amazing film

Rating: 9/10 (11 May 2017)

One of the best films I've ever seen, a classic that every movie lover must see. The cinematography and editing in it alone was just wonderful. There were many dissolve cuts used throughout, and several medium and medium-long shots as well. I liked the use of the montage in the beginning of the film, followed by the slow tilt to establish the location of the film. However, I really think the use of sound is what brought this film together. There was a narrator, which helped with the flow of the story. The non-diegetic music was great, and wasn't overused like many films do. There was a scene where the child talking overlapped into the next scene. Silence was also used extremely well, and often too. There were several scenes where the dialogue took center stage, with no music playing in the background to take away from it. It was used for suspense too, such as when the dog was put down in front of the kids. The most notable scene, I think, was in the courtroom when Atticus was giving a speech, a very long take was used with silence as he spoke. I think this really helped convey his message, and you could feel the tension as everyone listened on. It's no wonder Gregory Peck won best actor for this film, as his acting was played with sincerity and perfection.