PROJECT: The Usual Suspects (1995, dir. Bryan Singer, writ. Christopher MacQuarrie, comp.
John Ottman)
Timecode Narrative elements
0:00:10 – Characters: none
0:02:25 Location: none, harbour
Events: Main title, black
Expectations:
Emotions represented:
Emotional response:
Meaning:
0:02:52 – Characters: Keaton, Kaiser Soeze
0:05:23 Location: boat int. / ext. / FBI room
Events: First ‘view’ of Kaiser,
dialogue, execution
Expectations: we will find out who
the suspicious character is as well as
why Keaton had to die.
Emotions represented: resignation,
peace of mind with what is about
to happen.
Emotional response: scared, curious
about why Kaiser has to die
Meaning:
Stylistic elements Music Effect of the system
Mise-en-scene: 1M01 “Main Theme” (Track 1)
Cinematography: Instrumentation: piano,
Editing: orchestral
Sound: Texture: melody dominated
homophony
Form: monothematic,
repetitive, with piano intro
Rhythm: Simple steady quaver
pulse, crotchet beats
Harmony: Mostly diatonic with
emphasis on the minor mode
with the exception of a rapid
shift from C# minor to C minor
back to the former. Late-
romantic dark music.
Melody: prominent, main
theme, lyrical, expansive
Effect:
Mise-en-scene: dead bodies, 1M02 “Kaiser Appears” (Track The music makes us feel
props such as ropes and othe 9) like there is a menacing
boat related objects Instrumentation: Orchestral: no presence -USING OUR
Cinematography: piano, expanded percussion, KNOWLEDGE AS WELL
Editing: auxiliary synth
Sound: Texture: free, homophonic,
loose, slow harmonic rhythm,
dense
Form: through composed,
dominated by the action.
Rhythm:
Harmony: parallel minor
chords, increasingly chromatic
Melody: sparse, motif based,
gestural, non-thematic.
Effect: menacing, thrilling,
cliche villain character
0:05:23 – Characters: Mise-en-scene: 1M03 “Arrests” (Track 9)
0.06:40 Location: Cinematography: shallow depth Instrumentation: led by piano
Events: of focus used throughout, active and “Cuban” percussion, steel
Expectations: camera movement, bright drums.
Emotions represented: lighting on the first bad guy, Texture: fragmented over a
Emotional response: shots that rhyme – restaurant steady ostinato, thin, layered.
Meaning: scene with the FBI scene. Form: through composed,
Editing: cut with the music, ostinato based
important cuts are all over Rhythm: steady with some
stylised, music blends with the angular moments, stabs
editing when changing scenes Harmony: lighter,
Sound: factory made to sound Melody:
like machine guns. Effect:
DRIVE Characters: Mise-en-scene: Instrumentation: synth based Transcendent function of
0.11:30 Location: Cinematography: stylistic motif – with emphasis on high film music – scene with
0:13:30 Events: reverse tracking shot (in the frequencies. the mirrors in make-up
Expectations: face of the character) Texture: drone based, sparse, department – absorbs the
Emotions represented: Editing: drone based background noise and
Emotional response: Sound: Form: linear, through shifts the focus to the
Meaning: composed character’s mind.
Rhythm: semi quaver ostinato
in synths
Harmony: slow harmonic
rhythm – indefinite
consonance, based on 5ths,
9ths – transcendent effect,
dissonance is produced from
overtones and over played
harmonics.
Melody:
Effect: Transcendent function
of film music – scene with the
mirrors in make-up department
– absorbs the background
noise and shifts the focus to
the character’s mind.
USUAL Characters: Mise-en-scene: Instrumentation:
SUSPECTS Location: Cinematography: stylistic motifs Texture:
Events: – the shot framed by the backs Form:
Jail Expectations: of two characters. It’s the same Rhythm:
dialogue Emotions represented: in Kevin Spacey’s arrest scene. Harmony:
scene Emotional response: Keaton is shown in a medium Melody:
Meaning: long shot emphasising his lone Effect:
wolf attitude and the fact he’s
different from the rest of the
group.
Editing: Camera pans left to
include Verbal in the shot. It
signifies that they are not only
starring at him but also, they
had forgotten that he was there
in the first place.
Sound:
Characters: Mise-en-scene: 2M05 “The Story Begins”
Location: Cinematography: shallow depth Instrumentation: orchestral
Events: of field Texture: complex, varied
Expectations: Editing: Form: free, linear fragmented
Emotions represented: Sound: Rhythm:
Emotional response: Harmony: chromatic fluid
Meaning: Melody: angular
Effect: made to be mysterious.
00:15:55 – Characters: Mise-en-scene: old school Instrumentation: synth based
00:18:28 Location: pattern wall paper which makes Texture: warm, soft sparse,
Flat Events: the whole scene very vibrant homophonic
scene in Expectations: Cinematography: stylistic motif – Form: linear
DRIVE Emotions represented: the character looking out the Rhythm: no rhythm
Emotional response: window. At the beginning of the Harmony: diatonic, slow
Meaning: film it also happens with harmonic rhythm
directional lighting pointed at Melody:
the scorpion on his back. Effect: defuses an awkward
Difference between the two moment, which would be
scenes is mostly natural vs without the music
artificial lighting
Editing:
 Sound:

