Melodrama in Blood Diamond

Realism and Realsitic. Basically, realism is trying to make somehing appear to be real or seem to be something that you would normally see. It attempts to give the appearance of everyday life. This is common in the theatre since they are usually only able to use props. Realistic is more about making something seem as close to reality as possible. This is achieved through special effects and actually filming a scene on site rather than in front of a painted background. Realistic depictions are common in films and almost even expected from its audience. To heighten a dramatic scene, films will often incorporate music that will sometimes be louder than what is going on in order to evoke a certain emotion from the audience. A good example of this (an example can be found in practically any film) is in the movie Blood Diamond. Towards the end, the character played by Leonardo Dicaprio has been shot and realizes that he can not make the rest of the hike up the hill to the escape plane. He sends the other guy and that guy's son with the big diamond, to keep going to the plane. He provides cover fire for them as they run up the hill. He loads a new clip in and lies against a rock. Soft music begins to play in as Dicaprio stares into the distance. He then picks up a phone and calls the girl that he meet earlier in the film. He tells her to meet up with the father and the son. The two exchange a few sweet nothings as the music becomes a little more present. Then the conversation ends with her saying "I wish I could be there with you" and Dicaprio replying "I'm right where I'm suppossed to be". The music picks up a little bit more and is now no longer a background noise. The camera pans back and you can see the valley below and the beautiful African Jungle skyline. Then you see the plane flying away into the sunset. The music gets soft again as the plane gets farther and then the scene changes to a busy street in London and car engines and honking, to bring the audience back to reality. There was enough time allotted for the audience to morn the death of the main character, Dicaprio, but you are then brought right back into the plot by the loud noise of a busy street, as if the film is saying, now lets get back to the rest of the story plot.
Melodrama uses the style of realism, but intensifies it, making it more exciting and tries to evoke certain emotions from the audience. Two terms are used to describe melodrama: Phenomena and Semiosis. Phenomena is the act of looking directly at the performance, the concrete, real thing. Semiosis looks through the play and reads between the lines for deeper, hidden meanings; the hyper real or imagined.