Mannequin 3 – The Reckoning: Visual Review
It’s dolls gone wild with “Mannequin 3: The Reckoning.” This episode was directed by Jeannot Szwarc, a veteran TV and movie director. This is his first episode of “Supernatural,” but he has directed a few episodes of time-slot competitor “Fringe.” There were some pretty cool shots happening in this episode, visually, so let’s take a look, shall we?
1.
Well, this isn’t an emotional way to start an episode. Nope. Not one bit. I mean, Dean is absolutely not freaking out about how his brother has just finished seizing and is now motionless on the floor. That’s not worry on his face. He’s completely in control of the situation. And seeing Dean lose it never makes me also lose it. Not ever. /Sarcasm.
2.
It is insanely creepy when an inanimate object moves its eyes. I think it’s even worse if said thing looks sideways at you. There’s something about a sideways glance that is just unnerving. This shot makes the dummy seem like it’s looking out and silently judging me, and I don’t like it one bit.
3.
Dean’s cellphone background is a picture of the hotel-room wall from “Clap Your Hands If You Believe.” And those are totally Dean’s feet, meaning he looked at that wall while he was laying on his bed and thought it was kind of cool (he’s right) and decided to take a picture of it. He didn’t get out of the way or stand up or anything. Just a Dean spur-of-the-moment decision to takt something that he liked and keep it with him. Never change, Dean.
4.
You know, I like watching these two when they sit in front of a monitor wall and go through security-camera footage. It has to be tedious as hell, but they both look so adorable all hunched over and concentrating like that. I am also amused as it seems like Sam made his chair higher off the ground just to look that much bigger than his brother.
5.
This is a really cool exterior shot. That smoke stack with the red lights looks really ominous. Nothing good ever happens at night near smoke stacks with red lights on them. That is a completely true fact. I looked it up in the Encyclopedia Ardeotannica.
6.
I love everything about this shot, from the low angle to the mannequin parts strewn about to the lighting. It’s really, really cool.
7.
This is a great angle right here. I’m sure staircases are probably annoying to film because there are only so many ways you can shoot them, but I highly approve of this one. It really makes that staircase look steep, though, doesn’t it?
8.
I like the way this shot is over the Impala’s hood, almost like the camera is sneaking around trying not to be seen, so it takes cover behind this giant car and hopes no one notices. Plus, any shot with the Impala in it is a good one in my book!
This was really great. You really had me thinking a while about this one. I have to say my favorites are #2, #8 and #16.
#2 – Mannequins are just creepy to me.
#8 – Sam looks so confident and he’s actually smiling while Dean is trying to convince him that he should not leave and needs to stick around.
#16 – Both Dean and Sam, while still looking sad, appear to drawing comfort off each other.
These are such fun!.
I love No. 1. I think the light shining on Sams face is amazing here. I can’t remember the last time we saw Sam’s face bathed in light like that.
Also like No. 3. Not only because Dean takes random pictures of things but he has was looks like to be a fairly standard Nokia phone, no flashy bits. Just simple, classic and effective, like the Impala. It’s such a contrast to Sam’s phone which looks ultra high-tech.
No. 12 is dotey. ‘Dad’ and son having a chat, and don’t anyone tell me Dean isn’t Ben’s dad (it isn’t all about the DNA) I love the picture of the family on the bedside locker (and Ardeospina, what sort of badass high-def TV do you to be able to pick up all these details!)
Dean’s going to be a great Dad when
(if) the time comes.
I also like No, 16 because damn, that simple act (the brothers drinking a beer over the Impala) was a long time coming.
Thanks for these Ardeospina. Roll on Saturday!
Hi Ardeospina
Loved your choices here. I would have to say 1, 2, 5,14 and 16 are my favourites.
1. I really felt for Dean in this, he was so not frantic and not scared for Sammy. (see I picked up on your sarcasm)
2. Just one word describes it all ‘Creepy’
5. I love the lighting in this. Just the hint of all the buildings that are there. My first instinct is ‘No way I’m walking down there’.
14. I’m with you with the shattered glass and the shadowing, makes her look so ominous.
16. I love any scene where these two are having a heart to heart.
I love #1 – Dean all angsty and worried about Sam. The panic in Dean’s eyes, his voice, his body – oh man, poor Dean.
Loved Dean’s expression when Lisa opens the door in #9. Such a vulnerable, worried boy. He was really concerned and uncertain as to what he would be facing when he got there. Heart goes out to Dean.
Lastly, Dean and Ben. Ugh! Agree with Tim the Enchanter – Dean is Ben’s dad, no matter which way you look at it. DNA, no DNA, Dean is his dad. Loved the picture of Dean/Lisa/Ben on Ben’s nightstand. Great touch. Also, just noticed that Ben is dressing like Dean, the t-shirt and plaid shirt over, just like his Dad. (Unless all teenagers dress this way. Not sure, but have numerous nephews and they never dressed that way.) So, I’ll take it that Ben is copying his dad in this manner.
These are great, Ard. And I agree with Tim, you must have some amazing resolution on your TV.
For me, I liked 3, 10, and 14.
3. This is one of the reasons I love this show soooo much. Their attention to detail. The fact that someone had Jensen sit down and take a pic of that wall from another episode to stick as a background on his phone is fantastic. I find myself asking was that something one of the crew came up with? Or maybe it was Jensen sitting around during a break and was messing with the phone prop?
10. I always love looming Sam. You would think it would stop being a surprise every time but it gets me all the same.
14. I love this shot. Sure the Impala is a bada@# looking car but this shot and the fact she was driving by herself made me think of Stephen King’s movie, Christine. Another bada@# car as well.
As always Ardeospina, great job.
My faves are;
1. Dean is not pooping his pants over Sam. 😥
10. Sam is ready to pounce on Johnny for being stupid.
13. Impala as the new Christine. Once again someone(thing) gets possessed and goes after Dean.
15. Notice all the old cars, not a cheap piece of plastic in sight. Speaking of which, I wonder if the Charger ever made it to Bobby’s, or if it was left in the street after getting ‘crushed by an angel’. 😆 😆
#3 was great! I kept trying to pause my DVR on that frame to see what was on Dean’s cell phone. It would be fun to know the story behind how that was filmed!
All the Impala ones were awesome, but my fav was #12.
Thanks for your comments and your great shot choices, everyone!
To answer the TV question, yes, I do have a really great HD TV. It’s not outrageously large, but it’s pretty big and gets the job done. But how I notice the details is after each episode, I go through over 2,000 screen caps looking for shots I like. So I have a still image I can look at. And I’m doing this on my laptop, which has a mouse feature that lets me zoom in on a certain spot of the screen. So if I see something I want to look at more closely, I can zoom it.
I’d love to take more credit, but it’s really just looking closely at still images. It does take some time, but it’s worth it!