Notes on Scott Pilgrim

First things first, here are the clips:

       

        

Getting those neat like that was horrible I hope you appreciate it.

Genre

Overall this is a strange hybrid genre-bend of comedy and I guess romance and possibly whatever genre those films about struggling bands are. I guess just music.

I've bundled the notes from all the different clips into one lot of notes because I don't know why.

Camerawork:

It's a lot of shot-reverse-shot. The shots being largely still could relate to the film being based on comics.

The extreme close-up in profile of Envy presents a lot of confidence in contrast to Scotty boy. The camerawork ties into the animated backstory parts by panning over and past Ramona before into the backstory segment, then back out again.

The camerawork during the fight sequences (especially the final one) is very much comparable to that of action films, and the parts shot in such a way as to present Gideon as a physically high up villain compared to Scott being at the bottom of that staircase. There's also that shot of him running up the stairs, which is edited (also editing) to make the staircase seem much longer to hold the shot for more time.

Editing:

8-bit Universal intro fits with the retro game references and that fun stuff.

Text appearing on-screen to introduce characters.

Immediately after Scott says Knives' name in such a way so as to make it sound like he's lying we immediately straight cut to Knives at the door - el big funni.

Visual effects added over the band playing music is a convention of this film you could say. It's not a genre convention though so I don't really know why I mentioned it. I guess you'd be less likely to see that in a more serious film. Oh and this is also another comic book thing I don't know how I missed this.

The borderline obnoxiously long title sequence is maybe comedy related.

Comic book-style emphasis lines and more onomatopoeic on-screen text alongside the beep of the answer machine. The text is also the right way around to the point of view of the characters so from some shots behind them make them appear backwards to the viewers.

Some picture-in-picture editing when Scott is on the phone.

At this point the editing has begun its descent into the more game-like so we have a lot more to focus on in terms of the visual effects around the angry vegan, and then also when Scott is playing the guitar to fight him off.

Here we have an example of the animated segments when Ramona talks about her backstory with her exes. Which is a reference to this story's origin in comics.

There's more onomatopoeic letters when Scott starts playing the guitar, and also when he's punched into the sky with the repetition of 'AAAAAAAAAAA'. This is very much a convention of this film and all down to that comic book influence.

Now we're at the end the effects are all over the place because that's just how Scott rolls.

We have all the coins that drop when characters are killed I suppose, which is arguably mise-en-scene because this is in the annoying nether zone of being mise-en-scene because it's something that's happening in the frame but it's also editing because unless Edgar Wright found a way to make people turn into coins upon death and then killed half of his background cast this was all added in post-production.

There's a lot of different shots following the various fights in this sequence.

The final fight sequence is the heaviest on visual effects relating to the retro game stuff.

Scott game ends Gideon with a massive load of coins alluding to the 'final boss' nature of the fight. Also the background switching to solely 'KO'. Then when Scott is about to face off against himself we get the 'Nega Scott' title on-screen, which again is more game reference stuff. I'm noticing a pattern here and unlike my ventures into patterns in the past this isn't based solely on one instance of a thing happening. Then there's no fight when the audience is expecting a huge one, comedy aspect.

In a reference to earlier on in the film, as well as games more broadly, the film ends with a pan up to a 'continue?' option, which counts us down into the end credits.

Mise-en-Scene:

Action codes - playing instruments they are big important.

Fridge magnets used to mirror Scott's comment of 'you know what sucks though? Everything.' In 'SUX' and a sideways 8 which is again a game reference to Street Fighter fitting in with everything else in terms of game references.

When Scott is saying he's completely over Envy the camera pans around so we can see various photos of them behind him suggesting him to not be over her at all. Another el large funni. and also romance stuff.

Binary opposition of Scott dressed in black and the vegan dressed in white he does have a name I just like calling him the vegan.

The final fight sequence takes place in Gideon's huge quote 'cathedral' which relates to the game.

Sound:

Narration, something you'd expect in a more serious film, is done in a comedic way which is arguably a comedy genre convention due to its frequent use.

The way in which Scott says Knives' name makes it sound like he's lying about her.

They're performing their own music which is relevant to what I described earlier as 'whatever genre those films about struggling bands are'.

Inspirational speech and equally heartfelt music which then suddenly cuts out when it's over with (hybrid genre).

When Scott is propelled into the sky his scream fades out and then entirely back in again.

Scott says a terrible one-liner and kills a vegan.

We have a reprise of the song from the start which is something. Not really a genre convention, just good writing really I guess. Although I suppose my view of good writing is arguably disputed by everyone else.

The deaths that cause people to turn into coins are all accompanied by fitting sound effects, relating to the retro game stuff throughout the film.

When Gideon's killed and there's that whole game reference thing I was talking about in the editing section that also has all the relevant sound effects this isn't padding I promise.

These people need to stop talking about haircuts. I know it's a running thing but we don't do that here.

In the wise words of Tommy, "Scott fights an insane racist man with his big, red, shiny love stick."

'You can't cheat death' - a racist
*Proceeds to cheat death* - Scott

Narrative:

Camerawork:

The panning down to the establishing shot to the tune of the harp sounds is unrealistic and comparable to a comic.

Envy only being partially seen makes her more mysterious.

Binary Opposition of Gideon being high up and Scott being at the bottom of those long stairs, hero vs villain.

Editing:

The on-screen text telling us who people are and basic information about them. As well as the onomatopoeic text throughout.

The Polaroids of Scott and Envy appearing behind Scott while they're on the phone highlights the fact that he is clearly not over her despite him at that moment saying he completely is.

Mise-en-Scene:

The 'x's on the paper aren't kisses but exes, as in the 7 evil exes. Symbolic Barthes code.

Sound:

The establishing shot of the house at the start is accompanied by harp sounds and narration, which sets the story in motion in the first place.

While Scott and Envy are on the phone her tone of voice and what she's saying shows that she clearly wants him to not be over her, she wants to be able to play on his jealousy and other such emotions. His tone of voice denying his not over her-ness also clearly shows that he isn't.

Representation:

Camerawork:

The shot of Envy is focused on her lips while Scott's entire face is visible arguably sexualising her but also making her more mysterious.

Stereotypes of men fighting over women but arguably a countertype of women fighting over men. But this is also a bit of a stereotype in the context of it being over a man.

Editing:

The coins at the point of defeating the enemies maybe represents Scott as a countertype of men being interested in money (unlike the other guy in the band) but rather the romantic side. (Perkins, stereotypes being changeable) This isn't great but I have nothing else to say in this section.

Mise-en-Scene:

When Gideon is in control of the women, their costumes are mildly more sexualised than elsewhere, linking to the fact that he's a villain - this isn't done for the benefit of the audience, the audience is supposed to see this as a bad thing and another reason for Gideon to be disliked.

Sound:

Scott's dialogue "she's Chinese" makes it seem like a significant part of her identity and appeal. Alvarado's representation of ethnicity as exotic. I inferred his awkward line delivery of his name as a joke to make the audience think he's making it up (reinforced by Kim saying she hopes they can meet her soon, suggesting that she doesn't believe it) and that was the first thing to come to his head, before then trying to justify it with the Chinese comment because said first thing happened to sound vaguely stereotypically Chinese. But then the actual punchline of this joke is the fact we immediately cut to her, showing that she actually does, in fact, exist.

Gideon is racist. (He calls Knives 'Kung Pao Chicken' which after extensive research is a very dry-looking meal.) But this is ok because he's the villain and we already don't like him anyway.