Stabbing Scene-Influences & Research

We decided first to create a poll of the most effective stabbing scenes in existing films. We got a focus group of ten people to vote on which stabbing scene was the most convincing and effective:

-Saving Private Ryan
-One False Move
-Psycho
-Halloween

With 70% of the vote was Saving Private Ryan and so we decided to study this scene to gain inspiration for our own media product.


SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
Saving Private Ryan is an epic 1998 American war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. It was directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. It follows Tom Hanks as Captain John H. Miller and several men as they search for paratrooper Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), who is the last surviving brother of three fallen servicemen.


The stabbing scene in this film is between an American-Jewish infantryman Stanley Mellish and a German soldier. Mellish is fighting alone against the soldier and the German slowly gains the upper hand. Mellish pulls out a knife, but the German is too strong, and pushes Mellish's hand backwards, pointing the blade towards the American's chest. Mellish starts to beg.
The German slowly pushes the knife into Mellish's chest, quietly whispering something in German.We hear nothing else in this scene but this whispering, and this creates an extremely intense movement as the knife is pushed further and further into Mellish's chest.






This medium close up shot shows distinctly who is the victim in the situation. The length that the camera has been placed away from the scene allows us to get a fuller picture of the action yet still easily see the facial expressions of the men. The lighting is dim and natural, reinforcing the dirt and filth of the scene and emphasise the blood of the action of the room. As a war epic, the production team have tried to make this film as realistic and true to history as is possible, so the costume, setting and 'grime' of the scene is true to life, and not 'sexualised' in any way to show the glamour of a Hollywood film.




This close up is a perfect shot to show both the action in the scene and the expression of the character. The lighting, as it is still natural, shows the character as shadowed which creates a more intense and fearful scene for the audience and highlights the characters anguish in his tense mouth in a defiant yet fearful position. The dagger in the foreground is where our eye is next drawn and its size in comparison to the shot is also a cause for tension. It is clear to see the tip of the knife pushing down onto his chest, and this is a greatly uncomfortable scene for the audience, knowing that the German soldier only has to push to kill the other man. The fact that the shot is in close up is key to creating the tension, along with the use of light to show a darkened effect that enhances the anguish and fear of the situation.