Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is an iconic film for cinematography featuring a variety of lighting techniques, shot lengths and camera angles to provide depth to the plot of the film. Following the bandits and anti-heroes center to the film, Butch Cassidy and Sundance around the wild west attempting to avoid death from the men hired to pursue them, we see an abundance of wide angle shot chase scenes as well as more intimate close ups. The use of lighting a color sets a clear feeling for specific portions of the film which is helpful in the scenes in which there is minimal dialogue.
To start out we are presented with a sepia toned grainy old film opening scene that appears to be somewhat of a summary of the plot, which then turns into shots of Butch and Sundance for the first time. Butch Cassidy doesn't speak at all in this set of shots but is obviously a presence. When we first see Sundance kid he is playing cards and we are presented with a close up shot of him for an extended period of time. After having been introduced to Butch Cassidy, whom we can gather from the movie title alone is of high importance, this scene with Sundance establishes to the audience that he isn't going anywhere anytime soon and will be a strong force throughout the film. Through this entire sequence of shots there is high contrast giving the illusion of sharper angles which makes the men in the scene appear to have more angular faces which is a trait associated with masculinity and strength.
Another scene that is rather peculiar in the film is the second set of shots done in sepia tone, when Etta Place, Sundance Kid, and Butch Cassidy are in New York and heading to Bolivia. Set to the song “The Old Fun City” there is a a very comedic tone given to this entire part of the film. This portion of the film is entirely photographs from buggy rides to what appears to be some sort of carnival ending with much more solemn music over pictures of Sundance and Etta dancing. The scene come to a close with the arrival to Bolivia and return to color film, thus shattering the illusion of excitement all three of them had on the journey there to be presented with a dismal farm.
An earlier scene that appears some what out of place compared to the rest of the film is the scene in which Butch takes Etta out for a ride on his bicycle to the light-hearted tune “Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head" the colors are more saturated and there is a higher brightness throughout most of the scene on top of the song, it provides a very lighthearted and somewhat silly tone that is not expressed for the majority of the film. Although some feel that this part is out of place compared to the rest of the movie, it is such an iconic scene and brings a different flavor to its slightly serious tone during the chase sequences.
Barsam, Richard Meran., and Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. New York: W.W. Norton,
2010. Print.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Dir. George Roy Hill. Perf. Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Kathrine Ross. 20th
Century Fox, 1969. DVD.
To start out we are presented with a sepia toned grainy old film opening scene that appears to be somewhat of a summary of the plot, which then turns into shots of Butch and Sundance for the first time. Butch Cassidy doesn't speak at all in this set of shots but is obviously a presence. When we first see Sundance kid he is playing cards and we are presented with a close up shot of him for an extended period of time. After having been introduced to Butch Cassidy, whom we can gather from the movie title alone is of high importance, this scene with Sundance establishes to the audience that he isn't going anywhere anytime soon and will be a strong force throughout the film. Through this entire sequence of shots there is high contrast giving the illusion of sharper angles which makes the men in the scene appear to have more angular faces which is a trait associated with masculinity and strength.
Another scene that is rather peculiar in the film is the second set of shots done in sepia tone, when Etta Place, Sundance Kid, and Butch Cassidy are in New York and heading to Bolivia. Set to the song “The Old Fun City” there is a a very comedic tone given to this entire part of the film. This portion of the film is entirely photographs from buggy rides to what appears to be some sort of carnival ending with much more solemn music over pictures of Sundance and Etta dancing. The scene come to a close with the arrival to Bolivia and return to color film, thus shattering the illusion of excitement all three of them had on the journey there to be presented with a dismal farm.
An earlier scene that appears some what out of place compared to the rest of the film is the scene in which Butch takes Etta out for a ride on his bicycle to the light-hearted tune “Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head" the colors are more saturated and there is a higher brightness throughout most of the scene on top of the song, it provides a very lighthearted and somewhat silly tone that is not expressed for the majority of the film. Although some feel that this part is out of place compared to the rest of the movie, it is such an iconic scene and brings a different flavor to its slightly serious tone during the chase sequences.
Barsam, Richard Meran., and Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. New York: W.W. Norton,
2010. Print.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Dir. George Roy Hill. Perf. Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Kathrine Ross. 20th
Century Fox, 1969. DVD.