Filibustering Keaton: One Week

In the opening shot of One Week, an iris shot reverses and expands to reveal the whole screen, which is expressive as it adds a layer to the film that does not capture objective reality. The first shot of the calendar is an example of expressionism as it directly gives the audience information to contextualise the film, such as what day of the week it is on a calendar. The first intertitle card is expressionist as the text is there to manipulate the audience into accepting the message and to convey the point that the film is making, hinting at the bad events to come in “such a sour echo”.The sound that is added to the film in post production is expressive as it tells the audience when something is exiting or sad, and so on, manipulating them into understanding the meaning rather than capturing objective reality and letting them come to their own conclusions. The next shot is an iris shot with a bell centre frame, the rest of the shot cut out by the black sides of the iris, directing the audiences attention onto the bell, or whatever is important in that moment of the film.

There is then a cross fade from the bell to the newly married couple leaving the church, which is also expressive as it shows that these two events are connected. The shot of them leaving the wedding is realist though as it is a long shot that allows for the viewer to direct their attention to anything in frame, although the central framing of the couple who are descending the church steps to be exactly centre frame shows that they are the object of importance here. So here, cinematography creates a mixture of realism and expressionism through composition. People throw rice at the couple aggressively, which is a realist depiction of the tradition, but the aggressiveness of their throwing of the rice and the shoes is there to be funny and therefore expressive, as it does not capture objective reality.

As the couple are about to walk out of frame Keaton stops to pick up a pair of shoes, which is a gag but also reflects the poverty of the time period. The costumes that people are wearing are realistic reflections of what was fashionable at the time of filming this. And aren’t exaggerated for effect like what would be done in German Expressionism. All intertitle cards are expressive as they provide context that the film itself doesn’t, so manipulate the audience into understanding more. We then cut to a close up shot in depth of field of Handy Hank, which is expressive as it directs our attention to him, and his performance is an exaggerated depiction of a jealous man. The next shot is a 3 shot with no emphasis on any particular character so we can focus on who we want, which is a realist technique. The film is filmed on a real street-representative of America at that time. There is then a cutaway to a closeup of a wedding gift card, but it is shot in vignette to focus our attention on what is important, which is expressive, directing the audiences focus, therefore manipulating them.

There is an unrealistic and therefore expressive stunt as Keaton balances between two cars. One Week often uses exaggerated situations and performances to emphasise athleticism and bravery, which is an expressionist technique used here for the purpose of physical comedy. But this is still shot in L.A, which makes it a realist representation of America at the time of filming in the 1920s. There are no close ups or cutaways or focus directions in action sequences apart from central framing, which makes these comedic action sequences expressionist scenarios that represent the context of the films setting and time period through realist filmmaking techniques. This can also be seen in the cop being knocked out gag, which is an expressionist representation of the real distrust of police at the time in America, done for the sake of a joke here. This is expressive, but is also shot by a static camera in a long shot, which makes it a realist technique. Realist depiction of flat pack portable build your own house gift gag, realist depiction of social problem of lack of affordable housing at the time. Iris shot of delivery man and inter title card and close up on him isolating him-expressive and manipulative. Box is left right way for us to read it as it is opened, which is expressive to give context. Iris close up shot of directions sign to show that it is important plot element. Vignette shot of first direction is expressive as it forces the audience to focus on a certain thing, usually an important plot element in the film.

The shot then fades to black and brings us back to the calendar, directly giving the audience contextual information, which is expressive, showing the passage of time. Keaton’s stunt performed on the plank is expressive since it does not progress the plot at all or present bye time reality, it’s simply there for the purpose of a joke. The gender roles of the couple, the woman cooking and man working on the house, is a realistic depiction of traditional gender roles at the time. However, parallel editing is used here to show that these two events are happening no at the same time, which is expressive as it gives information directly to the audience without letting come to their own conclusions. The cinematography is also dictated by the jokes in One Week, as seen when awe cut to a long shot to get a full view of Keaton falling from the plank, which makes it expressive. There is then parallel editing between Handy Hank and the couple, and Hank’s expressions and mannerisms are extreme exaggerated to show his glee at the trick he’s pulled off, which is expressive as it strays form a realistic depiction of reality.

The house itself here is also constructed for Keaton to do stunts off, as seen when the wall flips and leaves Keatons wife hanging in mid-air, which is in no way similar to reality. This mise en scene is similar to that of German Expressionism, which used exaggerated and symbolic mise en scene to convey meaning and themes. Keaton’s wife also breaks the fourth wall when she swoons over him, looking at and therefore acknowledging the camera and audience, which is expressionist as it does not portray objective reality, and directly communicates with the audience. However, there is then an expressive scenario in the strongman giving Keaton the piano that crushes him filmed in a realism technique through long shot in depth of focus which is a realism technique as it allows for the audience to focus on what they want to.

One Week often incorporates expressionist scenarios for the sake of comedy, such as Keaton dangling from a chandelier, but films them through more realist techniques, such as long takes from static cameras, which allows for the audience to see the whole image themselves and therefore take in the entire gag. However, it also uses expressionist techniques, such as an Iris shot on the wife shouting up at Keaton to bring the audiences attention to important plot points, but at the same time is realist in its depiction of 1920’s America and traditional gender roles at the time, poverty and traditions/societal norms. Each of the little comic sequences that comprise the overall film are shot in static cameras, long shot, depth of focus etc to let the action play out, which is realist filmmaking. But parallel editing is an expressive technique as its a filmmaking technique used to convey information directly to the audience, thereby preventing them from coming to their own conclusions. In the bath scene, for example, the wife directly acknowledges the camera and therefore the audience, breaking the fourth wall, an expressive technique used here for comedic effect. As Keaton runs through the extremely high up door and lands on the ground, a long shot is incorporated so that the audience can take in the entire stunt, but is a realist technique regardless.

There is an iris shot of Keaton as he realises rain is coming through the roof, making the audience notice his dismayed and comedic reaction. This is the filmmaker making decisions for the audience rather than letting them cut with their own eyes. The whole situation of the house spinning is also expressive, done for comedic effect, shot through depth of focus and long shots which are realist techniques of filmmaking. The editing in this sequence is also expressive as the length of shots decreases and the pace of editing increases to increase the intensity and pace of the scene, therefore manipulating the audiences reaction. The wife at the piano is shown through an iris shot to signify her importance and focus the audiences attention. The intertitle card of the merry-go-round joke is literally a joke written on screen, directly communicated to the audience for comedy rather than conveyed through physical action or sequence, which is expressive. To show the effects of the storm, the house is physically altered to look more damaged and deformed, which is expressive as the depiction of reality is manipulated for comedic effect, not showing objective reality in the process. As the couple try to get their house off the railway tracks, there is parallel editing to show the train approaching, which is an expressive technique. Joke relies on our perspective and position from where we’re seeing things take place, position of camera allows joke to work, expressive as it is manipulative, shows train coming one way and makes it look like it will hit the house. The audience cant see it coming from the other way. At the end, you see the real location of the time, which is realism in the film.