Sherlock Holmes: a Game of Shadows

Representation of Disability through the use of editing

Gender analysis - Sherlock Holmes (revisited)

The first establishing shot depicts the houses of Parliament/Big Ben, which is also very similar to the closing/end shot of the scene which also depicts Parliament and Big Ben - this could represent a resolve amongst the male protagonists.
A mid shot is used to show Sherlock in a carriage, sat between the Inspector and another policeman. The tow policemen are almost silhouettes, whereas Sherlock is in the light - this could show that despite the other two men being 'officially' (by law) more dominant, Sherlock is actually the alpha-male of the three men.
A second establishing shot is used to show that the setting has changed when the policemen (accompanying Sherlock) are marching through the Parliament corridors - the scenery is very dark and poorly lit, which could show that the men are there to deal with serious business - conforming perfectly to the stereotypical 'modern man', whom takes care of problems with either his fists, or his huge ego and intelligence, and could foreshadow the danger to come. Several jump cuts are used to show the speed at which the men are travelling through the Houses of Parliament, which shows some importance and urgency to their actions - highlighting that their issues are much more important and worthy, than those of whom they are rushing past, which could suggest that the men believe themselves to possess dominance over others.
When the Inspector and Sherlock reach the Count, a mid shot is used to show them entering the room. The audience can see that Sherlock is dressed in scruffy trousers, braces and a dirty white t-shirt - giving the impression that he has been in a fight. This shows that regardless of the fact that he is in a very renowned building, with a very rich and influential man, he does not care about impressing him with his physical appearance - but instead cares only about uncovering the scheming plans of the Count. Sherlock could also be dressed like this to further prove that he is always the alpha male, and an alpha male typically believes of himself as stronger and more intelligent that other men - therefore giving him a large ego.
The Inspector punches Sherlock in the abdomen, again fitting to the stereotype that men are aggressive and must settle their feelings by physically hurting/trying to hurt their enemy or opponent.
A wide shot depicts the Count, very well dressed in suit trousers, a shirt, waistcoat and cravat, in his room which is very tastefully and expensively furnished. His body language shows that he was not expecting Sherlock or the Inspector, but he remains calm and is positioned a reasonable distance from the pair. His calm nature could reflect that he's in a familiar and comfortable environment, or maybe that with the help of his wealth and his 'cult', he feels much more powerful than Sherlock and the Inspector. This constant battle between the men to outsmart each other conforms perfectly to the idea that men are extremely competitive and testosterone-fuelled, and so feel the need to constantly outdo one another in order to remain at the top of the pecking order.
Throughout the clip, both diegetic sound and non-diegetic sounds are featured - as the narrative of each character is heard, along with the sounds of footsteps and the opening and closing of doors and windows. However, there is also a constant non-diegetic sound in the background, which is typically orchestral music. There is a recurring violin melody which plays softly, and each time the scene reaches a climax - where something exciting or dangerous might happen, the orchestral sounds grow louder and are joined by percussion. this builds tension massively within the scene, and constantly coincides with the idea of fighting. Each time either Sherlock or the Count get close to defeating one another, the non-diegetic sound becomes stronger. This could represent the levels of masculinity and power that either character shows/feels as they almost reach their goal of destroying one another.
both the Count and Sherlock display characteristics of a stereotypical man. the body language, costumes and behaviour of them both show intelligence, strength and competitiveness. This is particularly shown when the smoke enters the room. It gives the scene a mysterious feel, and the Count has the chance to show his aggressiveness by wielding a gun, and Sherlock shows his arrogant intelligence.
Point of view shots are used when Sherlock lets the smoke into the room, and when the Count loads the gun with bullets, to show mischievous (Sherlock) and dangerous (Count) decisions they are prepared to make to remain the dominant male.

Mise-en-scene still scene analysis

Mise-en-scene:

