The 400 Blows Excerpt 2: Beginning of the film ; Antoine punished ; his “revenge”.

Excerpt 2

 Questions

1. How is the theme of “writing” developed from the very first shot of the film? How is this related to cinema?
2. Note the length of the sequence shot at the beginning of the film. What camera techniques does Truffaut use here? Where does the first shot end exactly?
3.

Explain how the theme of “writing” is developed in the remainder of this sequence. What other important theme is introduced at the same time (think of Antoine’s “poem”)?

4.

How does this scene prepare the series of problems Antoine is going to have to face?