2. Introduction
The Imposter is a expository documentary that is based on the story of
a 13-year-old boy Nicholas who disappears without a trace from his
home town in San Antonio, Texas in 1994. Three and a half years later
he is found alive in a village in southern Spain with a story of
kidnapping and torture. His family bring him home. But all is not as it
seems. The boy has many of the same marks he always had, but why
does he now have a strange accent? Why does he look so different?
Any why doesn't the family seem to notice this? It's only when an
investigator starts asking questions that this strange tale takes an even
stranger turn. The stranger than fiction mystery, which features many
twists and turns.
3. Re-enactments
re-enactments are an extremely important technique in this thriller
documentary. They are used frequently throughout the film to allow
the audience to be instantly engaged. The re-enactments allows the
documentary to be more exhilarating, as if it wouldn’t have been for
Layton’s cleverly used re-enactments the film would have consisted of
nothing but talking head interviews, which would not have made the
film to appear so thrilling. The use of this technique also heightens the
suspense for the slowly unfolding mystery.
4. Talking Head Interview
These interviews give the audience a sense of realism. Talking head is the
interview technique that Layton decides to use frequently throughout this
film. In an interview with Bourdin his voice is cleverly changed as if he is
speaking on the phone this technique demonstrates to the audience how he
was able to manipulate people so effectively and this technique is repeatedly
used throughout the film. These interviews also allow us to feel empathetic
at the start of the film because we are under the impression that the family
were desperate to find closure to what had happened to what we were made
to think was a loved and well liked family member. However, there is
juxtaposition between interviews with family towards the start of the film
and the end. Towards the end of the film in the interviews unlike the
beginning the audience are more likely to be questioning the families
honesty and whether there interviews are genuine rather than really feeling
any empathy at all. The effectiveness of what we are told in a talking head
interview with an investigator about the families relationship with Nicholas
allows us to question the families information and whether it is very reliable.
5. Avoidance of Cinema Verite
Layton’s avoidance of the technique cinema verite underlines that no-one
in this story, least of all the filmmaker, has an authority on the
truth.
6. Character of Frederic Bourdin
Layton provides an examination of Bourdin. He is shot from the neck
up; he looks straight into the camera, rarely looking away. The lack of
emotion on his face gives a chilling and uneasy feel. The film leaves the
audience questioning why Bourdin chose to pose as Nicholas. Bourdin
guides us through his manipulation, from the decision to become
Nicholas Barclay, through his dedication to his con, all the way to the
conclusion. His character is engaging for the audience throughout the
film. The fact that Bourdin’s character is so complicated and difficult to
understand makes the thriller much more effective, as it leaves the
audience constantly questioning even once the film is finished it
creates more questions than it answers.
7. Archival footage
Archival footage is used in this documentary. A multiple amount of
news broadcasts are used where the media tells the story of how a 13
year old boy who had disappeared 3 years before was found in France.
It conveys the seriousness in the disappearance of Nicholas and the
effect it had on a huge amount of people. It also shows how a French
con artist had the ability to fool even the media in to believing that a
French man with a distinct French accent and no similarities what so
ever except tattoos and blonde hair could possibly be the same 13 year
old boy who had disappeared a few years beforehand.
8. Voice Overs
Voice overs are used throughout the documentary with multiple different
narrators. This technique enforces opinions, information, explanations from
everyone involved in the case. These voice overs allow the audience to ask more
questions then our answered because there are many contradicting opinions
and beliefs as to what happened to the 13 year old boy Nicholas and whether
everyone was telling the truth as to what they knew about his disappearance.
This also shows how a lot of people questioned the facts of this case. One of the
investigators allowed the audience to ask many questions. Did the family did
genuinely believe that this imposter was there brother? Did they just want
everyone to believe in order to cover up what really happened? Did the family
know more about his disappearance than what they made out?
