The Grand Budapest Hotel composition analysis

The Grand Budapest Hotel's composition analysis includes symmetrical composition, balanced composition, frame composition, centripetal composition, central composition, diagonal composition, guide line composition and vertical composition.

1, symmetrical structure

Symmetrical composition is the most widely used and leaves a deep impression on the viewer. The omnipresent symmetry makes the whole movie look more beautiful in order, and the picture layout is flat and regular.

In particular, the director applies this shooting technique to the shooting of buildings, which looks atmospheric and has a strong sense of space, making the audience feel stable and elegant, echoing the main scene of the film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and the character of the protagonist, Mr. Gustav.

2. Balance composition

Obviously, Anderson is not only satisfied with symmetry, or, perhaps, in order to make up for extreme symmetry, it will bring dull and single aesthetic visual fatigue to the audience. Many shots in "The Grand Budapest Hotel" adopt balanced composition.

The so-called balanced composition contains the concept of "symmetrical composition", but compared with symmetrical composition, it contains a wider meaning, such as incomplete left-right equivalence, arranging things with equal or similar shapes, or even different quantities and sizes, thus forming a contrast in weight, size and depth, making people feel stable and quiet, but not lifeless, enriching the diversity and appreciation of the picture.

For example, Mr. Gustav and Mr. Zero, who often appear in the same scene in movies, often stand in front of a symmetrical architectural background. The figures of the two protagonists are not completely symmetrical. Obviously, Mr Gustav is taller and Zero is thinner.

This contrast between height and size not only does not destroy the integrity of the picture, but also gives the picture a sense of depth and spirituality. The audience will pay more attention to Gustav, but at the same time, they will not ignore zero. The two protagonists set off each other, which is a wonderful balance.

For another example, Gustav saw the painting "Apple Boy" on the train, and I also classified him as "balanced composition". In this composition, the director also used "strange method". There are three subjects in the lens: the frame of Apple Boy, Mr. Gustav, and the zero in the mirror.

With Apple Boy as the central axis, Mr. Gustav is the "heavy" part closer to the audience, while the zero in the mirror is the corresponding "light" far away from the audience. Through the mirror, the depth of the picture is elongated, which seems to imply that Gustav and zero are "mirror images".

Zero will be Gustav's successor (from doorman to hotel manager, the same career path), but their personalities and concepts are actually different, so the ending is different.

3. Frame composition

Director Anderson uses the frame to compose the composition, of course, he wants to highlight the key points through the contrast between light and dark, and guide the audience to focus on the scenes in the frame. For example, Mrs. D lying in the coffin was brightly illuminated. Perhaps compared with her loneliness before her death and the tragic ending of her property being poisoned, she got peace after her death?

The director also hinted at the psychology, situation and plot trend of the characters through the relationship between light and shade. For example, Mr. Gustav stole the painting and bought the carriage. At this time, Mr. Gustav was in the car, and a large shadow hung over him. Only a vague outline can be seen. Does it imply that he has since embarked on a dark road of being framed and hunted?

The director also put the housekeeper Sergei in the light. Does it also imply that the evidence possessed by the housekeeper Sergei will be the "light" to reverse Mr. Gustav's dark fate?

4. Centripetal component

Centripetal composition is generally used to focus on characters, in order to make the whole picture look oppressive and heavy. In the process of killer Henckels threatening the housekeeper Sergei's sister, the director used this composition method many times. When we see the dark back of the ruthless killer in the dilapidated scene, the sense of killing and tension arises spontaneously.

5. Central component

This close-up with Agatha as the center can be said to be a quite classic "central composition". Although she has a scar on her face, she is still quiet, witty and beautiful. Zero said affectionately when she recalled her: She saved us.

Next, the camera cuts to the scene where the hostess cleverly hides the escape tools in a lovely cake, and even the prison guards can't bear to be uniform. The close-up of this central composition plays an indispensable role in connecting the preceding with the following.

6. Diagonal composition

Generally, when directors use diagonal composition, it is basically to add sensuality and depth to the picture space, but when Anderson uses it, it perfectly combines the plot. The diagonal crossing of two symmetrical cable cars perfectly stretches the picture and promotes the plot. How did Mr. Gustav escape the killer and the police with the help of the priest and successfully meet the housekeeper Sergei?

It turns out that the diagonal cable car is the "focus" of this plot. Mr. Gustav and the priest exchanged at the diagonal intersection, went to the church confessional to meet Sergei, and solved the plot turning point with an intersection. It's really ingenious.

7, guide line composition and vertical composition

There are other composition techniques, whether it is the "guiding line structure" used in street scenes, the stair overlooking Mrs. D's home, or the "vertical composition" made of tree trunks when female readers walk into the street park with books, which all extend or stretch the space of the picture to a certain extent, making the picture look beautiful, elegant and changeable.

When these carefully designed compositions are presented to the audience frame by frame, their impeccable perfection will undoubtedly add a lot of color to the whole film, so that the audience can not forget to sigh at the pleasing pictures while deconstructing the profound connotation and proposition of the film, which is the unique feature of The Grand Budapest Hotel.