Duel Blog Post

The scene I picked is the train one where the truck is pushing the car closer to the oncoming train seemingly out of impatience.

The arrangement of shots makes a believable space by utilizing the cut-in/match on action form of editing in order to give context to the scene. The space seems to be large since we get all kinds of angles, low shots, backwards(in relation to the main character) shots, and close-ups of the main character while in a panic and slightly angry that the truck is trying to ram him into the moving train.

The framing focuses attention to narrative detail by switching from varying shots and angles rapidly which helps keep the tension of the moment high. Emphasizes both panic and stress from the main character as the truck pushes him closer and closer to the moving train. 

The role of sound in supporting the spatial relationships made in the cuts is done well to have the car’s struggle to resist, the truck’s roar of dominance, and the train’s clattering and clanking down the track without knowing what’s happening as it passes by. These noises come in at just the right moments with the various shot switches that occur to cause tension. Then adding the dangerous sounding music in the background adds more depth to the scene by escalating it further. 

The continuity editing of the scene builds tension through the rapid switching from shot to shot, compounded further by the use of background music to set the feeling of ‘danger’ even higher and then having the vehicle noises when they are specifically in the focus of the shot.

What narrative information is revealed and concealed in the scene through the cuts? There isn’t muh background scenery since the primary focus of the scene was the train, car, and truck. Some narrative information that is revealed is that the truck seems even more impatient than the main character and is thus pushing the car/main character towards the moving train. Something that is hidden at this point in the film is the fact that the truck was actually out to get the car/main character the whole time and just played it off numerous times before we actually see the ‘true colors’ of the truck.

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