ABSTRACT
One of the reasons that zooming during a shot can be so narratively compelling is that it not only changes the field of view, but also the perceived physical qualities of a location, because of the way visual perspective is affected in real time. A memorable example of this zoom technique can be seen in a touching sequence from Hal Ashby’s Harold and Maude, the story of the unlikely romance that develops between Harold, a nihilistic teenager obsessed with death, and Maude, an octogenarian with an unusual way of looking at life. The field of view gradually expands as the zoom shifts from telephoto to wide-angle, showing the devastating vastness of the cemetery and the immense loss of life it symbolizes; as this happens, the tone of the sequence changes, from an intimate exchange between kindred souls to an allegorical visualization of the somber, universal truth contained in Maude’s nugget of wisdom.
