Nuclear power and the capability of handling it has been a large and controversial topic since the Cold War in the early 1950's. Today, there is a similar conflict involving the United States and North Korea. Both powers have the potential to inflict a major amount of destruction with nuclear power. Frontline, the investigative journalism branch of PBS, helps to shed light on this mysterious and complicated conflict through the documentary titled "North Korea's Deadly Dictator". This documentary gives the audience information about the lineage of the Kim Family and demonstrates how Kim Jong Un became the leader of North Korea. The documentary "North Korea's Deadly Dictator" attempts to persuade the audience to believe that North Korea is a …show more content…
In the first few minutes of the documentary the North Korean army is shown on screen. The group is marching in unison, dressed in the same green uniform (McMullen) . The camera is at a medium-close up shot which makes it appear to the audience that there is a large number of individuals on screen. The camera shot of the army was most likely chosen by the editor to appeal to the audience's sense of fear. The high tensions between the United States and North Korea have the ability to worry residents of the U.S. and the perception that the army in North Korea is large makes it seem that North Korea is prepared for war at any moment. To continue, other footage, such as a North Korean missile test, is shown in the documentary that appeals the audience's sense of fear. The audience sees a medium-long shot of three missiles taking off. Soon after the launch the camera is covered in dust and nothing is visible. This scene has the possibility to achieve pathos because it shows that North Korea is close to having the ability to wield nuclear power. As a result, the audience understands that North Korea is a much more formidable threat than it appeared …show more content…
The non-diegetic sound on the documentary starts similar to that of traditional news source but fluctuates and changes depending on what is seen on screen. When there is military or North Korean propaganda shown the score turns up beat and tense. During the first half of the documentary the score was much lower and ominous reflecting the mystery the audience encountered when attempting to figure out who was responsible for the death of Kim Jong Nam. The film score contributes to the overall mood of the documentary and adds to the anticipation of the audience when the corresponding music was played. The documentary achieves a similar effect compared to a general horror movie, the accompanying music enhances what the audience sees on screen and creates a greater amount of emotion. Additionally, narration plays a large part in conveying the tone of the documentary and persuading the audience to believe that North Korea is a serious threat to the safety of the United States. Within the documentary the audience hears a deep voice that narrates a majority of the action on screen except for interviews with individuals. The narrator appears very serious and speaks very formally to the audience. This helps the audience comprehend the serious nature of the conflict