Josie DiCapua and Iris Peron-Ames

Amal Giknis

Reel Reading

24 May 2022

Transcript: The Final Duel in Barry Lyndon

Josie: Barry Lyndon, Kubrick’s underrated masterpiece, follows the life of the titular character, Barry Lyndon, an Irish rogue. The film is, according to Jason Bellamy, “subdued, straightforward, introverted” and often overlooked due to its “deliberate, drawn-out pace” (Bellamy and Howard). Kubrick documents Barry’s rise and fall along the social ladder. Using calculated composition and blocking, the auteur develops the intricate narrative. Barry Lyndon acts as a sort of tragic hero as he navigates his fate.

In this scene, Barry is involved in a duel with his stepson, Lord Bullingdon, who seeks atonement for the abuse and mistreatment he endured. It is a very slow paced and drawn-out scene, playing with its emotions and expectations. Nobody really knows what is going to happen at any point in the duel.

Iris: We begin with the men preparing for the duel. They are arranged in an L-shape, creating depth. Bullingdon and Barry are placed opposite one another, visualizing their confrontation. Bullingdon is set slightly apart from the others, whereas Barry is framed by them. This illustrates Bullingdon’s lack of familiarity with the situation, his isolation, and seeming lack of power in the scene. Barry has already proved himself a skilled and practiced duelist, while this is presumably Bullingdon’s first duel.

As they prepare the pistols, Barry fixes directly on Bullingdon, but Bullingdon keeps his gaze on the ground. This once again defines the power imbalance. Barry maintains the power in this moment. This is also reflected in their body language. While each man holds his hands together, Bullingdon does so nervously, clutching his hands tightly. In contrast, Barry holds himself in a refined, confident way. He looks every part the gentleman he aspires to be. Josie: In this shot, Barry is framed by the other men at eye-level, allowing the viewer to feel like a part of the crowd.

The order of the duel is decided by a coin toss, reiterating the theme of fate throughout the film. Fate is notably a trademark of the tragic hero narrative. The coin toss decides Bullingdon as the first to shoot, signalling a shift in the power dynamic. To illustrate this, Bullingdon is centered in the shot for the first time. The attention is purely on him. Meanwhile, Barry is ever-so-slightly off-center. He has lost the control he previously possessed.

Each man is framed by a set of cross-shaped windows, which in turn allude to the religious symbolism in the narrative. This could be a reference to Lord Bullingdon’s previous assertion that “Quarreling people do not go to heaven.” However, Bullingdon is now quarreling with Barry.

Iris: Bullingdon misfires on his first shot, signaling another shift in power. Due to the stress, he gets sick. For the first time in the scene, we see camera movement. It enhances the panic and uncertainty of the moment.

When Barry goes to shoot, Bullingdon is placed front and center, triangulated by the other men on one side, and Barry on the other. This emphasizes a sense of humiliation and distress. He is on display, much too close, feeling trapped and scrutinized by the others. Barry, surprisingly, decides to shoot the ground. This serves as an act of atonement, as he is equalizing the situation, and offering Bullingdon a kind, merciful, and almost fatherly service. Geoffrey O’Brien, of Criterion, calls this act the “one incontestably right thing he does” (O’Brien). However, it could also be interpreted as degrading towards Bullingdon. It is an act of pity, demonstrating Bullingdon cannot win the duel on his own. This, in turn, strips him of the full power and masculinity promised through the duel, circling back to the thematic desperation for masculinity. This interpretation is further compounded by the blocking. Bullingdon remains front and center, with the men on either side of him, as if to suggest humiliation and further distress.

Josie: Bullingdon is angled slightly higher than the camera as he decides not to end the duel, proving he has some semblance of power over the situation once more. The power is a quivering one, though, seen by the subtlety of the low angle.

At the end of the scene, doves fly, suggesting that peace has been restored.

Works Cited

Bellamy, Jason, and Ed Howard. “The Conversations: Barry Lyndon.” Slant Magazine, 21 October 2011, https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-conversations-barry-lyndon/. Accessed 24 May 2022.

O’Brien, Geoffrey. “Barry Lyndon: Time Regained | Current.” The Criterion Collection, 17 October 2017, https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/5047-barry-lyndon-time-regained. Accessed 24 May 2022.

