The Usual Suspects (1995)

The Usual Suspects (1995)

          The Usual Suspects is a neo-film noir suspenseful thriller set roughly in the late 80s early 90s. Film noir is a French term that literally translates into “black film” by its means of being set in very dark, mysterious atmospheres where danger lurks around every corner. This film technique also employs other characteristics like smoke, fire, as well as low-key and high contrast lighting.

           Within the first shot which brings the audience up to present date, the harsh lighting on Kevin Spacey gives him a sinister, almost skeleton type look. The audience notices this immediately but has no clue what it could represent. A strange feeling is given to the viewer while Verbal is seen representing a skeleton and that strange feeling is… death. In the shot below, Verbal is in the center of the frame and the only one in color, while the two interrogators are completely black and almost completely out of frame.

          In the first scene of the movie, with the aftermath of the boat heist, there is a wide-range of color and lighting use. Right after the first opening shots, the audience is introduced to the silhouette of a masked character – presumable of a man. Immediately, it can be inferred this character is representative of power. He puts out a stream of lit gasoline with his urine and does so with no fear. He is also completely shrouded in darkness, which adds to his power because of how invisible he is in the dark. The overall low-key lighting of the scene represents mystery as the audience doesn't know who this sinister character is, and what event has just taken place.

          Camera angles play an incredibly detailed role in this film, especially in Verbal's interrogation scene. To the audience, Verbal appears as an innocent, weak, cripple with minimal evidence to help against the investigation. This information is backed up with the interrogation scene with Dave Kujon, who belittles and puts down Verbal Kent by saying things like "I'm smarter than you, I'll always be smarter than you" and "You're nothing but a cripple, Verbal." The camera angles reinforce the image that Verbal is weak and small, by the use of high angle shots looking down on him, as well as low angle shots looking up at Kujon, making him appear large.