‘Requiem for a dream’ – A critique of consumerist society wrapped in a tale of addiction. PART 1: The editing Technique.

I had written this paper as my post graduation thesis. I had put many days and nights into it (this was before CHATGPT era my friends), but once submitted it was never to see the light of the day again. Now that's sad! :(

So, here it is - A tribute to one of my most favorite films (which is not about addiction or isolation but rather a critique to the consumerist society) that had inspired me to start editing. I will be uploading this in parts.

The director – Darren Aronofsky wanted to make a film about love, addiction and the effects of chasing a fantasy. He did not want it to be a film about ‘addicts’ or drugs but rather on addiction (which he viewed as a ‘monster’; he wanted to make a “monster movie”) and the lengths people go to forget or run away from their realities. The film definitely expresses these ideas successfully however with its strong audio-visual language it explores deeper spiritual questions and themes. For me the film is also about purposelessness, obsession, superficiality, isolation and loneliness.

A hundred minute film on average has 600-700 cuts. This one has over 2000. It is a fast paced film that mirrors the chaotic life of the characters. The visual composition further emphasizes the mood and idea of the film.

A psychedelic effect has been created audio-visually that mirrors the experiences and psychological conditions of the character, thus increasing our empathy towards them. Following are certain editing techniques and elements used in the film:

• Abrupt cuts as the prominent editing style – Rapid cuts and smash cuts help in maintaining the chaotic pace and a sense of temporal -and often spatial- fragmentation (which the addicts often experience). The audience often subconsciously expects the ‘next cut’. Cutting at that point keeps them in a complacent ‘laid back state’ and may even make the film boring. Rapid cutting with discontinuous graphic relation created a subtle jerk that constantly keeps the audience more alert and engaged. Also abruptly cutting an emotional scene creates a sense of unfulfillment that mirrors the character’s emotional journey

• Lack of typical establishing shot –A series of extreme CU shots have been used (often repeatedly) to establish a change in space. Eg: the CU shot of the remote establishes we are in Sara’s Apartment)

• Recreation of frame a.k.a Split screen – Ideally a split screen or picture in picture effect should not be a simple collage of multiple frames but a creation of new frame with a unique composition that tells a different story of its own. For eg: Harry and Marion proposing love in a single frame would have an intrinsic emotional and romantic value. The image would express a connectedness (especially because it was performed in a genuine and passionate way). However, Harry and Marion though believe themselves to be in love and express that genuinely, deep down they are all stuck in a bubble with their own demons and lack the actual emotional bond that ‘healthy’ humans experience. How to express this contrasting or layered emotion concisely and simply? Answer: a split screen. By creating a new frame that breaks the inherent emotional quality of the shot and subconsciously creates an unfulfilled or disconnected and often a jarring feeling in the audience. Also the editor deliberately created action discontinuity (Harry hand movement in left half of frame occurs before the right half causing a repeat action) making the experience even more jarring and disjointed. 2nd scene that introduces Sara and Harry uses this technique to set the mood and pace. Seeing more than 1 shot at a time (that too from various angles and camera movement of both harry and Sara) distracts the audience – causing confusion. It literally evokes the feeling of standing in middle of a fight and trying to look/understand at both the participant simultaneously – this causes a stress. Evoking this stress in audience is intentional. The division or break in their relationship is expressed visually by using split screen technique with Sara and Harry’s shot.

• Hip-Hop Montage – According to Wikipedia: “A hip hop montage is a subset of fast cutting used in film to portray a complex action through a rapid series of simple actions in fast motion, accompanied by sound effects. The technique was first given its name by Darren Aronofsky, who used the technique in his films Pi and Requiem for a Dream to portray drug use.”

• Repeating the same shot – Usually shots are not repeated but here we often see the same shot multiple times to associate with a character or show the character’s obsessive association with that object. Eg: the shot of pressing remote button is associated with Sara in her house watching television or an activity (dilution of pupil to express that the character is under the influence of drug). The monotony and repetitiveness of their life literally comes from repeating the same or similar shots thus hammering down the idea of the characters being stuck in their respective addiction and lifestyle. Shopping mall drug scene chaos has been created by showing part of the entire space, repeating shots and creating a confusion of what is happening. One might argue that this scene was not shot well and edited in such a way to avoid shooting an entire drug dealing scene with multiple characters. However this edit and the chaotic impact of it work for this scene.

• Ellipsis –We never see any extra bit of action or information; editor has also removed actions which we are used to seeing in other films thus creating a sort of temporally fragmented world that befits an addicted or disturbed mind. We don’t see a character walking from point A to B unless that walk has any emotional or narrative significance (eg Marion’s walks after ‘sleeping with’ Arnold). We never see trivial or inconsequential act like mother picking up the remote or eating - all of these actions are removed (through jump cut and montage or intercutting) keeping only the bare essential. We reach from point A to B without seeing the entire journey. 3 such examples are : A. the diet breakfast scene – removing the act of eating and just jump cutting (almost like a stop motion) to the already consumed food (one by one) and her expression communicates and even enhances her dissatisfaction yet willingness to go through the diet. B.Marion standing in front of mirror half naked and dejected -. We go through her emotional transformation without showing every step of the journey in detail. C.Harry in Car crying (After Harry meets Sara and learns she is taking diet pill). The emotion from point A to point B is reached by placing a short hip-hop montage between it which reduces the reel time but keeping a sense of real time intact.

• Metonym- Food vanishing one by one from plate (Sara’s diet breakfast scene) is symbolical (or condensed) representation of the act of eating/consuming. Along with condensing the time it evokes and strengthens the idea and act of consumption which will be repeated again and again. Diluted pupil, pills, lines of cocaine, injections etc is symbolic of drug consumption. Instead of showing the entire act of injecting or snorting drugs, few random Cu shots have been used to symbolize the act.

• Superimposition – Shots of Sara applying makeup are superimposed to create a repetitive and ghosting effect that creates a visual shake that enhances psycho-somatic disturbance which Sara is going through at that moment. The superimposed shots of the Sara’s face often create a clown or monster like illusion – a visual disfigurement to enhance psychological deterioration.

• Juxtaposition - Sara is dealing with body image issues; we see her eating a distasteful breakfast. This idea is enhanced by cutting to a scene of Marion in the bathroom looking at her half naked body dejectedly. There is a deeper link between these 2 characters.. They are both emotionally abandoned by their families and has self-esteem issues. We often see (more than 4 times) Sara and Marion’s scenes/shots are juxtaposed. In fact the introductory shot of Marion was a match cut from Sara’s shot (as if Marion is a different version of Sara). During climax, Sara’s tortured face has often been juxtaposed with Marion’s stoic expression, enhancing Marion’s pain. There were 2 scenes when either one is disturbed and the other one is applying makeup as if symbolically hiding their true face (a.k.a condition).

To be continued in the next post...