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City Of God Openening scene analysis

 City Of God Openening scene analysis


Through photography, mise-en-scene, sound, and editing, City Of God conveys the concepts of disorder and anarchy in the favella to the audience. This is demonstrated in the first scene, when the gang is chasing the chicken. The first thing we see in the movie, for example, is a knife being sharpened against a stone. Knives are normally hazardous things, and the fact that it is being sharpened against a stone suggests a barbaric lifestyle: this is foreshadowing Lil Z's brutal lifestyle, which he imposes on his gang through proxy. This quickly builds suspense and makes the spectator question the characters' motives. The editing heightens the suspense by using almost whiplash-inducing, flashing cuts between the knife and the dark screen, reinforcing the sense of urgency.

Normally, a barbecue would be a joyful, tranquil, and familiar sight; but, the tight camera angles and fast cuts disrupt this. The sequence cuts back and forth between several shots (carrot, chicken, gang), each with close-ups, making the shots appear obtrusive and claustrophobic. This reflects the inescapable turmoil of this situation and foreshadows how innocent bystanders, whether they like it or not, become entangled in the battle. This is also demonstrated by the camera movement: in the introduction, the camera rarely stays stationary; instead, it zooms in and out, pans, and follows the action in the scenes rather than cutting more than is necessary. It keeps the scene moving without making it feel bloated or over-edited.

One more factor to consider is the sound: the scene is scored with Brazilian string instruments and drums, which not only demonstrate their culture to a foreign audience but also create tension: the drums in the scene get louder and louder as the scene progresses, almost as if it's building up to something, creating a sense of anticipation. This is bolstered by the crowd's constant chatter, which, combined with the music's inaudibility, adds to the sense of chaos. This is briefly halted when the chicken escapes: we have been aligned with this chicken throughout the scene through a series of close-ups in the madness, and because it is the only chicken to escape, the audience empathises with it. The chicken, on the other hand, isn't just a chicken: it's a metaphor for freedom. Chickens are thought to be much weaker than humans, and with Lil Z's gang being the embodiment of the city's anarchy, the chicken could represent the innocent attempting to flee it.

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