Film Making Conventions and Cultural Codes (BLK)

Paris, Texas (1984)

Although I have posted the whole film, I will only be focusing on the first eleven minutes.

Cultural Codes

-The doctor says 'something must of cut your tongue off' which everyone recognises as a phrase meaning that someone's being quiet.
-The doctor also goes on to ask Travis' brother for 'a little reward' in exchange for Travis' possessions, this is quite clear that he's blackmailing him into paying for the possessions.
-On the sign in the bar it reads 'the dust has come to stay' which I think is meant to mean that no one goes to the bar anymore.

Film Making Conventions

-The first shot we see of Travis' brother is from a low angle (looking up on him) which labels him with maturity and power.
-Also since the film began in a desert, a building is included in the background of the first shot of Travis' brother to show that he lives in the city.
-When Travis' brother asks for a location he replies 'where the hells that?' to the doctors answer, this makes it quite clear that its going to be pretty far away.