James HuangClose study: Witness13th May, 2009
Practice Essay – Film, Peter Weir, “Witness”
In what ways does the closing sequence of Witness draw together the central concerns of the film?
Every film contains some sort of moral, belief, message or social value. Directors strive to contain one or more of these aspects in order to achieve the purpose of the film. Usually in a film, there is a main concern where conflicts occur and problems are beginning arise, but every problem has its resolution. In the close study of the filmWitness by Peter Weir released in 1985, the central concerns of the film are thoroughly explored where the investigation of the closing sequence are extensively viewed to portray how the central concerns of the film are to be drawn together.
Witness is a thriller which centres on the Amish community who live in Pennsylvania and a young Amish boy, Samuel and his widowed mother, Rachel. The two are caught up in a clash between two worlds. The modern American society where greed, violence and corruption take place as opposed to the juxtaposing world of the Amish which focuses on teamwork, peace and serving the community to create a better place.
The film Witness is not just an engaging thriller film for the audience. There are many concerns and messages that are portrayed within the film. Such concerns include the clash of cultures, romance and corruption of the police force where good versus evil occur
The idea of cultural clash is originally introduced into the film when Samuel witnesses the horrific murder of the scene in the bathroom. Being a small vulnerable child, witnessing something as unimaginable as this is enough to corrupt his innocence. The viewers immediately know that this had an effect on the small child as the scene enforces several techniques including an extreme close up of Samuel’s eye and through body language of the heavy breathing as well as his facial expression showing a horrific image as he secretly witnesses the brutal murder.
The cultural clash is present as we know that the Amish works on a system which enables them to be known as pacifists as opposed to the contrasting lives of the city where violence solves everything. From the events that proceed after the murder, John Book, the detective into the murder, is led into the world of the Amish following an intense shooting where he suffers from being shot after discovering information about the corruption that is occurring within the higher police officers.
The idea of clash of cultures is again reinforced at the scene subsequent to the healing of John Book. John allows Samuel ‘take the weapon into his hands’ and Rachel walks in on them witnessing the disrespect that John is causing. The viewers instantaneously know that cultural clash is occurring from the factual express of Rachel showing anger and disappointment also being reinforced by the fast-paced tone shown in her voice “We invite you into our homes and the least you can do is respect our way”, showing the hurt and anger present.
As the film progresses, the romance between John and Rachel enlighten the film, this is portrayed in conjunction to the scene when John is able to get the power running through his car in the barn. As the radio starts to function, John begins to dance taking Rachel with him as his partner to embrace the song ‘It’s a Wonderful World’. The song selection was cleverly chosen, as it reflects upon the mood of the scene, romance, as reinforced by the setting of the scene, the barn being dimmed by the slow flickering of the flame within the lamp illuminating on the two lovers, both creating a spark of intimacy. The cultural clash is revealed when Eli Lapp, witnesses the two in the shed making noise and enjoying themselves. The romance is immediately broken as Rachel decides to follow Eli back home, afraid of being shunned from the community instead of pursuing John and their intimate relationship that is occurring.
The clash of cultures affects the two protagonists, Rachel and John. The two keep their affections for each other distant because of the barriers that separate them, the two being from two different cultures. The clash of cultures again is present when the Amish take John with them on their trip into the city. When the Amish experiences humiliation within the city life, they do nothing. The pacifist beliefs of the Amish are shown within their facial expressions where they act as though nothing is occurring despite the fact that an ice-cream is being shoved in the face of Daniel. The actions that John carries out are juxtaposed towards the pacific beliefs of the Amish, John uses anger and violence to scare off the city rebels which eventually led towards the disappointment of the Amish at handling the matter and the act had allowed his position to be discovered by the corrupted because from his foolishness at creating violence with witnesses around.
From the previous examples and techniques, the film is thoroughly analysed in the effect of being able to explore the distinctive idea of community and cultural clash from the two juxtaposing worlds. The extent to which this is analysed allows the direction to prevail in revealing to the viewers of the difference and idea that are portrayed to create the thrill within the film.