"A life lived in fear is a life half lived".
How has Baz Lurhmann used images to convey this idea to the audience?.
The quotation "A life lived in fear is a life half lived" is a Spanish proverb, which, to my own definition means, life that does not take risks and chances is life that is not lived to the fullest. It means that living in fear makes it difficult for us to achieve our goals and aspirations. .
This can be seen in the movie "Strictly Ballroom" by Baz Lurhmann, through different characters portrayed in the movie. Characters like Doug and Shirley Hastings, Liz Holt, Les Kendall, and Barry Fife are some of the characters that Lurhmann used to convey that idea. He has also used different types of camera and lighting techniques to emphasise that idea of the characters living in "fear". Some types of techniques Lurhmann used includes: low and high angle shot, long and medium shot, direct lighting, and back lighting. One of the characters Lurhmann used to convey the idea is Doug Hastings.
Doug Hastings is Scott's (the main character) father. He was a dancer just like Scott but he was not as daring as Scott in making up his own steps to express his feelings in front of the dancing federation. Although he is seen as an enigmatic character, he is a caring and supportive father to Scott. The way he is dressed in the movie, a very old, 70's look, suggests that he is living in the past and could not move on as if he has something yet to finish. He is seen as the inferior character in the family as he is always seen behind his wife (Shirley Hastings), this gives the audience an idea that he does not have control over his own family as he is somewhat scared thus, showing fear. The way he dances secretly by himself also suggests that he is lonely and that no one is supporting him the way he supports his son. To portray Doug's loneliness, Lurhmann used a pitch black background and only a spotlight to show Doug dancing.
