This scene uses some awesome visual design technique to make it more realistic and interesting. The first thing I noticed was the dull, bleak color palette. The scene's colors are mostly saturated with gray and brown tones. Spielberg likely did this to highlight the bleak and harsh realities of war, as using a vibrant color palette would have felt cartoon-like and unrealistic. Another cool of aspect of visual design the director incorporated was the costumes. The soldiers' uniforms looked beat-up and faded, likely how they would've looked in real life. This again was probably done to make the scene look more realistic, as the costumes make it feel like we are watching real soldiers. The director also uses a rough film stock to make the images look rough and grainy. The director probably did this to make the scene look darker and edgier, which pairs well with the violence on screen.
Another aspect of mise en scene that the film utilizes well is cinematography. This scene utilizes many types of shots, but one I noticed in particular was an effective extreme close-up shot. This shot occurred when one soldier aimed his rifle at the enemy on the hill. The camera zoomed in on the soldier's eyes and mouth, and it helped the viewer feel the extreme stress and focus that the soldier had. The director also incorporated a lot of shaky-cam to make the scene feel more chaotic. As the camera shakes, it makes the viewer feel like we're right in the line of fire and experiencing the gunfire and explosions along with the characters.
Finally, this scene masterfully uses editing techniques to keep viewers intrigued. I really like how Spielberg mixes quick cuts with long cuts to keep the scene unpredictable. For instance, the scene will show a shot with the soldiers hiding behind a barricade, which will be a long shot; then suddenly the film will cut to quick shots a soldier running through the chaotic line of fire. This variance in cuts makes the scene unpredictable, and it keeps the viewers guessing and interested. The director also uses tracking shots in this scene. In one example, as the soldiers turned a corner around a barricade, the camera followed. When I saw it, I got the feeling as if I was trailing the pack behind the soldiers, and as the camera followed, I felt as if I was following them. I'd imagine this was the effect the director hoped for when using this tracking shot, and it was effective in making the viewer feel as if they were there.
Saving Private Ryan, and this scene in particular, uses many aspects of mise en scene to make it more realistic and interesting. Steven Spielberg once again once again proves he's a master of film making with this film. This scene is one of the reasons this director and film are recognized as one of the greatest in their respected categories in film.
