Jocelyn Hetrick

Film Analysis

Dr. Permenter

Thelma and Louise Quick Write

I really enjoyed watching Thelma and Louise. I have always heard of it, but never really got to see it. The technical aspects and scenery was beautiful. The parallel editing of the second sequence really showed the difference in the two women, Thelma being more scattered and Louise tidy and careful. That and her having her hair up all the time told me that Louise was more uptight than Thelma was. This is completely different that the end of the film. At the beginning they are both more “properly” dressed. At the end, they both have their hair down and wild and they are wearing looser tanks. This parallels their change in personality. There was a lot of foreshadowing in the film, like the opening scene when it changes from black and white to color. This foreshadows the girls change in personalities and living.

I thought the scene where they were driving down the road and the camera was on a dolly going by them, filming the car was a nice shot. It really got a feel for the Thunderbird and for the girls. The trucker scene was also very interesting. I thought that the mise en scene with the two girls, the view of the truck and the trucker walking into view was good placement to show what was to come. Also the end of that scene when they drove circles around him I found amusing. The other mise en scene I noticed was with the gate. When Thelma was laying on the pool and the gate was open in the background, and Louise pulled up in the car. It was a perfect example of mise en scene.

I enjoyed the fact that most of the movie was shot outside using the natural scenery as the background. It made the movie that much more interesting to watch and enjoy. The Thunderbird I think became a part of the movie; it was almost a silent partner for Thelma and Louise. The two spent most of their time in the car, which means that most of the camera shot they had to use some kind of dolly or motorized vehicle to shot next to the car.

In the rape scene, it was very dark and the director used a low-angle shot up at the man to give him the sense of power and intimidation, and he used a high-angle shot down at Thelma to give her the sense of weaknesses. The moonlight added to the suspense and dreary feeling of what was to come. Rape is not something anyone likes to her about or see for that matter and the technical aspects added to that uncomfortable and awkward feeling.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a movie I have never seen, but I did notice certain aspects through the trailer posted on D2L. The two in that movie were both out on the run from the law just like Thelma and Louise were. The wide-angle shots from both films were similar in showing the scenery and the vast possibilities for the outlaws. It also seemed to be cut at different speeds just like Thelma and Louise. Another similarity I noticed was that much of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was also filmed outside just like Thelma and Louise, utilizing the natural settings as the background.

I enjoyed watching Thelma and Louise. The scenery seemed to add to much of the beauty and enjoyment of the various shots and angles of the film. I think it also added to the wild and free nature of Thelma and Louise, or at least what they change into. The technical aspects of the film were very interesting, well thought out and put together.