Shot techniques used in Reservoir Dogs



Shot Reverse Shot

The Shot Reverse Shot camera technique is commonly used in this scene where the camera angle keeps switching from Mr Blonde's actions to the officer's facial expression in order for the director to place you in a position where you're able to see the clear sense of fear that is shown from the police officer.

Match On Action

A Match On Action shot is used within this sequence as we see the character Mr Blonde attack the officer as we see the camera cut to his hand as he attacks him. This simply just reinforces the violence and craziness that we have already seen from Mr Blonde, again clearly showing that he has psychopathic tendencies.

Camera Panning Away

During the torture scene where Mr Blonde cuts off the officer's ear the camera pans away to an empty space and then returns. It does this to make the viewer create a more brutal and vivid image inside their heads and ask the questions such as "What could he possibly be doing to him?". When the director Quentin Tarantino does this he essentially making the viewer do the work on their own as the mind is more evil than the film sequence.



Tracking Shot/Close Up

The Tracking Shot is also used in this sequence in addition to a Close Up which is commonly used to show the emotion a character feels which can be conveyed from their facial expression, in this case fear. The tracking in this case is used to lead you into thinking that the police officer is about to be tortured, something the character also himself feels within the scene.