batman begins [film clip]

click here to see the clip

This is an analysis of a clip from the film 'Batman Begins'.

The scene is set within a room inside a prison; the walls are plain white, with one side having stripes (the wall behind Crane), and the other having horizontal tiles (the wall behind Falcone). The setting appears very clean and clinical, with no foreshadowing concerning the following events. At the end of the clip, Crane steps into the prison's corridor, which is mostly brown and grey shades.

The props in this clip include a table that is situated between Crane and Falcone, Crane's briefcase, and the Scarecrow mask. Interestingly enough, the briefcase is normal and unassuming, despite what it actually contains, and it provides a contrast to the tatty, raggedy mask that Crane pulls out of it. The briefcase adds a sense of professionalism to Crane's character, which matches his career as a psychiatrist. Also, the aforementioned table may symbolise a 'barrier' between Crane and Falcone – one that is overcome once Crane dons his mask and leans across it.

Primarily, the scene is between Dr Jonathan Crane (aka the Scarecrow) portrayed by Cillian Murphy, and Carmine Falcone who is played by Tom Wilkinson. Having only two characters in this scene makes the clip all the more harrowing and personal. There is a third actress at the end of the scene, who provides a reaction to Falcone's breakdown at the end.

Costume-wise, Crane wears an a-typical black suit – somewhat expected due to his profession of a psychiatrist. Falcone on the other hand wears a simple blue shirt and a white bandage around his left wrist (this is to confirm an earlier comment in the film where someone mentions Falcone cutting himself in order for an insanity appeal). Interestingly, their articles of clothing can be seen as a somewhat contrast to one another; Crane, the 'villain' in this scene, wears darker clothes whilst Falcone, once a crime lord and now the 'victim', is wearing lighter apparel. Crane is wearing more layers than Falcone too – a jacket over a jumper and shirt, which could suggest that Crane is better 'protected' than Falcone.

Crane's glasses and, of course, the Scarecrow's mask are particularly focused on in this scene – as soon as Crane takes off his glasses (a sign of the trouble to come, perhaps?) he almost immediately pulls on the mask after – this swap could signify when Crane is swapping from Jonathan Crane to the Scarecrow.

Finally, the lighting in these scene is mostly natural – it seems to be appearing from the side of the set, off-camera, indicating that it is daytime. There isn't the typical dark shadows that's usually present in horror scenes, in fact, this lighting makes the environment appear relatively harmless. Once Crane steps out of the room and into the prison's corridor, the lighting is slightly darker and more artificial, being provided by lights along the ceiling of the corridor. This could represent Crane stepping into a world more darker and grimmer after attacking Falcone.