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The opening scene of Falling Down gives the viewer the impression that both D-Fens and Prendergast are stuck in what appears to be the middle of nowhere. The camera concentrates mainly on the vehicles and their occupants rather than on where they are located. The scene is appropriately described as a “frozen tumult of a traffic jam[3]”, which clearly gives an idea of what the scene looked like exactly. There is a short glimpse of what appears to be the underside of a bridge as well as of a billboard with graffiti on it, suggesting that, in the very least the location depicted is in, or at least very close to a city. The view is rather abruptly changed to that of a quiet and peaceful neighborhood with a nearby shoreline. While not seeming to be anything special and being most likely an average middle-class location, the sudden shift back to D-Fens' new whereabouts quckly shows the viewer the enormous difference of the two places. The film at this point shows, by revealing it rather slowly, an absolutely awful, derelict and rather void of life neighborhood. The enormous amounts of graffiti, not only on the nearby wall but also on the buildings, not forgetting the latter's strongly barred windows, confirms that not only is this an atrocious place but is possibly also quite dangerous, for a person to be walked around in, alone. One could assume that the scenery changes were done for 'contrast' in order to fully make an impact on the viewer as to how very different two locations in the same city could be. To further add to the misery of the scene, the viewer is taken into the shop which is close by, with the camera moving in such a way that its entire interior is shown, fully showing the old furniture and equipment, as well as the gloominess and darkness, which in turn add to the whole 'depressing' place. The viewer is thus convinced that the situation is just as bad inside the buildings, as it is outside. To confirm as to the depiction of such scenes in the film [1] states that “It is significant that downtown Los Angeles should be the setting for this tale of white male paranoia.[1]”. Once again the camera takes the viewer through a few short scenes involving a police station and the D-Fens' ex-wife's house, reminding that, although not perfect, there are much better places than the one D-Fens is stuck in (or rather, going through). When the view is once again reverted to the 'gangland' (as D-Fens puts it a little later) the main focus is on part of a building with “Kill” posters plastered all over it's wall. Not only that but D-Fens is shown sitting on stairs of what was probably an entire structure previously, with gang signs (graffiti) all around it. A view of the city can be viewed in all directions. However, what one sees is so dark and smoggy, that it actually, in a way, takes away from the idea that other places are any better than the current one and is lined with huge buildings pointing up to the sky, very typical of an American city - “...very much an imperial city , economically and culturally formed by the dynamics of American empire building[1]”.
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