Mise en Scene Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings

In this part of the film the mise en scene that you can gather from this still is; the setting is very sophisticated and very ornate. Frodo is set in a huge background to show the audience just how small he really is in the world. The lighting is very soft, high-key lighting and is digitally graded to create a surreal atmosphere, and show the audience that it’s a nice place to be. The props, costumes and make up suggest that the character is happy, he also has a dark top on that contrasts with the rest of the scene making the focus him. Staging, the movement of the character in this shot is slow as he steps outside and takes everything in, the positioning is important too as it enforces the thought that Frodo is a small Hobbit in a very big world, it makes the watcher aware of what a big quest he will be embarking on during all three films.

This still however creates a completely different effect. The setting is very enclosed and claustrophobic unlike Rivendell you can’t see that far in the background or around the sides, this creates a sense of menace because you don’t know what’s going to be around the corner. The lighting is very dark low-key lighting to show the importance of the one character and the peril he is in. the light also illuminates the tunnel it suggest to the viewer that Shelob may emerge. The costume and make up is very different from before, the cloak Frodo is wearing is very dark he is also very dirty, showing the journey he has struggled with so far. There aren’t really any props because all of the focus is on Frodo trying to escape.