For my Mise-en-scene analysis, I chose the contemporary film, Drive. Released in 2011, Drive is a crime and drama film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Ryan Gosling stars a no-name Driver who lives two lives. By day, he is a Hollywood stunt driver and garage mechanic. At night, he uses his driving skills to service as a taxi for criminals. Drive is a story of his departure from isolation and connection to the lives of his neighbor, Irene (played by Carey Mulligan) and her son. In the film, we get a look into the mysterious Driver’s life as he tries to escape his past through the process of helping and falling in love with his neighbor.
Drive’s use of mise-en-scene techniques helps to communicate this plot. Mise-en-scene is the composition of visual elements such as lighting, characters, makeup, costume, props, cinematography, and set design in a film. In Drive, there is a strong use of Mise-En-Scene principles. At the beginning of the film, there is a normal eye-level, medium shot of the Driver in a hotel room looking over the city’s night sky. The scene is isolated. In the shot, the only visuals include the lamp, the Driver, and the large blackness of the hotel window. This shot stood out to me due to the sue of territorial space of the Driver.
His back is turned towards us which suggests he has traits which are hidden. The only light source is from a lamp to the protagonist’s left which creates high-contrast lighting. This lighting is used to dramatizes the mystery behind the Driver. In addition to the lighting, we see his reflection in the window. Once used in German Expressionism, this technique suggests that the Driver has a doppelganger – or double self. This shot successfully introduces the Driver as a man with a double life. He is anonymous to the audience and all of these techniques re used to help communicate this character’s persona.
Towards the beginning of the film, the Driver is taking Irene and her son Benicio home from the autoshop. There is a normal eye-level, medium shot of Irene (in the foreground) and the Driver in background. The shot shows both characters in profile view. Irene is on the left and the Driver on the right. They are both smiling, but the Driver is positioned on-screen right. Due to this character blocking, the focus is on the Driver and his happiness in this moment. There is high-key lighting from the sunlight pouring through the car windows.
This lighting creates a light-hearted and cheerful mood. Additionally, the colors consist of mostly yellow-oranges. These colors are warm and bright compared to many other shots in the film – adding to the happiness of the moment. The Driver is not wearing his usual scorpion bomber jacket, which he usually wears during the night when he is involved in crime. Instead, he is wearing a bright, white t-shirt which can suggest purity or new beginnings. To summarize, the mise-en-scene of this shot is to describe the happiness of the scene. It is representative of a new beginning for the Driver.
The introduction of Irene and Benicio into his life has brighten it literally and metaphorically. The visuals of this scene contrasts the dark, lonely scenes of his double-life as a getaway driver. When the Driver meets Irene’s husband for the first time, they are standing in the hallway outside their apartment doors. After their uncomfortable encounter, Irene’s husband walks out to take the trash out. This scene is a medium shot with high-contrast lighting. The high key lighting creates a harsh lighting setting. The high-key lighting is used to exaggerate the intensity of this scene.
In addition, most of the color in this scene is black or dark red. Both colors can symbolize danger, fear, or intimidation. It is apparent the Driver and Irene’s husband, Standard, are not on good terms. As Standard leaves to exit the hallway, his shadow is strongly contrasted against the wall dividing the Driver (screen left) and Standard) screen right. This shadow not only divides the two characters, but it also represents Standard’s doppleganger. We learn later about Standard’s involvement in crime. He has been lying to Irene, but the doppelganger symbol in this shot foreshadows this character’s secret.
In summary, Drive is a strong example of a contemporary film which uses Mise-en-scene principles to enhance and communicate it’s plot. With a strong, symbolic uses of lighting and color, Drive describes the dramatic life of the anonymous Driver and his dangerous life. The use of shadows and mirrors describe the doppelgangers of both the Driver and Standard – Irene’s husband and the Driver’s neighbor. The blocking used in scenes helps direct the attention of the viewers to the important actions such as the threat of Standard to the Driver