The lighting in the film makes the movie work. Firstly, the lighting directs the mood of the film. There are many suspenseful parts in Colombia that the director could choose to make very scary but instead chooses to make the movie humorous; this sense of humor is achieved by filming in the light and poking fun at the little mishaps along the way. Secondly, the movie is an adventure film and in order to see Joan Wilder’s expedition, the camera must shoot in the daytime.
See more about the Colombian adventure: www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/co.html
Music also contributes a great deal to the mood of the film. When Joan nearly falls through the swinging bridge, trumpets sound as if to poke fun at her clumsiness rather than build on the fall to create suspense. The same occurs when Michael Douglas is held at gunpoint as he is being searched, a little tune carries on in the background suggesting a lighter undertone than what the scene could be made out to be which is suspenseful and terrifying. Once again, the director took a lighter approach to make matters funny as opposed to making tension.
Characterization in the film is excellent as well at typical 80's. Danny DeVito plays the bad guy in the film as he usually does; he’s a man with Napoleon complex. There is a studly hero played by Michael Douglas and a helpless woman that needs rescuing played by Kathleen Turner. In the end, typically and in this movie, the handsome man comes back after rescuing the damsel for true love.
1 comment:
and it of course prompted the sequel JEWEL OF THE NILE, which isn't as good
Once again Michael Douglas in an 80s film
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