Penland: George of the Jungle Movement

The scene in George of the Jungle that I believe represents movement well is where George fights a lion that threatens Ursula’s life. This part of the film begins after Ursula’s fiancée abandons her at the sight of the lion. Ursula slowly backs against a rock as the camera zooms in on her frightened face (giving the audience the feeling that the camera is seeing her through the lion’s eyes). The camera then flashes quickly back to the lion, which slowly creeps toward her (now the camera sees the lion through her eyes). The movement here between the lion and Ursula gathers suspense, creating an opportunity for George to come save the day. Just as Ursula seems doomed- shown by a close-up of her quivering lips- the camera flashes to a dominant shot of George, who hurriedly grabs his vine to swing to the rescue. A bird’s eye view of the lion and Ursula enforces the feeling of Ursula’s terror as the lion encroaches upon her. George quickly grabs the vine, swinging and flying through the air to save Ursula. Just as it seems he is going to save the day, the camera pans to a tree that George is about to crash into. The camera uses a first person view, zooming in directly on the tree, almost hitting it before flashing back to George slamming into the tree. This distracts the lion enough not to attack Ursula, and George, after recovering, is able to save the day heroically. This scene emphasizes movement well, and heightens the suspense of the scene.