After deciding to choose the notion of crossing the 180 degree line as my area of exploration for the rest of the semester, I endeavoured to find some effective examples. The clips that I showed in my presentation from The Shining and The Dark Knight were both quite interesting and good examples, however I felt that they both shared the same intention to instill unease and tension within their audiences. Whilst they both cross the line in very different ways, the former being far more blatant that the other, I have been searching for other films that use the same technique for a different effect.

One scene I was able to find which used the technique for a comedic effect was this clip from Donnie Darko. Rather than aiming to unsettle the audience, the director instead crosses the line to show us an area of the setting which would not have been visible had the rule been adhered to. The sudden cut to the other side of the axis, revealing the man watching the two teenagers adds shock value to the scene. I especially like this example as it subtly reminds the viewer that the world in which the movie take place is 3D like our own, not the flat image that we see on the screen.

Admittedly, these three clips are all from fairly modern, American films. Perhaps they will be good examples to try and recreate over the first couple of weeks, but it would be important to try and explore how other countries approach the concept. An interesting written exploration may also be to investigate how the rule came to fruition, and the manner in which it has been treated over time. Also, these examples all seem to have deliberately crossed the line for a specific purpose or effect. I would like to explore what some other reasons to cross the line may be, and if we really need a reason at all. Can we simply cross the line for artistic effect, without the intention of inciting some sort of emotion in the audience, or is doing so still too rare and jarring for the viewer?