The Sandman

Mise-en-scéne of "The Sandman" (1992)


We watched The Sandman in Media last week, and are now having to write up about its Mise-En-Scéne.
Setting and Props

The setting is based in a small cottage in the late evening. The camera first closes into a small lit window and focuses on a small child dancing and banging a drum. His mother/grandmother is sat in a rocking chair with almost a spotlight on her, knitting while lit by an oil lamp. In the background there is also a fire. The background room is very basic and doesn't have much apart from a clock which chimes (using the grim reaper) which sets not a very pleasant atmosphere. Both characters look up at the clock and pull an expression which symbolises that for the child its his bedtime. The mother gives the child a smaller oil lamp and sends him up to bed.
In his room, his bed is situated in the middle of the room, with nothing else surrounding the bed or in the bedroom. His windows are shut tightly with the moon being the most noticeable from them. After the boy is 'safe' in his duvet the sandman appears in the moon's basic shape. Suddenly the Sandman appears downstairs in the house.


Costume, hair and make-up
The costumes, like the rooms, are very basic which may symbolise the wealth of the family. The young child is dressed in a dress/rags in a beige colour. The mother is dressed simple to with a bandanna and apron. The make-up she may wear is fairly simple too and shows up her age. She has a very prominent cheek bones. Both characters have dark hair, the mothers with a middle parting and the young child's bob-like. The Sandman himself has a character which comes across as a bird-like figure. He is covered in blue feathers with a long nose and chin, almost like a beak.
Facial expressions and body language
The facial expression on the young child at the start is happy, he is dancing around. But when the clock strikes and chimes the childs expression turns maybe 'horrified'. He looks at his mother really worried too. He takes the lamp from her and heads on up the stair. At this point the lighting is dim and makes a creepy atmosphere, so now you can tell the child is scare or worried. When he enters his room, he runs across over to the bed and hops in under his duvet. He tries to sleep but the moonlight is shining through his window, down onto his bed. He rolls over to look at this moon where the figure of the Sandman appears. Being paranoid and slightly scared now, he checks under his bed to see if anything is there; as he does a small mouse runs out from under his bed.

The Sandman's figure creeps up the stairs slowly in attempt to be silent. The way this character moves is rather disturbing. His facial expression is twisted; his eyes tell us that he is the stereotypical evil character.