Blog 3- Scene Analysis

For this scene analysis I chose to examine the final scene of the final episode of the Sopranos. This editing used in this scene famously leaves as many questions answered as unanswered and creates both tension and doubt in the mind of the viewer as to what has happened. The scene opens with Tony Soprano walking up and entering an unnamed restaurant. This is shot from the interior of the restaurant and we see Tony through the window. There is a subtle jump cut and we see Tony standing in front of the restaurant door, staring into the dining room, this angle is shot slightly from below giving the viewer the sensation they are observing the action from one of the seats to the left of the character (right portion of frame). The next shot jumps to a view of the busy restaurant and is shot from the POV of Tony, the audience now sees what it is he was looking at. The shot jumps back to a close up of Tony’s face which lingers momentarily, showing his trepidation. There is another jump shot and now we see Tony sitting at the table in the dining room he was just gazing at, the shot is from a standing POV, giving the sense that the audience is now where Tony was standing, or that we are Tony looking at ourselves. There is another cut and we are now seated across from Tony at the booth as he looks over to the jukebox and begins to examine the song choices. There is another shot which is again a close up of Tony’s face and then a cut to a close up of the songs and Tony flicks through the jukebox and again the audience is given the sense that they are experiencing the POV of the character. Throughout the scene the jump cuts build tension which acts in juxtaposition to the upbeat music selected from the jukebox which builds and crescendos with the action.