'Run Lola Run', directed by Tom Tykwer 1998, is a German film which focuses on 20 crucial minutes of the lives of two people; Lola and her boyfirend Manni, who carelessly lost a large amount of money which he owes to a dangerous man. The narrative explores the constant "what if''s" that occur, and also the events that fate controls which can easily be altered through the slightest changes. It takes the audience on three different journeys with the character Lola, each time with slightly different events taking place - all of which are completely down to fate.
This film uses effective techniques to tell the story of the characters lives; for example, in the first of the three run throughs when Lola bumps into the lady with the pram, there are photo snapshots used to show what happens in her life after this happens (her baby is taken away from her by social services and she steals someone elses in a park); then on the second run through, Lola apologises and the future of the woman has changed - again shown through photo snapshots (she wins the lottery). This happens with more than one character, like the man on the bike who plays a very important role in the final outcome of the journey - the homeless man takes his bike and Manni is able to catch him and get the money back.
Another effective technique used in the film is the use of the flashbacks - for example, repeating Lola's journey three times just with slightly different events; and when Lola/Manni dies there is a flashback to them being in bed questioning each other about their love for one another. These particular flashbacks are quite important as they helped link the stories together for me (they didn't want to die, it seemed as if they wanted to fight to stay alive for each other).
I think its clever how the stories of all the characters seen in the film link together in some way, and how the slightest change in events can lead to such different and serious consequences. The use of the split screen was interesting as it meant the audience could see what was happening in both of the characters lives.
On the other hand, the repetition at the beginning of each run through was quite boring by the end, the cartoon bit when Lola runs down the stairs and past the dog could have been shortened as we'd already seen the running down the staircase before. Also, the ending was kind of abrupt and unexpected. I didn't think it would be all happy, I thought somebody might have got hurt - I was half expecting the homeless man to show up with the gun somwhere, I thought Manni giving him the gun was goinmg to be a significant part of the narrative.
Overall I really enjoyed the film, It's not something I'd usually watch but it was different and interesting. For a foreign film i thought it was good and I might watch it again.
Friday, 18 June 2010
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Living with crime
What social scenarios are explored within each film?
'Sweet Sixteen' - the partnership between Liam and Pinball when selling thier drugs is what keeps them close friends. But when Liam joins the new gang, a strain is put on their friendship, which Pinball deals with by creating havoc and trouble. It seems that there is a lot of gang culture in his area and they all make money by selling drugs; this could be why Liam thinks it is okay to make his money this way. They live in a very run down area; it very bleak and grim which gives people living there a negative attitude.
'Bullet Boy' - Another strong friendship is displayed between Ricky and Wisdom, but they also clash over their differences. Wisdom often wants to deal with his problems with violence, while Ricky wants to avoid this to prevent him from going back into jail. He can see because of his time in jail, violence isn't needed and tries to get him out of it. Wisdom causes trouble with a rival gang after shooting a gang member's dog, which comes back to haunt both Wisdom and Ricky, even though ricky tries to call a truce between their two gangs.
'London to Brighton' - Kelly and Joanne seem as close as siblings after a traumatic 24 hours together running from a mobster and his henchmen. They seem to build a strong connection by sharing their feelings of a similar childhood of growing up on the streets. Even though they start off as strangers, they come together and fight through all the suffering and fear and come out of it all even stronger. They appear to have built a bond - Kelly does everything she can to help Joanne get away from the bad guys and home safely.
How is crime portrayed in each film?
'Sweet Sixteen' - crime is displayed as being the only motive for the characters to make money, although their intentions are good. For example, Liam wants his mum to be happy so he gets into the dirty and dangerous drug business in order to buy her a dream caravan for them both to live in. Liam is quite like Kelly ('London to Brighton') as her intentions are also good - she has to prostitute herself in order to raise her and Joanne's train fare for safety.
'Bullet Boy' - Ricky's hometown in North-East London is represented as the kind of gang cultured city where crime is everywhere (as we can see when Wisdom tries to fight their rival gang over something as simple as his car being in the way). The slightest thing can be made into a huge ongoing fight. Ricky is smart enough to try and steer clear from the violence in his neighbourhood after being in prison on an assult charge. He's seen where this kind of violence gets people and has no desire to set foot in prison again. He also tries to get Wisdom away from it all, but he is much too interested in the violence, and sometimes even seems to be looking for a fight.
'London to Brighton' - throughout the entire film, crime is the driving force; the factor that links all of the characters. The opening scene throws us straight into the crime as Joanne and Kelly are running from it. Again, the only way to make money in this film is crime; Kelly prostitutes herself in order to get their money to keep running away from more crime. It seems the only way to deal with crime in these films is with more crime.
In what ways are people deprived in each film?
'Sweet Sixteen' - In this film, Liam is essentially deprived of his mothers love and attention as she is in jail because of his abusive stepfathers dodgy drug dealing. He doesn't get to see her very often, and has to put up with beatingd from his grandfather and stepdad until he raises enough money to buy the caravan; which he doesn't earn in the best way - selling drugs and cigarettes in the local pub.
'Bullet Boy' - A good example of a clip in the film which shows Ricky's deprivation is when he is looking at Canary Warf in the distance from his balcony. It shows a contrast between the big, successful, rich city life, and the violent poor life he lives, with a lack of opportunities. His chances of getting a well paid and good job are very slim as he has a criminal record; this rules out his chances of having a successful career, he is very restricted on what he can do. Also, his restraining order and probation limits him, as he may want to fight the rival gang when we see the confrontation between them when the car wing mirror is damaged. He could want to punch them all, but does the right think and tries to keep them both out of trouble.
'London to Brighton' - Joanne is deprived of a normal childhood in this film; her mother is dead, her father beats her, and now she is begging on the streets and falling into the wrong hands. She is deprived of an understanding of the events in the film - in the cafe Derek asks her if she is a virgin and if she knows what it means. She claims she does and she isn't one, but hesitates, suggesting that she's not sure what it is - this shows that she is still young and doesn't have much of an understanding about these things. Joanne's situation is similar to Liams in 'Sweet Sixteen' as she is coping without her mother and an abusive father. She tries to make her money on the streets by begging at a train station in London.
What opportunities are available to the main characters in each of the films?
'Sweet Sixteen' - I'd say that Liam has no, if any, opportunities towards the end of the film. There is no mention of an education for Liam at all, which leads me to believe that he has no qualifications. This means he won't have as big an opportunity as others to get a well paid job in the future. When he goes to visit his mum in prison, she asks him about school and he simply laughs and ignores the subject, suggesting he doesn't care about it.
'Bullet Boy' - Ricky again never has any mention of schooling or college; due to his prison sentence, he may have been cut off from proper education. Therefore he would have no qualifications. He is limited on what job he can get; nowhere wants to hire a man who has been in prison for assult. Curtis, his little brother, appears to be folloeing in his footsteps, by taking the gun and skipping school.
'London to Brighton' - Kelly never has her background in education mentioned; we're led to believe she has none because she is in the prostitute business. Also, Joanne loses out on opportunities as she has run away from home and therefore wouldn't be attending school.
How are criminals portrayed within each of the films?
'Sweet Sixteen' - criminals are pertrayed as being a team; the jobs they do are a team effort. In this film, new members of the big drug gang are forced to undergo a test to prove whether or not they are tough enough to be in the gang; as we see when Liam is told to stab someone in a nightclub.
