Jake Puttick casablanca blog

Jake Puttick

Casablanca

            The classic film “Casablanca” opens with a shot of Africa, across which the title “Casablanca” stretches proudly across the screen. The map gives an instant indication that Africa will be an important setting in the time to come. Fast paced exotic music also hints at an exciting setting. The words balance the on screen image with the picture of Africa, this visual balance is a theme seen throughout the film along with a   film noir themes, all of which is kept at a good rhythm thanks to the brilliant employment of music.

            Music is used to guide the audience’s mood throughout the film. Dramatic drums and epic orchestral sounds signify important moments. When rick meets Ilsa the dreamy music floats on and signifies love at fist sight.

 Music is not the only audible part of the film with significant value. When describing how long one waits if one is not able to get out of “Casablanca” the narrator hauntingly repeats “and wait….and wait….and wait…..”

            The first time we visit Rick’s bar we see many examples of on screen balance within the span of a short few seconds. We witness the interactions of a handful of pairs of people. These pairs split the attention to neutrality and the situations at hand, neither side of the screen draws an unnecessary amount of attention from the viewer. These encounters establish Casablanca as a terrible place. One man even says “waiting, waiting, waiting, I never get out of here. I die in Casablanca.

            Balance isn’t only evident in shapes, but colors as well. Rick’s white tuxedo balances nicely with the decorated military man’s white attire. Attention was split but the colors also can signify peace, hinting that those two characters are friends. A shady character might hide him with his attire and sport dark clothes to blend end with a shadowy background.

            Some evidence of the film noir style is the abundance of cigarettes, and the many shadows in almost every shot. The shadows add a gloomy feel while the smoke adds a mysterious wisp to the air. The early shooting that occurs in rick’s bar sows the grim violence that shows up in many film noir films.

            The impressive use of audio, the evident film noir themes and the great on screen balance of masses and colors all work together to build one of the most recognized classic film noir films.