Les Revenants - key scene analysis

Key Scenes = 

The sex scene

• Mid-shot of Lena wearing white top represents purity and virginity
• The leaves in the background are representative of youth and purity
• Hermenunetic codes as we start to learn to about the characters
• Mise-en-scene of kitchen sink appears stereotypically middle-class  - aspirational middle-class family.
• Lena 'pulling a sickie' to sneak in her boyfriend is a relatable moment for the audience
• Birds eye view close up of Lena and her boyfriend positions us with them, which feels uncomfortable, positioning us is a voyeuristic way. - this is anchored through the use of low-key lighting which connotes intimacy, privacy and ultimately, sex. 
• Lena's boyfriend looks stereotypically low-class through the use of costume. The difference  between the class of the couple creates a diametric opposition - Lena is different from the rest of her family, she is rebellious.
• This is generally a consensual and positive representation of sex (sex positive).
• The mise-en-scene of the coach forms a binary opposition between the two scenes - the colours on the coach are ordinary, boring, with cool tones. Whereas when it cuts back to the sex scene, the colours are more bold and hot.
• While Lena is enjoying sex, the close up of Camille highlights her discomfort and distress- binary opposition.
• Camille is feeling what Lena is feeling which could be viewed as potentially offensive for the audience
• Camille and Lena are symbolically linked
• Sex is represented simultaneously in different ways
• There is something symbolic about losing virginity in the media, loss of innocence and childhood, was a girl and now she a lady.
• Could argue that it is sexual assault - the scene
• Polysemic meaning - Camille is acting out what Lena is feeling; gender performativity - the idea that Lena is simply doing what she is supposed do whereas Camille is freaking out.
• Camille is covered up in a big jacket and Lena is wearing a vest
• Camille is sat by herself on the bus with the mise-en-scene of the jacket where she is completely covered up connotes Camille's sense of isolation
• The coach is a relatable setting for the young secondary audience as well as for the primary adult audience.
• Lena boyfriend always wears his beanie throughout the whole scene - stereotypically rough around the edges, a 'bad boy' and looks as if he doesn't belong in their middle-class family
• the lexis of the mother doubting her daughter will appeal to the middle-class target audience - helps the audience to discover Lena's more rebellious than Camille

Key scene = Camille is home, her dad and mum see her for the first time 

• Mum asks if Camille's dad wants to see her, there is no answer but then a cut to him upstairs which shows he does want to know as he is curious but doesn't want to admit to it as he thinks Camille is dead and has been for years
• Over the shoulder shots when he arrives, can see facial emotions, positions us with them but unable to do anything as we are not involved. 
• Opens door on her as she is in the bath, her being home is weird and makes anything seem normal 
• Low-key lighting makes it more intense - shows how its like a nightmare when she comes home making it creepy, atypical and has connotations of a horror film 
• Father is pacing - shows he can't believe it and doesn't want to believe it - his emotions are shown through his actions - he doesn't want them to be seen - yet it is clear to see the mothers emotions on her face - binary opposition and stereotypical representation of women being weaker and less in control of their emotions