La Sconosciuta directed by Giuseppe Tornatore

Movie analysis by Chooi Suet Ching J09006171

The Movie is about: A Ukrainian prostitute, haunted by a horrible past and in search of her lost daughter.

Plot outline: This is an original element in Tornatore cinematic style and that comes from his attention to details in the portrayal of Italy’s social lifestyle and their culture. Giuseppe Tornatore has explores the problem of human trafficking and violence against women in this film. He applied prostitutes’ life in contributed to making his cinematic world a well-crafted space in which to project the harsh reality of those who live on the outskirts of society.

Story line: A Ukrainian woman named Irena calculatedly insinuates herself into the lives of a young, affluent Italian family. Stopping at nothing to become the couple’s trusted maid and the beloved nanny to their fragile young daughter, Irena risks everything in her quest to uncover the truth about the family. Like an intricately constructed jigsaw puzzle, The Unknown Woman reveals piece by piece the enigma of Irena’s past.

  The poster

Lighting: La Sconosciuta opens with a deceptively-attractive theme, a truly rapturous piece highlighting violin solos which spotlights yet another knockout Morricone melody to add to the impossibly-large collection. This is a very intelligent score which goes on a real journey - after that sumptuous theme, the next few cues remain melodic, but the composer gradually introduces just hints of dissonance and slight disharmony here and there to represent a growing unease. The film begins with some women clad in masks and lingerie being subjected to bodily examination via a small peep-hole by an unknown person. In this scene, Tornatore had chosen the prefect lighting effect and shadows to create the right atmosphere. The use of low-key lighting and hard light to underscore the women’s uncanny self-presentation in identical, full-face masks lends an element of the surreal to the scene, which create the mystery feeling to the audience.

Music : The background music plays an important role in this film.The music works perfect and is really instrumental in developing the story and the characters in the same way as in real good opera.  EnnioMorriconeis the person who in change in editing the music of the film is successfully delivers an amazing score which smoothly alternates two main themes, one consisting of slow violins, the other one centred on a sweet, sad and mellow melody. La Sconosciuta opens with a deceptively-attractive theme, a truly rapturous piece highlighting violin solos which spotlights yet another knockout Morricone melody to add to the impossibly-large collection. This is a very intelligent score which goes on a real journey - after that sumptuous theme, the next few cues remain melodic, but the composer gradually introduces just hints of dissonance and slight disharmony here and there to represent a growing unease.

 

Camera Angle : There are some flashback scenes literally “flash” in front of our eyes like some flip book being rapidly turned in a random order. Those scenes also depict some of the important happenings in Irena’s life, and hence, a detailed, restrained treatment to these scenes would’ve done them a lot of good instead of such gimmicky camerawork. The cinematography is otherwise superb though, with some beautiful colours clearly distinguishing the past and the present scenes.

Camera angle: Irena starring by (KseniyaRappoport) she travels to Italy and starts looking for a job as a maid but she is interested only in one household. She gets acquainted to a couple of people there and finds out about Valeria Adacher starring by (Claudia Gerini) who has an adorable daughter Tea starring by (Clara Dossena). On this particular scene, it has used the effects like those in “Vertigo” with a staircase scene.

Besides that, this scenes is showing Irena’s past at the hands of brutal pimp Mold starring by (Michele Placido). It is a terribly effective series of horrific flashbacks splashing over the screen.  She is tied up and pushed down.  She can’t get up but she force to get up by herself. The camera shifts from high to low, from medium shots of the abused and the abuser to close-ups of the fear and determination in Irena’s eyes as she struggles to break free. It makes you completely feel how painful is the talent.

In another scene, Tea is bullied at school and she never dare to fight back. She just keeps crying in a corner. When Irena knew it, she ties her up and pushes her down and forcing her to stand on her own.  Low angle shots are used in this angle and taking the audience to the floor, as helpless as a person bound and gagged; thrown down, only to get up and be thrown down again.

Trailer :