This scene is an example of Diegetic sounds, the dialogue on the television depicting the eruption of chaos and zombies is crucial to the plot, and by the characters hearing this we can see their reactions.
This scene utilises non-diegetic sound, we can hear upbeat music because the characters are throwing records at the zombies but the characters themselves cant hear this music, this is also an example of contrapuntive sound as it contrasts to what is in the scene emotionally.
Shane meadows utilises cinematography, in particular extreme closeups, in the moving ending of the film. This not only connects the audience with Shaun as he loses all pride with England and feels hopeless, but also raises the question, to young boys like Shaun, over the wrong influence and how dangerous it can become.
This is England is rich in different aspects of Mise-en-scene to ensure the verisimilitude of the movie. The scene where Shaun first presents his skin-head to his mum uses symmetry in a way that sculpts the scene as detrimental to the story of Shaun’s early life. This visually pleasing composition tells the spectator that this scene holds a higher importance and significance than a scene that uses a more inversive shot distance/ angle.
Shane meadows uses sound in This is England to set the atmosphere for the movie, in the opening scene Shane uses the song ‘Toots and Maytals’ during a well thought out montage to thoroughly immerse the spectator in various events in the 80’s in England.
Shane meadows uses editing to tell the story of Shaun’s gradual descent into the skin-head culture. There are three main montages in the film, one alone and isolates, one happy with woody’s gang, and one of Shaun being ‘trained’ by Combo. By categorizing the movie into three montages, the spectator is forced to depict Shaun’s life as someone mourning the loss of his father who is fortunate to find friends, who are possibly the wrong influence, and how this leads to Shaun being corrupted by Combo and put in danger.
To me, the first scene perfectly sets the ‘Englishness’ of the movie – outlining the bad qualities of England (war, violence prejudice) but also the ‘proud to be British’ moments. This fight over England’s best and worst aspects is apparent throughout the film and shapes how, not only, Shaun idolises the people around him, but also how he feels about England.
The scene in which Mark cuts from playing football to him taking drugs utilises editing to connect and compare the seemingly ‘ordinary’ life of a young adult with that of a drug addict. As Mark falls after being hit by a football, the camera cuts to Mark falling after injecting himself with heroin; this sets the tone of the movie by depicting Marks dangerous relationship to drugs and how we, as the audience, are forced to connect the recreational action of playing football, to Marks use of drugs in a similarly recreational sense.
This scene leading up to the major drug deal involving the four main characters uses cinematography to evoke thought and feeling with the audience. This scene in particular is striking as it can easily be recognised as a copy of the Beatles, Abbey road cover. The Beatles are considered a iconic piece of British history in which we should be proud of, in the other hand, by replicating a parody of this album cover, the movie essentially comments on the aspects of Britain that aren’t so prideful, but are just as prominent: drugs.
The scene is which Mark struggles with quitting heroin is a pivitol scene in the movie. This scene contains sound that is contrapuntive to the contents of the scene. As the audiences see mark in pain, experiencing withdrawal from the drugs he abuses, they hear the intense techno music that appeared earlier in the club. This is done to convey the chaotic and racing state of Marks brain and how fast-paced and intense his heartbeat is.
To create a sinister tone leading up to the drug deal in the movie, the director uses mise-en-scene (in particular lighting) to amplify the tense nature of the scene itself. As we see the growing shadows on the wall, we establish a frightening and anxiety-inducing realisation of the danger they have put themselves in. By painting the actors as a eery, shadowy figure, we disconnect from the characters themselves, this is done to illustrate the seriousness of the scene.
Representation task
Trainspotting represents young people as irresponsible, although we are introduced to the character of Diane at a night club, it is later revealed she is still a school girl and doesn’t care about her illegal relations with Mark.
The representation of older people through Marks parents is important in trying to understand how the film views older people. Marks parents are classifies as typical Scottish parents, disapproving of all the ‘shite’ Mark shoots up into his veins, but actually show their true colours as selfish when Mark escaped prison time and Spud doesn’t.
Trainspotting represents the working class as people who are deceitful and untrustworthy, this is evident in Marks career as a salesperson, he takes advantage of wealthier people in order to earn more money in the long run. This could comment on how the working class are forced to play dirty just to survive.
The way in which Trainspotting chooses to represent Scottish people is key in understanding how drug culture plays a large part in Marks life. In this scene they are encouraged to walk through the incredible sights of Scotland, but instead are more interested in drinking and wallowing in the fact that they are Scottish. This could elude to the fact that some believe being Scottish is undesirable.
Trainspotting represents addicts as people who lie to themselves, this is evident in the countless times Mark promises to get clean, but eventually fails again and again, until an opportunity arises where he steals his friends money and starts a new life for himself. In the scene where Mark is locked in his room, forced to stay off drugs, he seemingly goes crazy, hallucinating his fried spud and a baby on the ceiling, this shows how the film wants to discourage those to try class A drugs and show the bad side of taking them and becoming addicted.
The way in which Trainspotting chooses to represent men, lies within this scene between mark and sick boy. troubled with boredom they resort to inflicting pain on others, including a dog. This could elude to the fact that men are considered more reckless and irresponsible.
The way women are represented in Trainspotting could be considered stereotypical, Lizzy is played as a highly emotional character with little personality. This could hint towards how the main characters (or stereotypically a lot of young men) view women as objects.
The most memorable scene was, in my opinion, was the scene where Mark and Spud exchange for the last time. Mark abandons Spud, but the bond and history behind them both prevents Spud from exposing him. Last moments between friends.
Stereotype – a stereotype is a widely held but fixed image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
Countertype – a type (of person) that opposes and contrasts with another, going against common ideas about certain groups of people.
Task 3 –
This is example of stereotypes being prominent in movie culture, the female characters are represented according to the commonly held idea that women are weaker and dim.
Kill Bill shows examples of countertypes in film. Contrasting to the docile and inferior stereotype of women, Kill Bill paints a women as a leading protagonist who fights and ‘does the dirty work’.
My favourite Film Soundtrack would be ‘Beautiful Boy (2018)‘ Directed by Felix Van Groeningen.
‘Beautiful Boy’ tackles the trials and tribulations of father and son connection and the way drugs and addiction can tarnish the relationship. Written by John Lennon, the classic song ‘Beautiful Boy’ appears in the climax of the movie, it pays homage to the name of the movie and allows Steve Carrel, who plays David Sheff (the father), to softly sing the song and allow the song to fade in to a cathartic montage. This is called a ‘Jukebox score’
Additinally, the movie includes the song: ‘Sunrise, Sunset’ by Perry Como. This song acts as a way for the director to tell the story of Nic Sheff relapsing in a fast-paced yet really captivating way. This movie has what we call a ‘Contrapuntive scoring’ as the song is elegant and emotive whereas the topic of drugs and losing your son is traumatic.
