THE THIRD MAN - MISE EN SCENE

Director Carol Reed has created an art gallery of images with his 1949 film noir classic, The Third Man. Reed has managed to make the film appear as you are viewing it from a diagonal perspective. Many scenes are filmed at a low angle shot which appears to be asymmetrical and make the scenes look off center. Reed focuses on multiple exterior shots highlighting the streets of Vienna where the film is set. Reed uses floodlights to shine down the streets, building walls, and sewers to display shadowy figures and enhance the mystery and tone of the film. Reed arranges his film with some unique camera angles including on top of a suspension bridge and the center of a ferris wheel. In the final scenes, the images appear precise, balanced, and in line with the framework of the camera.

I’ve included a youtube link capturing some of the unique camera work and frame shots used by Reed in The Third Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oQdbX7eyCo&feature=related