Case StudyTHE THIRD MAN

Locations The urban location of Vienna in Austria is presented in a way that is very conventional of thrillers. It has done this through having the streets being dark, deserted and shiny, this suggests that the location is a labyrinth. The tall surrounding buildings accompanied with many vanishing points reinforces the idea of him being in a labyrinth, and that there are paths that lead to nowhere, these also make the character in this scene, holly look very small and out of proportion. Additionally the buildings are damaged and falling apart. This is a cultural signifier to the time the third man was set which is in 1949 in the aftermath of a war where Austria was split into four, with these four sections being occupied by different countries including Britain. These damaged buildings make the setting look hostile, unappealing and unglamorous, and they also make the audience feel sympathetic for anyone within this location because we feel sorry that they had live in war torn area. Furthermore this location has many wide open spaces, however with the lack of other people, vanishing points and tall buildings surrounding everywhere, it creates a sense of mystery and isolation which is conventional of the genre.

Locations (2)Although there are also some small and claustrophobic places such as the door frame or the stairs leading down into the sewers, this creates the sense that there is more than the eye can see in this location, that there are hidden and dark places. Similarly to Kill Bill, the shiny/wet pavements and building make the setting look fake and unreal, along side factors I have just mentioned, this makes the location look nightmarish and that Holly is trapped in this labyrinth with no escape. Which again creates connotations of mystery, isolation therefore constructs suspense for the audience as they always have uncertainty and anxiety that perhaps there is a reason the streets are empty because there's something dangerous and mysterious making people hide out of fear.

Locations (3)

Lighting Commonly found within noir thrillers chiaroscuro lighting is used to create strong contrasts of bright light and dark shadows. The lighting used in this scene creates a lot of dark shadows, this is creating connotations that there is something hiding in the shadows and Holly in the light is the exposed prey therefore creating suspense. We soon find out, through lighting, that Holly is being watched by a man, called Harry, watching him in dark clothing, suggesting he is part of the shadows he was just hiding in. His face is lit in a way that illuminates it and he looks pale and like a vampire. This is referencing the 1922 film Nosferatu the Vampyre, so immediately without Harry having any speech or actions, just through lighting we associate him to be evil and the antagonist. Also the lighting on hi face lets us see his sinister facial expression and draws our attention to it. Additionally all the small locations are reinforced to be claustrophobic and isolated through lighting as they have dark shadows so we cant see anything clearly.

Lighting (2)Moreover all the lighting in this scene is unnatural created by street lamps- which is very conventional of thriller, or house lights etc. this reinforces the fakery and the scene being a nightmare. Overall the chiaroscuro lighting surrounds Holly with darkness in the vanishing points and the distance etc. therefore we see him as trapped and we have paranoia that something could come out of these shadows. It is also used conventionally in the final moments with the stair case going down underground, the lack of lighting here creates darkness at the bottom, so Holly is going into the mysterious darkness therefore creating suspense and anxiety that anything could get him.

Lighting (3)