Textual Analysis of The Hurt Locker
- 1. TEXTUAL ANALYSIS The Hurt Locker Gianluca & Jake
- 2. SHOT 1: The first shot establishes the setting of the film, the beginning of this film is very fast pace. The voice over sounds very dictatorial and it refers to the setting of the film. The dessert looking ground connotes a middle eastern type of country where there is a lot of corruption. The diegetic sound of the alarm connotes evacuation, an insight of what is about to happen. In the next shot we see the evacuation take place.
- 3. SHOT 2: The long shot of these people being evacuated gives a better understanding of the setting. Their clothing connotes a middle eastern type country and with the accompanied text we are instantly aware of the setting. The non-diegetic sounds of shouting adds to the effect of the evacuation.
- 4. SHOT 3: This extreme long shot connotes a chaotic environment which is similar to the previous evacuation scenes. The diegetic sounds of the car horns connotes impatience and it controls how we interpret the situation. It allows us to believe that it is more chaotic than it really is. The camera then zooms and pans to the robot , also the camera is shaky, which connotes a sense of watching. This camera movement seems very aware, and you could associate it with the army and how they use their equipment to find things e.g. Binoculars. This movement is very similar.
- 5. SHOT 4: This long shot connotes how everyone is affected by the corruption in the city. However, the children act naturally to the situation as though it is a normal procedure. The non-diegetic sound of children talking/shouting adds to the shot and it connotes a sense of fun and games. As the audience we assume that they will just carry on with their games elsewhere.
- 6. SHOT 5: The pan and zoom which follows the car, connotes speed and a sense of urgency. The diegetic sounds of orders being passed on through megaphones adds to the sense of urgency. The dissonant score connotes how the civilians aren't responding to the orders of the army, they are all over the place reacting in different ways.
- 7. SHOT 6: This medium shot explains how the civilians won’t cooperate, this man won’t move from his shop. We can assume this from his hand gestures and his head movement. This connotes poverty, leaving his store will result in him possibly losing his stock which will leave him with nothing.
- 8. SHOT 7: The extreme long shot of the truck connotes a focus on how big the truck is. The track that follows the truck allows us to follow the action. The diegetic sounds of car horns connote normality and a sense of continuation .
- 9. SHOT 8: The diegetic dialogue of the armed men connotes urgency which adds to the fast pace. The shaky cam and slight pan makes the audience feel as though they are there and watching the soldiers every move.
- 10. SHOT 9: The shaky cam in this shot connotes realism as though it is strapped to the back of a soldier. The medium shot connotes regimentation and organisation.
- 11. SHOT 10: The quick zoom out, pan and zoom in connotes a sense of watching, and it feels as though someone is observing the soldiers, for example through a sniper rifle zooming in and out on the subject.
- 12. SHOT 11: The extreme close up on the soldiers eyes connotes determination, accuracy and concentration. He says “approaching” which connotes a regimental frame of mind. SHOT 12: This extreme close up connotes concentration and makes the audience assume the difficulty of the task as two sets of eyes have to be aware.
- 13. SHOT 13: The previous shot This long shot is of what the soldier is looking at in the previous shot, this allows the audience to get a perspective of what the soldiers see which creates an effect of feeling involved with the film. The previous shot connotes a sense of awareness and gives the audience an understanding of how the soldiers must react to any situation.
- 14. SHOT 14: This medium close up shot connotes awareness of surroundings and uncertainty. Due to the many people watching from balconies and buildings, the soldiers are wary of who the bomber is. SHOT 15: This shot is of what the man in the previous shot is looking at, this gives the audience an idea of what the soldier see and it allows them to feel like they are in their shoes. At this point most of the evacuation process is complete and we are aware of this through the change in sound. The non-diegetic foreign dialogue is no longer there but the dissonant score is still there, which connotes fear of the unknown.