How do we effectively analyze film, and why is it important to do so? What is the impact and relevance of film throughout history, especially in regards to techniques, themes, and the way film has been used over time? Film has a very powerful influence over society, both in the past and present. However, studying and examining film can be inaccessible to the common audience. Oftentimes, people are not equipped with the tools to dissect movies and visual media, which can then mold their ways of considering major issues, people, the world, and reality as a whole.

For my capstone project, I designed and printed a film journal. Developing this capstone involved thorough research, designing and writing. I also fundraised to print it, so as to ensure the publication would be free and accessible to a wider audience. Through the publication, I want to introduce people, especially high school students, to film analysis, theory, and history, with an emphasis on foreign and independent cinema. I want to illustrate the power of movies, and how to think critically about the media we consume. The article subjects vary widely, focusing on elements like the use of color in film to auteur theory to negative representation. Ultimately, I want to teach and encourage both media literacy and a passion for cinema.

It was critical for me that my magazines were free, so as to increase accessibility and exposure. This, in turn, meant I could not fund the prints by selling my work. In order to finance my capstone, I explored several different avenues. I reached out to a number of different sponsors, using market research I had conducted to justify a partnership. Results from a couple of the polls I held are pictured above.

I also held several bake sales with Sasha Mannino, another senior, as a dual effort to fund the printing of our magazines. Pictured above is one of the posters used to advertise the bake sale. For each bake sale, I baked upwards of 90 cookies and 20 brownies. Thanks to the supportive SLA community, we managed to raise enough to print our work.

The images above provide a few examples of the spreads and material within my publication. They illustrate the diversity of my work, and demonstrate elements like film theory, history, and foreign cinema. The full digitized version of The Parenthetical can be found here. I learned a lot through my capstone project. Not only did I gain experience with film review, writing, printing, and networking, but I also learned to have the courage to put myself out there. I discovered new sides to film and my love of it. I discovered new movies and favorites, like Touki Bouki. Ultimately, in my efforts to educate and introduce others to the magic of cinema, I learned a lot about it myself.

Annotated Bibliography

Akerman, Chantal. Chantal Akerman. Edited by Jaap Guldemond and Marente Bloemheuvel, Eye Filmmuseum, 2020.

This book provides a detailed examination of Chantal Akerman, a director I intend to include in my publication. It gives an overview of her work, her life, and related essays. It not only allows me to once again develop a more comprehensive idea of writing about film, but also to develop a deeper understanding of her as a person and a director. This would enable me to write a better, fuller piece of her work. In addition, this book, by analyzing her work, teaches me to apply such skills across different films, genres, and directors. It gives me the tools necessary to truly dissect cinema and analyze it.

Barsam, Richard. Looking at Movies : An Introduction to Film. Second ed., W. W. Nortion, 2006.

This book not only provides information and teaches readers about film analysis, but it also provides guidance as to how to teach film to others. From the textbook, I am able to explore how to teach and inform my own readers about cinematic elements and techniques. I can see which examples to use to illustrate my points, and how to incorporate them into my work. It also serves as inspiration for topics and films I might address in my own magazine. The textbook also examines the theoretical and cultural aspects of film, which are points I would like to emphasize throughout my magazine.

“Color.” Movie Jawn, vol. 4, no. 1, 2021.

This magazine does a clear and effective job of capturing the fun and engagement in reviewing film, while still recognizing the limits, mistakes, and other issues movies might have. The publication includes a diverse selection of analyses and pieces based on cinema, demonstrating the scope and potential my own magazine can have. All the reviews are interesting and immersive, yet still honest. The magazine does not refrain from criticizing movies, nor does it hide any problematic issues within the films or work. These negative reviews are still critical to the magazine, and just as fascinating and enjoyable to read. They allow the reader to get a full grasp of the consequences of film. As a result, I selected this magazine as it demonstrates how to write negative reviews, the importance of doing so, and the different formats writing about movies can take. The magazine also features a theme, color, which can be inspiring for me in devising my own themes.

Cook, David A., et al. “History of Film | Summary, Industry, History, & Facts.” Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/art/history-of-the-motion-picture. Accessed 26 January 2022.

I chose this source because it gives a detailed description of the history of film. In order to design a full film magazine, complete with analyses and an examination of the influence of cinema across time, I need to have a comprehensive understanding of cinema history. In this way, I can properly and comprehensively approach film and provide more thorough and intentional reviews, as well as represent the full scope of their context and impact. This source not only gives me the information to do this, but also features a diverse range of history. Not only does it speak to major periods, like American film and the French New Wave, but it also contextualizes Taiwanese, Tunisian, and Mexican film. Therefore, using this source, I can really delve into the history and influence of movies.

