Cinematography is a key element to any filmmaker that wants to get a strong meaning out to the audience. In The Conversation, the camera movement and lightening help express the main theme of the film. Gene Hackman plays Harry Caul, a private investigator that loses control when he suspects that someone is investigating him. The ultimate theme of the film is that knowledge is power and having too much power can be dangerous. The opening …showed first 75 words of 322 total…

…showed last 75 words of 322 total…to add intrigue to the film. When Harry enters his apartment, the camera stays locked on one of the walls, while Harry moves in and out of the shot. The walls restrict the viewer because the camera stops with half of the walls covering a larger percentage of the screen. The viewer is restricted by the camera in the same way that Harry is restricted from knowing what his investigating is used for. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**