The symbolism of placement

 

The placement of objects and characters in a scene is a subtle method that is used to reinforce the overall tone of a film. This is especially true in a film as rich in both symbology and visual elements as Dr. Parnasus.

   The characters in this scene reflect the overall content of the movie, in which Dr. Parnassus, representing higher ideals and enlightenment, converses with his nemesis Mr. Nick, who symbolizes willful ignorance and despair, the dark sides of human nature. Utilizing the rule of thirds, the protagonist is placed at the center of the frame with his rival directly beside and behind him, occupying the last third of the frame, symbolic of how the different aspects of human nature are simply opposite sides of the same coin. The characters are lit in quarter turn profile from the left, but whereas Dr. Parnassus entire body is visible, as expected in a long shot like this, Mr. Nick's facial features are the only part of him that are clearly discernible. The rest of him seems to blend with the darkness outside the frame, giving the impression that the surface appearance is only a small part of what he truly is. The camera angle is neutral, giving a glimpse of the character's at eye level. Both lighting and color reinforce the contrast between the characters. The lighting in the frame is fairly low key, but with high key spotlights on Dr. Parnassus, his clothes are likewise more brightly colored than that of his nemesis, who is not only dressed almost entirely in black, but cloaked in shadow. The image is composed of two depth plains with the main characters occupying the foreground, and a vast, forbidding landscape stretching off to a vast distance in the background , suggesting the vast potential of the human imagination for good or ill. And finally, the characters are perched on a cliff, overlooking the entire panorama below, symbolizing both the  movie title and main character's name - in Greek mythology, Mt. Parnassus was the peak where the Muses lived, anyone encountering them could find either enlightenment or despair.