The Third Man- Sewer Scene Analysis.

How does the director of The Third Man use camera work, mise en scene and sound to create claustrophobia and disorientation within the Sewer Chase Scene?




Camera Work and Editing:
   A sense of claustrophobia, disorientation is created within the sewer chase scene through camera work and editing.
   Firstly, there are many obscured shots, whether this be a wall, person or waterfall; blocking the audience's full view creates a sense of secrecy and concealment, something that shouldn't be allowed to escape.
The camera is almost always still, but placed in very tight locations, almost enforcing the obscurity of an object upon the shot. For example, the still of the camera hidden in a tunnel, looking out, is placed slightly to the left and looks to be almost facing diagonally. This therefore fills the shot more with wall, making the audience feel trapped and blocked, as the little open space is scarcely seen and even more so, right at the end of the tunnel.
   Tilt shots are also used within this scene, with a particularly interesting shot at 3.39 (video at the top of the post). The shot is tilted, as sees harry running up a extremely low ceilinged tunnel. This creates claustrophobia and disorientation because the audience can clearly see how small and contained the space is, from the positioning of the character, as well as his wish to escape it, which makes the audience feel unsettled and uncomfortable as we can't see any vast space, or end of the tunnel, making us question whether this sense of claustrophobia will end? The tilt angle emphasises the "squeeze" of the shot, as if the camera itself cannot fit in, as well as supporting the busy, disorientation of the chase.

Close ups are also used for an emotional response. This creates claustrophobia as the audience can clearly detect that the chased character does not want to be there; his worried, yearning eyes towards the light implies that is where he wants to be, as well as his damp hair and sweaty face, suggesting discomfort and desperation to escape.

Sound:
   By watching the scene, all sound is digetic; a rarity within the film which is normally accompanied by a very peculiar soundtrack. 
   The sound is very loud and continuous, such as flowing water and running footsteps. These sounds are combined with echoes  in which the sounds are repeated and lengthened, bouncing off and going through each never ending tunnel. This creates disorientation as the audience are unaware of where the sounds are coming from. The sound somewhat "fills" your ear, therefore you could argue a sense of claustrophobia is created, even at the start when you see open spaces above, and larger ,wider tunnels.
   The language changes between English and a Foreign language, supposedly Deutsch as the film is set in Vienna. This is clearly disorientating as the audience won't know the full conversation, only parts, linking to the enigmatic tone of film noir.


Lighting:
   The classic film noir conventions are shown within this scene with the harsh shadows and chiaroscuro lighting. These conventions help to create claustrophobia as, specifically in the image below, the light source (which is high in intensity) is reflecting of the water, highlighting the steam on the ground and the damp walls, really emphasising the small space in which the character is in.

With the tunnel drawing to a vanishing point, the audience are drawn to the light at the end of the tunnel. This phrase is famously linked with death, and parting from this life to the next, therefore escaping/leaving. This shot could possibly foreshadow the fate of the character but also where he desires to go; out. Therefore because the character cannot get there, or to the light, the audience feel trapped as well as the character, longing for the light.

 Mise en scene/ Location:
   The scene takes place in the location of Vienna's underground sewers. Carol Reed (director) uses all different parts of the sewer, to the extent that the audience cannot quite link the tunnels, openings and stairs together, resulting in disorientation and confusion.
   In terms of escape or in the police's case, capture, the characters routes are most often dark, unknown tunnels. The fact that there is no light gives off a stuffy, frightening feeling; running deeper and deeper into the unknown sewers, where are they running to? The disorientation continues.

Water is constantly present in the sewers; filling the scene and shot, resulting in less empty, dry areas. I also think that the water and the location of the sewers gives a sense of claustrophobia because we are aware that water can fill all space, and a sewer is the prime place for it to do so. Therefore just knowing that the location can/could be submerged with water, is quite unsettling.

Action:
   Finally, the action within the scene consists of a lot of running but, as touched upon above, to exactly where, the audience is unaware.
   The one thing we, as an audience are sure about is that one character (Harry Lime) wants to escape to the city above. Throughout the scene, we see Harry attempt several times to escape up the stairs, but results in running back down as other people are coming down. The fact that he can never quite escape alliterates his desperation to leave and the claustrophobic setting he is in. 

Particularly in still,the camera is on the floor, in line with Harry's outstretched fingers. The action of his fingers outstretched implies again, his desperation for the air and city above. The grate signifies imprisonment down below and he once again, can't quite escape.