'Bullet Boy' - the crime in this is also a team effort, they all stick together and fight as groups. ricky is used to always having someone around him in a fight situation, usually Wisdom, but at the end of the film we see him standing alone at the train station surrounded by his rival gang members. This leads to his death.
'London to Brighton' - Stuart represents the upper-class mobster "boss". He is the one who is in control of everyone and everything. He knows how to put fear into people; he cuts Derek's leg open as a "taste" of what will happen to him if he does not do what Stuart wants. Derek is constantly telling Kelly of how much trouble he is in; because he hasn't done what Staurt has asked. Stuart wears a white suit and is accompanied by lots of henchmen. He is seen doing business over the phone in a strip club (where we are likely to see someone who is in that kind of business).
Can the protagonists escape from the situation they are in?
'Sweet Sixteen' - in this film, Liam feels it is his job to bring his family back together and get his mum away from his abusive stepdad. He feels the only way to do this is to earn money by selling drugs on the street. Also, a history of education is never mentioned, and at the time this film was set, unemployment was rampant. Therefore he wouldn't have had much of a choice, and wouldn't be able to escape the situation, because nowhere would want to employ a 15/16 year old with no qualifications. The only way for him to make money was in this dangerous and didgy business.
'Bullet Boy' - throughout the whole film, Ricky has a chance to escape. It is Wisdom and the people around him that keep him where he is. He constantly says about how he is going to move away and have a fresh start with his girlfriend, but everytime he manages to find an excuse to keep him there. He mentions the fact that Wisdom saved his life once; this tells us that Ricky feels he owes him. Whenever Wisdom gets into trouble he drags Ricky with him too. Ricky is still on probation after being released from prison on an assult charge, so he knows he cannot get heavily involved with violence. Also, his criminal record really holds him back from getting a proper job; it is as if he is trapped.
'London to Brighton' - Kelly never really has the opportunity to escape. She, like Liam in 'Sweet Sixteen', never have any mention of a background in education, which may be why she is in the prostitution business. She mentions to Joanne that she also used to live on the streets when she was younger, this tells us that she probably has been a prostitute for a long time; she has probably got used to it and thinks that she can't do anything else. Also, the lack of money holds both Joanne and Kelly back; if Joanne had the money she could have escaped from the situation whenever she wanted to. If it wasn't for Kelly, Joanne never would have got home. The two girls now have to live with the guilt of it being their fault that Derek and Chum are dead. And Joanne has to live with the fact that she has killed two men.
What punishments do characters receive for their crimes in each of the films?
'Sweet Sixteen' - after Liam spends more time with his new gang, Pinball sets him and his mums dream caravan on fire and burns it to the ground; which upsets him as it takes away the dream he had for getting his family back. Then Pinball 'punishes' himself by cutting his face right in front of him. Also, Liam's mum runs back to his abusive stapdad when she is released from prison, after feeling upset about how Liam raised the money to buy their new apartment.
'Bullet Boy' - Ricky is forced to leave his home by his mum when his little brother, Curtis, finds the gun that Wisdom had given Ricky, and uses it during a game of hide and seek where he accidentally shoots and injures his friend. However, it is Wisdom's crime of attempted murder that results in Ricky's death; at the train station (where Ricky is waiting to leave and start a new life) he is shot dead by Godfrey, their rival gang member who we see at the beginning of the film almost having a brawl with Wisdom over the wing mirror incident.
'London to Brighton' - because she stabbed Stuart, Joanne is forced to pay for it at the end when Duncan makes her pull the trigger which kills Derek. This will leave her emotionally scarred for life.
How is violence portrayed within each of the films?
'Sweet Sixteen' - shows how violence occurs because of the business they are in. Liam gets beaten up at one point and has his "gear" stolen off of him, which he gets up repeatedly and fights them for, resulting in serious injuries. It shows the dangers of the drug dealing business.
'Bullet Boy' - this film portrays violence as being something on every street corner and that anyone can just walk into, even for the smallest of things. For example when Ricky pulls Wisdom back from the brawl at the beginning over the wing mirror incident. It is easy to see how Ricky ended up in prison; the gang culture that surrounds where he lives seem to enjoy a fight, and therefore jump at the chance of a brawl. In Ricky's neighbourhood, there is always a fight just round the corner.
'London to Brighton' - we are constantly reminded of the violence throughout the film, as Kelly has a black swollen eye the whole way through. Violence is settled with more violence in this film; it is used to get what people want - when Duncan slashes Derek's leg as a threat that if he didn't do what he wanted, something worse will happen. Also, Stuart settles the violence of his fathers death by making someone else die for it.
What social restrictions are evident within each of the films?
'Sweet Sixteen' - the protagonist, Liam, shows to have social skills as he has a close peer (Pinball) but he also shows that the simplest misunderstanding, can make a long-lasting, incorrect impression.
'Bullet Boy' - Ricky also has a peer (Wisdom) who again shows that the simplest misunderstanding, if not handles correctly, can make an incorrect impression.
'London to Brighton' - Joanne is found begging outside Waterloo station. When Kelly first approaches her, she is instantly inquisitive and just wants her to go away. This shows that because of not being at home or going to school, Joanne doesn't get the opportunity to socialise with people and her life on the streets forces her to be blunt and quite rude.
How can the films be said to reflect aspects of contemporary society?
The scene in 'Sweet Sixteen' shows how Liam is beaten by a rival gang because of selling drugs; the gang then take the drugs for themselves and Liam attempts to get them back several times, and with each attempt recieves another beating. In real life, the drug trade can often be a very dangerous one and if moves are made incorrectly, beatings (and sometimes even fatalities) can happen. However, I think the realism of society reflected in this scene is the act of bullying. The rival gang are clearly unhappy about his involvement in drug dealing and what he is selling, so, as an act of jealously, they steal his drugs and beat him up. People in Liam's situation (being kicked out of his home because of an aggressive stapfather who beats him) can often find themselves in the drug trade as a result of them having no home of family. They are often desperate so make their money by selling whatever's easiest to sell - drugs.
Next, I want to draw attention to the situation Joanne is put in in 'London to Brighton'. Joanne reveals to Kelly that she has run away from home, at the very young age of 12, as sadly her mother died, and her father beats her. She is representing a realistic scenario in society. She tells Kelly that she ran away from home because she had 'nothing' for her there. Unfortunately, there are many children in Britain like Joanne who do the same thing because of the same reason, so society is well reflected in this aspect. The same applies for Kelly and her prostitution; the sleezy men she serves are literally all over the country, and so are prostitutes. Maybe this is how many of them are treated, so society is again well reflected in this way.
Finally, in 'Bullet Boy' when he finds the gun that Ricky has hidden, Curtis gives us the impression that he will follow in his brothers footsteps; the ones which Ricky is desperate to forget. The fear in this film is that younger siblings are so impressionable these days, and with gang culture rising in the younger generation, younger siblings are likely to grow up copying the actions of their teenage brothers/sisters. The comparison here is not necessarily related to crime in society; more the imitation of younger ones of their peers who have made mistakes, which the young ones can copy.
What links can be made between the social situation of the film, and the society in which we live?
