Scene Analysis

Partrooper Scene from Red Dawn (1984)

The scene begins with rhytmic medium shots of Genghis Khan and includes maps of Asia, creating the chain of meaning that the students are in a history class. Then there is a medium long shot of the professor lecturing, then a long shot of the class, then a close up of the professor. After, there are medium shots of the individual students who will be the main characters of the film. Bringing the zoom in creates a sense of intimacy. When the professor notices paratroopers descending onto the field, he walks to the window, and there is a tracking shot following him as he walks, giving the sense that we share the professor's perspective. The first Extreme Long Shot shows the troopers descending from the sky, which turns into a long shot, then medium shots of the soldiers, showing that they are an imminent threat. Changing the proximity adds suspense to the scene. Later, there is another tracking shot following the students as they run from bullets, adding to a sense of immediacy. There is a quick pan along the outside windows, making this part feel urgent. Toward the end, the shots are shorter in duration and cut quickly from one to the other. Overall, this scene shows how editing fast shots, zooming in closer to a subject, and moving the camera to track a subject or pan quickly add to the tension of the film.