Blackadder Goodbye Essay Example
Blackadder Goodbye Essay Example

Blackadder Goodbye Essay Example

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  • Pages: 5 (1296 words)
  • Published: July 14, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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How does the programme Blackadder describe the lives, fears and feelings of the men in World War One , and how does the producer use specific media devices and how it is likely to effect the audience In the satirical comedy Blackadder goes Forth, I will be discussing the final episode 'Goodbyee,' and how the programme describes the lives, fears and feelings of the men in World War One.

I will also be describing how the producers use specific media devices and how it is likely to affect the people in the audience. Whilst watching Blackadder the audience see how life in the trenches was like.Living in the trenches makes the audience see how hard life was. The food looks revolting and eventually they ran out of food and have to use substitutes. An exa

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mple of this is when Baldrick makes coffee from mud, saliva and dandruff this is comical for the audience but it is made better by Baldrick keeping a straight face in the process. This shows the audience just how frantic it was in the trenches and how far the soldiers were willing to go to for the necessities.

Joining the army could be seen as a noble thing to do, but, men would go to extraordinary lengths to escape, one of these men was Blackadder.He pretends to go insane. This shows the audience just how desperate he was to escape and was desperate to do anything. Another way the producer shows joining the army could be a noble thing to do, is when George is talking about his gang at school called the Trinity Tiddlers, Blackadder asks him how many o

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the group is left George replies none, this shows the audience the scale of deaths in the war. In the room where Melchett gives Darling his marching orders, the producer uses a variety of devices.

The low key lighting shows that the room is safe and relaxed. But at the same time the darkness of the room could suggest that something unpleasant is about to happen. When Darling finds out he has to go into battle, he begs Melchett to let him stay and gets down on his knees to him, the camera looks down on Darling this makes the audience feel that Darling is extremely small and powerless compared to Melchett. When Darling receives his orders he is shocked the producer shows this by using NVC as Darlings eye twitches and his lip quivers.The audience are used to seeing darling as a bad person but this makes the audience feel very sorry for him. There is also a slow drum regular drum beat in the background this symbolises that Darling is going to die.

When the driver comes to collect Darling to take him to the frontline an intense bright light appears and a massive shadow appears and covers him, this high key lighting is to show the light coming down from heaven and showing the audience that now is the time Darling is going to die. Again the audience feel very sorry for him.The huge shadow, however, is to symbolise that God is taking Darling into heaven. Again there is a slow regular drum beat this is to show the audience that darling is definitely going into battle. Another time in which the producer

uses high-quality media devices is in the scene where Blackadder is asking Field Marshall Haig to get him out of the war, but, when Haig finds out who it is on the phone, he knocks down lots of toy soldiers on his desk. He then sweeps the soldiers up and simply throws them over his shoulder, this shows that the men being killed doesn't mean a thing to Haig.

This also shows the audience that Haig is taking the war merely as a game and doesn't care that millions of men are dying. He then stands up one of the men when he gives Blackadder advice this is to show that there is only going to be one man left in the trench and Haig doesn't care about anyone's life except himself. Haig also shows that he is prepared to save one mans life when he could've stopped the war. This makes the audience feel very sorry for the men who put their lives on the line for their country. But their thoughts to Haig are very unhappy as he doesn't really care about men in the War.

Haig's office is very bright and colourful and when this is compared to a dark and dingy trench, this shows the audience a lot such as, the trenches were very dark and extremely dingy and with no colour at all besides brown. When the camera cross-cuts between both settings you see the difference in contrast. When you put the trench next to a very bright and colourful room, which has drapes , paintings and the room is painted a light green colour you see just how safe it would

be in that room than rather in the trench. In the scene when the men are waiting to go over the top the producer uses brilliant sound and visual effects.When the men are waiting to go over the top there is an ambient sound of shellfire and gunfire this is to show that the men are definitely going into battle. Suddenly the noise stops this is done to provide the audience with a lot of tension and suspense whilst they are waiting for there favourite characters to die.

As the men advance over the top it is filmed in slow motion, this is to show the audience that there is a lot of determination and that the men are going to die. In the background the Blackadder theme tune is played very slowly this is to symbolize a moment of pathos.The picture suddenly becomes very hazy this shows the audience that it could be anyone running through and it is time for the audience to remember their favourite characters. This makes the audience feel very upset as their favourite characters have died.

The picture gradually changes to black and white and also the image changes to an empty field. The picture changes colour to give the audience a feel of what actually happened in World War One. The image changes to an empty field this is to show the audience that what has happened is in the past and that time heals.Now is the time when the colour comes back and the field becomes filled with poppies this is to symbolize all the blood that has been shed from all of the men who fought

in the war. As the final credits appear the audience hear only a bird song and the original theme tune isn't played. This is done to show the audience that peace has been restored and also in the war people never heard a bird singing and they are using one now to show the war is over.

There is a lot of feelings to take in and it is very emotional for the audience this is linking reality with the programme.I think I have described Blackadder Goes Forth very well. I have shown that the producer uses specific media devices and how it was to affect the audience, basically making them feel a great deal of sympathy for those men who fought for their country in world war one. It also shows the audience that what life was like for the higher ranked people e. g.

- Field Marshall Haig than what it was like in the trenches. I have learnt that Blackadder is more than just a comedy and really does show me what happened in World War One.

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