Characters Norman and Claire Spencer are a seemingly happily married couple, until they uncover a terrible secret that leads Norman to use a paralysing drug on Claire and leaves her with the bath running to drown looking like suicide. The shots during this climactic scene are varied with dramatic effects.
These two shots run through 10 second intervals and are very effective in showing the full scale of the situation. This birds eye view follows the characters as the paralysed victim is taken and set up as though they are committing suicide. The majority of high shots are used in order to cower over characters that are being made to feel insignificant, small or threatened. In this case, it is effective for showing a full view of the main most important character of the scene, the victim.
The shot is very powerful in terms of mise en scene, in that it establishes a full shot of the setting for the evidently climactic events, and gives it importance, making the audience want to now focus and be fully involved in the tension. It gives visual aids as to what could happen next, and by gradually feeding more and more knowledge to the audience as the climactic tension increases.
The lightly coloured nude and white clothes worn by character 'Claire' help to connotate even more the innocence and angelic nature of the victim.
The lighting here is very effective in its casting contrast between the walk way the character takes into the bathroom. This could emphasise even more the importance of the setting and what it is about to unfold as the character walks from the dark shadows into a bright white lit room.
Having the limp lifeless hand hanging at the top of the shot creates a much more chilling atmosphere, as well as the dark coloured clothing of the male.
This is a perspective shot, taken as if the camera is the eyes of the victim (Michelle Pfeiffer,) this is very effective in giving a sense of realism, connecting the audience to the character by giving you her view of what is happening. The stillness of the shot acting as her head is effective in emphasising her loss of movement and vulnerability in comparison to the fast flowing tap and rippling water, the rushing water is all you can hear throughout the shot, it is common within tense, thrilling scenes such as this to have the perspective shot with heavy breathing or a strong racing heart beat edited in. However this scene again highlights the paralysis and vulnerability of the character by having silence because her breathing is decreased.
The shot then swaps to view a close up on her face at a low level as if the camera is floating on the water, this is effective in giving the scene a sense of realism as the audience is there in the bath with her. The use of a close up shows the full horror and fear her face expresses, as the face is frowned slightly and eyes filled with tears.
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