In 'Sweet Sixteen' when Liam is initiated into the new drug-running gang, Pinball, his best friend, feels betrayed. He and Liam had previously been working together selling cigarettes, and entered the drug trade together, so he feels that when Liam begins selling as part of another gang, he has been left behind. Pinball cuts his own face with the knife Liam had been given when joining the gang, as an act of self punishment for burning down his caravan. The link to society in this film is the effect that drugs, but not taking them, still has on those close to you. When they are taken, drugs are bound to upset friends and family members. But in this film, no one is seen taking them, we only see them being sold. However, the effects are still powerful, with Pinball slashing his face and Liam's mum running away after her welcome home party. This just shows that its not always the consuming drugs that upsets people; it's getting involved with them that can be harmful. This is what links in well with society.
Also, in 'Bullet Boy', because of Rickys probation order and criminal record, he will now find it extremely hard to seek employment, as Curtis points out when looking at his CV. People interviewing him may find that it will be harder to talk to him (which of course is bad for a customer-friendly environment at work). Employers will often ask for details on the criminal record, which means that there is no way around it, he eill have to tell them exactly what happened. Because of this, it is not surprising that Rikki gets upset when Curtis mentions it.
Finally, in 'London to Brighton', Kelly is working as a prostitute, servicing anyone who comes along for money. There is never any mention of a record of a previous education or employment, and she is clearly disgusted with herself about what she does for a living. She feels as if there is nothing else for her, but her commitment and willingness to get Joanne back to safety is really strong. I think this shows that her disgust for herself really could be unnecessary and this is the link to society. People often feel like there is nothing better they can do with their lives and pick the job at the bottom of the pile (in this case, prostitution) and because they feel there is nowhere else they belong. A lot of the time, it is clear that they really could be doing something better if they just put the effort in. Kelly shows this effort when protecting Joanne and getting her safely home, but, she seems unaware of it, and so do many people who end up on the lowest step of the ladder in real life.
'Sweet Sixteen' - the partnership between Liam and Pinball when selling thier drugs is what keeps them close friends. But when Liam joins the new gang, a strain is put on their friendship, which Pinball deals with by creating havoc and trouble. It seems that there is a lot of gang culture in his area and they all make money by selling drugs; this could be why Liam thinks it is okay to make his money this way. They live in a very run down area; it very bleak and grim which gives people living there a negative attitude.
'Bullet Boy' - Another strong friendship is displayed between Ricky and Wisdom, but they also clash over their differences. Wisdom often wants to deal with his problems with violence, while Ricky wants to avoid this to prevent him from going back into jail. He can see because of his time in jail, violence isn't needed and tries to get him out of it. Wisdom causes trouble with a rival gang after shooting a gang member's dog, which comes back to haunt both Wisdom and Ricky, even though ricky tries to call a truce between their two gangs.
'London to Brighton' - Kelly and Joanne seem as close as siblings after a traumatic 24 hours together running from a mobster and his henchmen. They seem to build a strong connection by sharing their feelings of a similar childhood of growing up on the streets. Even though they start off as strangers, they come together and fight through all the suffering and fear and come out of it all even stronger. They appear to have built a bond - Kelly does everything she can to help Joanne get away from the bad guys and home safely.
How is crime portrayed in each film?
'Sweet Sixteen' - crime is displayed as being the only motive for the characters to make money, although their intentions are good. For example, Liam wants his mum to be happy so he gets into the dirty and dangerous drug business in order to buy her a dream caravan for them both to live in. Liam is quite like Kelly ('London to Brighton') as her intentions are also good - she has to prostitute herself in order to raise her and Joanne's train fare for safety.
'Bullet Boy' - Ricky's hometown in North-East London is represented as the kind of gang cultured city where crime is everywhere (as we can see when Wisdom tries to fight their rival gang over something as simple as his car being in the way). The slightest thing can be made into a huge ongoing fight. Ricky is smart enough to try and steer clear from the violence in his neighbourhood after being in prison on an assult charge. He's seen where this kind of violence gets people and has no desire to set foot in prison again. He also tries to get Wisdom away from it all, but he is much too interested in the violence, and sometimes even seems to be looking for a fight.
'London to Brighton' - throughout the entire film, crime is the driving force; the factor that links all of the characters. The opening scene throws us straight into the crime as Joanne and Kelly are running from it. Again, the only way to make money in this film is crime; Kelly prostitutes herself in order to get their money to keep running away from more crime. It seems the only way to deal with crime in these films is with more crime.
In what ways are people deprived in each film?
'Sweet Sixteen' - In this film, Liam is essentially deprived of his mothers love and attention as she is in jail because of his abusive stepfathers dodgy drug dealing. He doesn't get to see her very often, and has to put up with beatingd from his grandfather and stepdad until he raises enough money to buy the caravan; which he doesn't earn in the best way - selling drugs and cigarettes in the local pub.
'Bullet Boy' - A good example of a clip in the film which shows Ricky's deprivation is when he is looking at Canary Warf in the distance from his balcony. It shows a contrast between the big, successful, rich city life, and the violent poor life he lives, with a lack of opportunities. His chances of getting a well paid and good job are very slim as he has a criminal record; this rules out his chances of having a successful career, he is very restricted on what he can do. Also, his restraining order and probation limits him, as he may want to fight the rival gang when we see the confrontation between them when the car wing mirror is damaged. He could want to punch them all, but does the right think and tries to keep them both out of trouble.
'London to Brighton' - Joanne is deprived of a normal childhood in this film; her mother is dead, her father beats her, and now she is begging on the streets and falling into the wrong hands. She is deprived of an understanding of the events in the film - in the cafe Derek asks her if she is a virgin and if she knows what it means. She claims she does and she isn't one, but hesitates, suggesting that she's not sure what it is - this shows that she is still young and doesn't have much of an understanding about these things. Joanne's situation is similar to Liams in 'Sweet Sixteen' as she is coping without her mother and an abusive father. She tries to make her money on the streets by begging at a train station in London.
What opportunities are available to the main characters in each of the films?
'Sweet Sixteen' - I'd say that Liam has no, if any, opportunities towards the end of the film. There is no mention of an education for Liam at all, which leads me to believe that he has no qualifications. This means he won't have as big an opportunity as others to get a well paid job in the future. When he goes to visit his mum in prison, she asks him about school and he simply laughs and ignores the subject, suggesting he doesn't care about it.
'Bullet Boy' - Ricky again never has any mention of schooling or college; due to his prison sentence, he may have been cut off from proper education. Therefore he would have no qualifications. He is limited on what job he can get; nowhere wants to hire a man who has been in prison for assult. Curtis, his little brother, appears to be folloeing in his footsteps, by taking the gun and skipping school.
'London to Brighton' - Kelly never has her background in education mentioned; we're led to believe she has none because she is in the prostitute business. Also, Joanne loses out on opportunities as she has run away from home and therefore wouldn't be attending school.
How are criminals portrayed within each of the films?
'Sweet Sixteen' - criminals are pertrayed as being a team; the jobs they do are a team effort. In this film, new members of the big drug gang are forced to undergo a test to prove whether or not they are tough enough to be in the gang; as we see when Liam is told to stab someone in a nightclub.
'Bullet Boy' - the crime in this is also a team effort, they all stick together and fight as groups. ricky is used to always having someone around him in a fight situation, usually Wisdom, but at the end of the film we see him standing alone at the train station surrounded by his rival gang members. This leads to his death.
'London to Brighton' - Stuart represents the upper-class mobster "boss". He is the one who is in control of everyone and everything. He knows how to put fear into people; he cuts Derek's leg open as a "taste" of what will happen to him if he does not do what Stuart wants. Derek is constantly telling Kelly of how much trouble he is in; because he hasn't done what Staurt has asked. Stuart wears a white suit and is accompanied by lots of henchmen. He is seen doing business over the phone in a strip club (where we are likely to see someone who is in that kind of business).
