HOUR PHOTO  2002 (Dir. Mark Romanek) I thought this was the best way start my new blog off with a bang (quite literally!) One Hour Photo is my favourite Thiller film for these reasons: Excellent narrative - Si “the photo guy” Parrish is a loner who works in the photo developing department of a local supermarket called Savmart. His work is what he lives for and it begins to become obsessed with one family whose photos get developed in the store. There are twists and turns throughout the film that keeps viewer anticipation levels high, wanting more. Fantastic casting - Robin Williams puts in a stellar performance against type. If you’ve only seen him in comedy roles then, quite frankly, you NEED to see this film! Supporting roles are also played well by Michael Vartan, Connie Nielson and, a special mention must go out for Dylan Smith, who all play Si’s unsuspecting ‘victims’, The Yorkins. It’s aesthetically well shot - particularly in terms of colour saturation. In Si’s world, where he is most at peace, is Savmart the colours are vivid, bright and mostly all white. Giving an impression of innocence. The store are white, the police station is white and Si wears white most of the time; giving a heightened false sense of reality. This is in contrast to Si’s home that is dark, dull and drab. Whereas, The Yorkin’s family home is full of rich colour. Consequently, this is what Si’s world is missing so much - colour. Colour that signifies his yearning to be part of a family and, not just any family, The Yorkin’s in particular. The picture from the film that I have chosen to post is to demonstrate the fantastic use of aesthetics in this film. Taken from one of Si’s nightmares it shows what mental torment he must be experiencing to dream such a horrific image. The red eyes connote the phenomenon that is so apparent in photographs - the medium that Si loves so much. In this picture in particular the still has frozen in the perfect place when you can clearly see, what can only be described as blood, dripping from his eye like a tear would. This implies to the viewer all the negative emotions that Si feels. Awesome film!

ONE HOUR PHOTO  2002 (Dir. Mark Romanek)

I thought this was the best way start my new blog off with a bang (quite literally!) One Hour Photo is my favourite Thiller film for these reasons:

  1. Excellent narrative - Si “the photo guy” Parrish is a loner who works in the photo developing department of a local supermarket called Savmart. His work is what he lives for and it begins to become obsessed with one family whose photos get developed in the store. There are twists and turns throughout the film that keeps viewer anticipation levels high, wanting more.
  2. Fantastic casting - Robin Williams puts in a stellar performance against type. If you’ve only seen him in comedy roles then, quite frankly, you NEED to see this film! Supporting roles are also played well by Michael Vartan, Connie Nielson and, a special mention must go out for Dylan Smith, who all play Si’s unsuspecting ‘victims’, The Yorkins.
  3. It’s aesthetically well shot - particularly in terms of colour saturation. In Si’s world, where he is most at peace, is Savmart the colours are vivid, bright and mostly all white. Giving an impression of innocence. The store are white, the police station is white and Si wears white most of the time; giving a heightened false sense of reality. This is in contrast to Si’s home that is dark, dull and drab. Whereas, The Yorkin’s family home is full of rich colour. Consequently, this is what Si’s world is missing so much - colour. Colour that signifies his yearning to be part of a family and, not just any family, The Yorkin’s in particular.

The picture from the film that I have chosen to post is to demonstrate the fantastic use of aesthetics in this film. Taken from one of Si’s nightmares it shows what mental torment he must be experiencing to dream such a horrific image. The red eyes connote the phenomenon that is so apparent in photographs - the medium that Si loves so much. In this picture in particular the still has frozen in the perfect place when you can clearly see, what can only be described as blood, dripping from his eye like a tear would. This implies to the viewer all the negative emotions that Si feels. Awesome film!

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  1. clapperboard posted this