CHAPTER 15
SPACE, STYLIZED ENVIRONMENTS, AND PERFORMANCES
SPACE
Film abridges time in the interest of narrative compression and can be equally selective with space. A protagonist eating dinner who suddenly remembers he hasn't put a coin in the parking meter will not be shown covering every step on his way to rectify the situation. Instead we will see him leap to his feet, his dropped spoon splashing soup, follow his feet running downstairs, then cut to join him in the middle of an argument with the meter maid. Even when locations are used to set our expectations about characters, the movie may only show us key aspects. Three scenes in a baronial hall will be set against the fireplace, the great stairway, and a doorway flanked with suits of ...
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