Can the protagonists escape from the situation they are in?
'Sweet Sixteen' - in this film, Liam feels it is his job to bring his family back together and get his mum away from his abusive stepdad. He feels the only way to do this is to earn money by selling drugs on the street. Also, a history of education is never mentioned, and at the time this film was set, unemployment was rampant. Therefore he wouldn't have had much of a choice, and wouldn't be able to escape the situation, because nowhere would want to employ a 15/16 year old with no qualifications. The only way for him to make money was in this dangerous and didgy business.
'Bullet Boy' - throughout the whole film, Ricky has a chance to escape. It is Wisdom and the people around him that keep him where he is. He constantly says about how he is going to move away and have a fresh start with his girlfriend, but everytime he manages to find an excuse to keep him there. He mentions the fact that Wisdom saved his life once; this tells us that Ricky feels he owes him. Whenever Wisdom gets into trouble he drags Ricky with him too. Ricky is still on probation after being released from prison on an assult charge, so he knows he cannot get heavily involved with violence. Also, his criminal record really holds him back from getting a proper job; it is as if he is trapped.
'London to Brighton' - Kelly never really has the opportunity to escape. She, like Liam in 'Sweet Sixteen', never have any mention of a background in education, which may be why she is in the prostitution business. She mentions to Joanne that she also used to live on the streets when she was younger, this tells us that she probably has been a prostitute for a long time; she has probably got used to it and thinks that she can't do anything else. Also, the lack of money holds both Joanne and Kelly back; if Joanne had the money she could have escaped from the situation whenever she wanted to. If it wasn't for Kelly, Joanne never would have got home. The two girls now have to live with the guilt of it being their fault that Derek and Chum are dead. And Joanne has to live with the fact that she has killed two men.
What punishments do characters receive for their crimes in each of the films?
'Sweet Sixteen' - after Liam spends more time with his new gang, Pinball sets him and his mums dream caravan on fire and burns it to the ground; which upsets him as it takes away the dream he had for getting his family back. Then Pinball 'punishes' himself by cutting his face right in front of him. Also, Liam's mum runs back to his abusive stapdad when she is released from prison, after feeling upset about how Liam raised the money to buy their new apartment.
'Bullet Boy' - Ricky is forced to leave his home by his mum when his little brother, Curtis, finds the gun that Wisdom had given Ricky, and uses it during a game of hide and seek where he accidentally shoots and injures his friend. However, it is Wisdom's crime of attempted murder that results in Ricky's death; at the train station (where Ricky is waiting to leave and start a new life) he is shot dead by Godfrey, their rival gang member who we see at the beginning of the film almost having a brawl with Wisdom over the wing mirror incident.
'London to Brighton' - because she stabbed Stuart, Joanne is forced to pay for it at the end when Duncan makes her pull the trigger which kills Derek. This will leave her emotionally scarred for life.
How is violence portrayed within each of the films?
'Sweet Sixteen' - shows how violence occurs because of the business they are in. Liam gets beaten up at one point and has his "gear" stolen off of him, which he gets up repeatedly and fights them for, resulting in serious injuries. It shows the dangers of the drug dealing business.
'Bullet Boy' - this film portrays violence as being something on every street corner and that anyone can just walk into, even for the smallest of things. For example when Ricky pulls Wisdom back from the brawl at the beginning over the wing mirror incident. It is easy to see how Ricky ended up in prison; the gang culture that surrounds where he lives seem to enjoy a fight, and therefore jump at the chance of a brawl. In Ricky's neighbourhood, there is always a fight just round the corner.
'London to Brighton' - we are constantly reminded of the violence throughout the film, as Kelly has a black swollen eye the whole way through. Violence is settled with more violence in this film; it is used to get what people want - when Duncan slashes Derek's leg as a threat that if he didn't do what he wanted, something worse will happen. Also, Stuart settles the violence of his fathers death by making someone else die for it.
What social restrictions are evident within each of the films?
'Sweet Sixteen' - the protagonist, Liam, shows to have social skills as he has a close peer (Pinball) but he also shows that the simplest misunderstanding, can make a long-lasting, incorrect impression.
'Bullet Boy' - Ricky also has a peer (Wisdom) who again shows that the simplest misunderstanding, if not handles correctly, can make an incorrect impression.
'London to Brighton' - Joanne is found begging outside Waterloo station. When Kelly first approaches her, she is instantly inquisitive and just wants her to go away. This shows that because of not being at home or going to school, Joanne doesn't get the opportunity to socialise with people and her life on the streets forces her to be blunt and quite rude.
How can the films be said to reflect aspects of contemporary society?
The scene in 'Sweet Sixteen' shows how Liam is beaten by a rival gang because of selling drugs; the gang then take the drugs for themselves and Liam attempts to get them back several times, and with each attempt recieves another beating. In real life, the drug trade can often be a very dangerous one and if moves are made incorrectly, beatings (and sometimes even fatalities) can happen. However, I think the realism of society reflected in this scene is the act of bullying. The rival gang are clearly unhappy about his involvement in drug dealing and what he is selling, so, as an act of jealously, they steal his drugs and beat him up. People in Liam's situation (being kicked out of his home because of an aggressive stapfather who beats him) can often find themselves in the drug trade as a result of them having no home of family. They are often desperate so make their money by selling whatever's easiest to sell - drugs.
Next, I want to draw attention to the situation Joanne is put in in 'London to Brighton'. Joanne reveals to Kelly that she has run away from home, at the very young age of 12, as sadly her mother died, and her father beats her. She is representing a realistic scenario in society. She tells Kelly that she ran away from home because she had 'nothing' for her there. Unfortunately, there are many children in Britain like Joanne who do the same thing because of the same reason, so society is well reflected in this aspect. The same applies for Kelly and her prostitution; the sleezy men she serves are literally all over the country, and so are prostitutes. Maybe this is how many of them are treated, so society is again well reflected in this way.
Finally, in 'Bullet Boy' when he finds the gun that Ricky has hidden, Curtis gives us the impression that he will follow in his brothers footsteps; the ones which Ricky is desperate to forget. The fear in this film is that younger siblings are so impressionable these days, and with gang culture rising in the younger generation, younger siblings are likely to grow up copying the actions of their teenage brothers/sisters. The comparison here is not necessarily related to crime in society; more the imitation of younger ones of their peers who have made mistakes, which the young ones can copy.
What links can be made between the social situation of the film, and the society in which we live?
In 'Sweet Sixteen' when Liam is initiated into the new drug-running gang, Pinball, his best friend, feels betrayed. He and Liam had previously been working together selling cigarettes, and entered the drug trade together, so he feels that when Liam begins selling as part of another gang, he has been left behind. Pinball cuts his own face with the knife Liam had been given when joining the gang, as an act of self punishment for burning down his caravan. The link to society in this film is the effect that drugs, but not taking them, still has on those close to you. When they are taken, drugs are bound to upset friends and family members. But in this film, no one is seen taking them, we only see them being sold. However, the effects are still powerful, with Pinball slashing his face and Liam's mum running away after her welcome home party. This just shows that its not always the consuming drugs that upsets people; it's getting involved with them that can be harmful. This is what links in well with society.
