HIGH-ANGLE

“A high-angle shot occurs when the camera is placed above a subject with the lens pointing down. This makes the subject appear small and vulnerable” – Jennifer van Sijll, Cinematic Storytelling

In the horror film The Shining, Stanley Kubrick makes extensive use of various cinematic techniques that drive the anticipation in the film. The high-angle is employed in the above screenshot, framing Danny playing with his toys. With the soundtrack keeping us on edge, the anticipation in the scene is deliberately enhanced by filming Danny from above, emphasizing his susceptibility to the dangers of the Overlook Hotel. Although it is still very symmetrical, the high-angle works very successfully in the context of the scene.

Similarly, the high-angle is used again in Pink Floyd The Wall, looking over Pink himself drinking in one of the bathroom stalls. Here, he is again enclosed by “the wall”, isolated from the rest of the world, portrayed with a relative weakness in his environment. We see him trying to cope with the damage of his childhood and the music business, but still not able to break free.

Furthermore, the high-angle is not only used to make subjects look small and vulnerable. In the above example from Renaissance, we see the high-angle being used to portray a sense of surveillance. It is suggesting that the character is entering a secure facility and that she is being watched. The protagonist becomes vulnerable, making it easier for her to be caught, heightening the anticipation of the scene. The surveillance camera also becomes a manipulation of reality in that it is very disjointed when tracking someone because it is only located in critical positions within the facility.

LOW-ANGLE

“A low-angle shot occurs when the camera is placed below the subject and the lens is pointing up. This causes the subject to appear larger-than-life” – Jennifer van Sijll, Cinematic Storytelling

In the screenshot above, cleric John Preston is about to overthrow the leader of the Fascist regime of the utopian society known as Libria. We begin to see the transfer of power with this low-angle shot of John himself, and a sword placed in front of him. This cinematic technique clearly portrays him as a powerful person, foreshadowing the destiny of the leader ending in death. John Preston stands tall and nothing can get in his way.

Here we see Danny again riding through the corridors of the Overlook Hotel on his tricycle. Interestingly, Stanley Kubrick puts a little twist on the low-angle in this scene; instead of making Danny more powerful, it actually makes him appear more vulnerable because we cannot see what lies ahead of him. The suspense is intensified yet again by the speed of the action. There seems to be a greater lack of control with the expected danger approaching with a deliberate swiftness – whether this danger is revealed or not, its presence can still be felt in the walls of the hotel, the intensity of the music. Anything can happen. The anticipation is heightened while the audience is left in fear for what might lie ahead.

Neither a low-angle, in the true sense of the word, nor an extreme close-up, Kubrick is seen here experimenting with extreme filming angles to get the most cinematic impact from his shots. The camera is positioned directly below Jack as he is leaning against the door asking Wendy to let him out. This is very effective in portraying his facial expressions and how he tries to manipulate Wendy to open the door. It is clear he is going insane and the screenshot above obviously does justice to that fact.