Ollie Stacey

The opening scene in the film ‘Ronin’ largely consists of establishing who the characters are and the location of where the film is set. The gongs and the clashing of swords in the opening titles of the film links back to the samurais in Asia. This being significant as samurais were the warriors of premodern Japan and later made up the highest ranking social class. They were trained to use weapons such as Bows and arrows, spears, guns and their main weapon which was the samurai sword. A Samurai warrior becomes a ‘Ronin’, after the death of his master, this perhaps being a motive to kill out of anger in De Niros case after we presume he has lost his master. The gongs are significant in showing the Ronin warriors being called to prayer. This is contrasting as we associate prayer with being spiritually cleansed and loyal to your God by not committing sins. However how De Niro is acting in the opening scene appears to be going against all of these rules as he does not appear to be doing something which will be positive in any way to serving his God. This straight away makes the viewer believe that De Niro may be the antagonist. The colour of the writing in the opening scene when there is more black than white shows their dark life and the dark nature of the acts they have carried out. The red on black colour shows how their alliance may have changed as the colour red symbolises blood yet also pain and hurt, the black symbolising death. The church in the opening shot links to this and is contrasting to their unholy nature, immediately making the viewer suspicious of what they are to discover and the negative nature of it. De Niro, however, is wearing light coloured clothes, confusing the audience as they try to establish whether he will play the antagonist or protagonist role. This also contrasts the dark setting of the underworld in Paris and shows how De Niro, in fact, may be the protagonist as he is bringing light to a dark situation.

The opening camera shot is an establishing shot, helping us as the viewer to see the contrast between the two sides of the city. This shows how De Niro may be wandering into darkness as he no longer has a master to guide him on the right path. This is significant to the audience as it makes them feel sympathetic to De Niro. The contrast of the light filled Church tower to the dark back streets of Paris where De Niro also makes the audience suspicious and also feel sympathetic towards De Niro, as we associate these parts of cities almost like a slum where money is scarce and living conditions are tough. There is then a cut to another establishing shot but this time of Robert De Niro’s character, this could show how we are taking over the role of De Niro’s master as we are watching over him, following this there is then a cut to a mid-shot of De Niro, this shows that Robert De Niro’s character may have more power than he is initially letting on to, it also makes the audience question whether or not De Niro is actually the protagonist as it is unlike a thriller to show the protagonist almost straight away and the mid shot makes De Niro appear no more significant than anyone else in society. It also makes the audience feel as if they have an equal amount of power as De Niro. The following cut to an over the shoulder shot of De Niro shows the audience what De Niro is seeing, and directing their focus at the van which pulls up outside the pub helping us to establish what role he may be playing in the film. It also shows De Niro looking down the steps, signifying that De Niro is about to descent into hell or commit a dark crime such as murder. The name of the film linking closely and foreshadowing that murders of some description are to take place in the following scenes of the film. The camera then cuts back to a close-up of De Niro: this time the light behind him casting a shadow over his face. This shows how De Niro has turned evil and left the light of society and normality behind him, making the viewer suspicious of him and making them feel that he is up to some sort of mischief or may be planning something to inflict harm upon others. The colour black is also commonly associated with power and mystery, exactly how De Niro is portrayed in the opening scenes. However, in this shot, De Niro is not in the center but slightly off to the edge of the frame and is not the main focus. This shows how he is out of kilter with the rest of society and that there may also be a main focus such as someone more powerful than himself. The Mise en scene of the graffiti around De Niro is what in current society is commonly associated with vandalism and criminals again making us suspicious of De Niro and making us think he may be associated with criminal acts and may infer what is to follow in the following scenes and that De Niro may be the protagonist. The graffiti’s significance links to the opening titles of the film, here it looks like the titles have been painted and the rustic look makes it appear like graffiti.

After this, there is a motivated cut to the girl followed by a tracking shot from De Niro’s point of view of the girl entering the pub. This appears very sinister and becomes possible that the girl could either be the target or the protagonist, this confuses the audience as the audience initially thought De Niro was to be the protagonist, however, the attention has now been diverted from De Niro to the girl. The motivated cut also shows that De Niro’s character is to be associated with the girl or that the two are connected in some way. There is also the same sound in this scene as there was in the opening scene when we saw De Niro, forming a sound bridge and linking the two characters together, this making the audiences idea that the two are linked almost certain. The clashing of the swords and the humming noise then come back, this is significant as it climaxed when De Niro saw the girl and by the noise re appearing, it shows that De Niro could be looking for someone or something else. It may also show how the girl may be the protagonist. The noise showing the trepidation the girl is inflicting upon De Niro. The humming then continues throughout, showing how De Niro may be fearful of the girl. Humming is also associated with ‘Tinnitus’, a ringing noise in your ear. This could represent a gunshot close by and the loud gunshot has caused De Niro’s ears to ring, this may also be foreshadowing the future. It also links back to the humming in the start of the film, Which came before the clash of the swords, showing how De Niro may be about to do something to cause harm or of significance.