Also, in 'Bullet Boy', because of Rickys probation order and criminal record, he will now find it extremely hard to seek employment, as Curtis points out when looking at his CV. People interviewing him may find that it will be harder to talk to him (which of course is bad for a customer-friendly environment at work). Employers will often ask for details on the criminal record, which means that there is no way around it, he eill have to tell them exactly what happened. Because of this, it is not surprising that Rikki gets upset when Curtis mentions it.
Finally, in 'London to Brighton', Kelly is working as a prostitute, servicing anyone who comes along for money. There is never any mention of a record of a previous education or employment, and she is clearly disgusted with herself about what she does for a living. She feels as if there is nothing else for her, but her commitment and willingness to get Joanne back to safety is really strong. I think this shows that her disgust for herself really could be unnecessary and this is the link to society. People often feel like there is nothing better they can do with their lives and pick the job at the bottom of the pile (in this case, prostitution) and because they feel there is nowhere else they belong. A lot of the time, it is clear that they really could be doing something better if they just put the effort in. Kelly shows this effort when protecting Joanne and getting her safely home, but, she seems unaware of it, and so do many people who end up on the lowest step of the ladder in real life.
London to Brighton - Aspects of crime
'London to Brighton', directed by Paul Andrew Williams (2006) is another British crime film about a powerful mobster Stuart who assigns his son Duncan's workers to find a young girl on the street to be his escort. The young girl, Joanne, agrees to do the job for £100, and Kelly (another prostitute) befriends her. When Joanne panics in the situation, she flees to Brighton with Kelly and seeks refuge at Kelly's friends house. They're on the run and trying to raise enough money to get Joanne home, little do they know, Duncan's workers are on their tail.
Narrative methods
The narrative fillows a non linear format as it starts with present day, then flashes back to previous events which has led to what is happening now. There are always questions building up, but they get answered with the clever use of flashbacks to explain what the girls are running from. We first see Kelly and Joanne bursting into a grotty run down toilet; Kelly has a black eye and they both appear to be panicking. They are saying how they need to run away to Brighton which makes us think something serious and bad has happened that they are running from. Then there are flashbacks to when Kelly and joanne met; this goes on to explain why they were in that state in the opening scene.
Representation of poverty
Poverty is what fuels this story, and is essentially what links everything together. Joanne is homeless and begging on the streets near a train station, until Kelly finds her and takes her under her wing. She gives her food and helps her raise money when she runs from Stuart. It is him that wants Joanne for his sick sexual desires; this leads to devestating consequences in the end. Also near the beginning of the film, Derek orders his girlfriend to have sex with a gang of his friends to get them money to make a life together. This is also why Derek asks Kelly to get him a young girl for Stuart. He does it for the money to get a new life away from this trade.
Representation of family relationships
Joanne makes the audience aware of her family situation by revealing that her mother is dead, and her father beats her - this being her reason for living on the streets. Joanne is, in a way, representing all the children in society who run away from home because of abuse; she even says at one point that living on the streets is better than living at home. This suggests she feels pure hate towards her father.
Representation of class
There seem to be a variety of classes portrayed in this film; on one hand theres characters like Kelly and Derek, who come across as lower class people trying to make money in any way they can. Kelly is a prostitute and throughout the film uses this to get her money whenever she needs it - in one part of the film she offers to have sex with a stranger without a condom. This suggests she doesn't care for her own health or safety. And then theres Derek who is a pimp, and also a skivvy for the powerful mobster Duncan, son of Stuart. Then on the other hand we have the likes of Stuart and his son Duncan who appear to have a lot of power and authority. They are upper class and quite wealthy; they wear smart suits which connote wealth, high status and power, and we also see them in strip clubs accompanied by henchmen. They represent the high class gang culture. Joanne's class, however, is somewhat mysterious as we never see her home or family. From the brief glimpse of her grandmothers house at the end, I would say she is probably middle class.
Representation of violence
Violence is the driving force of this film. It always seems that violence is dealt with with even more violence. The beginning of the film shows how Kelly have a swollen face and a black eye - after she is punched by Stuart. Then the end of the film shows Derek and Chum both getting shot. It starts and ends with violent reflections.
Representation of crime
12-year-old Joanne admits to stabbing Stuart, and as payback he has Chum and Derek shot dead - which Stuart makes Joanne pull the trigger for. I think he felt awful for finding his father dead, so he wanted to get back at Joanne by making her feel as bad as he did - she clearly didn't want to kill Derek and Chum so it was the perfect revenge. I though the killing of Derek and Chum was unexpected (I thought he was capable of, and going to shoot, Joanne), but this could have been part of Duncan's plan - someone had to pay for what happened. At the beginning, before we find out Joanne has killed Stuart, she asks Kelly if they're going to jail; this suggests straight away that they have done something bad.
Representation of opportunity and education
The characters seem to lack opportunity; they appear to almost be stuck in a vicious circle. For example; Kelly is a prostitute and uses this to earn her money to be able to live. She clearly doesn't like this way of life and I would think she'd much rather have a normal job, but I imagine she had a lack of education and therefore wouldn't have the qualifications to get a normal job. Meaning the only way to make her money is by doing the dodgy jobs for Derek and selling her body. As for Joanne, she is 12 and smokes, has run away from home, and claims she is not a virgin. I don't ever remember hearing her talk about school or any form of education which suggests to me that she isn't well educated, and would therefore have less opportunities when she's older.
Representation of location
The immediate setting of the film is a dirty, grotty run down bathroom in which Kelly and Joanne burst into. There is an effective tracking shot near the beginning of an alleyway in London; there are people drinking alcohol in the subways and it is a filthy area. When Kelly finds Joanne she is sitting on a dirty floor in the train station in London collecting money in a filthy old cup she's found. Her clothes are dirty and she looks like she hasn't eaten. Kelly admits she used to live on the streets too - we find out about her background and can see why she has turned out the way she has. When they run to Brighton they go to Kelly's friends house. It is full of smoke and everyone is doing drugs.
At times I found this film really uncomfortable to watch, but overall I think it was pretty good.
Narrative methods
The narrative fillows a non linear format as it starts with present day, then flashes back to previous events which has led to what is happening now. There are always questions building up, but they get answered with the clever use of flashbacks to explain what the girls are running from. We first see Kelly and Joanne bursting into a grotty run down toilet; Kelly has a black eye and they both appear to be panicking. They are saying how they need to run away to Brighton which makes us think something serious and bad has happened that they are running from. Then there are flashbacks to when Kelly and joanne met; this goes on to explain why they were in that state in the opening scene.
Representation of poverty
Poverty is what fuels this story, and is essentially what links everything together. Joanne is homeless and begging on the streets near a train station, until Kelly finds her and takes her under her wing. She gives her food and helps her raise money when she runs from Stuart. It is him that wants Joanne for his sick sexual desires; this leads to devestating consequences in the end. Also near the beginning of the film, Derek orders his girlfriend to have sex with a gang of his friends to get them money to make a life together. This is also why Derek asks Kelly to get him a young girl for Stuart. He does it for the money to get a new life away from this trade.
Representation of family relationships
Joanne makes the audience aware of her family situation by revealing that her mother is dead, and her father beats her - this being her reason for living on the streets. Joanne is, in a way, representing all the children in society who run away from home because of abuse; she even says at one point that living on the streets is better than living at home. This suggests she feels pure hate towards her father.