“Film Analysis – The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.” UNC Writing Center, https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/film-analysis/. Accessed 26 January 2022.

This article showcases a thorough explanation of how to approach, study, and analyze film. I need this, not only to learn how to more professionally review movies myself, so that I may write about them, but also to teach my readers how to analyze film themselves. The goal of the magazine is to review movies in addition to educating and equipping the audience with the tools to do so themselves, in order to apply this knowledge throughout their lives. Therefore, this guide is critical because it clearly explains the intellectual and professional process behind examining cinema, which I intend to apply to the publication.

Keung, Laura. “Magazine Cover Design in InDesign | FREE COURSE.” YouTube, 9 June 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZmtlvKnhMc. Accessed 26 January 2022.

This source is a video that teaches how to professionally design magazine-specific elements on Adobe InDesign. This video is especially useful to me as it not only covers the basics of InDesign, but also speaks to particulars of it that are relevant to my own project, unlike other sources. Furthermore, the video was crafted by an actual graphic designer, with a very in-depth, experienced resume. The advice listed in the source are not simply technical, but important to design and aesthetic as well. As such, I will heavily rely on this source as a foundation for my skills and techniques in using Adobe InDesign.

Monaco, James, and David Lindroth. How to Read a Film: The World of Movies, Media, and Multimedia : Language, History, Theory. Third ed., Oxford University Press, 2000.

This textbook provides an in-depth analysis of the history of cinema as a whole. It speaks to politics in film, and the ways in which movies were used politically, as well as film movements, eras, and innovations. In order to approach my magazine, in which I hope to write about the history of film and the evolution of the purposes of cinema. As such, I require a thorough understanding, which I can obtain through the textbook. The book provides me with the tools necessary to dissect film, film theory, and film history, so that I can, in turn, inform readers about these same topics.

Perhiniak, Shumi. Anatomy of a Magazine Layout. 2020. Yes I’m a Designer, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hhs7rBg278bSfNhtZ-7_wCHX0zFwN66e.

As an amateur in magazine design, there is much I do not know about the creation of such publications. This source features a variety of educational components, which I can use in conjunction with one another. There is a video, which I can use simultaneously as I design my magazine. There is also a written explanation, in addition to a diagram. These give me a clear understanding of the material. The visuals also help to contextualize words or concepts I do not understand. This source covers the foundation of magazine design, which I require to put together my final product, as well as certain magazine elements and rules I did not even know existed, or I did not properly understand.

“Resources.” Fireball Printing, https://fireballprinting.com/resources/. Accessed 25 January 2022.

The Fireball Printing website, especially the resources page, is incredibly informative in regards to the process of publishing the magazines. It provides insight as to the papers utilized, and the meaning behind the different styles and types. It also describes the printing process, the layout process, and the binding process. In addition, the website details prices and options. From this resource, I am able to learn more about the actual act of designing the magazine and getting it printed. I am also able to begin to piece together my overall plans, particularly in terms of pricing, fundraising, and page count.

Sharman, Russell. Moving Pictures. University of Arkansas, 2020. University of Arkansas, https://uark.pressbooks.pub/movingpictures/. Accessed 25 January 2022.

This textbook describes the history of film and film review. The author also speaks to techniques and cinematic elements that developed over time. Therefore, the book will enable me to properly and intellectually approach film. It will ensure my reviews and analyses are professional and coherent. Additionally, the history and context shown throughout the text allows me consider the film as a whole, rather than regard it from a single, unnuanced perspective. Using it, my final product can be truly relied on as being unbiased and informative. It will also give me the means to fully comprehend how to teach such a skillset, so that I can impart it on my audience through my magazine.

“Silence Is Golden.” Whalebone, vol. 7, no. 6, 2021.

This source represents a successful film magazine, complete with detailed articles, reviews, advertisements, and other innovative pieces. I selected it as a way of studying magazine design, especially as a publication on a similar topic to mine. In this way, I can examine the features I find effective, those I do not, as well as the ways in which I can transform the material to be more engaging, informative, and varied rather than just a compilation of film reviews. The source also has a very particular style to it, which in turn, enables me to beign developing ideas of my own style, and how to thoroughly communicate it through my work.

