preview

How Does Batman Use Cinematography In The Dark Knight

Decent Essays

The Dark Knight (directed by Christopher Nolan in 2008) is a superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. This film is the sequel to Nolan’s 2005 Batman Begins. The film follows Bruce Wayne (Batman), DA Harvey Dent, Assistant D.A. Rachel Dawes, and Police Commissioner James Gordon and their struggles and voyage in attempting to defeat the latest criminal who goes by the name of the Joker.

The sequence I will be analysing is the scene when various mob bosses meet with other criminals to liaise. Via satellite, shown on a television, a Chinese mafia accountant informs them that he has hidden their money and has fled to Hong Kong. He has gone to Hong Kong in an attempt to prevent Gordon’s plan to confiscate all of their money. Then …show more content…

The camera tracks the character walking into the kitchen where the mobster’s meeting is being held. This camera track also makes you feel like you’re in the scene as it flows as if you were there seeing it for yourself. These types of camera shots and camera movements are what help the film to connect to the audience as well as engage them. As well as the over the shoulder shot and tracking, there is a point of view shot of them which also engages the audience. The use of cinematography really helps to engage the audience and make it seem you are in the scene which heightens the tension of it. When the scene intercuts with the police raiding the bank, the police are seen from a low angled medium long shot. This shot shows enough of the body language which shows hast, it shows the setting (bank), the uniform (authority) but the low angle shows the authority and power the have which is very important. Before the Joker enters the scene, the camera shows the mob in quite a relaxed way, with no close ups of any character in particular with no focus. When the Joker enters, the camera is on him for quite a long time which shows that the power has transferred to him. The mobster’s are only on screen for seconds at a time and its flickers between them showing that the Joker is the most important person in this

Get Access