Explain How the Text Has been Constructed to Create Meaning

Easy Rider (1969)

The meaning of a scene is created through a variety of textual and contextual techniques.

This scene from Dennis Hopper's 1969 film Easy Rider shows the LSD trip of the four characters of the scene. LSD became popular in the 60s by individuals like psychologist Timothy Leary who used it to encourage American students to 'turn on, tune in, and drop out'. In this scene begins with a midshot that establishes the characters involved but not revealing too much of the location. The characters are shown as disinterested and with a lack of enthusiasm just by looking at their body language. The Aloofness could be taken as a representation of how their regular daily life is, which could be why they are taking drugs, to add excitement into their life. This idea is supported by the low-key lighting that casts a dull undertone throughout the scene.

Once the group have taken the pills things start to speed up just a little, by the jerky jump cuts from the low angle of the building back to the group back to the building and back to the group shows there is something starting to happen, this could be a reflection of their mind as the drugs slowly start to take over from the inside. As well as the jump cuts showing the mental state of the group slowly deteriorating; the use of canted angles also show how the foursome are not in a sober state of mind as these angles are frequently used when the character themselves isn't quite sane, such technique is often associated with the Joker because of his psychopathic and sociopathic tendencies (depening on the actor). Although the technique isn't used to show the same state it still gives the same effect of a situation being as it should be.

The dialogue spoken by the characters right through the scene is barely audible due to the repetitive noise, similar to a train on tracks, that overlaps throughout thus somewhat drowning out the dialogue meaning the audience is never fully certain of what is happening during the acid trip, much like the group on said trip. I feel the scene not being fully audible and the speech overlapping gives a believable feel to the scene as I can only imagine the effect LSD would have on your mind during a trip and not being able to hear properly and everything being muffled and overlapped could be a realistic guess.

Although the lighting choices adds to the mundane atmosphere of the group, it wasn't all intentional, as a can of film was opened before it had been developed causing the odd colouring/lighting in this scene of the film. However it looks like an intentional accident as the consequence of the ordeal benefits the overall look and atmosphere of the scene. The dull colouring and lighting lasts through the trip, showing that although the group are being reckless by taking LSD their lives are still just as boring as before they've just added a little helping hand for a short amount of time.