preview

Good Night And Good Luck Film Analysis Essay

Decent Essays
Open Document

Good Night, and Good Luck instead used visual techniques to convey particular messages, the most apparent being that the whole film was shot in high contrast black-and-white spliced with occasional real footage of McCarthy. This blend creates the impression that the film was made in the 1950s while taking Clooney’s audience there, watching the conflict as it occurs, as if the broadcasts were live. Combining historic footage of McCarthy with black-and-white imagery further conveys the film as more realistic and era-appropriate. Not only for historically accurate purposes, the employment of a black-and-white filter paints the film as ‘black and white’, illustrating McCarthy as ‘black’ as he is doing wrong and falsely accusing the innocent of being communists, and Murrow as ‘white’ as he is doing right and standing up to McCarthy. Whilst black-and-white film is typically seen as boring and dull, it proves to make the film’s story stand out to the viewer so that by removing the distraction of vibrant colour, the viewer can focus on character’s actions and dialogue and the conflict between Murrow and McCarthy.

Camera techniques also support the theme of McCarthyism in Good Night, and Good Luck by showcasing actors in tight situations through expressive camera angles and shots. During Murrow’s several broadcasts, he is shot from multiple unconventional angles and distances, though mostly close-ups zooming toward his face until he is nearly swallowed by the frame. These shots

Get Access