Comparative Film Analysis

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Comparative Film Study Chloe Raftesath ‘Compare and contrast how the two film directors, David Fincher (The Social Network) and Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind) have portrayed the protagonists’ obsession and the effects of their obsession on themselves and on those around them.’ ‘A Beautiful Mind’, directed by Ron Howard, is set in and around Princeton. It is a film about a Mathematical genius whose life is complicated by him developing Schizophrenia. In comparison ‘The Social Network’, directed by David Fincher, is set in Harvard and California. ‘The Social Network’ is a film about a genius that is sued for allegedly stealing the idea behind Facebook. In a comparison of these two films I will set out to show how both directors have…show more content…
He uses over the shoulder shots to see this through Nash’s perspective and only in the psychiatric hospital a different perspective is employed. Like Nash, we struggle to distinguish between reality and fiction. Fincher shows the characters being held in the frame for a short time, then cut, dissolved and framed, demonstrating a flashback. Nash’s difficulty relating is presented when teaching his students, we see him walking away from the students and then a close-up shot of him peering through the window, a high angle shot out of the window, conveying John’s disconnection with those around him. The hallucinations of Charles and Marcy fulfil his need for relationship. His obsessions and behaviours isolate him and due to this Alicia struggles to relate to…show more content…
Howard shows this in the first scene where he speaks to Erica. Howard uses over the shoulder shots from face to face in closer shots, displaying expressions of the characters in sharp focus. We see Erica’s animated face, smiling often, compared to Mark, glancing to the side when pressurised and intensely focussed when stating a point, expression only changing with a smirk during an insult. He is socially unaware, dressing and acting inappropriately socially. At a business meeting, Mark ignores the businessman, making distracting noises, slouches and dresses sloppily. The shot is taken from behind Mark and Eduardo’s and then cuts the faces of the two of them, demonstrating his contrarian behaviour and lack of awareness. His failure to relate due to his obsession caused him to lose all he held

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