Deconstruction Task - Mise-en-scene

For this Deconstruction I decided to focus on the Mise-en-scene in a slasher film. I decided to use the opening scene of Final Destination 4 as I felt that the Mise-en-scene would be effective throughout. This is the clip I used:

The mise-en-scene is first effective when the first character is hit with a type from one of the cars. When the type hits the girl there is a lot of blood which splatters everywhere. This is effective mise-en-scene as it shows the severity of the crash and indicates that what happens next will also be gory and serious.



Next a car is seen on fire flipping through the air. This is effective as it shows how dangerous and severe the crash is. The car then crashes through the fencing and into the seating area full on people, this is effective as it shows the intensity of the situation and how it is developing and getting worse and worse.

As the people seated at the event begin to run and try to escape, the mise-en-scene is shown in close up shots as the chairs and benches get broken and crushed in the panic. This leaves dangerous pieces of wood around which later become hazards to the people. This mise-en-scene is effective as it shows how much every is rushing in order to get away from the danger and how the location is getting ruined.

The mise-en-scene is also effective in the scenes where people are hit by flying objects or hurt trying to escape from the area. Mise-en-scene can be seen in the scenes where people are running away, showing the crash taking place in the background and showing the fences that are broken. Scenes also show people being crushed and sliced by flying objects, in these scenes lots of blood and dead people can be seen, showing the severity of the situation and how much danger they are all in. There is also a scene where someone running to safety trips and lands on a piece of wood from the broken seating and shows it going through his head. Again in this shot blood and the surroundings can be seen which are broken and covered in blood.

The mise-en-scene is also effective when the building begins to fall down, showing the roof collapsing and landing on people. The location of the crash begins to get worse and worse as sections collapse, leaving holes in the roof and lots of debris on the floor. As the debris falls, it lands on people, killing them. This creates further mise-en-scene as blood splatters and dead bodies can be seen.

At the end of the clip, the mise-en-scene is very effective as the group of friends who managed to get out of the building think they are safe. However, a tyre can then be seen in the distance moving quickly towards one of the characters, when it hits them. The mise-en-scene is then effective in showing the severity of the injuries that the girl sustained as you see her lying on the floor with flesh and blood laying around her. This mise-en-scene is effective in showing how badly the character was hurt and suggests that those inside are also being injured to the same degree.