Representation of class
There seem to be a variety of classes portrayed in this film; on one hand theres characters like Kelly and Derek, who come across as lower class people trying to make money in any way they can. Kelly is a prostitute and throughout the film uses this to get her money whenever she needs it - in one part of the film she offers to have sex with a stranger without a condom. This suggests she doesn't care for her own health or safety. And then theres Derek who is a pimp, and also a skivvy for the powerful mobster Duncan, son of Stuart. Then on the other hand we have the likes of Stuart and his son Duncan who appear to have a lot of power and authority. They are upper class and quite wealthy; they wear smart suits which connote wealth, high status and power, and we also see them in strip clubs accompanied by henchmen. They represent the high class gang culture. Joanne's class, however, is somewhat mysterious as we never see her home or family. From the brief glimpse of her grandmothers house at the end, I would say she is probably middle class.
Representation of violence
Violence is the driving force of this film. It always seems that violence is dealt with with even more violence. The beginning of the film shows how Kelly have a swollen face and a black eye - after she is punched by Stuart. Then the end of the film shows Derek and Chum both getting shot. It starts and ends with violent reflections.
Representation of crime
12-year-old Joanne admits to stabbing Stuart, and as payback he has Chum and Derek shot dead - which Stuart makes Joanne pull the trigger for. I think he felt awful for finding his father dead, so he wanted to get back at Joanne by making her feel as bad as he did - she clearly didn't want to kill Derek and Chum so it was the perfect revenge. I though the killing of Derek and Chum was unexpected (I thought he was capable of, and going to shoot, Joanne), but this could have been part of Duncan's plan - someone had to pay for what happened. At the beginning, before we find out Joanne has killed Stuart, she asks Kelly if they're going to jail; this suggests straight away that they have done something bad.
Representation of opportunity and education
The characters seem to lack opportunity; they appear to almost be stuck in a vicious circle. For example; Kelly is a prostitute and uses this to earn her money to be able to live. She clearly doesn't like this way of life and I would think she'd much rather have a normal job, but I imagine she had a lack of education and therefore wouldn't have the qualifications to get a normal job. Meaning the only way to make her money is by doing the dodgy jobs for Derek and selling her body. As for Joanne, she is 12 and smokes, has run away from home, and claims she is not a virgin. I don't ever remember hearing her talk about school or any form of education which suggests to me that she isn't well educated, and would therefore have less opportunities when she's older.
Representation of location
The immediate setting of the film is a dirty, grotty run down bathroom in which Kelly and Joanne burst into. There is an effective tracking shot near the beginning of an alleyway in London; there are people drinking alcohol in the subways and it is a filthy area. When Kelly finds Joanne she is sitting on a dirty floor in the train station in London collecting money in a filthy old cup she's found. Her clothes are dirty and she looks like she hasn't eaten. Kelly admits she used to live on the streets too - we find out about her background and can see why she has turned out the way she has. When they run to Brighton they go to Kelly's friends house. It is full of smoke and everyone is doing drugs.
At times I found this film really uncomfortable to watch, but overall I think it was pretty good.
Bullet Boy
'Bullet Boy', directed by Saul Dibb (2004) is another British film about Ricky, who has just been released from jail and is trying to build a better life for himself. However, with his current surroundings this is more or less impossible. His only choice is to get away.
Representation of race or minority groups
All the characters in the film are African-English actors. Ricky's mother is strictly religious and her boyfriend is a priest. This could be a way for her to keep her children protected - maybe praying gives her hope that they will be good and honest men when they grow up. The African-English race is portrayed in two ways in this film - they are either gospel church goers, or armed fighters in gangs who shoot people. There is a scene in the film where Ricky in looking out off his balcony in their flat and looking at Canary Warf. This shows a huge contrast between the life he has and the life of the people in the heart of London. It shows his deprivation, and also shows him as being almost an outcast as he is seperated from the wealth of the city.
Representation of crime
It is clear that crime is a dominant theme in this film right from the very beginning, as we first see Ricky (who is only 18) coming out of jail, and being given a probation order.
Representation of family relationships
Ricky appears to be very close to his 12-year-old brother Curtis, who is first seen skipping school and hiding in the boot of Wisdom's car in order to see him when he is released from jail. This suggests he has missed him and is eager to see him. Wisdom gives Ricky a gun, which plays an important role in the family dynamic. Curtis finds it in Ricky's top drawer and takes it out to play with his friend (who he accidently kills). Ricky gets very angry at him - but this I think its only because he doesn't want Curtis to end up like he did - assulting people and ending up in jail.
Representation of violence
Due to him being in prison because of an assult charge, Ricky is given a probation order on his release. He is desperate to avoid anything that might get him into trouble, which is why he drags Wisdom away from a heated confrontation with their rival gang when they smash his wing mirror off. He even goes to one of their rivals house and calls a truce to make things better, but Wisdom seems to want to keep fighting - this is why Ricky parts from him in the end to try and make a clean break somewhere else.
Representation of education
Curtis seems to hate school, he doesn't even turn up some days - like when he went to greet Ricky at prison. When we do see him in school, he is late and chats to his friend instead of listening to the teacher. However, Rickys background of education is unknown. When Curtis is looking at his CV, he says how it will be hard for Ricky to find a job with a criminal record. Maybe the reason he has a criminal record is because of the lack of opportunity he had to get a job, and the reason for his crimes is due to a lack of education. Curtis's attitude towards school suggests he may go down the same path as his brother, who he idolises.
Representation of class
I don't think the class of Ricky's family is a low as Liam's in 'Sweet Sixteen', however I still think they belong to a lower/middle-working class family. They live in a quite small West London flat, but it doesn't appear to be to run down or shabby. Ricky and Curtis share a realatively small bedroom, which again doesn't look too bad. We know his mother works somewhere (I don't remember where) and her partner is a priest. However, we're still unaware of their income. The spacious living room connotes comfort.
Representation of race or minority groups
All the characters in the film are African-English actors. Ricky's mother is strictly religious and her boyfriend is a priest. This could be a way for her to keep her children protected - maybe praying gives her hope that they will be good and honest men when they grow up. The African-English race is portrayed in two ways in this film - they are either gospel church goers, or armed fighters in gangs who shoot people. There is a scene in the film where Ricky in looking out off his balcony in their flat and looking at Canary Warf. This shows a huge contrast between the life he has and the life of the people in the heart of London. It shows his deprivation, and also shows him as being almost an outcast as he is seperated from the wealth of the city.
Representation of crime
It is clear that crime is a dominant theme in this film right from the very beginning, as we first see Ricky (who is only 18) coming out of jail, and being given a probation order.
Representation of family relationships
Ricky appears to be very close to his 12-year-old brother Curtis, who is first seen skipping school and hiding in the boot of Wisdom's car in order to see him when he is released from jail. This suggests he has missed him and is eager to see him. Wisdom gives Ricky a gun, which plays an important role in the family dynamic. Curtis finds it in Ricky's top drawer and takes it out to play with his friend (who he accidently kills). Ricky gets very angry at him - but this I think its only because he doesn't want Curtis to end up like he did - assulting people and ending up in jail.
Representation of violence
Due to him being in prison because of an assult charge, Ricky is given a probation order on his release. He is desperate to avoid anything that might get him into trouble, which is why he drags Wisdom away from a heated confrontation with their rival gang when they smash his wing mirror off. He even goes to one of their rivals house and calls a truce to make things better, but Wisdom seems to want to keep fighting - this is why Ricky parts from him in the end to try and make a clean break somewhere else.
