In Ava DuVerynay’s Selma, themes of racism, racial brutality and the hierarchy of the races are challenged through the catalyst of Martin Luther King’s struggle to rid the corruption of the voting system towards black people in 1965. The film follows several people, with MLK as the protagonist. However, instead of the story revolving around him, we get many people’s stories and see all the sacrifices, murders, and violence that went behind making the world as it is today. While the first crossing of the Edmund Pettus bridge is not the first violent scene, nor the most violent. There’s no arguing that this is the one that calls for the most action to be taken. By feeding on the empathy of those who were in a position where they didn’t have to
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The use of violence against the harmless and unprotected people of society was a gateway into the corruption that formed the foundation of white supremacy. This concept is one that is respectfully and heartbreakingly explored in the ‘bloody Sunday’ scene in Selma. At the beginning of the first crossing of the Edmund Pettus bridge, DuVernay’s use of sound alongside editing and pacing as a form of enhancing the panic that was thrust upon the people who were living through it. The first we see is a person of authority giving the order for the troopers to advance on the marchers, then the sudden cut to the sheriff and the sound of his gun going off. Because the mise-en-scene is made up of nothing but people, there is nothing to distract the audience from seeing the barbarity unfold. The bang of the gun is sudden enough that it draws our immediate focus towards the screaming that follows it. These screams, while they vary in volume several times, were notedly echoed throughout the rest of the screen time on the bridge itself. We also hear a roaring cheer in the background, when the camera cuts to the white spectators lining the highway. Their screams are so loud, …show more content…
DuVernay's costume is integral to conveying these ideas throughout the course of the scene, as well as the color and lighting being used to enhance the effects of it. There are three main contrasts of costume within this scene, the first being the police officers themselves. At the beginning of the scene, we see these officers putting on gas masks with a sense of urgency, their uniforms consisting of harder materials clearly being used as a type of shield. Consequently, the lighting during this part is clear as day, so there’s nothing obstructing our view of them. Throughout the course of the scene, we consistently see variations of these officers, some in all black riding horses and some wearing gas masks while on their feet. As the officers rush forward, we see a birds eye view shot of them crashing against the civilians. These civilians are the second major use of costume, with clothing made up of soft colors and fabrics, noticeably stark against the offending officers. Finally, the third major use of costume is the civilian spectators lining the highway. While some of them, such as the news reporter, are dressed in a formal suit and tie, the majority of the white spectators that were
The use of violence against the harmless and unprotected people of society was a gateway into the corruption that formed the foundation of white supremacy. This concept is one that is respectfully and heartbreakingly explored in the ‘bloody Sunday’ scene in Selma. At the beginning of the first crossing of the Edmund Pettus bridge, DuVernay’s use of sound alongside editing and pacing as a form of enhancing the panic that was thrust upon the people who were living through it. The first we see is a person of authority giving the order for the troopers to advance on the marchers, then the sudden cut to the sheriff and the sound of his gun going off. Because the mise-en-scene is made up of nothing but people, there is nothing to distract the audience from seeing the barbarity unfold. The bang of the gun is sudden enough that it draws our immediate focus towards the screaming that follows it. These screams, while they vary in volume several times, were notedly echoed throughout the rest of the screen time on the bridge itself. We also hear a roaring cheer in the background, when the camera cuts to the white spectators lining the highway. Their screams are so loud, …show more content…
DuVernay's costume is integral to conveying these ideas throughout the course of the scene, as well as the color and lighting being used to enhance the effects of it. There are three main contrasts of costume within this scene, the first being the police officers themselves. At the beginning of the scene, we see these officers putting on gas masks with a sense of urgency, their uniforms consisting of harder materials clearly being used as a type of shield. Consequently, the lighting during this part is clear as day, so there’s nothing obstructing our view of them. Throughout the course of the scene, we consistently see variations of these officers, some in all black riding horses and some wearing gas masks while on their feet. As the officers rush forward, we see a birds eye view shot of them crashing against the civilians. These civilians are the second major use of costume, with clothing made up of soft colors and fabrics, noticeably stark against the offending officers. Finally, the third major use of costume is the civilian spectators lining the highway. While some of them, such as the news reporter, are dressed in a formal suit and tie, the majority of the white spectators that were