Will - Cleopatra Scene

 


This scene from Cleopatra is a medium shot with the camera even with Cleopatra's eye level but is looking down on Mark Antony. This shot has minimal shadows and low contrast, which I feel signifies a sense of peacefulness. We see Cleopatra in a white dress, and Antony is wearing high-end armor. Mark Antony's face has a serious look on it while Cleopatra seems to be almost smirking. Another component of this shot is that Cleopatra is sitting on the bed looking down on Mark Antony while he is in a kneeling position looking up at her. This can demonstrate the power dynamic that they had. Cleopatra held more power and assertiveness in her relationship with Mark Antony than she did in her relationship with Julius Caesar.

-Will

Comments

  1. DrKSeptember 14, 2023 at 3:04 PM

    It is interesting that Cleopatra, just as you say, is portrayed as the one in control and power in this scene, even though Antony has just forced himself into her private bedroom. While he wears his splendid Dionysus armor with the leopard fur, she is dressed in her night gown, with her hair let down. Clearly, she didn't expect this visit, and yet, instead of appearing vulnerable, she is in charge.

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  2. DrKSeptember 14, 2023 at 3:06 PM

    By the way, if you had googled Cleopatra + screenshots, as we said in class, your first hit would have been https://movie-screencaps.com/cleopatra-1963/ where you can find still shots without the alamy logo.

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