Stewart, Al. “How to Sell Magazine Advertising.” Azcentral, https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/sell-magazine-advertising-9838.html. Accessed 25 January 2022.

This article provides a detailed description of how to approach selling advertisement space within magazines, especially small, low-traffic magazines. It lists out steps, including how to manage the financial aspect, how to craft a proposal, and how to make your pitch attractive. It also describes how to select companies that might be willing to buy advertising space from you. This is very helpful as it gives me the tools I need to start planning how I will finance this magazine. It gives me an oversight of the process of selling ad space, which thus helps to inform my decision of whether or not I think it will be feasible for me to do. It also teaches me how to sell ad space.

[Alternate title: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid except it’s circa 400 BCE and in the Mediterranean]

Though the two genres might appear to be worlds away, westerns and classical literature share a lot in common. The standard conventions of the western genre borrow heavily from the structures and themes of Greco-Roman writing. Though many writing and drama conventions can be traced back to classical antiquity, westerns echo and amplify them in a notable way. Both genres place emphasis on antiheroes and tragic heroes wandering through civilization while escaping their destinies. Both feature themes like community versus individual and nature versus civilization. This can easily be observed in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which in itself, is both a western and an analysis of westerns.

The most important connection between the two classifications is their function. In ancient Greece and Rome, literature and drama reflected their mythology and beliefs. Not only that, but they expanded on them. Virgil’s The Aeneid, for instance, literally develops new myths and “history.” Aeneas, a Trojan hero, becomes the father of the Roman people. However, prior to The Aeneid, Aeneas had no documented connection with Rome. This serves to create a mythology around Rome. It is propaganda. It validates and justifies their culture and behavior, in addition to romanticizing their heritage. Westerns operate in the same way. Films of the genre build and reinforce the myth of American expansion. They cement the United States as a strong power with an important history. They emphasize vital cultural features, like that of innovation and capitalism, or the American dream. Butch Cassidy represents this in the fullest; he is constantly seeking new ways to get rich, and fast. He steals the idea to rob the train on both the departure and return. He even cites western expansion as inspiration and justification behind his plans to make money in Bolivia. In doing so, he validates American ideals. Furthermore, as outlaws, he and Sundance work as a metaphor for America’s consistent tension with authority. The country was only created as a result of the resistance against British control. A century later, the South attempted to secede, resisting against control once more. Even today, incidents like the January 6, 2021 mirror the American mythology of countering authority. Westerns illustrate this dynamic, just like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, by focusing on outlaws and their adventures.

Westerns and classical literature also display similar structure and organization, especially Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The film echoes Greco-Roman writing in character development, themes, and literary devices. Both genres prominently feature anti-heroes and tragic heroes. In the movie, the two main characters are thieving outlaws, who eventually cause their own deaths. In major classical works, like Oedipus Rex, the audience observes as the main characters make foolish and immoral decisions that ultimately lead to their downfall. This character type is often used to explore another shared aspect: the theme of destiny. In Oedipus Rex, characters repeatedly revolt against their destiny. Oedipus tried to escape his destiny, which is to murder his father and sleep with his mother, only to find his attempts directly cause him to fulfill it. Similarly, Butch and Sundance bring about their own downfall in their mission to evade it. They are warned their time is coming to an end; their deaths are clearly imminent. Infamous for their crimes, the pair discover they are being hunted. Being caught means death. In order to avoid this outcome, Butch and Sundance run away to Bolivia. They clean up their act, thinking they can remake their destiny. However, in trying to remain good and innocent, they are forced to turn to crime again. This time, they are caught, not by their former pursuers, but by a Bolivian boy who alerts the authorities. They are surrounded, injured, and overpowered. In the end, by deciding to escape by becoming “good” in Bolivia, they caused their own downfalls.

Furthermore, a critical trait of Greco-Roman drama is irony. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid not only presents a heavy dose of irony, but also employs it in the same way as classical literature. Dramatic irony is used to underscore the tragic hero arc. In Oedipus Rex, for instance, Oedipus proudly proclaims he shall exile the man who killed his father, unknowing that it was, in fact, him. He also mocks a blind prophet, unaware that he, too, will become blind as a punishment. In the final scene of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Butch and Sundance foolishly believe they will be able to escape the Bolivian police. Hidden from their sight, the authorities continue to surround them in overwhelming numbers, all while Butch and Sundance discuss their plans for the future. The audience knows they will not survive, making the moment ironic. The use of dramatic irony furthers their arc as tragic heroes defying destiny. It demonstrates their destiny to be inevitable, just as it does in Oedipus Rex.

