Firstly, there is a longshot of Johnnie pointing towards his missing train. This longshot also employs the rule of thirds and allows the audience to see Johhnie, the men he is talking to, and the surroundings behind him. The shot then cuts closer to a medium longshot to emphasise Johnnie's panicked body language and mark the moment he decides to chase after the train. A few shots later, there is a high angle longshot depicting Johnnie running after the train ahead. This high angle along with the longshot causes Johnnie to appear powerless and vulnerable, which reflects his emotions in the scene given that his train has been stolen. There is then a medium longshot of the men behind him watching as he chases the train. The contrast between their calm demeanour and Johnnie’s frantic behaviour creates comedy for the audience and emphasises Johnnie’s emotions. 

 

Firstly, Double Indemnity intends to create an eerie atmosphere for the audience as the narrative focuses on a man and a woman murdering her rich husband. For example, lighting techniques have been used throughout the film in order to create this effect, by using chiaroscuro and low-key lighting to create sinister shadows and hide parts of the character’s faces. In the scene in which Walter and Phyllis first meet and have a conversation, there are the shadows of blinds across the room, which cover Walter, giving the impression that the blinds are bars and possibly foreshadowing the dark ending that he will find himself in. Furthermore, in the scene in which Mr.Dietrichson is killed includes a lot of low-key lighting to further create a sinister effect, especially as Walter’s face is hidden within the shadows. However, Do The Right Thing has used very different techniques in order to create the effect that tensions are rising due to the physical heat of the day. For example, a lot of the film is very bright, with bright colours included in the setting and costumes that the characters are wearing. For example, in the very first scene of the film, we see Tina dancing with lots of fierce and confident movements, and she is wearing a red dress with a yellow/gold backdrop. The backdrop also turns red and she wears red boxing gloves as she dances. While colours such red, yellow and green are common throughout the film as they represent the African flag, the warm colours such as red and yellow symbolise the heat and tension of the day.

 

In addition, the film Do The Right Thing further shows the rising tension of the day due to body language. As the day goes on and arguments become more heated, the characters grow louder and their actions become more animated. For example, the fight between Radio Raheem and Sal in the pizzeria is an intense scene, as the characters are physically aggressive with one another as they yell, with sweat on their foreheads to further emphasise the tension and heat of the day. All of the characters are then visibly shocked when Sal breaks Radio Raheem’s radio with a baseball bat, before Raheem drags Sal over the counter and they get into a physical fight, showing how much things have escalated. On the other hand, Double Indemnity has a very different aesthetic to Do The Right Thing, as the body language is more gentle and the film feels cold and sinister throughout. For example, in the scene in which Mr Dietrichson is killed by Walter in the car, we don’t see the action occurring, as we do throughout Double Indemnity, and instead we see Phyllis staring out of the window as she drives with barely any emotion on her face, portraying her as cold and emotionless to the audience. The main reason as to why we don’t see his death is due to the HAYs code that was in place when Double Indemnity was created.

 

The cold aesthetic of Double Indemnity seems to be established right from the start. For example, the opening scene has very dark lighting and we are first introduced to Walter, although he is wearing a large coat and hat, similar to a detective’s costume, and these are almost hiding his face, already portraying him as something sinister, especially as he physically fills the screen. There are then cast shadows on the walls as he walks, as if he is creeping through the dark, and he enters a room with low-key lighting, with the shadows of the blinds across Walter again. We are immediately given insight into how this film might end as he seems distressed, as he loosens his tie and is sweating and out of breath as he speaks on the phone. We are then given an establishing shot of the city street that looks very dark, which is classic for film noir. Also, in the film Do The Right Thing, the warmer aesthetic is also created right from the start, as we hear Senior Love Daddy telling people how warm the day will be, before the camera pans across the street using a crane shot and the warm tones and sun glinting off the white car on the road tell the audience how physically hot the day is. (was going to write some more of DTRT here).

One notable difference between the two films is the way each of the characters use body language and facial expression. In The General, Johnnie's body language is very dramatic and theatrical and his emotions are constantly on display. This is exemplified during the final scene where Johnnie realises he is being enlisted as a soldier and there is a medium longshot of Johnnie who reacts quite theatrically while wearing a shocked but proud facial expression. This aids in the comedic tone of the film and creates an optimistic atmosphere. In Double Indemnity, on the other hand, Walter’s movements and facial expressions are kept to minimum even when he should be in a substantial amount of pain. An example of this is displayed just before Walter has the chance to kill Phyllis. There is a medium longshot where she shoots him in the shoulder and he reacts by barely taking a step back and merely placing his hand on his chest without a change in facial expression. This creates a very sincere atmosphere and emphasises the more serious tone of the film. 

 

A similarity between both of the films is the significance of costume and how it used to represent something. In Double Indemnity, phyllis wears the colour white countless times which ironically represents purity and innocence. This is evident throughout the film, but a specific example is within the first time we meet phyllis where there is a longshot of her at the top of the staircase wrapped in a white towel. Her costume is used to disguise her true character even during her death scene where she not only shoots Walter, but confesses to her selfish and violent intentions. Then, in The General, Johnnie wore an oversized, stolen costume that made him appear child-like and lifted the mood of the film by creating a comedic atmosphere. Then, towards the end, Johnnie was awarded a new well-fitting uniform during the final scene. This shift in costume not only represents the shift from him being a ‘disgrace to the south’ to the hero of it, but creates a more sentimental atmosphere for the film to end with.