The reason why Peter Weir filmed the murder in the location that he did (which was a grimy public toilet) was to portray the contrast between the real world and Sam’s' world. It is used to portray the massive difference in community. Another reason why it was shot in a public toilet was to try and shock the audience because the fact that the murder takes place in a rather unappealing location shows that Sam is from a whole other up-bringing and thus it is more of a shock for Sam. This aspect tries to get the audience to connect with Sam. Before the murder actually takes place the location could portray forthcoming events that there is something filthy and disgusting about to take place just like the location.
When Sam walks towards the toilet, the toilet door acts as a vanishing point but also represents Sam’s' journey from his safe and loving community to the corrupt underworld of the 'big city'. Sam's mother also sends Sam to the toilet by himself. The reason she does this is because she has never experienced such criminality and so is not aware of the dangers which could be lurking around any corner in this vicious real world.
The location (being a toilet cubicle which Sam hides in) holds up a generic thriller convention of being a confined/claustrophobic space. This connotes that there is nowhere to escape and that he is trapped. In the toilet there is the use of ambient lighting meaning that the scene looks more believable with just the normal toilet lights on instead of being tampered with by studio lighting.
The location also manages to reflect the morality of the killers in that they too are filthy scum of the 'big city'. One of the killers is very casual about the murder which has just taken place that he stops to wash his hands afterwards but doesn’t look in any particular hurry at all. This sets the expectation and judgement of the killers which the audience will automatically make. The killers have no emotional attachment at all and don’t look bothered by the corpse lying on the floor whilst they wash their hands.
The close up shots of Sam (an example is below) watching the murder portrays the shock on the small child’s face. Because he has never witnessed such evil before it comes as a huge shock to him. Weir still manages to uphold the faint biblical connotation around Sam by having a close up shot and making Sam’s' hat (which portrays a halo around his head) more distinct. After the killers have left Sam has taken his hat off yet is standing on top of a toilet with his arms outstretched for balance (this connotes to Jesus Christ being crucified, yet another biblical reference).
When Sam walks towards the toilet, the toilet door acts as a vanishing point but also represents Sam’s' journey from his safe and loving community to the corrupt underworld of the 'big city'. Sam's mother also sends Sam to the toilet by himself. The reason she does this is because she has never experienced such criminality and so is not aware of the dangers which could be lurking around any corner in this vicious real world.
The location (being a toilet cubicle which Sam hides in) holds up a generic thriller convention of being a confined/claustrophobic space. This connotes that there is nowhere to escape and that he is trapped. In the toilet there is the use of ambient lighting meaning that the scene looks more believable with just the normal toilet lights on instead of being tampered with by studio lighting.
The location also manages to reflect the morality of the killers in that they too are filthy scum of the 'big city'. One of the killers is very casual about the murder which has just taken place that he stops to wash his hands afterwards but doesn’t look in any particular hurry at all. This sets the expectation and judgement of the killers which the audience will automatically make. The killers have no emotional attachment at all and don’t look bothered by the corpse lying on the floor whilst they wash their hands.
The close up shots of Sam (an example is below) watching the murder portrays the shock on the small child’s face. Because he has never witnessed such evil before it comes as a huge shock to him. Weir still manages to uphold the faint biblical connotation around Sam by having a close up shot and making Sam’s' hat (which portrays a halo around his head) more distinct. After the killers have left Sam has taken his hat off yet is standing on top of a toilet with his arms outstretched for balance (this connotes to Jesus Christ being crucified, yet another biblical reference).
You proficiently identify the connotations of the location of the toilets whilst discussing the generic significance of the location.
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