Angles of Shutter Island.

     Shutter Island to me is the first movie that comes to mind as a brilliantly diverse shot film. At the beginning of the movie Leonardo Dicaprio's character Teddy, gets off a ship and heads to solve the mystery of a disappearing patient at the elusive Shutter Island.

     The scene begins with the security guard escorting them off the ship to the mental hospital. This involved a medium camera shot with a low angle. The guard is in front giving him absolute authority since it’s “his” territory. The low camera angle weakens the power of Teddy and his partner rendering them vulnerable in unfamiliar surroundings and gives the power to the guard.

          Then it progresses to a close-up of Teddy and his partner, Chuck. This illustrates their extreme emotions and distress in the situation. They’re suspicious of the events occuring on Shutter Island and they’re unsure of what they’re getting themselves into.

          And finally the camera angle is an eye level, extreme close-up of Leonardo Dicaprio's. He’s very weary of the mystery of Shutter Island. No one seems to give him legitimate concrete answers to all his questions. The angle allows you to identify with him and be inside of his mind to find his complete distress and conern. The audience feels the strength of the emotions the character is experiencing.