Mise en Scene

Costume and Makeup: In this scene the Pale Man was obviously meant to be seen as a monster, and the way they made him look almost human, yet still completely inhuman, made the character particularly creepy. Sometimes monsters can look cheesy, but monsters that look similar to humans--or like they used to be human--has a chilling effect. It's like we are most afraid of horrid versions our ourselves. The fact that he has eyes on his hands also takes away from his humanness, but maintains some aspects as the eyes look very human-like. It seems that he is supposed to represent the punishment of giving into temptation (after the girl eats the food despite the fairies telling her not to) or that he is the guardian meant to scare outsiders away.

Sound: This movie uses several diegetic sounds to enhance the visual on screen. The fairies can't talk but they make little noises that allow the audience to understand what they are saying and that give them some personality. When the girl picks up the eyeballs they make a squishy noise that lets the audience know what they probably feel like without being able to touch them. There are also strategic uses of nondiegetic sounds that set a mood or feeling of a certain event. Triumphant music is played as the girl retrieves the treasure inside the little compartment she opens, similar to a character finding treasure in a video game, like opening a treasure chest in the Legend of Zelda games. Another example of nondiegetic sound is exhibited when she sees the delicious food on the table. Happy music, possibly from a harp is played to convey the desire she has to take a bite.

Lighting: The lighting in this room is fairly low, only seeming to come from the fire, over the three little doors, and a general set lighting. The set lighting isn't over-powering so that the other two can stand out. There is top lighting over the doors to show their importance and highlight her objective of this task. The fire seems to serve as backlighting of the girl and the pale man, but it also adds to the feel of the room as many people associate dim lighting with fire or candles. It almost gives a false sense of coziness that seems out of place in a monster's living space.

Setting/Props: The room is set up like a dining room in someone's home, which seems like an odd choice for a monster like the pale man. As I stated before, even the fire seems out of place because of the homey connotation attached to it. The food on the table is also peculiar, as it's plentiful and made to look delicious--like a real feast. The contrast of the nice food and the warm setting with the creepy monster who lives there is a little confusing. Maybe the pale man is protecting something, or maybe the warmth is supposed to draw in children so he can feast upon them. The meaning is unclear to me with only this scene being presented.