Brilliant

Rating: 9/10 (18 February 2006)

After hearing all the hype about The Graduate I wasn't expecting it to live up to my expectations, but it did. After seeing this parodied in so many films I expected it to be ruined for me, that I would be picturing those situations instead of focusing on what was happening in the film in front of me. This was not the case. I found the way in which this was filmed struck me more than any other film I have seen. There were some scenes that were familiar to me, not because it had been parodied in another film, but rather I could see where other films borrowed elements from this one. One example of this is when Benjamin first drives across the Golden Gate Bridge on his way to get Elaine to marry him. This reminded me of a scene in Cruel Intentions where Sebastian is on his way to get back into the good graces of Annette. In both of these films the camera zooms out from the car driving across the bridge (although it is not the same bridge in Cruel Intentions) while music plays in the background; Simon & Garfunkle in The Graduate and Counting Crows in Cruel Intentions. This is just one example of the incredible influence this film has made on contemporary film-making.
The camera adds to the feeling of the characters from the very beginning when you see Benjamin being drawn forward by the moving sidewalk. Here the viewer can tell that this is a person who doesn't know his own direction, who stares blankly at the future which is pulling him forward, and he is not deciding upon himself.
Another scene that is intriguing is during the party Benjamin's parents throw for him upon returning home. The shots are all close up, and at one point we see Benjamin walking away from two older women. We see him from over their shoulders, as if the camera itself is one of these people pushing in on Benjamin's life.
Another instance similar to this is when Benjamin finally realizes what Mrs. Robinson wants from him. In this instance the camera is behind Benjamin looking at Mrs. Robinson, and we can see the right half of his head in the left side of the shot. In both of these instances the camera almost takes on the role of a character. We can observe the whole scenario but not from a wide angle which would show the characters, and the distance between them, but rather we can get a sense of how the characters feel because we become part of the shot.
There are endless examples of the brilliance of camera angles in this film, but I will move on. Another thing that struck me were the transitions. In particular the one where Benjamin is in the pool with all of his scuba gear on and the camera starts pulling away as his image gets hazy to us. We then hear a conversation starting between himself and Mrs. Robinson, it then cuts to him in a phone booth at a hotel asking Mrs. Robinson if she would like to join him; implying that he has accepted her offer of having an affair. This transition adds to the way in which his life seems random and directionless, adding to the theme of alienation we get throughout the film.
To top all of this off there is a quirky humor running throughout the film. This spans from the odd noises Benjamin makes when confronted with an awkward situation, to his vehemence in the pursuit of Elaine, such as when she leaves him in the hallway going into her class, and he stands there until she comes out again resuming their conversation right where it left off.
This is a brilliant film with the combination of the stylistic elements, humor, and in general the feeling you get when watching this film. No wonder it has been parodied and borrowed from in so many contemporary films.