Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Kenneth Johnston Blog 5


Kenneth Johnston

Mrs. White

English 1105

Visual Analysis

Hoist the Colours       

            The visual I choose was the opening scene of the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End.” The song that is played during the scene is titled “Hoist the Colours.” The scene opens up with a zoomed in view of a hangman’s noose. This simple shot of the rope sets the mood for the scene. Soon after, many pairs of feet are seen joined together with iron chain links and large shackles around their ankles. The demoralized people drudge along in a single file line to the gallows where they are to be hung. Each prisoner is wearing dirty, old, torn clothing. The contrast between the prisoner’s clothes and the pristine, well-kept uniforms of the British army is very noticeable in the scene. The scene continues to process through different images while the messenger reads the decree by the King of Britain. The people being hung are stripped of their rights due to their involvement with piracy. The next set of prisoners processes up the stairs of the gallows to be hung. The seven prisoners walked to their places in the gallows and were awaited to be hanged. In the center of the row there stands a young boy. He looks up at the noose that is significantly above his head.  He starts to break out in song. His fellow pirates standing upon the gallows start to sing with him and soon all the prisoners started to sing the song “Hoist the Colours.” The executioner then pulls up a barrel and lifts the boy onto of it so his head will reach the noose. The pirates still are singing the song. The scene finally ends when they sing that last lines “Never shall we die.” and then they are hung. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: “Hoist the Colours”

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