The image of an underdog or teenage comic book/video game nerd are portrayed through the two films and become the main lead in
the narrative through the idea of hyper reality. However, both scenes portray
hyper reality differently. The scene in Scott Pilgrim visual style is used
to reinforce the hyper realistic setting, but it is
not necessarily needed to drive the narrative forward. However, In
Eternal Sunshine it has used visual style to make the house that Joel and
Joel's memory of Clementine collapsing around them is done to perhaps represent
the house as Joel's memories of Clementine being torn from his mind and so that
the audience knows that Joel may be preparing to say his final goodbyes to his
memory of Clementine to continue the films story-line. This is used to
make Joel's situation seem more intense, but in reality, Joel is an 'Average
Joe' trying to forget about an old girlfriend. MICRO aspects are used to
reinforce the MACRO's of narrative and style in the two
films. Mis-en-scene is used predominately to create the animated
fight scene between two monsters, which have spawned from Scott guitar, and one
another from two of Ramona’s ex’s instruments. The setting is quite ordinary
and, is what the audience would consider a realistic setting but, is
turned in to a monster brawl to create this extraordinary event through
animation to reinforce this hyper realistic setting to give the idea that
this scene is like a boss battle in a video game to turn Scott from being an underdog to a hero. However, Eternal Sunshine in comparison does not use
Mis-en-scene heavily to reinforce the films setting, rather to portray how Joel's
feelings about Clementine and continue the narrative. It makes Joel's 'Average
Joe' lifestyle seem more interesting to the audience. Moreover, it does however use the mis-en-scene, specifically costume. Clementines hair colour changes quite a lot to portray Joel's different memories of Clementine. Another example of this is through editing with the transition locations being cut in and out to make it seem like Joel is jumping between memories.
The A Lister (0.00 - 0.10) Scott's first fight against Ramona's 1st ex. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEAAAloaVNU
Surrealism is a concept used both intrinsically and
extrinsically in the two films. In Eternal Sunshine the scene above
portrays the idea of hyper reality as Joel’s memories slip away he desperately
searches in his mind for some sort of remnants of Clementine, which, portrays a
sense of surrealism. Visual style is used to show Joel losing memories of
Clementine as the book covers disappear and turn white. This causes Joel
to not lose his sense of what is real and what is just a memory, the narrative
helps portray this as the editing of the film is discontinuous which could
cause the audience to believe that this film may not be set in chronological
order. Joel jumps from different memories so it is the audience’s job to
differentiate this as well to fully immerse their self in the film. Is
unlike Scott Pilgrim since the narrative of the film progresses through each ex
that Scott defeats. This links to the idea of a video game as each ex represents a end of level boss which has been reinforced through visual effects to make each fight look some which conforms to the genre of games such as Tekken and Street Fighter. In Scott Pilgrim, the scene presents Scott about to
battle one of Ramona's evil exes and his stunt doubles, this also portrays a
sense of surrealism because Scott finds it difficult fighting this ex since he
cannot figure out which one is the real ex. This links to the concept of hyperreality as the idea as there being multiple simulations of reality. Visual style is also used to
recreate the idea that this is meant to be a comic book/arcade game setting.
Mis-en-scene reinforces this idea as it is predominately in this scene, the
specific aspect of this MICRO area being casting to give the idea that this
'boss' has clones of himself and reinforce the films MACRO of visual style
to further reinforce the arcade game setting in the film rather than being used
to drive the narrative along. However, Eternal Sunshine uses
Cinematography to reinforce the narrative as well as the use of animation to
move around the scene as the books in the bookstore lose their colour moving
the plot line of the story forward since Joel's memories of Clementine
are dissipating.
The idea of second chances
is brought up in both Scott Pilgrim and Eternal Sunshine, Scott literally gets
a second life after he is defeated by Gideon which is created through visual
style to complete Scott's development as a character as well as bringing upon
the end of the narrative creating a resolution by earning self respect for himself
with his second chance as he learns that self respect for yourself is more
powerful than love. This also links to hyperreality since Scott actually dies but then plays the whole of the film again, just like having a spare life in a video game, as well as the idea that different choices in a video game can affect the outcome. For example the choice of swords affected the ending of the film. In comparison to Eternal Sunshine Joel believes that if he
can create a memory of Clementine he can preserve it until morning and still
remember her for a second chance. Visual style helps create this new memory
making Joel the size of a child but still looking like his adult self, which
reinforces the films hyper realistic setting. It also shows to the audience
that love can be a powerful ally in Eternal Sunshine instead of self-respect,
which contrasts with Scott Pilgrims message.
Mis-en-scene, specifically animation reinforces the MACRO as it is
used to create a second life for Scott to reinforce the hyper realistic video
game setting. However, in Eternal Sunshine props have been used to make Joel
appear smaller than he is, and costume is used to dress Joel as a child to
reinforce the idea to the audience that Joel is in a dream state, which
reinforces the films narrative. The two MICRO aspects both represent how the
MACRO visual style can be used in multiple ways.
Both films near their
resolutions portray the idea that self-respect is more powerful than love.
When Joel and Clementine break up, Joel seems happier and more content with
himself. Jim Carrey's role here is important as he has to stylistically portray himself as happy after finally moving on from Clementine and this is seen visually through his emotions and performance. This suggests how Eternal Sunshine is not reliant on
visual style to progress the narrative forward as the film finishes
without the use of this MACRO aspect since he is no longer in a dream state.
