'The Dark Knight': Cinematography

'The Dark Knight': Cinematography

In this clip we start off with an over the shoulder shot making the setting seem more conversational even though they are in an interrogation. The shot is balanced as both the Joker and Batman have power in different ways: Batman physical power and the Joker has power of information. We have standard three point lighting (key light, fill light and back light) on the Joker making his features stand out as we can clearly see his annunciations and facial movement which are a key part of his character. Although I feel a darker lighting (low-key lighting) is what would be expected to match this scene as it is quite a sinister scene with a dark atmosphere but I like how Nolan has chosen to use a more intense bright light to show the Joker is being interrogated and clearly capture his mannerisms. At his moment the camera is steady and is tracking the Joker’s movements but there are also moments when the Joker is cut off from the frame as his movements are so manic that the camera cannot keep up. We do have a smooth and slow pan on a steady camera to help follow the narrative that everything is currently under control.

We then have a long shot which allows us to have a clear view of the action. This allows us to clearly follow the action and be able to follow the scene. It also focuses the spectator's attention on Batman’s aggression which is slightly unexpected as he is meant to be the hero and keep his calm and not be the first one to throw a punch. 

As Batman gets more aggressive, we have a change in lighting to reflect the change in the scene’s atmosphere. We went from a well-lit setting to a darker lighting as the scene has escalated and got more extreme. There is an increase in chiaroscuro to further support the intensity of the scene. This for me gives the impression that Nolan has used lighting to be parallel to the scene and aid his storytelling. It is another over the shoulder shot which brings out attention to the Joker and Heath Ledger’s performance. Batman and the Joker being situated at the centre of the frame and taking up most of the frame illustrate Nolan’s intentions that he only wants the spectator to focus on these two characters. In this scene we have many over the shoulder shots which I feel capture reactions of the characters well and illustrate that they are the perfect match for one another. It appears in this shot that the Joker is significantly smaller than Batman who appears to be very large making him look like an overpowering force against the Joker and that Batman holds the power. This is done through foreshortening which creates the illusion that Batman is a lot bigger that the Joker. The camera movements also help aid this moment as it is a handheld camera making the spectator feel uneasy and unsteady as the scene intensifies. 

The following scene highlights a large difference between these two settings. This moment has chiaroscuro which makes it hard to make out the faces of the people who are observing. Due to the low-key lighting we as the spectator are more engaged with the interaction between the Joker and Batman. This could perhaps mirror how tense these people feel at this moment as there is a lot at stake and their last resort in Batman. This could however be used to make these characters appear more mysterious and set them apart from the Joker and Batman. This shot is also very balanced perhaps representing that they currently feel in control of the situation.

This shot cleverly captures the difference between the lighting of the two settings. The two settings have a high contrast ratio. The chiaroscuro in the room filled with panicking men makes what is happening in the interrogation room stand out even though it is out of focus and more in the background. This is due to the intensity of the lighting in the interrogation room, the low-key lighting in the other room makes it so we cannot see faces so our focus is directed to one point. The bright light draws the spectator’s attention to Batman and the Joker. The use of the Dutch angle makes us feel uneasy and illustrate that the situation has escalated. The other people have lost control of what is happening in the interrogation room and the handheld camera illustrates their franticness to regain control.  

We then have another Dutch angle when Batman slams the Joker on to the table this could be reflecting how the Joker feels and that he is distorted. This also makes us the spectator also feel a bit distorted and it also further increases our feeling of unease. The intense top lighting could reflect that he is an intense character, but it could also show that he is still under interrogation and that Batman still hasn’t got an answer out him yet as he is still playing mind games.

Our attention is focused on Batman as he blocks the door so he can continue to question the Joker. Batman is placed at the centre of the frame mainly taking up the centre third. Nolan wants the spectator to focus on the fact that Batman and the Joker are now trapped together so they can not stop Batman doing what he is doing this puts us on edge. The lighting makes Batman look back lit and the wall appear to be the brightest thing in the frame. This makes Batman pop as there is a contrast of the bright wall and the darkness of Batman’s suit especially the kicker light which highlights the outline of Batman making him more prominent. We have two shots of the chair in a short time frame which highlights the importance of the chair and also symbolise that the situation is now out of control. 

This shot is very unbalanced which shows the situation is now out of control. As things are now out of control this shot is unbalanced. Gary Oldman’s character, James Cordon, is framed in the right-hand side of the frame which further increases the feeling of unease and that they have lost control. This feeling is further emphasised with the shaky handheld camera. I felt this represented their panic and franticness it also reiterated to the spectator the severity of the situation. We also have a few quick pans which show that a lot is going on at one moment making us feel claustrophobic and tense.

 

Nolan uses cinematography to let us know who is in control. For example, Batman is shot at a low angle which makes him look powerful and in control. He is also centre frame making him the dominating subject in the frame. He also is shot in a more low-key lighting with back lighting which makes Batman possess more shadows making him look more sinister and appear to have a slight bad and more evil side to him perhaps. There is also a diagonal composition which makes the shot look unbalanced. This could perhaps be illustrating the imbalance in power; Batman is more powerful than the Joker in this moment.

The high angle on the Joker contrasts the low angle on Batman. The low angle makes Batman look powerful and the high angle on the Joker makes him look defenceless and weak as he is overpowered by Batman. The intense light shining on his face reminds the spectator that the Joker is still under interrogation as Batman tries to get important information out of him. Though the Joker still possess one power which is the power of information. 

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