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A scene from Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
Director: David Gelb.
Produced by: Kevin Iwashina, Tom Pellegrini.
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I've watched this film numerous times, and every time I find more nuisances tucked away. This particular long shot, for me, is quite a powerful one in regards to the story, also its composition is lovely.
The man in this long shot at first glance may seem to be the main character Jiro, but is actually his eldest son, Yoshikazu.
The similarity is striking from afar, and I'm guessing this may be a visual prelude to Yoshikazu story arc. As Yoshikazu is supposed to take over from his Godlike father in the Sushi industry, some would say, an unsurpassable task, and one that seems lonely, as if it's Yoshikazu fate to simply inherit, and nothing else. This long shot makes Yoshikazu out to be alone and small next to his father's restaurant, with almost tangible loneliness, as we're told that the younger brother Takashi, has already left the father's tutelage, to fame and fortune of his own. Also, we're told that in Japanese culture it's traditional for the eldest son to take up the father's business. And yet we see here, Yoshikazu, by himself working in a quiet corridor, with his reflection almost as if it's his father watching him as he works in silence, never able to escape his father's shadow or reflection.
The composition for me is interesting, the first thing that jumps out at me is that the far right of the frame is actually the restaurant's wall/door, then in centre frame the walls/windows, as if to say that the restaurant has more importance that Yoshikazu, pushed into the last 1/3 of the shot, a frame within a frame.
Visually it streamlines the eye to focus on Yoshikazu, with no camera movement, forcing you to look at Yoshikazu and only Yoshikazu, as this is who we are learning from in this part of the film and the only movement is his arm fluttering back and forth with the nori. There's no music in this scene but only the sound of nori (dry seaweed) flapping over the grill placed over hot coals in a quiet corridor, enforcing Yoshikazu focus, solemness and perhaps loneliness.
I personally enjoy parts of the screen to be utilized for framing with the frame.
Blocking parts of the frame to emphasize a point, it makes you focus and try to think why? At least it does for me.
Another example of a fantastic "frame within a frame" would be in the Hong Kong film, In the Mood for Love, where it's used extremely frequently, especially with the interior shots, walls block then frame inside. I feel that this is to show the lack of space in Hong Kong and focus on the strong emotions of the 2 main characters. I highly recommend this film, also the colour pallet used is jaw-dropping, rich tones are splashed everywhere and almost every scene is beautifully framed.
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