The final scene of Scott Pilgrim shows Scott gaining self-respect for him self
which is visually shown through a flaming sword. This is not entirely
necessary, to finish the narrative but is used anyway to create a
spectacle instead of implicitly showing his new
found respect for himself how Eternal Sunshine has presented
it. Eternal Sunshine uses the MICRO of sound by only having the Joel and
Clementine converse in this scene. This is used to implicitly portray Joel's new found
respect for himself by letting Clementine leave, rather than repeating their
relationship again only to have the same outcome. In comparison to Scott
Pilgrim the portrayal of Scott's new found respect for himself is shown through
him quickly defeating the opposition and striking Gideon, who would be considered as Scott, the reluctant hero's black night down to the ground. The MACRO of style is reinforced here by the MICRO Mis-en-scene and
cinematography. Specifically animation and different camera shots to reinforce
the arcade game setting and to present a sense of intensity. The second sword has different visual effects to the first one and Gideon does not kill him the second time and instead perishes himself. This may have been to present a message that self-respect is more powerful than love as love can make you act rash and illogically. This is also presented when the sword comes out of him and the 'stats' on the sword are higher than the sword of loves 'stats' which continues to conform to the conventions of a video game.
In both films it is
suggested that both protagonists battle conflicts deep inside their
subconscious. Joel fights against his past decisions to try and keep memories
of Clementine, which drives the narrative to the scene where Joel attempts to
create a new memory with Clementine and does not rely on visual style to drive
the narrative forward in this scene. This scene in Eternal Sunshine
uses Cinematography. Specifically low-key lighting to create a
sense that Clementine is a fading memory due to Joel's past decisions. In
comparison Scott Pilgrim visual style is used to create Nega Scott, who is
supposed to represent Scott's dislikes and insecurities about himself. In order
to defeat this 'final boss' Scott has come to terms with
his insecurities through gaining self respect for himself. Scott
Pilgrim uses animation in this scene instead to create Nega Scott which
does not necessarily have to be created through animation but is used to create a
spectacle. This is in contrast to Eternal Sunshine, which focuses on
a serious emotional struggle within Joel's subconscious. The purpose of Nega Scott was to present a battle of inner demons within Scott which exaggerates hyperreality because this is not something which would happen in every day society. It also distorts hyperreality since the fight concludes with both Scott's coming outside having befriended each other. This concludes in a way the audience would not expect since Nega Scott would have been considered as the final boss by the audience.
Both directors were both
once music video directors, this is shown explicitly and implicitly through
their work. In Eternal Sunshine, sharp jump cuts in the editing are used to
show the transgression of Joel's memories from one to another. This is used so
that the audience understands Joel's relationship with Clementine, as well as
understanding the narrative of the story. This technique is used in music
videos to sometimes create tension or provoke emotion based on the genre
of song. However, in Scott Pilgrim this scene would not be needed to push the
narrative along since Scott could have fought this fight without any stylistic
effects. Techniques such as this are used in music videos to create a
spectacle, mainly found in mainstream music, which relates to the fact that
Scott Pilgrim is a mainstream film. Both these scenes show the director’s
influence from their previous work which are created through different MICRO
aspects, for Eternal Sunshine editing is used heavily. However in Scott
Pilgrim, Mis-en-scene is used predominately, specifically animation. This may
be due to the fact that Eternal Sunshine was an independent film and would of had
a lower budget than Scott Pilgrim had since it was a mainstream film and
mainstream films predominately like to create spectacles in their films with
effects and animation rather than provoking more emotion like independent
films. Scott however ends up with with Ramona, ending the video game as he beat all of Ramona's exes which were each considered as an individual level, like a video game. This conforms to classic Hollywood narrative as the hero, Scott gets the girl and lives 'happily ever after' which sends a message that the hero, after defeating all of the obstacles or levels, always gets the girl. This also presents the idea of a ending cut-scene after completing a video game. Since Scott Pilgrim is a mainstream, Hollywood film which, contrasts with Eternal Sunshine as it is an independent film ends without Joel and Clementine staying together.
The idea of hyper reality in
visual style has been explored and portrayed in different ways throughout the
two films Eternal Sunshine and Scott Pilgrim vs. the world.
The directors both developed their style of film creation from
music videos and the influence of subcultures of the early 90's so the directors main demographic/revenue would be from people in their 20's or 30's and this audience would appreciate these films references to the 90's more than teenagers born in the late 90's which, could explain why Scott Pilgrim did not sell very well in mainstream cinema since the main demographic in cinemas are teenagers. Also, the references in Scott Pilgrim consisted of mainly video game references which would mean that only a niche set of audience members may get the references would go and see the film, or even enjoy it. This could be used to
explain why there are close links between their two styles. Joel is not able to have a clear distinction between what he
considers reality and what is really just a memory since the two have been
seamlessly blended together so that there is no clear distinction between where
one ends and the other begins which also portrays the idea of hyper reality
through visual style. Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind also has the
narrative of the story is driven forward through hyper reality, creating a
dream state through visual style.
The Ring.
Iconic Characters: Gandalf
Iconic Characters: Golum
Return of the ring (Iconic Prop)
Lightsabers (Iconic Prop)
Iconic villain, completion of character development.
Iconic heroes (Qui-gon)
Return of Iconic hero/mentor (Gandalf in The Hobbit)
