Fargo2
(Setting the Scene)
I am going to riff a little about written narrative settings and the problems of analyzing “settings” as proposed by James Phelan and Peter Rabinowitz. How do the rules change/translate to film/tv? I am specifically going to look at a scene from Fargo’s Rhinoceros episode and a scene from the movie. I will insert questions that can be discussed in class.
The first scene starts at about the 8:23 mark and ends around 9:51. This is the conversation between Simone Gerhardt and Mike Milligan. Simone calls mike at the hotel from her house. The scene opens with him being handed a ringing phone. The “setting” here that I am focusing on is how the shots of the characters framed and what does it add if anything to the storyline. The conversation starts with 2 separate shots of each person talking. The sound is also instrumental here as it changes. As soon as Simone says it’s my body, the screen and the audio split. Mike is on the left as is his audio and Simone is on the right. He is the only one in his side of the screen however she shares some of her screen time with the maid/cook. The camera also changes angle at key points. For example, the camera angle changes when the name Luverne is mentioned, we go from a profile shot of Mike to a straight shot. I believe this is to punctuate the name and place importance on what is now being said. Immediately after Simone says, “and I want… You’re gonna…” the split screen goes away and in a single shot she tells the maid/cook to, “get the hell outta here.” The maid leaves. Mike asks, “did I lose you there sweetheart?” then with a ¾ shot on here she says, “You’re gonna kill him for me!” Mike asks, “your dad?” “He’s not… Ozzie was a dad, on the tv, shit, Mr. French is more of a….” she responds. The screen splits once again and the conversation continues until the end of the scene which once again focusses on her with a last message for her dad, “Tell him… kiss my grits!” The scene then ends with Mike hanging up and immediately reciting Jabberwocky, by Lewis Carroll. The scene is filled with subtle audio that helps to frame the setting.
The second scene is from the movie, Fargo. This is the conversation between Officer Olson and Mr. Mohra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-XEHwUBubk
This conversation takes place outside in the cold but could have taken place on the phone. Phelan and Rabinowitz quotes Evelyn May saying, “Function of the setting is to furnish, in the best possible way for any given story, the conditions of time and place and characters which shall make the story possible and actual.” (85) Does this scene accomplish this goal? I believe it does. It does so in a way opposite written text. If Mr. Mohra and officer Olson stood there minus the dialogue, I think we would still get a feeling of the importance of the conversation, a direction pointed out, the weather, time of day… and more. What do you all think? I think it moves the story along but in a different matter. Some questions to consider are:
- “How do we determine the range of setting and the nature of it’s borders?” (84)
- “Setting is often conflated with “description” and hence serves as the portal through which a number of vexed issues enter the field.” (85) In trying to translate “setting” from the written pages to the screen am I “Blurring” the line between setting and description?
- Please consider the synthetic, memetic, and thematic components of setting as used in my examples above
One last thing about Narrative that I would like to explore with me is the Idea of Narrative Cinema. We may have discussed this in a class that I missed but if we have not, I think it warrants consideration. Martin Scorsese recently said at the BFI London Film Festival concerning Marvel and superhero films, It’s not cinema, it’s something else. We shouldn’t be invaded by it. We need cinemas to step up and show films that are narrative films.” -From, The Hollywood Reporter.
What are your thoughts on this? I think this is a conversation about what make a film, Narrative and can only narrative films be considered cinema? Just something to think about.
For those unfamiliar:
Jabberwocky
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.