One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Revision

OFOTCN
Mcmurphy's Arrival

Cinematography: Natural seeming lighting, real and raw atmosphere.

Sound: All diegetic, a quiet scene, merely dialogue and no background sounds or music

Mise-En-Scene: Office setting

Performance:Doc is played by an amateur actor- Demonstrates how Forman took influence from the German Expressionist movement.

Nicholson in performance is informal and chatty, discussing the photograph on the Doc's desk, and joking with him about the chain before the discussion launches. McMurphy smokes during the scene to show he is trying to keep calm and collected. Jack Nicholson used method acting to help himself deliver a simple and truthful performance, which complements the authenticity of the scene.
Open body language- demonstrates an air of confidence- these demonstrate the informal treatment of the subject of mental health. - Breaching a difficult subject such as mental health shows influence from the Italian Neo realist movement.

Dialogue/Plot: A Frank approach to sexuality: McMurphy openly discusses his conviction for statutory rape and argues without shame, his feeling of attraction and sexual encounter. The taboo subject of statutory rape is treated with a calm attitude.

-Group Therapy session 1

Point : It could be argued that the group therapy scene depicts how Forman took great influence from the French new wave and the Italian Neo-realist Film movements.

Explanation of Point: The spectator is encouraged to make light of the setting of the film that is a mental institution, which suggests that Forman was under strong influence from the French New wave movement. Furthermore, the scene has an authenticity and raw realness that corresponds with the features of the Italian Neo realist Movement.

Micro/Macro elements: 
Cinematography: Natural lighting, long shot of Mr Elgrid dancing, preventing the spectator from gaining an in touch, deep connection with the character.- Feature of Italian Neo Realism.

The constant cuts to McMurphy allow the spectator to view the scene through his eyes, using McMurphy as a diegetic audience. We see his amused reaction and immitation of the hand position of Mr Harding to demonstrate the word "queer" by putting his hands either side of his cheeks. This encourages the audience to view the matter with humour, under the demonstrative guidance of the character of McMurphy.

Sound: Completely diegetic, makes the scene seem more real, giving it authenticity- Feature of Italian Neo Realism

Mise En Scene: Predominantly white colour palette is calming and removes any tension that is created by the situation, this puts the spectator at ease and helps to encourage them to regard the scene with a light-hearted perspective.- Feature of French New wave movement in adding toward the irreverant humour, as the subject matter of a mental institution is being treated lightly and humourously in this scene

Performance: Mr Elgrid carelessly and slowly flinging his limbs tempts the spectator to laugh at the situation- complemented by dialogue... Feature of the French New wave movement: Irreverant humour

Dialogue: Irreverant humour, the staff telling Mr Elgrid to sit down- Creates a sense of Delinquency in Mr Elgrid's character, which is amusing to the spectator.

Plot: Later in the scene, Forman's frank approach to sexuality is made clear through the dialogue and performance of Mr Harding, and his situation of his issues within his marriage. Mr Harding challenges the other patients what they mean by the word queer and physically demonstrates the social stereotype placing the backs of his hands onto his cheeks in performance. This shows Mr Harding frank approach to sexuality as he feels motivated to challenge people's preconceived ideas.

It could be counter argued that against this argument, an awkward approach toward sexuality is created, as when asked to comment on the situation of Mr Harding and his wife, the other patients in performance are removed from being in touch with the current moment and are reluctant to engage with the discussion. The characters of Mr Skaneline and Mr Martini refrain from making eye contact with Nurse Rathched to discuss the matter. This creates the overall impression that they do not feel comfortable discussing sexuality.


