Shutter Island Analysis

Micro analysis, Macro Analysis and Title conventions- Lucy

Bradley

M icro analysis-Cam era

Camera- This opening includes extreme close ups of several
objects. Included within the credits their is a tracking shot of
entering the hospital. Also their is a longshot of the hospital
which makes it look isolated. Finally their is a spiral shot or the
camera constantly turning from the top of a spiral staircase to
create a confused effect which most of the people in the
institute will be feeling.

Editing
The speed in which has been used by the editing team for
Shutter island was fast motion within the opening scenes. This
feature can highlight the patients within the hospitals thought,
and the way their thought process may be so rapid it puts
them into a state of panic. Also the editing includes fades from
one scene into the next to create a smooth cut within scenes
of the film.

M ise-en-scene
The location of this film is a physiatrist hospital for the criminally
insane. The lighting of the opening scene contains mainly low key
lighting to create and build the genre of thriller, drama and
mystery. The settings which are shot include the entrance into the
hospital which were guarded by police officers, this creates a
sense of captivity and prison. There are close up shots of hands
creating fire with a match to create a dark atmosphere. Their
included a shot of snow which recognizes the season of winter
which symbolizes cold and dark feelings for these people. Also
there is the setting of one of the cells in the psychological
hospital and within the cell looks almost like a torture chamber
and shows how they used to treat people almost like non humans
like animals.

Sound
In the opening credits the music starts of slow
and quite but then goes a lot louder, this creates
a very dramatic effect to the audience and
prepares them for the suspense which is going to
commence throughout the film. The music is nondiegetic music which includes brass instruments
to create the dark atmosphere.

M acro Analysis
Shutter Island

M acro Analysis
The key plot which has ben introduced in the title
sequence was introducing the psychological hospital
institution for the criminally insane. The order of the
story line which has been introduced was, shots
within the hospital, ten entering into the institution
making it look capsulated and completely isolating
people. Also we are introduced to the weather which
shows the time of year and it being cold which
supports the dampness of the shots taken in the
cells. We are not introduced to people apart from the
policemen guarding the hospital. This portrays that
by not being introduced to anyone else yet shows
people are in captive within the hospital.