Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

In the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the director Michael Gondry uses a wide variety of high angle shots to low angle shots in order to display the shifting power throughout the film between the two main characters Clementine and Joel.

In one scene, a high angle long shot is used to express the impending sadness of the lover’s situation and the vulnerability of Clementine and Joel. In this scene, they are laying in the middle of a frozen lake, enjoyed what would be one of the final memories they are able to hold on to before their memories are erased. The shot is taken from this high angle to display how helpless Joel is to the erasing of his memory, and how even when he tries to keep the memory, it is slowly fading away, just as the shot fades away.

The next shot is taken at eye level and is a medium shot. It depicts Joel and Clementine sitting in a movie theater, Joel clearly skeptical of Clementine. The eye level shot allows us to be making direct eye contact with Clementine, but still notice Joel’s sideways glare into her face. The shot is also taken from the view of a movie theater screen, an angle we are not used to seeing. It also centers Clementine and Joel so we know who the focus of the scene is, even though they are in the middle of a crowded movie theater.

The last shot is a close up of Joel’s face as he lies in bed discussing the meaning of life with Clementine. This is a very intense scene in the movie, and the close up shot allows us to see the intensity strewn across Joel’s face. The eye-level angle makes Joel seem relatable, and we are able to put ourselves in Clementine’s position as she explains herself and sees Joel listening with careful intent as they lay under the covers.



Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Dir. Michael Gondry. Universal, 2004. DVD.