International Journal of Language & Literature

Light and Dark in Pakula’s All the President’s Men
Baker M. Bani-Khair, Nazmi Al-Shalabi, Abdullah Jaradat, Mohammad Ababneh, Mahmoud Al Khaza'leh, Nisreen Al-Khawaldeh

Abstract
This paper studies the influence that “Light” and “Dark” have on the thematic structure and meaning in All the President’s Men, a film directed by Alan Pakula and released in 1972, particularly the political aspects of the film and some other issues like sexuality and feminism. The articulate and special use of lighting in this particular film helps us better understand the new political and historical dimensions of the film. The discussion shows that “light” is an important film technique used to highlight the significant aesthetics and the structure of the film, its connection with politics, and the mainstream events in the seventies that have witnessed the first release of the film. This discussion also reveals that light and dark have skillfully added a lot to the film plot, which enables the audience to understand the intricacies and the complexities of political themes that are explicitly and implicitly embedded throughout the whole movie. It has been shown that light does not just illuminate or darken the screen that it acts the same way actors do, that it creates focus and concentration, and that it creates psychological tension and relaxation. In contrast, dark is connected with danger, mystery, evil and political secrets or conspiracies. In short, it is connected with the suspects and criminals in the film.

Full Text: PDF      DOI: 10.15640/ijll.v4n1a16