Royale Pursuit

Mitchell Davenport Wecker IB Junior English Scene Analysis Essay Royale Pursuit James Bond is the ideal man of mystery. Smooth, deadly, intelligent, and always knows how to handle any situation. In Casino Royale, James Bond must chase down a bomb maker in Africa in order to stop a terrorist attack. So by using the contrasting high and low angle shots, along with the dolly, he emphasizes the importance of the current mission by making the chase difficult for Bond, yet he cannot let him get away. The fast moving dolly shots do this, while the angle each character is shot from conveys a certain level on the hierarchy in who is more lethal. This creates a tone of confidence in James Bond, who we can trust to get the target. Throughout the chase, dollies are used to follow the two actors and to provide a fluid, smooth movement through the scene. In shot 8 the bomber runs through a crowd with the camera following him, and then the camera tilts to James Bond turning to chase him in a later scene. As the camera follows the bomber, we see how chaotic the crowd is, and how desperately he is trying to escape when he shoves people out of the way and the camera shakes back and forth. The shakiness of the camera is also important, as the director chose to specifically use it instead of holding it still. The viewer feels like he is running behind, trying to keep up with the fugitive just like Bond is. In shot 9, the two men are hopping over fences through the slums of a local African neighborhood. The dolly goes around cars and trash bins as the men free-run across the shot. With this we are able to see physical differences in the way they run and overcome obstacles. The bomb maker uses maneuvers that require a lot of dexterity and agility, whereas Bond takes the most direct, blunt route. Both have the same goal but take vastly different means of achieving it. The simplicity in Bond’s route visually conveys two things to the viewer. He is determined, and since he does not use the entire environment around him he is single-minded. This adds to the feeling of urgency, Bond running without any precautions to pursue his target, as the reason the bomb maker must be stopped is vital to his mission. The viewer does not yet know what the bomb maker’s role in the plot is, so the director needs to convey his part in the story with the tone and the visual cues. After the men leave the outskirts of the city they enter a dense jungle area. In shot 11, the dolly is in a first person perspective of the bomber as he runs through trees and bushes. As he encounters a chain link fence just past the jungle, the camera tilts down in context with how close the fence is. The viewer feels like they are on a collision course with it, until the last moment when the camera switches to another angle of the bomber hopping over it. James Bond is a confident and powerful character, and the director expresses his superiority over the other two characters through the use of low angle shots. When the bomber is being chased by the agent in shot 6 the camera tilts down over Bond’s shoulder as he looks down at them. The nuance of superiority is seen here, since he is looking down on them. The cool shade gives him a look of calm intensity, as the bomber and the agent have to stand in the hot sun. As the two are panicking and running through the crowd, he stands still, leaning against the wall. These elements all combine to show how even though the situation may seem out of hand, James Bond is still in control and the viewer gets a tone that he will be able to accomplish the mission, despite the agent’s blunder. During shot 8 as the bomber pushes his way out of the crowd, the camera looks up to Bond as he turns to chase the man. In this scene the camera not only shoots a low angle shot on Bond, but the bomber begins in the shot in a high angle shot before it tilts up to James. There is a hierarchy as the two converge later from above and below. This adds to the idea that Bond will be able to accomplish the mission and that he is very capable as an agent. Shot 13 is when James bursts onto the screen in a bulldozer, and is shot at by the fugitive. After that the camera shoots a low angle shot of the bulldozer crashing through a fence. In the bulldozer Bond sits higher than the bomb maker, so the shot of him are higher up. Also, when the camera shoots the low angle of the fence, it makes the bulldozer and its appendage seem more imposing. It adds to Bond’s power and makes him seem much more frightening than the bomb maker. The bomb maker has been scared the entire time, while James is cool and collected, just like when he was standing in the shade. The director wanted the viewer to gain a sense of Bond’s character early on in the movie without needing to verbally explain it. Through the use of dollies and conflicting high and low angle shots; the director gives the scene a fast paced adrenaline rush, emphasizing the importance of the mission, while the angles create an unspoken superiority of Bond over the other characters in the scene. This draws the audience in, as they can rally for James, a character they can admire in his confidence and bravery. P.S.: Yesterday was my birthday. P.S.S.: Due to copyright infringing rules that apparently rule youtube.com, I was unable to procure a usable clip of my particular chase scene.