Editing Is Not As Simple As It May Seem...

      When studying the editing in a film, it may seem extremely repetitive and sometimes boring. To avoid that as well as having a visual representation, I have placed a clip on the bottom of this entry that I will be discussing from the film Bonnie and Clyde. I also wanted to pick a clip that I have not seen or read other’s editing critique on. For instance, the end sequence is often discussed because of its quick and short cuts. The chosen clip takes place when Clyde’s brother has arrived with his wife to visit Clyde and Bonnie. I am going to analyze the clip until the character C.W. enters to avoid too much repetition (it is about a minute). The key points that I will be emphasizing are the length of the cut and consistency.
       The first shot is a long shot as the car is pulling up. The next cut already breaks the rule of invisible editing (that is when the rule of continuity is broken). It is violated because Cylde’s hands are down when it cuts to the next shot but his hands are up when he is seen in that shot. The following shot has a longer time then the other shots until it cuts to Blanche in the car. Notice the length difference in the three shots. For example, the shot of the brothers talking is the longest one, while the shot of Blanche is only a brief moment. The next time that the audience returns to a shot in the car is a good example of a reaction shot for she is laughing to her husband’s joke about prison food. When it cuts to the brothers again, there is a small shift in the shot because it is now a medium long shot. This is able to be scene because the frame now ends the men’s legs. This shot also prepares the audience for the next group of shots.
      When Blanch is introduced to Clyde, a really great thing happens. The shots transition to an over the shoulder in the car. This shot lines up with the prior medium long shot because it stays within the 180 degree rule. The shots then switches to over the shoulder of Clyde. The traditional Hollywood continuity style shot sequence is followed next. When Bonnie is introduced to Blanch there is an establishing shot of everyone in and around the car. The next shot is a close up shot on Bonnie and then a close up on Blanch. When they are done talking, there is a re-establishing shot.
      This minute clip shows that that the film Bonnie and Clyde is both a traditional movie by following Hollywood continuity as well as breaks a few rules of continuity as well.






*This is in no way intended to violate copyright laws*