An Introduction to Film

LOOKING AT EDITING 383

denly, the scene turns surreal as every kid seems

armed. Meanwhile, the chicken has outwitted

them, sometimes flying short distances that put a

gap between it and the pursuers. A police van

passes over the chicken, and again the chicken

escapes death. All of these shots—and the way they

are edited—keep us focused on the gang plunging

down the streets after the chicken and the

chicken’s miraculous survival. The action reaches

its climax as Li’l Zé and his gang meet up with

Rocket. The shot of Li’l Zé’s entrance into the

frame is shot in slow motion, and the subsequent

short shots build in an escalating rhythm. He struts

like he’s already won, calls Rocket a “melonhead”

and a “fag,” and orders him to “get that chicken.”

In contrast to the shots of Rocket, which are rel-

atively stable and of longer duration, the shots of

Li’l Zé are heavily fragmented; made with a hand-

held camera, they emphasize his instability. The

parallel action also allows us to experience each

element in a new, heightened way. When we are

with Rocket, our experience of his actions is col-

ored by our fear that this calm, likeable guy must

be about to encounter the seemingly bloodthirsty

Li’l Zé. Likewise, our time with Li’l Zé isn’t just

about catching the chicken, but also waiting for the

inevitable collision with Rocket.

Rocket, realizing that he has no choice in the

matter, gently tries to capture the bird as the gang,

brandishing its guns and itching for violence, looks

on. Anyone who has ever tried to catch a bird

understands Rocket’s predicament, and the editing

builds suspense around the tense moment. Mean-

while, the cops arrive on the scene, jumping from

their cars with machine guns. A standoff occurs: the

cops at the background of the frame, Rocket in the

middle ground, and the gang in the foreground.

Everyone but Rocket has a gun; his weapon, a cam-

era, is hanging around his neck. He recognizes the

dangerous spot he’s in, and his thoughts appear in a

subtitle: “... in the City of God, if you run away,

they get you, and if you stay, they get you too. It’s

7 8

9

City of God: final confrontation The shot that

introduces Rocket (left) and a friend [7] is of relatively long

duration and slower rhythm than the immediately preceding

entrance of the gang leader. The friend says to Rocket, “If Li’l

Zé catches you, he’ll kill you,” to which Rocket responds,

“Yeah, well, he’s gotta find me first.” In the next shot [8], Li’l

Zé (second from right) enters the frame in slow motion,

brandishing his gun and a big smile. After several more shots

(not shown here) that establish the space, he spots Rocket

[9] and orders him to capture the chicken.