25th August 2017

Charles Herman

Significant details about Charles Herman

Scene: Johns meets Charles for the first time

-Hungover
-Skinny, quite tall
-English major
-Intrusive person
-Bombastic
-Dishevelled
-Insightful into Johns personality
-People person
-Extroverted
-Joker
-Says it as it is
-Sarcastic
-Honest
-Teaches John very revealing things about himself that John didn’t like to think of but knows they are there
-Understanding
What is John doing/what is going on around John when Charles appears?
-Watching people socialise outside while he is inside
-Envious, confused as he looks at people being nice to each other
-He is used to solving problems with his logic and maths, so he creates Charles
-Aquire taste in past times
-Often schizophrenia delusions are heard before they are seen

 

What film techniques are used in specific scenes to introduce Charles?

Film techniques
-Operatic Choir music – shows Johns traditional side and that he still enjoys things like music and art
-Hign angle long shot of Johns moving his desk towards his desk toward the light, light symbolised mathematical revelation
-Close up of John looking out of window
-High angle point of view shot as John looks at other students interacting – John looks concerned
-Point of view shot from Johns perspective introduces Charles into the scene, panning shot

What film techniques are used to show Charles’ behaviour?

 

Graduates are playing American football, Johns default is going maths
We hear Charles before we can see him
Charles is shown thought no longer a point of view shot, Shows that Charles is becoming more part of Johns consciousness
Johns creating Charles in his mind shows that there is an inner conflict between John wanting to work and paly
“Is my roommate a dick?” – John is questioning his likeability, his sociability, John is asking himself, should he do something different to be accepted
John turns to alcohol to drown his sorrows and confusion for a moment
The existence of Charles gives John an excuse to be a rebel, He justifies his own rebellious acts which don fit in the high expectations he has for himself.
FILM TECHNIQUE – Light is on one side of Johns’ face, Light represents revelation, Johns revelation if Charles, he now has a way to rebel and justify it to himself
“Maybe you’re just better with the old integers that you are with people.” – John can bounce his ideas about his life and mathematics, Charles is Johns friend. Created an English major, intellectual so enjoy his presence without competition.
CHARLES IS A DELUSIONAL CHARACTER

“The truth is I don’t like people much.”Turns Johns opinions light hearted

Turns Johns opinions light hearted

“Mathematics is never going to lead you to a higher truth, and you know why? Because it’s boring.”

“(John) Because its the only way I’ll ever …….. (Charles) Matter.”

What does Charles represent in John’s life?

A friend

He was a side of John that he wished he was more like

He is freed by creating Charles, he is able to justify his actions to himself

Significant details about Charles Herman

Scene: IN THE LIBRARY/BAR

What is John doing/what is going on around John when Charles appears?

Has been doing maths for two days

Not a lot of people in the library, time where people are sleeping/ socialising

We hear Charles before we see him

He has been watching the outside world and has been making calculations to depict the outside world

BAR SCENE

“Whos winning you or you?”         John is playing pool by himself, looks for recognition from Charles

What film techniques are used in specific scenes to introduce Charles?

Long shot of almost empty Library, almost point of view of Charles                                                               Long shot of John sitting on window ledge

Lighting from Lamp

“You know Hanson has just published another paper?”  -Johns not achieving enough for his standards

Point of view medium shot showing Charles for the first time in this scene

“And this is a woman chasing a man who stole her purse” – John is getting absorbed in his reality of mathematics and is losing touch with the real world. He is losing touch with what is happening in the real world

Charles tries to get Johns grip of reality back, He is the voice of reason John creates for himself

John introduces another character related to Charles, makes Charles seem more real, time of need and is slipping deeper into his delusions, trying to cope with added stress so he creates more characters for him to rely on

Marcee represents family, no family seen before in film

“When did you last eat?” two shot of Charles and John, he is in lighting so he is having revealed  that he needs to look after himself more

Long shot of John existing library, arms in air representing freedom, Charles helps him to be free

BAR SCENE

Long shot of John looking for recognition from Charles

Point of view shot of Charles clapping for John

Pans to look at colleges walking into Bar

John is rude and abrupt into first meeting with a woman, talks about intercourse with her and she slaps him

You hear Charles first

Medium shot shows door is opened for Charles and he enters Bathroom, Charles makes John feel light heartedly make John feel better about his failures

What film techniques are used to show Charles’ behaviour?

 

What does Charles represent in John’s life?

Charles promotes freedom in Johns life, giving John excuses to allow himself to be human, rather than focusing on mathematics all the time Charles

Charles provides another support structure for John, introducing Marcee into the film

Significant details about Charles Herman

Scene: JOHN ‘HITS THE WALL’

What is John doing/what is going on around John when Charles appears?
Johns sees through his window covered in mathematical problems
Close up of John looking out window
John is looking for his original idea, but he “can’t see it”
Starting to twitch
Close up shows him smash his head against the glass
 “I can’t see it, I can’t see it.” John says as he looks at maths working “It” being his original idea

Close up of back of Johns’ head as he hits it on the window

“I can’t fail”

“This is all I am”

Mental illness added to life pressure, John is battling with schizophrenia while also battling with his life, being a genius, living at Princeton.

Conflict to conform – face the wall, facing the task in front

If delusions are not managed(left unchecked and unsupported) they can become self-harmful and harmful to others around him “Come on! Go on, bust your head! Kill yourself!”

“Come on! Go on, bust your head! Kill yourself!” – the first time we see delusions turning on John

“Goddamn it Charles, Charles! What the hell is your problem?” – the first time we see John taking control of his own delusions, he can fight back

“Your answer isn’t face the wall, it’s out there where you’ve been working.” – come up will all ideas while looking at the real world, that where he will find his original idea and the answer he has been looking for

Charles is Johns friend, social interaction, makes him feel better, gives him self, but  Charles sepeartes John from the rest of the world.

 

What film techniques are used in specific scenes to introduce Charles?

“Jesus Christ, John” – we hear Charles first

“Come on let’s go out

 

What film techniques are used to show Charles’ behaviour?

 

What does Charles represent in John’s life?

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Category

A Beautiful Mind