• Lighting: central lighting surrounds the girl, showing that she holds the most power in the household, and she is the centre of attention - to both the audience and her 'parents'. The parents are in the dark, which creates an atmosphere of gloominess, unhappiness and dislike toward one another - the daughter is the 'light of their lives' shown quite literally with the use of candles around her. The lack of lighting in the room hides the furnishings and surroundings of the characters, which could imply that nothing around them matters but their daughter - wealth/status is not a priority at this moment in time. The curtains are drawn, blocking the majority of light from outside, creating a grey colour and mood to the scene, however we could also infer from this that the parents are attempting to hide their marriage problems from the outside world. The 'father' is in the dark, but has the natural light from the window behind him, which could reflect a slightly more positive mood in comparison to the 'mother', and maybe a sense of hope for the family.The mother is the character whom is furthest away from any light source (both candles and natural lighting through the curtains), which shows a subtle contrast in moods to that of the father, and could suggest that she is depressed and unhappy, that she is an outcast, or rather she could be purposefully leaning away from the light as to appear separate from the family. Electric lighting/lamps are all turned off which further highlights the contrast between the relationship of the parents, and the relationship of each parent to their daughter. The lack of electric lighting cold also symbolise the marriage/relationship of the two adults - their marriage is off, just as the lights are. Candlelight is temporary, and will eventually burn out, so the use of candles around the young girl could symbolise that the bond that the daughter holds, which serves to keep the family together, is also temporary - as she will grow up, move out and thus finalising the downfall of her parents marriage.
• Hair & makeup: the father wears formal, old-fashioned clothing and has a very traditionally middle class/middle aged haircut. His receding hairline represents age and stress. The daughter has simple hair/makeup which could represent her youth and innocence. She has glowing skin and wears her hair in a ponytail, which makes her look childlike, however she also wears heavy eyeliner and lipstick - which could show she is trying to appear more adult, and the red lipstick could also suggest sexuality and seduction. The mother has short hair - which looks dry, and could suggest that it's short as it's easy to maintain, but dry as she is under stress whilst still attempting to style it and appear attractive.
• Costume: the mother wears formal clothing; a slightly iridescent blue silk shirt, which could suggest that she takes pride in her appearance and that she is lusting after the attention of her partner. Silk could also represent wealth and could be considered quite sexual, which again refers to the want of male attention. The father wears smart clothing in dull colours, which could suggest he is attempting to veer attention away from himself, or hide from his wife. Although his clothing is dull coloured, it appears to be of high quality and looks expensive which represents his wealth. His clothing is old fashioned, which could represent his age, or that he is not in keeping with current trends and prefers to wear traditional garments - and tradition is often associated with wealth. The girl wears bright clothing, which could be an attempt at rebelling against her parents - and provides a contrast to their bland clothing and furniture.
• Facial Expressions: the mother has an emotionless expression and looks concerned, whilst looking at the father, which creates an icy atmosphere amongst the adults. She looks highly unamused, and tired, and looks as though she doesn't want to be in the company of the man. The father is smiling, possibly even laughing, and looks the most comfortable around the table. He looks out of place opposite the woman, and he could be laughing to overcompensate for the bleak mood that the other characters seem to holding, whilst sat around the table. The girl looks as though she is pulling a sarcastic face, again, maybe as she wishes to rebel against her unconventional parents. Her facial expressions reflect those of her mother's, and she looks angrily towards the male, which could show that she has 'sided' with her mum - against her father.
• Framing: the family are spaced around the table which represents discontentment within the family. The props, candles and flowers, shows the girl is the centre of attention. The only focus of the still is on the table, not the surroundings, which draws the attention of the viewer to the family and the action around the dinner table. Despite appearing upperclass, all three characters have their elbows on the table which displays attitude - and particularly concerning the girl, shows nonconformity.
• Body language/posture: the mother is leaning backwards, appearing to be cut out of the conversation. The male's fists are clenched, despite smiling, which could suggest he is tackling his feelings in attempt to hide his anger. The girl has her elbows on the table, which shows lack of respect for her parents and furnishing/belongings.
• Setting/props: the woman has a half empty bottle of wine next to her, which could suggest that she uses alcohol as an escape/coping mechanism to deal with the relationship with her husband and daughter.

Regional Identity Research

Stereotypes and counter-types of the following regional identities:

Scottish:
Pale skinned, freckled and ginger.
Hate the English.
Violent.
Drink whiskey, and are fierce in bar fights.
Tight with money (won't tip in a restaurant).
Men wear plaid kilts and march in formation with bagpipes.
Homophobic and racist.
Eat haggis regularly.
Don't speak English.
Work down in mines.

Liverpool:
Drug-abusing.
Football hooligans.
Single parents.
Chavvy behaviour and clothing.
Orange tan.

Newcastle:
Chavs.
Violent and arrogant.
Very thick accent, often undecipherable, and speak very quickly.
Loud.
Witty.
Women wear lots of make-up.
Always outgoing, likes to drink on a night out.

Yorkshire:
Farmers, men wear flat caps constantly.
Thick accent, pronouncing vowels in an elongated manner.
Unintelligent.
Friendly.
Stubborn.

Birmingham:
Working class.
Lots of knife crime.
Brummy accent is ranked as the least intelligent sounding.
Football hooligans.
Avid tea-drinkers.
Eat lots of curry.

Welsh:
Have sex with sheep.
Cannot be understood as they have their own language.
Obsessed with rugby.
Unhealthy alcoholics.
Very friendly.

Irish:
Alcoholics.
Partiers.
Short, ginger haired, wear a lot of green.
Gypsies.
Magical/Leprechauns.
Eat copious amounts of potato.
Very religious.

London:
People either talk like a Cockney or an Aristocrat.
Constantly talk about the weather.
Eat fish and chips.
Have a stiff upper lip.

Essex:
Women wear fake tan, false eyelashes and fake nails.
Unintelligent.
Obsessed with appearance.
Loud, gobby, vulgar.
Reckless disregard of grammar.
Perform sex acts discriminately.

Cornwall/South West:
All farmers.
They eat Cornish pasties.

Paul Hunt - Representation of Disability

Paul hunt disability from Sarah Ghost

The Gaze - male/female

The gaze from Sarah Ghost