Corinne Beale- The Thin Red Line

            The film The Thin Red Line is a 1998 movie that portrays the autobiography of James Jones in the battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. The opening scene of the film is simply an alligator in a swampy pond approaching a shoreline. The alligator is just barely visible above the water. As the scene cuts out, his head sinks down in to the water and he is fully immersed. This simplistic scene has a large amount of latent meaning. It shows the viewer that the movie takes place in the pacific, rather than European area. It is also a portrayal of a vicious being, ready to attack its enemy. Lastly, as the alligator sinks into the water, it shows that although it is no longer seen, the danger still exists. This is a foreshadowing of later events to come in the film.

            The second scene switches to a nearby village. The viewer gets a sense and feeling of comfort from this scene. It is seen that the village is a place of natural, comfortable community. The people are all singing together in unison, most likely some form of tradition. Along with this, the greenness of the scenery portrays life and comfort.

            During the film, there is a scene with a man running up a hill, who is then shot down. After he is shot, some of the other men are seen staring off into the distance. The picture is shown from their perspective, looking out on to the hillside. The grass is blowing in the breeze and the sun is shining. The symbolism depicted in this scene is that life continues, even in the middle of a war. It also portrays beauty amidst a dark and horrific war. The filmmakers carefully and effectively used color and scenery throughout this film to aid in portraying life amongst a time when death is relevant and significant.