Costume and Makeup

Using makeup and costume in a film are the key ingredients to set the scene of the film and without them the film would be insignificant. For example, it can show whether someone is wealthy or not, what type of person they are, their age etc, by doing this the audience can judge the person and this saves tedium by having to describe each and every character in depth, saving time.

For my chosen film The Green Mile the use of makeup and costume is essential and without it the film wouldn't be the incredibly powerful film that it is. The way the prison guards are dressed they formally professional and are juxtaposed to the rest of the people at the prison as they are all dressed in denim dungarees and a white top, this show the immediate division between the two groups of people. When the criminals are taken to the electric chair, from the minute they enter the room and when they are executed the amount of vital props used in those parts of the film really reflect the trauma which everyone has to go through, particularly the criminal. For example, the sponge used to put on the criminals head before they are executed, the sound when dipped into the water echoes the entire room that and the criminal trembaling is the only noise to be heard, then as they walk over to place it on their head the water trickles onto the hard wooden floor; the suspence and tension created in this process is imence. Although such simple but effective props create a horrofic atmosphere and adds to the sadness and personal experiences you go through with the criminals, without it, the film wouldn't make you empathise with them and I would look at the film in a totally different perspective.

Leon Film Review

At the beginning of the film we are introduced to Mathilda's family and her life, it is made clear that she loathes her family except from her brother and her life as a little girl is unfair. Her Dad is a drug handler and one day gets into trouble by a gang who come to their flat and shoot Mathilda's entire family, she then turns up at Leon's door petrefied that she might be recognised and be shot too. She stands at Leon's door praying that he will open it as we wait in suspence, when he finally opens the door I felt a sense of relief knowing that she was being welcomed by Leon's safety.

Mathilda becomes really curious of Leon, when she finds out he's a hitman she becomes even more curious of what he does and wants to be like him. She asks him to teach her to be a hitman like him so she can get revenge on the people who killed her brother, at first Leon doesn't think she's up to the job especially being 12 years old she however prooves him wrong and he then begins with teaching. Mathilda appreciated the hard work of becoming a hitman as they endured long hard days involving sit up's every day, drinking lots of milk, caring for the plant, the physical hitman work and the theory behind the guns etc. Mathilda looks up to Leon and tries to impress him a lot and forms a strong bond with him and he is like the father role model that she's never had, Leon is a very mysterious person and doesn't let out his feelings to people and keep himself to himself but you can tell he cares about her as he tries to protect her from potential danger.

I really enjoyed this film but at times found it a bit inappropriate and cringey i.e. when Mathilda tells the hotel man that Leon is her lover, I kind of felt that it ruined that part of the film and when she said that it put me off her as a character. However the rest of the film I really enjoyed it kept my full attention for the entire duration of the film and made me feel on edge at times but would definately reccomend it and watch it again!!