(RESEARCH) - Analysis of Oldboy

Oldboy's opening is a narrative one, the titles are animated superimposed included whilst the narrative of the film continues. Then it switches from narrative to discrete, images of clocks, and the ticket of clocks appear again and again, keeping the audience guessing about what the film is about.

Mise-en-scene

LIGHTING
The antagonist is kept in the dark when the camera is on his face to accentuate the secrecy of him. Emphasizes how criminals do not usually want to be seen, compared to this, the victims face can be seen clearly.
Juxtopositioning of the hidden antagonists face and the brightness of the day sky.
- The lighting in the police office is quite bright but the scene itself looks dreary because of the colour scheme of the room - reflects the life of the business man character?

LOCATION
- First location is on top of a building roof.
- Second location is in the police station.
- Third location is when 'Oh Dae Su' - and his brother go into the street and 'Dae Su' calls his daughter at a pay phone.

COSTUME
- Blue Collar dressing (Professional looking suit)
- Man and woman in police office dressed casually
- Police uniform
- The three young men dressed in quite intimidating clothing, look like they belong in the mafia.
- Dae Su is wearing a professional suit but the bottom of his dress shirt is tied like a school girls

PROPS
- 'Oh Dae Su' wearing gold watch - shows that he is well off
- His daughter's birthday present, the angel wings
- The guns the police officers have on their thighs
- Handcuffs
- Phone-booth
- Coat hanger 'Da Su' uses to try and protect himself
- Picture of him and his family

Sound
- From the start of the film idents, 'show east' and 'egg films' the music is quite melancholic orchestral music the suddenly breaks out into a fast beat whilst a character is holding the victim's tie to perhaps show the adrenaline of the character or his victim as the antagonist holds him by his tie over the side of a tall building.
- The music for the titles of the film make me assume that the film has something to do with crime. The constant ticking of the clocks and the music is full of tension.

Cinematography
- close up of the antagonist holding the victims tie, antagonist's face is kept hidden to make the audience empathize with the victim.
- Close up of the character 'Oh Dae Su' to establish him as an important character
- Mid shots used to show ' Dae Su's movements and how restless, drunk and disorderly he is
- Wide shot used when he is fighting the police officers when they're undressing him, highlights his movements.
-  Establishing shot from above the telephone box outside to show the audience where they are.

Editing

- The pace of the editing is quite slow, makes it seem like throughout the film, the tension will slowly rise.