Research- BOURNE IDENTITY

The Bourne Identity-

Analysis Essay

At first glance we receive a fade in establishing wide shot. Already this fade from black adds a sinister, stealthy feel to the film extract. The fact that the first image we see is black also foreshadows the protagonists’ unknown past, while the fade in foreshadows the quick ease that he has in recovering certain aspects from his past; for example the moment Bourne bursts out in French).

Overlapping this establishing shot is low foreboding stringed instruments, at a relatively fast tempo. This music is very emotive and effectively plays on the audiences’ apprehension, increasing their tension from the start.

 All we see from this quick establishing shot is a port (seemingly empty) however as the camera switches to a view of the protagonist Bourne, he looks around, helping the audience take in the surroundings of a bustling port street. The shot shows us that the protagonist knows as much as we do, both of us are unfamiliar of the surroundings of the film extract. This helps us to side with the Bourne from the start.

It is important to note that Bourne is wearing a red jacket which pops out behind the dull, drab, rainy street. This theme of red is repeated through the movie as a metaphor of Bourne’s future. In this setting, it is applicable as he is on a journey approaching the unknown (finding his past identity and what has happened to him in his past).

The non-diegetic ambiance of street conversations forebodes the contemptuous dialogue to follow. The fact that we see the bustling streets with Bourne included in the shot signifies that Bourne is fully involved with the following action. Bourne continues down the street and then disappears after a blue truck blocks the shot, driving through the foreground. This speck of blue is one of the only spots of colour (apart from the red jacket) that stands out in the drab, rainy street, and signifies Bourne’s past identity. That fact the Bourne simply vanishes after the blue truck passes, emphasises that his past identity has also vanished from his recollection. This vanishing also ignites a sensation of mystery and enigma.

 If the grade lines in the rule of thirds were placed over this shot, Bourne would be positioned in the middle square, as he walks down the street. His centring in the shot, collaborating with the long duration of the shot reveals to the audience that Bourne is the key character, the protagonist in the film. This centring also offers the audience an atheistic composition, which contrasts to the alarming, tension built through the ominous music and dark drab setting.

The shot changes into a slow areal zoom of a blue train entering tunnel. This theme of blue is again brought through the icon of the train signifying that Bourne is on a journey to find his identity. The areal zoom is followed by a hand held shot of Bourne as he stares at his reflection in the train window. This unsteady zooming shot implants uncertainty, which connects us to the uncertainty that Bourne is facing. His reflection again provokes a scenes of angst, as it appears dark and distorted. The fact that Bourne is examining an unclear image of himself parallels to the examining and searching to find out his past.

The shot switches to a close up of Bourne’s hand fiddling with a bullet. This icon adds a scene danger to the movie, and helps us understand that Bourne is dwelling on the previous events (which include the bullet) and trying to piece together information. The subsequent shot tracks Bourne walking through a crowded train station, and as he comes to a stop next to the front of a train projecting red headlights. This colour red again represents Bourne’s future, and specifically in this shot, his place within society. This is shown by the masses of people surrounding him. It enlightens the audience to the thoughts swirling through Bourne’s mind, who is he, and what connections does he have to in the world around him. (Who does he ‘know’, who are his enemies…)

The next shot discloses Bourne stationary in a dark snowy alleyway in silhouette. The camera pans smoothly and slowly upwards. Firstly, the shot is tranquil, and lacks music (silent) showing us Bourne is obviously contemplating something, due to his lack of movement or noise; indicative to the fact that he is having a hard time coming to terms with his situation. His dark figure lacks detail paralleling to the lack of details Bourne has about both his past and identity. This concept of his lack of knowledge and truth is evidently expressed through the repeated symbol of blue (Bourne is filmed in the silhouette of a blue street lamp).

The film then continues and we receive a view of two polices’ feet tracking to a park bench the Bourne is sleeping on. This tracking foot shot emphasises the sense of ambiguity about who these two men are, friend or foe? The camera changes to a close up of Bourne’s face, after he bursts out in French to these policemen. The show reveals to us that Bourne is suddenly struck with a revelation of key to his past, that he can speak French. As he converses the camera switches back and forth from a close up of Bourne, to a shot from behind Bourne revealing the Police. This switching in perspective adds a jumpy, unnerve, which is followed by even quicker cuts from a diverse array of angles of a fight scene that breaks out between the men. This again creates a disorientation and further action/movement, which accumulates tension in the audience.

This scene was filmed in a dark street. This dim lighting casts dark, defining, shadows across Bourne’s face making his features sharp and distinct. This lighting along with the cold snow covered set, adds a sinister tone emphasising, as Bourne defends himself, the potential Bourne has to wound, and how naturally fighting comes to him.

The fight scene ends and changes to a CU of Bourne’s face looking between the two police men and the swift damage that he has instinctively inflicted on them. The camera then shows a CU of the gun held comfortably in his hands. We realise in the moment that Bourne himself does that he is familiar with handling a gun. He discovers more about the type of person he must have been: violent. We can see that Bourne is wary, and uncertain about this realisation, from the CU of his face. The gun, an icon of maliciousness is dropped and disabled, and we understand that Bourne is moral, virtuous, not aggressive and malicious.

The shot then tracks Bourne running and leaving behind his coat. This ridding of his RED coat symbolises the fact that Bourne has discovered a part of his past and doesn’t want his FUTURE self to participate in the kind of violence he perceives his past self to have dabbled in. He sprints AWAY from the site where he beat up the police men which again emphasises this point.

In the beginning on this film, it is filmed as Laura Mulvey puts it, in a ‘male gaze’. She quotes that film is split between, ‘active males and passive females’ and that ‘film opens with the woman as object of the combined gaze of spectator and all the male protagonists in the film. She is isolated, glamorous and on display….But as the narrative progresses she falls in love with the main male protagonist.’ This theory is most certainly incorporated in the start of the Bourne Identity, where Marie falls in love with male protagonist Bourne, however the movie excludes Mulvey’ s theory of the audience acting as a ‘peeping tom’ though watching and objectifying the woman through the perspective of the male protagonist. The woman Marie first fits in to the stereotype of a ‘damsel in distress’ (passive) portraying women as helpless and in dire need of a heroic male character, however her character transforms into a strong, independent, stable female , paralleling to the rise in feminism in society. Marie is not objectified by Bourne, but rather respected and depended upon progressively throughout the film. This again contradicts Mulvey’s theory that all women are portrayed as solely object of lust and desire from a males POV. Specifically the film extract, when taken out of context, does not include any women, and may be critiqued for the dominance of male characters, especially through the eyes of strong feminists