Cops (1922)

• Realism


  Authenticity achieved through the background activity that can be seen in each shot.

  Presentation of everyday life.

  Multiple aspects of 1920s lives presented through the growing ideals of economic prosperity in the 20s + AD of becoming successful.

  Parade = masses of crowds + scale = realism
• Expressionism

  Fade to black shows the passage of time

  Technique used to avoid audience boredom

  Chase scene exaggerates the cops incompetence for humerous effect.

  Editing for effect - frequency of edits increase as the chase sequence progresses in order to increase pace.
• Undercranking - they had to perform slowly so that it was faster when played through the projector.
• Realist

  Opening

  Deep focus shot and natural lighting shows everday occurances
• Realism

  LS's

  Deep focus

  Wide Shots

  Natural lighting

  Tracking shots - following journey capturing everday life
• Realist


  ELS of archival police parade footage allows audience to take in the mass number of police.

  Realist as uses archival footage
• Expressive

  Opening:

  Manipulating audience expectations through camera angles

  CU of bars - keaton in prison

  Cut to wideshot revealing he is standing at gates

  Manipulation as used in Soviet montage
• Expressionism

  Kuleshov effect: Shots alternating between Keaton, bad guy and family moving out

  Audience soon realise bad guy with the look at the money and then the family
• Expressive

  Shallow focus and darkended edges on CU of bad guy pushes audience to focus on fake tears
• Expressive

  Framing gag - horse for $5 but sign was meant for blazer
• Expressive

  Cops chase sequence:

  ELS where Keaton is launched off ladder requires tricky wire and camera work
• From the opening shot of Keaton behind bars to his anarchic destabilisation of the police force, 'Cops' is the ultimate foil to the empty, self-congratulatory parades sponsered by the American government.
• Keaton mobilises the cinematic medium to create a dangerous spectacle, threatening to disrupt the status quo.