Art of the Tracking Shot II: The Passion of Joan
Jul 30th, 2008 | By Rick | Category: Carl Th. Dreyer, Great Clips
Marie Falconetti as Joan
No early film maker used tracking shots with more intelligence and originality than Carl Theodor Dreyer. Far from being simply a way to move the camera, or a way of showing off (yes, I’m talking about you, Atonement), in Dreyer’s work they they are integral to the design of each film.
A major theme running through Dreyer’s work is the notion of “witness.” Here’s the opening shot from The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), his last silent film, that shows what I mean. It shows the ecclesiastical court that has gathered to try Joan for heresy, awaiting her entrance and the reading of the charges against her.
As the camera tracks along the back, the judges crane their necks stage right, waiting for something to happen. As they do, soldiers set the stage for the trial, one setting a stool upright; we find out later who it’s for. The scene is composed and choreographed on several planes; as the camera moves along, our impatience and anticipation rise with the judges. At the end of the pan is a cut to the chief priest reading the charges. This is a typical Dreyer move; as the camera comes to a sudden stand-still, the final “object” is emphasized.
Because the film is shot largely in close up, it is difficult to establish spatial relationships between the actors. The tracking shots help us out here, giving linear direction to the proceedings. The camera moves repeatedly across the faces of the judges, as they watch Joan on trial, and we can see the attitude of each one. We get to know each one, whether sympathetic, unsympathetic or calculating — the last two are overwhelmingly in the majority. Here’s another shot that illustrates:
Note once again the characteristic composition: the cut at the end of the track to the object of its attention, in this case a tonsured monk who leans back in the direction from whence the camera has come. Sometimes, there is no cut, the camera just comes to rest, as it does in the final shot of this compilation clip:
Enjoy!
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What strikes me about Dreyer - and I’m especially feeling this after watching the first shot you posted - is how fresh and rich his imagery still is today. I don’t mean to pile on The Dark Knight even more than I already have - it’s just kinda the current reference point for conversation right now -, but that clip is more expressive than anything in Nolan’s film.
It’s like… think about the imagery in Lang’s M. The tracking shot through the smokey room - I hope I remembering that right -, for instance. It’s phenomenal, containing layers of character, story, and emotion with image. It’s like walking through a painting. A “crime” film like TDK could benefit from artistry like that.
My favorite Dreyer film to watch is Day of Wrath. It’s just jaw-dropping.
Good post Rick… and very relevant.
Thanks, Fox. I love Day of Wrath as well … if I remember it aright, it’s got at least one of those “witness” tracking shots in it, again at the trial of the witch.
A friend of mine loves Vampyr, and one of the reasons is because it seems like Dreyer hasn’t really learned how to use sound in it yet. He says it’s like “what the f— do I do with this?”
By Day of Wrath he certainly had it figured out. I wish I could afford the Criterion box set that has it in it. I haven’t seen either Ordet or Gertrud yet, and Netflix doesn’t have them, for God’s sake.
Rick — this will make you happy: http://cgi.ebay.com/ORDET-1955-BRAND-NEW-SEALED-U-S-SELLER_W0QQitemZ170245029349QQihZ007QQcategoryZ617QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
It’s the real deal. The cover may be in Korean, but its got English subtitles and a superb transfer. Well worth the 10 bucks.
Dreyer’s camerawork is only one of the things that make him so intriguing to me, but its certainly one of the biggest. I watched the little documentary on the second disc of Vampyr which included an interview with Dreyer talking about how his style evolved and became more conservative in his later films. I haven’t seen Day of Wrath, but there’s certainly a difference between Vampyr’s style and Ordet.
Personally, from what I’ve seen, I think Ordet is his finest work.