Later Group therapy Session:

Mise en scene: Mcmurphy enters in a white suit. He is beginning to match the other patients, and is becoming more institutionalized. This contrasts with the first scene wherein the weather outside is unnaturally unclear and foggy, allowing mcmurphy to the be the only colourful object within the frame
 In contrast in this scene, the outside has greenery and is clearly different from Mcmuphy's white clothes. This allows Mcmurphy to stand out from the outside world and blend in with the other patients.
- Nurse ratched is no longer centre frame,

The morning after the party scene

- Nurse ratched enters: Centre frame showing dominance in the scene immediately, tracking we are following her - highlights importance.
Mise en scene: black cape appears sinister and threatening to the spectator. Resembles a Nun: this connotates the idea of evil and the common conception of Nuns acquiring authority through hostile behaviour.
- Links to the czech new wave idea of subversion of the soviet union, within which dictatorship and brutality was ingrained.
- The authoritative figures are portrayed in a negative light.
- Randle undermines her authority throughout the film, giving reference to this theme.
-performance: Nurse ratched has a stern and rigid facial expression whereas the guards, positioned behind her back within the frame have smirking facial expressions undermines her authority. - links back to the theme of the Czech new wave movement.

- The End Scene
Unexpected shocking death and ambiguous ending- Italian Neo-realism

Cinematography: Natural lighting, dark and shadowy, foreshadows the darkness of the ending. It demonstrates to the spectator to regard the situation with a solemn attitude. -Natural lighting reflects Forman's taking influence from the German Expressionist Movement.

The end shot of Chief running off into the distance accompanied with the loud joyous music suggests victory but combined with the extreme low key lighting, and the switch to the quieter, less victorious theme tune in the music, fading to black, provides the spectator with more ambiguity and mystery as to what would happen within the narrative after the ending of the film. - This ambiguous ending demonstrates how Forman was influenced by the Italian Neo-realist movement.

Sound: Nostalgic and happy classical music with a strong drum beat reflects the victorious nature of the scene as chief escapes; the drum creshendos in the music.

The sound of the water rushing out of the base of the water tap is almost hyperreal and helps to create an intense atmosphere; this ending emphasizes the significance of McMurphy's time in the mental institution as he is shown to inspire Chief into escaping and finding a new lease of life. The mental institution has caused McMurphy to reignited the life of Chief, however his own life has been shattered.

Mise en scene: Navy blue is prominant within the colour palette.
The films setting of a real mental institution complements the rawness and authenticity of the film.

Performance: Chief's facial expression of struggle as he lifts the water tap

Dialogue

Plot: The ending of Chief lifting the basin allows the spectator to recount how McMurphy attempted to do the same earlier on in the film

-Fishing/escape

Influences: French New Wave (social realism), Forman being from Europe, where social realism began, made him heavily influenced by the movmentpost 1960 influences:

Insitutional Context: 

First post war movement -Italian Neo-realism

More raw and authentic. The first Neo realist film mixed non-actors with professional films, had unexpected and shocking deaths and an ambiguous ending.

Mussolini saw the significance of film as a cultural institution. They criticised the teleophone bianchi movement which reflected bourgouris wealth promoted class hierarchy, in line with the fascist regime. The Italian Neo realist films would take the opposite approach: Capturing the bleakness of working class Italy. Shot almost exclusively in medium wide shots rather than closeups; this distance removed all the romanticism. Shooting on the street gave their films an authenticity that hadn't yet been seen in the industry, showing the reality of social injustice, filled with real locals. Neo realist films often feature children as a symbol of optimism.

The pioneers of Italian neorealism inspired the instigators of the French New wave movement

-French new wave

This style involved making films swiftly with minimal crews and lightweight equipment.Advances in camera technology along with faster film stocks, allowed filmmakers to shoot with natural lighting that was available. The plots often felt spontaneous and absurd featuring: casual and irreverant humour, a frank approach to sexuality and sometimes obscure cinematic references. They used alienation techniques: Jumpcuts and characters talking directly to the camera. Their goal was to capture the authenticity of life in post war Europe.

Rejected traditional linear tropes of storytelling and created a new language of film. Inspired by both depictions of the common, lower class workers of Italian Neorealism and Hollywood’s beloved ‘Golden Age’

Czech new wave:
-Anti soviet union- reflected by the subversion of authority.
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