Benjamin Button Scene Analysis

8/3/2019 Benjamin Button Scene Analysis

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SCENEONE

Type of Shot: Close-up

This scene shows of the longing in the hearts of both Benjamin and Daisy to be together. They had a mutual bond a

feeling about one another but that relationship had not blossomed just yet due to Benjamins unusual circumstancesDaisy took the first step to intimacy by closing up on Benjamin to let him know how she feels. She entices him with

her honeyed words and sweet dance but her coy failed to get Benjamin onto the same love boat. There is a fine divi

between the two characters to show that even though they may be just inches away from each other, there will be abarrier that separates them at the very end of the day. Daisys red dress also highlights her passion for not only for

dance but also for her childhood companion, Benjamin. They can lust for each other, but they both know that somethings are just not meant to be. This close-up shot lends itself to show the intimacy shared between the two characteIt shows of Daisys willingness for Benjamin to be near to her.

Camera Angle: Eye Level

The eye level angle brings the audience closer to the characters and it complements the close-up shot. The audienceobserves the scene in close proximity of Benjamin and Daisy to share in closeness of their relationship. The directo

did this scene as such to share in the experience of being appreciated. The eye level shot enables the audience to

connect and understand both characters while at the same time, it allows for everyone to know how Daisy andBenjamin is feeling emotionally. The visual connect is enhanced by the facial expressions of the characters that allo

for the audience to be standing right in front to share in the moment with them.

Camera Movement: Tilt Down

The tilt down highlights Daisys move to allure Benjamin into her presence. She was dancing on the veranda after

which she slowly moved down towards Benjamin to get close to him. Because of the type of angle, Daisy is

positioned above Benjamin as she reaches out to caress him. This goes to show that Benjamin is inferior and perhapweaker in relation to Daisy. Benjamin is indeed older than Daisy in physical form and appearance and as such, he

rejects Daisys initiative to be together. It also shows that it is not ideal after all for both parties to be together becau

they are on different levels. They dont see eye to eye and the relationship would create quite a stir as a result of thedifferences. The shot ends with the narration: Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.

Lighting: BacklightingMoonlight and street lamp

Light shines from the back of Benjamins head and sends a glimmer onto Daisys face. The lighting contrast on botcharacters highlights the disparity between the old Benjamin Button and the young Daisy. The reflecting light on

Daisys face represents a young and willful lady who does not know what she wants out of life. Daisy contrasts witBenjamin who is a lot wiser and mature because of his long standing old age condition. Even though both character

are around the same age, Benjamin understands the situation and his plight more than Daisy does. There is an emin

objection to them being together as brought forth by the dark and light contrast. The lighting for this scene shows th

situations will not work for those who are under two opposing light sources.

Sound: Non-diegetic, Diegetic

The non diegetic sound of the scenethe soft playing instrument music and a clapping sound in the backgroundshows of the fast beating life of Daisy compared with Benjamins which is so lifeless and slow paced. The music in

the background is seemingly more playful and faster as Daisy approaches Benjamin with every intention to bring hito the bait. Benjamin refuses because he is more understanding and the music dies down to a serious conversation.The conversation is diegetic as it is the voice of the characters from that scene. The non diegetic sound was present

as to set the mood and to bring on the surprise when Benjamin said No to Daisy.


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SCENETHREE

Type of Shot: Medium Shot

This scene portrays the main characters Benjamin and Queenie from the waist up as they engage in a casualconversation. A medium shot shows some detail of action. It frames a character, and makes some part of the object

more detail so that the audience feels as if they were looking at the whole subject. A mid shot is used in this scene a

Queenie is speaking without too much emotion or intense concentration. The intent of this shot is to deliverinformation and Queenie does so by telling Benjamin Button that one of the ladies at the house, Ms. La Tourneau h

just passed away.

Camera Angle: High angle

The high angle shot on Queenie which is relative to Benjamin makes Queenie seem smaller and less significant. Th

has become so as over the years, her old age has rendered her daughter and sometimes Benjamin to be in charge of

place. This shot shows that no matter what may happen, your parents will always be there to watch after you. Queeembodied unconditional love and motherly embrace for Benjamin even though he was her adopted son. And becau

of that, no matter how old she was, she was still beautiful even at the age of 71 because of her heart. Benjamin is th

person of authority in this shot and this scene shows the reversal in roles for Benjamin to take care of Queenie and the other old folks at the home since he is so much younger.

Camera Movement: Tilt DownThe downward tilt on Queenie makes her insignificant as she appears to be so much smaller. By tilting down, the

audience is taken in to observe the action from afar. Queenie approaches Benjamin to inform him of the death of

someone in the family. This camera movement does not favor Queenie as it shows that she is old and well in years

and would be the next to go. It makes her weak and empowerless as compared to Benjamin who is now thecommanding one instead of being the sickly old person. Queenie shares in one of the last moments with Benjamin

before he leaves the house again and never to return until her funeral.

