Quentin Tarantino’s film, Inglourious Basterds, uses its opening scene to set the tone for the remainder of the film. LaPadite’s rugged wood chopping juxtapose his daughters hanging of pristine white sheets hints at the family’s sense of duty, as well as innocence. As the SS cars roll over the hills and an ominous rendition of Fur Elise plays in the background, the bucolic scene grows a bit darker. Tarantino does a great job here of showing that LaPadite will have a tense confrontation with members of the german military. The distance between the cars and the house builds suspense in the shot as the viewer awaits the anticipation of the cars’ arrival. LaPadite readies himself in a long drawn out shot, where Tarantino lingers on his troubled expression as he splashes water over his face and cleans up before his encounter. The scene then cuts to Hans Landa exiting his car, and the scene hits a bit of a false peak. As the two exchange dialogue Hans Landa turns out to be more pleasant than the scene’s suspense leads you to believe, and LaPadite’s discomfort in the scene builds tension as they enter the house. Tarantino uses this scene to create a tone of suspense and tension that does not fully resolve itself until several scenes later.
© 2014 Cody Cintron