L’AGE D’OR TECHNIQUE FLASHCARDS
When are shot-reverse-shots used? – Between the man and the priests, between the mother
and the daughter in conversation
What is the impact of the shot-reverse-shots? – Shows the difference in wealth and the formal,
tense relationship between mother and daughter
When are long shots used? – As the big group of Bourgeois walk down the rocks, and when the
houses are being knocked down
What is the impact of the long shots? – Creates a sense of detachment
When are mid-shots used? – As the Bourgeois watch a dead poor boy be taken away
What is the impact of mid-shots? – Shows their lack of care as the mid-shot is impersonal
When are low angles used? – When the man is protesting when the girl is taken away from
him, when we see the man drop things out of the window
When are aerial shots used? – As we see the man chuck a blanket out of the window and it
turns out to be a Priest
When are close-up shots used? – When the woman is indicating to someone to get off her bed
and then it is a cow
What is the impact of the close-up shots? – Feels personal and then absurd when we see she
is talking to a cow
When is a shaky camera used? – Filming the conductor and mirroring his chaotic actions
When is diegetic sound used? – Of birds fluttering when the woman and man have a moment
in the garden together and people talking loudly when the conductor stops and walks away
When is a romantic score used? – A flute is played when the boats sail into the harbour
How is the score used in LD? – It cuts out repeatedly when the different houses get knocked
down
What is the impact of this use of score? – Feels immersive
When is a cacophony used? – Romantic violin and low hum of 4 priests leading a prayer, and
the wind, cow bell and dog barking
What is the impact of the cacophony? – Feels chaotic
What are examples of surrealist imagery used in LD? – A bishop skeleton, a cow on a bed, and
a man shooting a child
What is the impact of the surrealist imagery? – Evoke strong, visceral reactions
How is the nonlinear narrative used? – It’s fragmented and disjointed, mirroring the chaotic
nature of dreams
How is the fourth wall used? – Characters occasionally acknowledge the camera, breaking
cinematic boundaries
What is the impact of long takes? – Forces the viewer to engage with bizarre content without
the relief of a cut
How is vignetting used in the opening scene? – Around the scorpion’s pincers
What is the impact of the vignetting? – It forces our attention to be on the most brutal part
and it unnerves us, setting the tone for the rest of the film
How are intertitles used in the opening scene? – They provide information
What is the impact of the intertitles? – Lulls us into a false sense of security as we feel like we
are being informed
How does the score make us feel uneasy in the opening scene? – It crescendos after each
intertitle, creating a feeling of danger
How does the opening scene resemble a nature documentary? – Black and white footage, text
explaining their behaviours, scientific tone
What is the impact of the opening scene resembling a nature documentary? – It makes the
jump to the absurd more shocking and breaks the narrative flow
What is the symbolism of the aggressive scorpions? – They are shown fighting, which
foreshadows the human conflict and primal instincts shown throughout the film and hints at
the themes of violence, and the chaotic nature of human desires. It critiques the human
nature of rationalisation
What camera techniques are used in the Bandit scene? – Static shot, high angles, typical
angling
When are static shots used? – The camera tracks the subject rather than moving anywhere
with them
What is the impact of the static shots? – Creates a feeling of observation and voyeurism and
establishes our role as a viewer
When are high angles used? – Of the Bandits on the floor
When are shot-reverse-shots used? – Between the man and the priests, between the mother
and the daughter in conversation
What is the impact of the shot-reverse-shots? – Shows the difference in wealth and the formal,
tense relationship between mother and daughter
When are long shots used? – As the big group of Bourgeois walk down the rocks, and when the
houses are being knocked down
What is the impact of the long shots? – Creates a sense of detachment
When are mid-shots used? – As the Bourgeois watch a dead poor boy be taken away
What is the impact of mid-shots? – Shows their lack of care as the mid-shot is impersonal
When are low angles used? – When the man is protesting when the girl is taken away from
him, when we see the man drop things out of the window
When are aerial shots used? – As we see the man chuck a blanket out of the window and it
turns out to be a Priest
When are close-up shots used? – When the woman is indicating to someone to get off her bed
and then it is a cow
What is the impact of the close-up shots? – Feels personal and then absurd when we see she
is talking to a cow
When is a shaky camera used? – Filming the conductor and mirroring his chaotic actions
When is diegetic sound used? – Of birds fluttering when the woman and man have a moment
in the garden together and people talking loudly when the conductor stops and walks away
When is a romantic score used? – A flute is played when the boats sail into the harbour
How is the score used in LD? – It cuts out repeatedly when the different houses get knocked
down
What is the impact of this use of score? – Feels immersive
When is a cacophony used? – Romantic violin and low hum of 4 priests leading a prayer, and
the wind, cow bell and dog barking
What is the impact of the cacophony? – Feels chaotic
What are examples of surrealist imagery used in LD? – A bishop skeleton, a cow on a bed, and
a man shooting a child
What is the impact of the surrealist imagery? – Evoke strong, visceral reactions
How is the nonlinear narrative used? – It’s fragmented and disjointed, mirroring the chaotic
nature of dreams
How is the fourth wall used? – Characters occasionally acknowledge the camera, breaking
cinematic boundaries
What is the impact of long takes? – Forces the viewer to engage with bizarre content without
the relief of a cut
How is vignetting used in the opening scene? – Around the scorpion’s pincers
What is the impact of the vignetting? – It forces our attention to be on the most brutal part
and it unnerves us, setting the tone for the rest of the film
How are intertitles used in the opening scene? – They provide information
What is the impact of the intertitles? – Lulls us into a false sense of security as we feel like we
are being informed
How does the score make us feel uneasy in the opening scene? – It crescendos after each
intertitle, creating a feeling of danger
How does the opening scene resemble a nature documentary? – Black and white footage, text
explaining their behaviours, scientific tone
What is the impact of the opening scene resembling a nature documentary? – It makes the
jump to the absurd more shocking and breaks the narrative flow
What is the symbolism of the aggressive scorpions? – They are shown fighting, which
foreshadows the human conflict and primal instincts shown throughout the film and hints at
the themes of violence, and the chaotic nature of human desires. It critiques the human
nature of rationalisation
What camera techniques are used in the Bandit scene? – Static shot, high angles, typical
angling
When are static shots used? – The camera tracks the subject rather than moving anywhere
with them
What is the impact of the static shots? – Creates a feeling of observation and voyeurism and
establishes our role as a viewer
When are high angles used? – Of the Bandits on the floor