00:18:28 – Characters: Mise-en-scene: Instrumentation:

00:21:52 Location: Cinematography: very slow Texture:
Events: zoom at the beginning of this Form:
Expectations: scene, drawing attention to the Rhythm:
Emotions represented: diner. Harmony:
Emotional response: Editing: the dialogue starts Melody:
Meaning: actually before we see the Effect:
characters
Sound:
Characters: the kid meets Mr. Rose Mise-en-scene: Instrumentation: same music as The real identity of the
– they are already clashing from the Cinematography: Verney Rose is the flat scene making a main character is omitted
beginning (shown by the shown in a low angle shot reference to the character’s which ties in with super
handshake) putting him in a position of loving relationship (romantic hero movies – which ties
Location: power over Shannon and the queue) in with the whole
Events: kid Texture: referential meaning,
Expectations: Editing: Form: representing Hollywood.
Emotions represented: Sound: Rhythm:
Emotional response: Harmony:
Meaning: Melody:
Effect:
Characters: Mise-en-scene: Instrumentation: same music as The real identity of the
Location: Cinematography: the flat scene making a main character is omitted
Events: Editing: reference to the character’s which ties in with super
Expectations: Sound: loving relationship (romantic hero movies – which ties
Emotions represented: queue) in with the whole
Emotional response: Texture: referential meaning,
Meaning: Form: representing Hollywood.
Rhythm:
Harmony:
Melody:
Effect:
Montage Characters: there is an overall sense Mise-en-scene: Instrumentation: synth pop
with the that the child looks up to the driver, Cinematography: warm lighting track – lyrics “a real hero,
kid and mimicking his gestures and then / saturated human hero
the with the toothpick, the mask and Editing: slow motion with the Texture: reverb in the vocals
woman the jacket which is used to cover corridor scene adds to the warmth of this
him up. Sound: track, also the bass is mixed
Location: with round edges, along with
Events: the arpeggiator.
Expectations: Form:
Emotions represented: Rhythm:
Emotional response: Harmony:
Meaning: Melody:
Effect:
Characters: Mise-en-scene: Instrumentation:
Location: Cinematography: Texture:
Events: Editing: Form:
Expectations: Sound: Rhythm:
Emotions represented: Harmony:
Emotional response: Melody:
Meaning: Effect:
Characters: Mise-en-scene: Instrumentation:
Location: Cinematography: Texture:
Events: Editing: Form:
Expectations: Sound: Rhythm:
Emotions represented: Harmony:
Emotional response: Melody:
Meaning: Effect:
0:05:23 – 2M01 “The Arrests” (Track 11)
0:06:40

Notes: Cause and effect – can be driven by characters or in case of a disaster film, it’s moved by the disaster itself

Cause = trigger

Effect = reaction

The audience doesn’t find a character deep and well rounded unless there is some sort of internal friction with them

Exceptions are stuff like disaster movies, or jaws, like IT as well.

Causal motivation – incident – what it might cause

Withheld CAUSES lead to mystery – good narrative development technique

Withheld EFFECTS lead to suspense

Example: Verbal Kint looking at the objects in the chief of Police’s office. We start to try and guess how those objects are important