Representation of education
Curtis seems to hate school, he doesn't even turn up some days - like when he went to greet Ricky at prison. When we do see him in school, he is late and chats to his friend instead of listening to the teacher. However, Rickys background of education is unknown. When Curtis is looking at his CV, he says how it will be hard for Ricky to find a job with a criminal record. Maybe the reason he has a criminal record is because of the lack of opportunity he had to get a job, and the reason for his crimes is due to a lack of education. Curtis's attitude towards school suggests he may go down the same path as his brother, who he idolises.
Representation of class
I don't think the class of Ricky's family is a low as Liam's in 'Sweet Sixteen', however I still think they belong to a lower/middle-working class family. They live in a quite small West London flat, but it doesn't appear to be to run down or shabby. Ricky and Curtis share a realatively small bedroom, which again doesn't look too bad. We know his mother works somewhere (I don't remember where) and her partner is a priest. However, we're still unaware of their income. The spacious living room connotes comfort.
Sweet Sixteen - Aspects of crime
'Sweet Sixteen', directed by Ken Loach (2002), is a British film about a young Scottish boy, with a tough background, who is determined to raise enough money to have a normal and happy life with his mum (Jean) once she is released from prison. He will do anything he can to get this money, even get involved with Tony's gang of dodgy drug dealers.
Is there a sense that the lack of opportunity that the characters have is what leads to their crimes?
Yes, I think so because the audience can see throughout the film that Liam does everything in his power to make his mum happy and keep her safe. Liam's stepfather, Jean's boyfriend, is an obnoxious drug pusher; this means that Liam has grown up around the drug trading business, which is maybe why he thought it was a good way to raise his money. Also, unemployment was rampant at this time, so for a 15/16 year old boy there was very little hope of finding a sound job.
Do you feel the characters have less chance of success?
Yes, because I don't remember school being mentioned once throughout the whole film, which suggests to me that he had little, or possibly no, education. This means he would have no qualifications, and therefore wouldn't have much of a chance of getting a job when he's older (especially with the state of unemployment around that time).
How is family life portrayed within this film, what impact does it have upon the characters?
I think the importance of family to Liam is 50/50. On one hand, he hates his stepdad and grandfather, he wants to get him and his mum away from them and not have anything more to do with them. But on the other hand, he loves his mum and will do anything he can to make her happy. Family values seem to be highly respected by Liam. When he takes more than one brutal beating from a gang of rivals, Chantelle (Liam's sister) nurses his wounds and helps him get better again. Liam seems to be very loving towards his nephew, and wants them both to live with him and their mum when she is released. When she finally comes home, Liam surprises her with a big welcome home party in their new posh apartment, but is devestated when she runs off in the morning to go back to her abusive boyfriend Stan - the man who is the reason that she was in prison. Stan and Liam's grandfather clearly have no respect for Liam as they swear at him, beat him up, and throw him out on the streets. When it comes to Liams best mate Pinball, it becomes clear that Liam is the closest thing to family he has when he; steals Tony's car, crashes it into his health club, burns the caravan, and then cuts his own face. I think Pinball feels Liam is slipping away from him because his main priority is to get a house and be with his mum, sister and nephew; he is accepted into the drug business and Pinball isn't - he feels he's being left alone.
How is social class explored within the film?
I thinkthe film shows Liam as being part of a lower-class family. After being kicked out of his home and onto the streets by Stan, Liam goes to live with his sister - she's the only reason he is not homeless. When we are first introduced to Liam and his best friend Pinball, we see them trying to sell cigarettes in a local pub; this displays a smug, cheeky and cheap personality, which gets them kicked out. Also, Chantelle lives on a quite run down and gritty council estate - suggesting they are lower class. Liam and Pinball hang out in a dirty disused council flat, where they go to smoke drugs. The clothes that the younger generation of people wear in this film connote the typical "chav" image (which have negative connotations).
How is crime explored within the film?
In the beginning of the film, crime almost seems as if its a joke when Liam steals a policemans helmet. However, when he begins stealing drugs, its clear that the narrative has a much more serious undertones. We begin to see the emotional, as well as physical, effects it has on him and his family/friend. Liam is beaten up because of people trying to steal his "gear", then to make matters worse, he repeatedly goes after them to get it back - getting even more wounds in the process. He even becomes part of a powerful drug dealing gang, and is willing to kill someone to be accepted by them - however, this turns out to be a joke test to see if he is up to the job. Although Liam gets into a bad business, it is clear he just wants the best for him and his family, but due to the lack of opportunity he has to make his money by selling drugs. We see an emotional side to him when he records a personal messgae for his mum in prison. This is how generations of his family have lived - they want to make a change to allow Callum (nephew) to have a better life. At the end of the film, we see Liam strangle his sister when she tries to stop him going to see their mum. This could suggest he is turning into his stepdad/gradfather.
Is there a sense that the lack of opportunity that the characters have is what leads to their crimes?
Yes, I think so because the audience can see throughout the film that Liam does everything in his power to make his mum happy and keep her safe. Liam's stepfather, Jean's boyfriend, is an obnoxious drug pusher; this means that Liam has grown up around the drug trading business, which is maybe why he thought it was a good way to raise his money. Also, unemployment was rampant at this time, so for a 15/16 year old boy there was very little hope of finding a sound job.
Do you feel the characters have less chance of success?
Yes, because I don't remember school being mentioned once throughout the whole film, which suggests to me that he had little, or possibly no, education. This means he would have no qualifications, and therefore wouldn't have much of a chance of getting a job when he's older (especially with the state of unemployment around that time).
How is family life portrayed within this film, what impact does it have upon the characters?
I think the importance of family to Liam is 50/50. On one hand, he hates his stepdad and grandfather, he wants to get him and his mum away from them and not have anything more to do with them. But on the other hand, he loves his mum and will do anything he can to make her happy. Family values seem to be highly respected by Liam. When he takes more than one brutal beating from a gang of rivals, Chantelle (Liam's sister) nurses his wounds and helps him get better again. Liam seems to be very loving towards his nephew, and wants them both to live with him and their mum when she is released. When she finally comes home, Liam surprises her with a big welcome home party in their new posh apartment, but is devestated when she runs off in the morning to go back to her abusive boyfriend Stan - the man who is the reason that she was in prison. Stan and Liam's grandfather clearly have no respect for Liam as they swear at him, beat him up, and throw him out on the streets. When it comes to Liams best mate Pinball, it becomes clear that Liam is the closest thing to family he has when he; steals Tony's car, crashes it into his health club, burns the caravan, and then cuts his own face. I think Pinball feels Liam is slipping away from him because his main priority is to get a house and be with his mum, sister and nephew; he is accepted into the drug business and Pinball isn't - he feels he's being left alone.
How is social class explored within the film?
I thinkthe film shows Liam as being part of a lower-class family. After being kicked out of his home and onto the streets by Stan, Liam goes to live with his sister - she's the only reason he is not homeless. When we are first introduced to Liam and his best friend Pinball, we see them trying to sell cigarettes in a local pub; this displays a smug, cheeky and cheap personality, which gets them kicked out. Also, Chantelle lives on a quite run down and gritty council estate - suggesting they are lower class. Liam and Pinball hang out in a dirty disused council flat, where they go to smoke drugs. The clothes that the younger generation of people wear in this film connote the typical "chav" image (which have negative connotations).
