Shutter Island
Shutter Island draws on
elements of psychological thriller and film noir, Scorsese said that he wanted
to inhabit many more genres within the film than a simple horror/thriller. This
Martin Scorsese’s film uses a series of camera techniques including long,
medium, and close up shots in order to convey a sense of detachment from
society and a sense of solitude and loneliness that DiCaprio’s character
exhibits within the film.
Trailer of Shutter Island:
One of the first camera shots
that is seen in Shutter Island is this long shot which shows the full scale of
the island which the characters are travelling to. The dark nature of this shot
sets the scene for the entire film, conveying that it will be dark, mysterious
and not a particularly nice place to be venturing. The sky is darker on one
side to show a storm casting itself over the island, reflecting how the
situation is likely to worsen and to predict the danger that is to come. The
purpose of this shot is to highlight the setting of the film and to add some
suspense.
This type of long shot is often
used in thrillers, showing the main characters walking towards the camera. The
point of this is to suggest to the audience the era in which the film is set
and what type of character will feature, and also obviously to confirm the main
characters. Natural but rather dreary lighting is used in this shot to show the
realistic setting of the film. The formality of the police uniform and the
suits are to convey that these characters are important, and the matching coats
and hats of “Teddy” and “Chuck” are to reflect that they’re linked.
This high angle shot shows
Teddy Daniels’ growing vulnerability as he gradually doubts himself more. He
feels small as he doesn’t know exactly what’s going on, he knows something
weird is happening but he cannot put his finger on what is happening. In this
scene he is in danger of falling to his death. This shot, like many others in
the film, is inspired by shots from a Hitchcock film (Vertigo)
This mid shot of a background
character, a mental patient, looking directly into the camera is a technique
used throughout the film of including the audience in the scene. The direct eye
contact is unnerving, and is designed to ensure the audience experiences a
little bit of what “Teddy Daniels” would be feeling at that particular moment.
We know she is a mental patient by her costume, the handcuffs and general
frightened nature reflects this too.
This is almost the last camera
shot in the film. It is a long shot of the character walking away from the
camera, and creates the cliffhanger which the movie is left on. The audience
doesn’t know if the protagonist is truly insane or whether he has regained some
of his sanity and is just pretending. Even though this scene is brighter than
most, it is likely that the protagonist is being marched to his death so is
misleading like the rest of the film. This shot has an impending danger feel to
it, and is the last we see of the protagonist.
Music and Sound
In
the beginning of the film, the main protagonist, Edward Daniels (Leonardo
DiCaprio) is on a ferry, wretched with a seasickness. In the very first scene
the audience is already bombarded by uncomfortable noises that are very
difficult for the viewer to watch/listen to. The retching of the main character
is the first noise that is really heard; many people associate this noise with
painful memories, already causing the viewer to feel tense and uncomfortable.
It is also intriguing, why is the character vomiting? Where is he going? Where
has he come from. The title sequence for the film is shown shortly after, in
which very loud and invasive 20th century classical music consumes the audio.
For a moment the scene is engulfed in music, then Scorsese takes the scene
straight out of the loud music and into dialogue between our protagonist and
another character. This quick change between pace and tone is very effective in
creating a tense atmosphere. Some songs also use the bass to mimic a fast
heartbeat, which is a technique used in many thrillers and the noise influences
the audience’s heartbeat to rise in pace. Many songs also quickly contrast high
notes with very low bass notes.
Settings and Locations
The setting is a scarily
forbidding prison called Shutter Island, a former civil-war fortress that has
been converted into a maximum-security facility for the criminally insane.
The setting of the whole film
is revealed in the first scene, and the way it is shown (in a long shot)
reflects that it is impossible to escape from. It also suggests impending
danger, just the island itself doesn’t look safe. The first glimpse of the sheer-sided
rock rising from the ocean is computer enhanced, but the rocky coastline itself
is Peddocks Island, which indeed can be found in Boston Harbor. The main
building and the first two wards of ‘Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally
Insane’ are the in reality the disused Medfield State Hospital.
Characters
Played by Leonardo De Caprio,
the main protagonist is called Teddy Daniels, yet we find out in the film that
his real name is Andrew Laeddis. Teddy Daniels is a US Marshall invited to the
island to investigate a missing mental patient, but during the film it is
revealed that he is actually a mental patient who has been on the island for
two years. None of what he thinks he knows about himself is true.
Chuck, Teddy Daniels’ sidekick
who is originally deemed as a reliable character is later revealed to be his
psychologist. This is shocking to the audience. When this is revealed, De
Caprio’s character’s world is torn apart and he doubts every aspect of his
life. This duo do not fit within the conventions of a normal duo in a normal
thriller film, but fit the plot twists within the film making them very
effective.
Dr. Naehring and Dr Noyce are
the so-called main antagonists of the film. They’re Teddy Daniel’s
psychologists and doctors, but throughout the film they seem untrustworthy and
unreliable. Their costumes suggest importance, and their power over the
patients and other characters is obvious.
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