Johnny Guitar: Opening
PEFORMANCE
REPRESENTATION
EDITING
CONTEXT
CINEMATOGRAPHY
AESTHETICS
MIS-EN-SCENE
SOUND
Explosion behind Johnny Guitar
shows his presence will cause a disruption
Guitar is dressed in yellow and a cowboy hat, makes for a typical western film
He is also on a horse, with a guitar
Stage couch is robbed
Another element of a typical western
Audience is shown this because it ends up being an important element within the film
Sand storm
Typical western element
Deeper meaning is that the underlying truth within the film is masked by the typical elements of a western film
Vienna's
Vienna's is built into the rock face making it look like it's apart of the natural development
Vienna's is shown in a long shot, establishing shot
Camera follow Johnny Guitar into the saloon, up to the man at the bar
Shows he unsure of what to expect and the audience is as well because he didn't save the couch, therefore it isn't a typical Western film
Long shot
First shot is of Johnny Guitar on his horse riding through the mountains, wearing yellow and a cowboy hat
Stereotypical first shot for a cowboy film
puts the audience into a false sense of security because they believe it's a typical western film
Camera pans across following Johnny Guitar on his horse
Establishes the work that's being done on the mountains, creates an enigma
Audience questions what the explosions are for
Of Vienna's
Establishes were he is going and possibly his purpose
Of the stage couch getting robbed
Distances Johnny Guitar from the violence, implying he is not that type of person
Also distances the audience from the attack, making them feel helpless and makes the question why Johnny Guitar isn't doing anything
Johnny is not a typical protagonist for a western #
Johnny Guitar #
He doesn't help the people getting attacked
He's seen as a peaceful man
Medium shot
Of the men working at Vienna's
Implies that ot's a male dominated palce
Stare down Johnny making him feel uncomfortable and unwelcoming
It's like her hiding place/lare, because she presents Communism
It's empty, implying business isn't going great for the saloon
Links to people not being able to work due to McCarthyism
Naturalistic sounds of the wind and the bombs going off
Makes the film come across as more realistic
Noise of roulette table
Shows it's a place for gambling
Trying to persuade Johnny Guitar to play
Interior makes it look like it's built into the rock even more #
Hand held camera
Follow johnny guitar to the bar
Low angle shot
Cut's in between johnny and the two men working the different tables
Intimidating shows that they don't trust him
Trucolor
Used by Republic Pictures
Johnny
Seen as very calm
Brings up Vienna
Show's why he's there, creates an enigma of who Vienna is
L cut
Cuts from Johnny Guitar talking to vienna standing on the balcony
Allows the audience to understand that Vienna has walked in on the conversation
used for vienna on the balcony
Establishes the fact that she is powerful, looking down on everyone who's beneath her
Vienna
Dressed in dark clothing, shows that she's a strong presence as are the men who work for her
She's wearing trousers, giving her a masculine presence because woman weren't typically shown in trousers within these films
However, she fits into the typical cowgirl stereotype with her wearing trousers because this was how they established that the woman within the film is strong and independent
POV shot
Of Vienna watching Johnny Guitar walking into the kitchen
Low angle, allows the audience to see the power vienna has on the men that work for her
Man walks towards the camera and talks straight to the camera
He looks directly at the audience, breaking the fourth wall
It results with the audience' feeling that they are involved in the story
Breaking the fourth wall is something that Nicholas Ray does and it's one of his main signatures within his films (AUTEUR)
Trucolour #
Bright
Natural
Raw