How is crime explored within the film?
In the beginning of the film, crime almost seems as if its a joke when Liam steals a policemans helmet. However, when he begins stealing drugs, its clear that the narrative has a much more serious undertones. We begin to see the emotional, as well as physical, effects it has on him and his family/friend. Liam is beaten up because of people trying to steal his "gear", then to make matters worse, he repeatedly goes after them to get it back - getting even more wounds in the process. He even becomes part of a powerful drug dealing gang, and is willing to kill someone to be accepted by them - however, this turns out to be a joke test to see if he is up to the job. Although Liam gets into a bad business, it is clear he just wants the best for him and his family, but due to the lack of opportunity he has to make his money by selling drugs. We see an emotional side to him when he records a personal messgae for his mum in prison. This is how generations of his family have lived - they want to make a change to allow Callum (nephew) to have a better life. At the end of the film, we see Liam strangle his sister when she tries to stop him going to see their mum. This could suggest he is turning into his stepdad/gradfather.
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Distribution Questions
1) How has Hollywood come to dominate world markets?
Many of the top Hollywood studios (20th Century Fox, Universal, Paramount) have HQ's in the US as well as overseas. Paramount established itself in Germany and the UK in the 1920's and MGM, Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox opened studios in the UK during the 30's, building cinemas in top locations such as London's West End to screen their films. Cinema chains all over the world have ownership agreements with the studios.
2) Why do I get to see the films I do at the local mulitplex?
If a film is produced by Paramount, for example, and a certain cinema is owned by them or they have a financial deal/agreement, then we are more likely to see a film produced by them at this particular cinema.
3) Do we get to see the films we want (demand led) or do we see films that are provided for us (supply led) and why?
Usually with the films we choose to see its down to the advertising. If theres a british film coming out that we haven't really heard about, we're not sure if we want to see it or not, however, Hollywood filmmakers have a large budget which allows them to pay for advertisments. This means that a lot of people will know about the film and will know if they want to see it or not. We're almost being forced into what we want to watch, as Hollywood films have us with their advertising.
4) Why are more people going to the cinema today?
Cinema has become extremely popular over the years due to lots of things. For one, films have so much hype now; Hollywood companies have a huge budget to advertise their films which means that they will attract a much wider audience and make a larger profit. Its almost as if people feel they need to watch a film because its had so much promotion to see what all the fuss is about. Also, deals like Orange Wednesdays have brought more people into cinemas with a two for one offer; it is a cheap day out so people tend to go. People also go for the experience; now that the number of IMAX cinemas and 3D films are increasing, people go for the 'thrill' of being taken into a 3D world.
5) Look to see whether films hold there positions well in the charts over a few weeks or whether they fall away quickly. What reasons can you come up with to explain this success or failure?
Many of the top Hollywood studios (20th Century Fox, Universal, Paramount) have HQ's in the US as well as overseas. Paramount established itself in Germany and the UK in the 1920's and MGM, Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox opened studios in the UK during the 30's, building cinemas in top locations such as London's West End to screen their films. Cinema chains all over the world have ownership agreements with the studios.
2) Why do I get to see the films I do at the local mulitplex?
If a film is produced by Paramount, for example, and a certain cinema is owned by them or they have a financial deal/agreement, then we are more likely to see a film produced by them at this particular cinema.
3) Do we get to see the films we want (demand led) or do we see films that are provided for us (supply led) and why?
Usually with the films we choose to see its down to the advertising. If theres a british film coming out that we haven't really heard about, we're not sure if we want to see it or not, however, Hollywood filmmakers have a large budget which allows them to pay for advertisments. This means that a lot of people will know about the film and will know if they want to see it or not. We're almost being forced into what we want to watch, as Hollywood films have us with their advertising.
4) Why are more people going to the cinema today?
Cinema has become extremely popular over the years due to lots of things. For one, films have so much hype now; Hollywood companies have a huge budget to advertise their films which means that they will attract a much wider audience and make a larger profit. Its almost as if people feel they need to watch a film because its had so much promotion to see what all the fuss is about. Also, deals like Orange Wednesdays have brought more people into cinemas with a two for one offer; it is a cheap day out so people tend to go. People also go for the experience; now that the number of IMAX cinemas and 3D films are increasing, people go for the 'thrill' of being taken into a 3D world.
5) Look to see whether films hold there positions well in the charts over a few weeks or whether they fall away quickly. What reasons can you come up with to explain this success or failure?
Exhibition Questions
1) Why are there no viable arts/independent cinemas in many areas? Why/how is Southampton able to sustain The Picturehouse (Harbourlights)?
Picturehouse cinemas show films that are suited to the audience in that location. For example, if people in Southampton wanted to see more romantic films that is what they would try and show. These independent cinemas are built particularly in university areas such as London and York. The audiences may be bigger in these locations which is maybe why independent cinemas are not as needed.
2) What is the relationship between movie going and video/DVD/Blu-ray hire/sales?
DVD's etc are easily and widely available in shops, for rental, online. It is a lot more convenient for people who purchase the DVD because they can watch it whenever they want. Also, it is cheaper to buy or rent a DVD than it is to watch a film at the cinema. Odeon cinemas in the UK were planning to boycott the release of Tim Burton's remake of Disneys 'Alice in Wonderland' because Disney were going to bring the film out on DVD after just 12 weeks instead of the usual 17, in an attempt to increase the declining DVD sales.
3) What does the programming of the Sky Movie channels and Film Four respectively say about the relationship between pay television, niche marketing and consumer behaviour?
On Film Four and Sky Movies they air films 24/7, and give viewers the choice of genres. In between the films there are trailers of upcoming movies, and there are niche marketing schemes which promote a new released film. In these niche marketing schemes there are exclusive interviews and clips with cast members.
4) What is the most appropriate response Contemporary British Cinema can make to Hollywood dominance?
5) Should British films be distinctive at the expense of profitability or profitable at the expense of distinctiveness?
6) Is it possible for British films to be both distinctive and profitable?
Picturehouse cinemas show films that are suited to the audience in that location. For example, if people in Southampton wanted to see more romantic films that is what they would try and show. These independent cinemas are built particularly in university areas such as London and York. The audiences may be bigger in these locations which is maybe why independent cinemas are not as needed.
2) What is the relationship between movie going and video/DVD/Blu-ray hire/sales?
DVD's etc are easily and widely available in shops, for rental, online. It is a lot more convenient for people who purchase the DVD because they can watch it whenever they want. Also, it is cheaper to buy or rent a DVD than it is to watch a film at the cinema. Odeon cinemas in the UK were planning to boycott the release of Tim Burton's remake of Disneys 'Alice in Wonderland' because Disney were going to bring the film out on DVD after just 12 weeks instead of the usual 17, in an attempt to increase the declining DVD sales.
3) What does the programming of the Sky Movie channels and Film Four respectively say about the relationship between pay television, niche marketing and consumer behaviour?
On Film Four and Sky Movies they air films 24/7, and give viewers the choice of genres. In between the films there are trailers of upcoming movies, and there are niche marketing schemes which promote a new released film. In these niche marketing schemes there are exclusive interviews and clips with cast members.
4) What is the most appropriate response Contemporary British Cinema can make to Hollywood dominance?
5) Should British films be distinctive at the expense of profitability or profitable at the expense of distinctiveness?
6) Is it possible for British films to be both distinctive and profitable?
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