Rachel Mensah

The opening sequence introduces us to the key character and setting whilst conveying the film’s themes, such as concern with appearance, interest in the opposite sex and girly-girl type characters. It also foreshadows ideas that will reappear in the plot, namely the film later explores themes of sexual harassment, blonde stereotypes and female empowerment. It begins with a big close-up of the protagonist shaking and brushing her blonde hair which quickly directing us to the central themes within the film (it signifies an interest in appearances and the hair colour all related to the film's title). From this indistinct view of the back of her head we can already infer that the character is female as it shows a stereotypical representation of a young feminine woman. As the blurred hair close-up becomes clearer the production company, film title and lead actress’ names are revealed.

 

The film cuts between the journeys of a letter addressed to “Elle” and the protagonist modifying her appearance, creating a prolonged sense of time spent on getting ready. It raises questions for the viewer: is ‘Elle’ the blonde, Caucasian female we see getting ready? Through the use of long shot we are introduced to an unknown girl cycling across a campus with the enigmatic letter contained in her basket. This prompts to wonder why the letter is being delivered and to whom. Additionally, the setting is established as the cyclist passes through a seemingly comfortable, pleasant area in which we see a “Delta Nu” sign. The Delta Nu signpost with its Greek letters and aesthetic detail tells us that they’re located on the shared residential property of an American sorority. So we can assume that the other extras are affiliated with or are undergraduate age members of the sorority or fraternity houses (we later learn that these are students of the fictional UCLA University).

An interest in males is portrayed by the body language and facial expressions of the minor female characters as they interact with the male characters. The camera tracks the movement of the cyclist so that we see what she sees (in this case a group of shirtless guys on the lawn of their fraternity house interacting with her) and we see her reaction (her smile and confident upright posture) in a long shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pink letter is handed over to yet another woman whose reception of it and subsequent journey is captured via an over-the-shoulder shot. A clever use of editing is applied to transition the shots; the bouquet of roses she passes merges with the shot of light-coloured roses in the protagonist’s room. The use of props (i.e. flowers) reinforce the idea of femininity that is put across and there is a strong girly-girl representation of young females in the film.It’s no coincidence that the colour pink is used to some extent in virtually every shot - commonly a gender signifier for girls. This starts with the swirly, girlie font of the credits which connotes femininity and may be observed as unsophisticated (e.g. the ‘i’s are dotted with hearts), setting the appropriate tone for a comedic chick-flick. In fact, even in the first that the main character’s full-name is identified, it’s scribed in pink gel writing, further emphasizing the importance of the her traits. Collectively the editing and mise en scène help to point out that blonde stereotypes, clichés and feminine attributes are centrepieces that will be addressed in the film.

 

More is made known by the brief shots where the protagonist shaves her legs, applies make-up and heeled shoes - we can pretty much confirm her gender and that she is preparing for something, like a date. As the camera pans over her belongings we are presented with a variety of clues about her personality and interests; we learn that Elle Woods is the sorority president and was homecoming queen which suggests she values popularity and achieved social success within her peer group. The panning also shows her cosmetic products (which she is knowledgeable about as a beauty-enthusiast and fashion merchandising major) and a framed photo of her Chihuahua, Bruiser, suggesting that she’s caring and sentimental. There are also notable designer brands like Tiffany jewellery and a Prada shopping bag which again draw associations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A P.O.V shot is used to follow the similar-looking female as she transports the letter, allowing us to see their regular activities (such as working out, dancing and socialising) from the perspective of a sorority member. The longshot of the shared bathroom in which women are frantically applying cosmetics represents females as ritually concerned with appearance. Furthermore, a notable number of these extras have a similar appearance to the protagonist (i.e. they’re mostly attractive, blonde white females) which highlights the idea that her individual characteristics are important to the storyline. The focus on exercise and beauty foreshadows future events where Elle must defend ex-sorority member and fitness instructor, Brooke, who underwent a liposuction procedure. Additionally we see a two-shot of another blonde girl closely embracing a boy, allowing the viewer to see her smiling which denotes her happiness and admiration. This evidences that it’s a romantic film, whilst foretelling the relationships with her then boyfriend, Warner Huntington III and love-interest, Emmett Richmond. The audience is given the opportunity to imagine how the protagonist’s romantic relationship(s) may become the cause of her disequilibrium.

 

The use of upbeat pop music (non-digetic sound) paralleled the feel-good tone and connotations portrayed in the opening. The song, "Perfect Day" by American bubble-gum pop artist Hoku, like others of its genre is constructed and marketed to appeal to pre-teens/teenagers making it appropriate for this family-friendly PG rated comedy. The lyrics are almost ideal as they reflect ideas about the protagonist’s character and emotional state and the fact that a female voice is used allows the viewer to perceive the song as a vocal expression of her thoughts and feelings. For example: the lyrics ‘they tell me to act my age’ indicates that she may be a naïve, playful character who lacks maturity. The mention of a ‘Mercedes-Benz’ and ‘leave the work for someone else’, along with other mise en scène, indicate that Elle luxuriates in a privileged, superficial lifestyle. Moreover, the chorus (‘On this perfect day, nothing's standing in my way/ On this perfect day when nothing can go wrong… forever as I am on this perfect day’) suggests a clear state of satisfaction through its symbolic repetition. This effectively implies that the characters are untroubled – starting the narrative with an equilibrium before any dilemma has been encountered.