As the girl walks into the pub De Niro moves into the light, this shows how De Niro certainly has connections with the girl and has been waiting for her. Now that he is in the light shows that he may not be planning to harm the girl in any way and the girl may even, in fact, be bringing light to the situation hence why De Niro is no longer in the shadows, making De Niro appear less sinister. The girl also takes off her black coat as she enters the bar making her seem less of a threat and appear innocent. This confuses the audience as they believe that the girl, in fact, may have been the protagonist , however, the audience no longer knows who the protagonist and the antagonists are.  The long black coat also like she is hiding something mysterious or threatening underneath, making us and the other character’s question what her intentions might be. However, the girl taking off her coat could show how she wants to blend in with the rest of the people in the pub and not draw attention to herself. It could also be seen as if she has nothing to hide and is innocent. This places the girl as the victim as it appears she is being surrounded and trapped by the other men in the pub and De Niro as he is looking for ways to access the pub.

The railings in front of De Niro symbolize that there is something physical stopping him from getting to the girl, this makes the audience think that De Niro needs to speak with the girl or give something to her. The camera then cuts from De Niro looking through the railings at the girl to inside the bar, this shows how De Niro is obstructed from reaching his destination. As the girl in the bar is now the center of attention, this shows that the girl is likely to be key in the film, because of the strange way she is acting and moving like she feels watched or trapped. The audience also gets the idea that it is more than just De Niro and the girl involved in whatever is going on, as the other men in the bar seem suspicious. This makes the audience anticipate that something is about to happen on a larger scale, such as a shooting.

There is then a louder more diegetic sound coming from the bar as there is the sound of drums, signifying importance and gun shots and as they all assemble in the bar the drums shows significance like they are all being called to prayer, linking back to the title of the film ‘Ronin’. as the person in the beanie hat walks into the bar dressed in dark clothing. This makes the viewer believe that De Niro, the person in the beanie hat and the girl may all be associated as they are all wearing the same colour clothes, the colour black making the viewer believe that all of the people involved may be might be a gang or an organization of a dark nature. As the girl enters the bar there is a cut to a point of view angle of the girl, this could show her possibly trying to look for De Niro as she also dodges the man smoking. This gives the idea that he is to be avoided. Maybe he has a reputation, or he is more powerful in some way which we as the viewer are not aware of yet. It then cuts back to the person in the beanie hat, this is showing how the person in the beanie hat too may be watching over the girl, making the audience believe she may, in fact, be the target. This series of matched cuts shows that the girl is likely to be involved in whatever is going on or what is about to happen. She may also just be the target of the men, such as the person smoking as she physically tries to avoid him. The audience instantly then sees the men as a threat to the girl, and that she may owe something or have something of importance to them as she literally walks around him.  A sound bridge is formed between the girl and the smoking man, showing that they are associated in some way making the viewer suspicious, as there is again swords clashing, which is symbolic of a Ronin and also occurred when De Niro saw the girl entering the pub. The ‘No Smoking’ sign above the man in the corner smoking shows his rebelliousness and that he may in fact actually be the antagonist as he is clearly not abiding by the law, it also shows his carelessness of others and that acts involving the law and penalties do not bother him whatsoever, this is portrayed in his very relaxed body language. The smoking man appears in the background of all the bar scenes and appears in one cut with the light above his head. This is trying to show the audience the importance of the man. It is also ironic as we suspect the man smoking is a powerful yet destructive man yet the light is like a halo which angels have, this makes the audience feel uncomfortable as it could be showing he is not even controlled or at all scared of God and is mocking the peace of the angles as he is the complete opposite. and the fact that he is in all the scenes, shows the importance or significance of the man and how the others in the bar may be working for him as he is always watching them. This also links to the unrestricted view of the girl showing how she is always being watched and that there is nothing stopping anyone getting to her other than De Niro, again making the audience believe that he has something to do with her and may be trying to cause harm to her. She also appears particularly vulnerable as she is a female in a bar full of men. The camera then cuts this shows how the men are closing in on the girl and trapping her inside the pub. The light in the window of the bar goes out. This is significant as is symbolises the end, death or that something significant is about to happen and cuts to De Niro walking back into the darkness, linking back to the start of the film when De Niro is in the shadows, showing ow he has gone back to his old dark ways and how he is about to do something which makes the audience curious and makes De Niro appear more mysterious, as this is what we associate the colour black with. The cut shows how De Niro is about to do something of significance as it shows him walking back into the darkness. It could also show his frustration that he can’t get to the girl and he is about to act upon his anger and frustration in a negative manner.