Lighting: Hard Lighting

Hard lighting is used in this shot as part of the light source comes from the surrounding sun. The illumination is

scattered and the clouds and light-toned surfaces are used to create the hard light. When hard lighting is employed,

light creates a harsh appearance and shadows in the background as well as on the faces of the characters. This castiof the shadow in part on Quennie shows that she is getting older and death is lingering at her side. This type of

lighting is suitable to show how fragile life is and that death is impending on everyone.

Sound: Diegetic, Non-diegetic

Diegetic sound involving the conversation Queenie has with Benjamin. While at the same time, the non diegetic

soundthe soft instrument music adds to the mood of the scene. The music is peaceful and reinforces the idea thatMs. La Tourneau had passed peacefully. The mood of the scene was peaceful and there were no lamentations in the

particular shot. Benjamin and Queenie knew that life and death was a way of life and had already accepted how thi

were. In this scene there is an acceptance that nothing lasts and life must end at some point in time. But when ithappens, it will be peaceful, solemn, and respectful.


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SCENEFIVE


This scene shows a close-up shot of Daisy as she exits gleefully from the dance studio only to be met with anunfortunate car accident. The scene shows very little background and it concentrations on the expression shown on

Daisys face momentarily before she was knocked down by a careless taxi driver. The background is blurred to brin

importance to the look on Daisys face. The close-up brings the audience into the mind of Daisy to see how she feltjust before losing her ability to dance properly. Before Daisy was knocked down by the taxi, she seemed like she ha

everything under control. She had an awesome life that revolved around her dance career in Paris; but one momentwould change her life forever. Life being what it is, a series of intersecting lives and incidents, out of anyones contthat taxi did not go by and that driver was momentarily distracted, and that taxi hit Daisy. And her leg was crushed.

Camera Angle: Low Angel, Eye-Level

Low Angle, eye level shot increases the height of Daisy and gives a sense of speeded motion. Just within a fewseconds between cuts and takes, Daisy was knocked down by the taxi. The low angle view helps give a sense of

confusion to a viewer, of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The split second hit brings about shock and

disbelief to the audience as they try to recollect what had just happen to the main character of the show. Thebackground of a low angle shot is lacking in detail about the setting which adds to the disorientation and shock valu

of the audience.

Camera Movement: Tilt Up, Cut

The director focuses the camera from Daisys twirling feet and slowly tilts it up to show her full body and eventual

her face. Through a series of cuts, going from one shot to another, the director moves the camera with the action to

show the spilt second where Daisy was disorientated and standing in the middle of the road before getting hit. Bydoing so, the audience can experience Daisys full range of movement, right up to her facial expression before she i

hit and lying in the hospital almost motionless. The director shared in the freedom that Daisy had as a ballet dancer,

that wonderful life she had before it was taken away from her through very cruel means.

Lighting: Soft Light

Soft light is used in this scene to accentuate the look on Daisys face. Because the lighting is softened, the

illumination from the clouds is scattered. Also present with soft lighting are shadow areas which are diffused softedges around Daisys face. By avoiding sharp shadows, Daisy stands out from her surrounding and is put into focus

The soft light brings about the gradual blending from highlights to shadows and makes the scene and Daisys face alot brighter. Also, the background carries along the grayish-black ominous color to signify the impending danger th

awaits Daisy. The light is on her before she gets knocked down and casted by the shadows.

Sound: Non-diegetic, DiegeticThe non-diegetic sound comes from the background music from instruments. The classical music sets the mood and

tone for the following scene and to alert the audience that something bad is going to happen to Daisy. The non-

diegetic sound raises pulse and heart rates and prepares the audience for what is to come. The diegetic portion of thscene comes from the narrative by Benjamin. His dialogue fills in parts and lets the audience know the series of

events that led to Daisys accident. Without the music, the shock value of the audience would not have been preservand the scene where Daisy was knocked down would not be as tragic as the directors want for it to be.


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SCENE SEVEN


The camera moves from the foreground to up close to Benjamin as he walks towards the bed where Daisy was layi

This shot just like the first scene, shows of the complexity and complications of the relationship between Benjaminand Daisy. Benjamin visits Daisy in a hospital in Paris after one of her friends had wired him the news. This close-u

shot also shares in the essence of friendships. Benjamin was there for Daisy when she was in a bad shaped and

reduced to cast and bed rest. The director did a close-up view so that the audience could empathize with Daisy thesituation she was in. By moving in on the characters, the audience can also sense how close Benjamin is to Daisy.

Though there has been road bumps in the two characters relationship, it is important to note that Benjamin still carfor Daisy and there is something between them that will never tear them apart. The audience can easily share in thelove that the two have for each other despite the circumstances.

