The Graduate (2nd blog entry)

The Graduate (1967) is one of my favorite films. It's about a young man named Ben (Dustin Hoffman), who graduates from college and isn't sure about his future. At the party Bens parents throw for him for graduating, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), the wife of one of his father's business partners, asks him to drive her home, he does so reluctantly. She tries to seduce him , although he resists, he calls her a few days later, moslty out of boredom, and the two begin a disturbing affair, given the age difference.
The cinematography in The Graduate leans heavily toward point of view shots, a style shown by a scene in which Bens parents and the Robinsons are staring down at him while he is drifting in the pool. Audiences see from Bens perspective as these four adult figures loom overhead, sun shining in the camera and blurring their faces and obstructing their expressions. This style of cinimatography can be very effective in films that focus primarily on a single character and his actions, life, and feelings, which is why it worked so well in The Graduate.