American Beauty: Mise-en-Scene

Mise-en-scene literally means "setting up a scene." There are six elements that make up mise-en-scene: acting, costume and make-up, setting, lighting, composition or space and lastly, but not least, time. The film that I chose for this particular topic was American Beauty. American Beauty is like mise-en-scene candy. Each theme from repression to denial and fantasy to reality is clearly portrayed through the art of mise-en-scene. We often say that a good performance is "realistic." …

…done and the day is coming to and end. It also symbolizes the connection between Ricky and Jane. Darkness brings them together. American Beauty is a very compelling film, not only that, but it is also aesthetically pleasing to the viewer, even if the viewer doesn't have much film knowledge. The art of mise-en-scene is very evident within this film and each element serves as another voice telling you what the film is all about.