De Niro appears slightly of to the side of the frame, again showing how he may be out of kilter with the rest of society or that there may be something or someone more powerful than him close by. The camera then cuts to de Niro in a center frame in the back alley, this could show how De Niro is about to do something to make him more powerful, such as using a weapon like a gun. This also foreshadows what is to come in the following scenes of the film. De Niro is now the center of attention, again showing that what he is about to do is of great significance to the rest of the film. As the sinister sound of water dripping like blood in the background and the clashing of swords reverberates continuously. This makes the audience believe what De Niro is about to do is going to echo throughout the film due to the scale of the act and the destruction it is likely to cause we assume as the audience to those in the pub. De Niro then moves back into the shadows again, this could show how De Niro may be insecure in himself and wants more power to make him feel like he has more significance. This links back to how De Niro is out of kilter with the rest of society and why he was hiding in the shadows. This confuses us as the viewer as we have just seen him in the light making us undeceive to whether or not he has negative or positive intentions and whether or not he is to be the antagonist or the protagonist. Us as the audience notice that De Niro’s pocket is still in the shadows and the darkness. This makes us as the viewer think it contains something of harm or something that he must hide. The gun is then in the center frame when De Niro is hiding it and the gun goes from light to dark showing that what he is doing or is going to do with the gun is not going to be of a good nature and is most likely to cause harm, which we assume is to be towards the girl. The editing technique uses lighting to help shows how the gun is to be used in a way in which it will cause harm to others, as it goes into the black shadows symbolizing death. There is one hit of a drum when de Niro pulls out the gun this may be signifying a gunshot and foreshadowing the future, this makes the audience believe there is death to follow in the upcoming scenes as De Niro is armed with a gun and is trying to get to the girl. This then confuses the audience as they start to think that De Niro may be the antagonist again. There is then a cut back inside the pub showing how the gun is likely to be used to hurt the girl and solidifying the audience’s idea that De Niro is trying to get to the girl. Following this there is a cut to a point of view shot of him looking into the window of the bar, this makes the audience believe that someone in the pub is De Niro’s target this becomes the audiences role to try and piece together who it will be and try and find the motive for it. The audience belives that De Niro is going to use the gun to kill someone in there, this forms a sound bridge with the single hit of the drum, this shows how De Niro may have spotted his target and could also show how he is being called into the pub like for prayer as the others were, again linking them all together .This may also make the audience believe he is only going to kill one person as there is only one hit of the drum signifying only one bullet is to be shot. Finally, there is a cut to the girl pulling out the gun in the bar when the gun is in centre frame and is the main focus, The audience believes that De Niro and the girl are going to shot at the others in the pub or the man which the girl dodged, or that De Niro and the girl are trying to kill one another. The girl does not appear as innocent anymore as she has a gun, this could also show how she feels unsafe or threatened and is trying to protect herself. At this point, we believe that there is to be a shootout. This leaves the audience in edge and anticipating the shootout very soon. The lady begins to speak French when De Niro walks in and asks where the toilets are, De Niro continues to speak in English to the lady behind the bar. The lady then begins to speak to De Niro in an Irish accent. This makes us and the audience believe that the lady was hiding something and assures us that the two are more than likely associated as there is a small chance that someone with an Irish accent will be working behind a bar in Paris. The Irish accent also links back to the IRA terror group and again gives the Impression that that De Niro and the people in the bar are all part of a gang or a terror organization of some description. This makes the audience view all of the people in a bad way and think of them negatively, we also as a modern audience view all of the characters as a possible threat with no limits, as this is how terrorists are today.  We also believe that maybe the people in the bar are on a mission and did not know who they were working with.

A mirrored reflection is also used to portray and foreshadow what De Niro is going to turn into when he looks in the window of the pub, which is a reflection resembling as ghost showing how he may be killed in the following scenes. Mirrors are typically used to show an altered version of the person looking into it. It shows what they are to become or what other people see them as. This method of filming is often used in horror films, showing how acts of terror and horror are to follow later in the film. There is also an oboe making a constant noise which is linking the outside to the inside as the sound both occurs in the pub and outside. This could show that something outside of the pub is silently creeping up on them and in fact making all of the people in the pub targets which they are all unaware of. Again this shows how they are all connected. This is significant because the notes an oboe play are usually in the treble and soprano range. These low notes could be a reflection of all of their low morals and intentions and could be foreshadowing the future further, showing how they are to commits acts of crime which are frowned upon and looked upon in a dark way.