Camera Angle: Eye-level

The cameras are positioned at eye level so as to maintain the neutral shot whereby, the audience can actually observthe interaction between Benjamin and Daisy in the scene. Benjamin and Daisys heads are on level with the focus s

as to bring the audience closer to the scene. An eye-level scene also makes it seem as if the audience is just standing

by the characters in the movie. In this manner, it is easier for everyone to relate to the unusual relationship sharedbetween Benjamin and Daisy and to accept how the characters feel about one another in an instance because of the

proximity from them.

Camera Movement: Pan

The shot starts off with Benjamin walking into the room and towards Daisys bed. The camera pans to show Benjam

at the corner of Daisys bed, staring at her injury and moves the full length of her body to show the injuries on Dais

face. The scene evokes pathos and makes the audience share in the pain that Daisy is feeling. Her heart not only achfor the longing of Benjamin but her physical injuries are also crying out in pain. The director did a pan to show the

audience the plight of Daisy. He also introduces Benjamin back into Daisys life by walking him back into the scen

Benjamin thereafter shared in his commitment to take care of Daisy, bringing both of them closer to one anotheragain.

Lighting: Hard Lighting, Back Lighting

Hard lighting is employed in this shot as we see the numerous shadows cast upon the faces of both Benjamin andDaisy. Most of the light comes from Daisys back by means of the sunlight from the window. The white hospital

curtains reflect off that light naturally and even out the tone of the scene. The light shows hope in Daisys life justwhen Benjamin arrives. It is a positive symbol and represents the reconciliation that the two have with each other

after the accident. The white light also shows the purity of their relationship as friends at this point which further

develops in the following scenes.

Sound: Non-diegetic, Diegetic

The non-diegetic music of the band and orchestra lightens the tone of the meeting between Benjamin and Daisy. It

eases up the audiences with the light beat of the music so much so that the audience would not know the outcome othis scene. The diegetic part comes from the conversation that Benjamin has was Daisy. He expresses his desire to

stay and take care of her but she refuses because she does not want Benjamin to see her in the state she is in on thehospital bed.


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SCENE EIGHT

Type of Shot: Long Shot

The camera shoots a long shot now to show Benjamin standing outside of the hospital, as he looks up through the

window of Daisys hospital room. This shot focuses on Benjamin and shows him from head to toe. Plenty ofbackground image is shown as well to reflect where he is in this scene. After being asked to leave from Daisys side

there is a longing in Benjamins heart to still go back and be beside the person he cares the most for. This scene sho

Benjamin at a distance, helplessly and hopelessly lost from his eternal companion. The feeling that Benjamin has inhis heart is that ofthe greater the love, the greater the loss.

Camera Angle: High AngleThe camera is set from above to capture Benjamin on the ground. He is much smaller and insignificant now in the

scene and seems as if he has been swallowed up by the setting. At this point in time, Benjamin, after being asked to

leave, feels insignificant about himself. He feels small as he could not be part of the bigger picture and the

recuperation of Daisy. Benjamin is lost and is wondering how to get back up, back to Daisys side. This scene showof the eternal friendship that the two characters have with one another. No matter what the circumstances may be, th

will always be there to support and love one another. Benjamin is like Daisys guardian angel as he stands and lay

watch for her. It goes to show that true friends will always have one anothers backs in times of crisis.

Camera Movement: Crane Shot

The director makes use of a crane to film this scene to show Benjamin as he stands from a distance. At this point,Benjamin is feels small and insignificant to Daisy. But the same cannot be said of her feelings because she clearly

wants Benjamin to stay by her side until she recovers. Daisys cruelty and pride caused Benjamin to leave the hospi

feeling dejected. After all, he had travelled all the way to Paris, only to be told by someone he loves that he is not

welcomed. Benjamin sad and does not know how to handle the situation, so he walks away for the time being to leaDaisy along to think.

Lighting:

Sound:


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Sometimes were on a collision course and wjust dont know it, whether its by accident or bdesign, theres not a thing we can do about it. woman in Paris was on her way to go shoppingBut she had forgotten her coat, went back to get iWhen she had gotten her coat, the phone harung. So she stopped to answer it and talked for couple of minutes. While the woman was on thphone, Daisy was rehearsing for a performance athe Paris Opera House. And while she warehearsing, the woman, off the phone now hagone outside to get a taxi. Now, a taxi driver hadropped off a fare earlier, and had stopped to get cup of coffee. And all the while, Daisy warehearsing. And this cab driver, who dropped off aearlier fare, had stopped to get the cup of coffeehe picked up the lady who was going shopping anhad missed getting an earlier cab. The taxi had tstop for a man crossing the street, who had left fowork five minutes later than he normally dibecause he forgot to set his alarm clock. While tha

man, late for work was crossing the street, Daishad finished rehearsing and was taking a showeAnd while Daisy was showering, the taxi wawaiting outside a boutique for the woman to picup a package, which hadnt been wrapped yeBecause the girl who was supposed to wrap it ha


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Benjamin Button Scene Analysis

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