Film Analysis

Film: Horton Hears A Who
Scene: Introduction to WhoVille, but more specifically the Mayor's office.

Shot Types:
Initial shots are low and wide, putting emphasis on scale; how tall the trees/mountains are, how large Horton is. The majority of the shots in the 'Jungle of Nool' remain low, again to maintain a sense of scale. They are also dominantly mid to long shots in the beginning, helping to establish character and environment.

In WhoVille, the shots are most commonly either at the same level as the Whos or higher shots looking down on them, making them appear smaller. In the Mayor's office however they are mostly low, establishing his position of power and also isolation in this situation, being the only one who believes in Horton.

Colour Palette:
All colour in this film is softened by the light, with subtle smudging at the edges of some parts of the environment, e.g. edges of leaves, soil. In the jungle, the colours are earthy yet somehow bright/luminescent, which I think is a result of the lighting. Blue, green and red (including variation to brown) are the dominant colours in the beginning, a continuation from the original Dr Seuss books where blue, red and white were dominant. The lighting here is all natural, primarily sunlight, casting a lot of shadows on the jungle floor which enhance the idea of foliage, or a 'canopy above our heads'.

In WhoVille, there is a very strong and consistent colour palette of the primary colours; blue, red and yellow. They are like pastel shades at high saturation, appearing bright but not classic. The mayor's office consists of these colours in crimson, mustard and royal blue shades, giving it a wealthy/important feel.
The grass in this environment is quite a bright shade of green, especially under the rather harsh sunlight. However virtually the only other colour here (other than sky blue) is white. All of the buildings are white with a different accent/edging colour, in various shades of the primary colours.

Environment:
The Jungle of Nool is actually quite realistic, in a fantastical, dreamlike sort of way. There are lots of open spaces/clearings/walkways between the trees, ponds, bushes etc.
In classic Dr Seuss style, nothing in this environment is straight. The tree trunks are all twisted, and everything is off kilter; it's as if the whole environment has been wind blown in one direction. Trees vary from big thick tree trunks covered in roots to skinny tall ones with little foliage.

Because there are so many buildings in WhoVille, there are some lines which are close to straight, but are never at 90degree angles or fully straight/parallel to any other line. The environment here gets quite crazy; rounded roofs, extravagant stairs mounted on columns, pools in quirky places, high wires used for riding unicycles, small decks attached to peaks/towers in buildings; it goes on. Small details like wrinkles/creases in bends of materials are reminiscent of Dr Seuss' original drawing style. Even details such as stripes of darker/lighter colour in the grass, and irregular paving stones are considered.

Interiors
The Mayor's family home is fairly typical. The kitchen is scattered with appliances like a toaster, jug, fridge etc, large expanse of cupboards, and a uniquely quirky dining table with some sort of mechanism which rotates all of the dining chairs around it. The hall of ancestors is another example of the vast open spaces contained within these buildings, with a blue coloured wash and brown accents; tables, stairs etc.
The Mayor's office is a fairly typical example of an office. It's a large, rounded room, containing just a desk, chair, sofa, and accents such as framed portraits, a suit of armour, bookcase, flag etc. Desk has quirky bits and pieces; clock, pen holder etc. The reception area has the same colour scheme, and the entrance has a sort of air-propulsion chute which appears to be the way in and out.
The doors and frames are all rounded off balance/centre.

Surfaces
Surfaces appear smooth from far away, but close ups reveal textures which are mostly realistic, e.g. surfaces of leaves, tree trunk bark, moss on trees, dirt/dust, stucco, stones, wood, metal... Etc. The grass looks smooth/soft, like fur.

Camera Movement
The introduction to the movie doesn't have a lot of camera movement, it's mostly the environment/objects moving past/around the camera. It moves faster as more environment is revealed and the narrative picks up pace. The camera is mostly an 'observer'; when a scene is actually active there is virtually no movement.

WhoVille is introduced with a birds eye view and very fast movement. The movement through the town is like a roller coaster, and more dynamic than in the jungle. The camera here goes over buildings, around buildings, through buildings, under bridges and staircases etc. Runs smoothly, not so fast that it's jerky. The camera mostly follows the character here.