Army of Darkness (1992)

Though it was probably unintended, I thought this shot of the windmill behind the chainsaw made a noteworthy contrast between old and new technology. The chainsaw is shiny and full of power while the windmill is dull and slow. The new tech looks so strange compared to the old, yet we’re much more familiar with it than we’d be with a windmill.



A single light could be all a filmmaker needs to put emphasis on the importance of something. This shot is no exception. The altar of the Necronomicon (book of the dead) is dreary and old, not in the least bit holy as white lights often emphasize. Yet a white light is used to illuminate the place of the book. Whether this was intentional or not really thought out by the filmmaker is arguable.



For some reason, the use of jerky puppets seems more appropriate than computer animation for the simulation of walking skeletons. Computer animation is either too shiny or too smooth, neither of which would go well with the undead. Though the option to use puppets and animatronics is more due to the limitations of technology at the time this film was made, I still feel it is the best choice.



This shot could have been broken up onto two, but the filmmaker kept it together. The man on the right (from the future) slaps the man on the left (in the correct time period) after watching the troops score small victories in the battle below. The man on the left isn’t accustomed to such body language and stares back almost threateningly. It could have been split up so the reaction was shot separately, but that would probably have made the reaction seem too serious and detract from the comedic air of the film.