In the end, there are a myriad of connections between westerns and classical literature, including many unmentioned. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid proves to be an excellent study of the similarities, mimicking antiquital structure, themes, and devices. Butch Cassidy, and westerns as a whole, are so significant as they maintain a timelessness in their structure and purpose. They illustrate the connection society preserves with the past.

Hitchcock’s Psycho accomplishes an extraordinary feat: each choice made, from the soundtrack to the title sequence, from the color grading to the camerawork, develop an intense atmosphere of suspense. Not only that, but these cinematic and theatrical elements also serve to enhance the devastating twist and change in tone. Most importantly, Alfred Hitchcock sculpts a harsh and disjointed, almost frantic, viewing experience which reflects the tension and suspense pervading the film.

From the very beginning, Psycho focuses on building a suspenseful panic. The title sequence features the text splitting apart and puzzling back together. It establishes the film as feeling disjointed and confused. It also serves to visually reflect the murders to come. The way the text moves and breaks emulates a sort of dismemberment; the jagged movement echoes the stiff jaggedness of the stabbings. In addition, the title sequence is accompanied by the movie’s infamous score. The music is quick and abrupt. The orchestral score is redundant: it showcases the same brief pattern of notes over and over again, in varying pitches. As the music gets higher pitched, the tension builds. It auditorily allows for the same disjointed tension. The viewer becomes anxious, though doesn’t immediately understand why.

This disjointed tone continues throughout the film. When Marion dies, the film cuts to a series of fast, confused close ups. The viewer sees the knife, then the drain, then her eye, then the shower head, then the drain, then her eye, and so on. The quick cuts are tightly framed, not allowing for the full, broader picture at any time. In doing so, Hitchcock doesn’t allow the suspense preceding Marion’s death to break; instead, it becomes more suffocating. The audience immediately knows there is more to come. The close ups are claustrophobic. The sequence possesses a frantic quality, mirroring the viewer’s panic. It furthers the confusion of the scene. This scene marks a major twist; the main character has died only a third of the way through, leaving the viewer questioning what comes next. Once again, the music contributes to the tension of the scene. It becomes screeching, exacerbating the panic in Marion’s screams.

The sharp cuts are then juxtaposed with a slow, lingering sequence, showing Norman Bates cleaning the murder scene. The shots do not change angles as much, nor does the camera physically move as much. However, this in itself retains the frantic disjointedness of the rest of the film. It feels out of place in comparison to the preceding scene. It enables the viewer to wallow in the chaotic emotions and confusion caused by Marion’s murder, enhancing the confusion in turn. Furthermore, it reads as simply unnatural. The sequence feels too calm. As such, the suspense is able to slowly simmer and build more.

The color grading also adds to the feel of Psycho. The film was not shot in color, making for a palette of blacks, whites, and grays. These colors create a harshness to the visuals, resembling the thematic disjointedness. This amplifies the ideas of corruption and evil that pervade the movie. Black and white are so frequently correlated with bad and good, and Hitchcock uses this association to build up suspense and themes of corruption. This is seen, for instance, when Marion changes from white undergarments to her black undergarments following her thievery. Furthermore, Norman notably wears a long black dress when taking on his mother’s identity and committing the murders, in contrast to the other characters’ more varied and lighter outfits.

The black and white appearance also serves to amplify the use of shadows. The lighting techniques used in Psycho often emphasize shadows and glares. For example, after cleaning up Marion’s death, Norman is only sidelit. This paints over half his face in shadows, obscuring it. This, in turn, reveals a level of mystery. It obscures his full expression. He has, to the viewer’s knowledge, at least acted as an accomplice to murder, and so he proves tainted. He is overshadowed by his actions, and they take over the Norman first presented to the audience. It creates confusion and sharper edges. Similarly, when Norman attempts to kill Lila, the light is in constant motion, creating a rotational shadow effect. The fast-paced shadows and glares created by this lighting exacerbates the confusion and panic of the scene. Once again, it develops a confused, frantic atmosphere. The scene is harsh and disjointed.

Overall, one of the reasons Psycho is so effective is thanks to the ingenious technical and cinematic techniques. They come together to set a nuanced tone, which proves harsh, abrupt, and disjointed. This mood increases suspense and panic, which amplifies the powerful storyline.