One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Released in 1975 after the end of the Vietnam War and the Watergate Scandle and it's accompanying anti-government and establishment protests, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is less about mental illness and more about the freedom and power of the individual versus the strict rules and laws of society and government.  Director Milos Forman and DP Haskell Wexler use a number of cinematography techniques to reinforce these themes throughout the movie.

One technique is in the use of creating a flat, natural lighting feel to the daytime scenes in the hospital.  This lighting scheme with high-key lighting ratios accentuate the drab and lifeless environment of the hospital with it's white walls, white nurse and orderly uniforms, and the patients off-white gowns.  During the night time scenes in the hospital, the lighting becomes a little more low-key, but the lighting ratios are never as extreme as in movies like Apocalypse Now or Blade Runner.


Another technique used in the film is through camera movement, or lack thereof.  For the most part, camera movement is subtle and muted throughout much of the film, calling little attention to itself.  Forman chose to do this to create a film and story that felt more natural and real than artificial or contrived. A few noticeable deviations from this pattern are in a few scenes with Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher).  One is during the first group therapy session when she keeps badgering Harding (William Redfield) to talk about his feelings about his relationship with his wife.  Although Ratched's tone of voice and facial expression don't reveal an overt sinister nature, the camera pushes in on her to end on a close up of her face.  This gives the audience a clue to her real nature.  She is the one in control, and the one with the power.  Another example of this camera push in is during a cut away to her during McMurphy's (Jack Nicholson) attempts to get the Chief (Will Sampson) to play basketball during recreation time outside.  Not only does the camera push in on Nurse Ratched, but the camera angle is low and tilted up on her as she silently gazes out window watching over the scene.  This again reinforces to the audience her role as the person of authority and power.  YouTube link to Basketball Scene and Camera Push In on Nurse Ratched

With the use of these techniques the filmakers created a memorable film to illustrate the themes of power and individual freedom during a time when these themes were big in the American conciousness.  Some would argue that the themes and therefore the movie are not as relevant today, but with an increase in government activity to deny individual freedoms in order to police terrorism I would argue that the film is just as relevant today as it was 37 years ago.