I decided to give this film an 8/10 because I really enjoyed the storyline, plot and love arc between Bonnie and Clyde as their relationship was emotional from when they met to when they died. Not only this but the rest of the characters were unique and entertaining but also humorous at times. The overall acting of the characters was powerful and raw, though the film was really violent at times making it a bit harder to watch. I also enjoyed the fact that the film was shot in colour rather than black and white as it personally made it more enjoyable and entertaining to watch.
memorable scene
In my opinion, the most memorable scene was the field scene with Bonnie & Clyde after Bonnie tries running away. Not only does this scene have beautiful cinematography and colouring making it pretty to look at but the acting from both actors was emotional and powerful especially as this is the first scene where we are fully exposed to Clyde’s true feelings towards Bonnie making it even more memorable.
‘Casablanca’ is a romantic tragedy which over time got the title of “one of the greatest love stories ever made”. The film is set in 1942 and follows the story of the main character Richard (Rick) and Ilsa who is the love interest. I have decided to give this film a rating of 7/10 due to the fact that I enjoyed the storyline and plot of the movie as well as the romance. This is because of the ‘invisible editing’ and clear storytelling through the shot sequences and amazing acting but I also enjoyed the humour throughout the film. However, I would have probably enjoyed it more if it was filmed in colour instead of black and white.
memorable scene
In my opinion, the most memorable scene was when Rick and Ilsa see each other for the first time again at Rick’s after Ilsa left him in Paris. This is because I feel like it was a very powerful and emotional scene and though this film is shot in black and white, the scene is lit very well compared to the rest of the film being very dark and shadowy. The performance from both protagonists was also great and not too over the top in this scene which just amplified the experience of watching it.
key actors
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart was a famous American actor who is now known as a cultural icon from the golden age of Hollywood. He was born on the 25th of December 1899 and passed away on the 14th of January 1957. Bogart began acting in Broadway shows, debuting in ‘The Dancing Town’ (1927), he often appeared in roles portraying gangsters which made him recognisable as “tough without a gun” referring to him mostly playing the roles of “bad guys”. He also made a protagonist appearance in ‘The Petrified Forest’ in 1936 as well as being praised for his role in the gangster drama‘Dead End’ in 1937 and many more before landing his most famous role as Rick in ‘Casablanca’ (1942) which even led him to win an Oscar for his performance. Bogart was not originally meant to play the role of Rick however the producers of the film fought for him to play this role as they thought he was perfectly made to play Rick. During his acting career of about 30 years, Bogart appeared in more than 75 feature films as he was signed with the Warner Bros. for the majority of his career. Bogart was not always seen as a fit for the role of Rick as he did not usually play romantic characters however, due to his screen presence, charisma and good looks and also Micheal Curtiz’s admiration, he got the role.
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who’s career lasted over five decades, she was well respected and loved in the film industry due to her kindness, talent and as many would say, captivating looks leading her to get the title of one of the most influential screen figures. She was born in Sweden on the 29th of August 1915 and died on her birthday in 1982. Ingrid began her acting career by starring in numerous Swedish and German films before making an appearance in her first English re-make of the film ‘Intermezzo’ which then led her to land the infamous role of Ilsa in ‘Casablanca’ at just 26 years old. During her lengthy career, she went on to win 3 Academy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, a Tony Award and many more due to her immensely successful career. The writers of ‘Casablanca’ wanted to cast a young, beautiful and most importantly foreign actress due to them wanting to make the role of Ilsa as realistic and authentic as possible, her accent was considered a huge bonus.
Paul Henreid
Paul Henreid is best remebered for his various roles in films during the 2nd World War such as Karl in the war drama film ‘Night Train to Munich’ (1940), Jerry Durrance in ‘Now, Voyager’ (1942) and infamously his role of Victor Laszlo in ‘Casablanca’. He was born on January 10th, 1908 and passed away on the 29th of March 1992 in a small town in what was known back then as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire where he first started acting. He then went on to be a successful actor, director, writer and producer, also known to have worked alongside the Warner Bros. during the golden era of old Hollywood. In his role as Victor Laszlo in ‘Casablanca’, Paul was praised for his heroic and inspirational image on screen as one of the main protagonists in the film portraying a leader of the resistance fighting against Nazis. He was also perfect for the role due to his professionalism and dedication to all his roles, giving his best performance for the camera.
Claude Rains
After his American film debut as the character Dr. Jack Griffin in the horror film ‘The Invisible Man’ (1933), William Claude Rains went on to have an acting career which spanned for a total of 7 decades. He was born on the 10th of November 1889 and passed away on May 30th, 1967. He was a British American actor who starred in numerous films such as ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ (1938), the iconic horror film ‘The Wolf Man’ (1941), the religious film ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ (1941) and many more including his famous role as Capitan Louis Renault in ‘Casablanca’. Claude signed a long-term contract with Warner Bros. in November of 1935 where he was able to be loaned around to other studios during this time. Rains was a highly versatile actor, capable of playing a wide range of characters due to his ability to portray both charm and cunning, further landing him his role in ‘Casablanca’. Despite of not being the lead role, Claude had a commanding screen presence. His scenes with Bogart were ones of the most memorable and his ability to portray authority with his character as well as being able to deliver humorous lines without them feeling forced.
Conrad Veidt
Veidt who was born on January 22nd 1893 and sadly passed away on April 3rd 1943. He attracted the attention of directors very early into the world of cinema, landing his first major role in the silent German Melodramatic film ‘Different From The Others’ (1919), the silent horror film ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ (1920) and also one of his most famous role in the romantic drama ‘The Man Who Laughs’ (1928) before landing his role of the German Major Strasser in ‘Casablanca’. After a widely successful career in German silent films when he became one of the highest paid actors during that time, him and his Jewish wife had to leave Germany in 1933 when the Nazis came to power. The couple settled in England for a few years before moving to America where he was signed with the Warner Bros. Despite his bubbly and kind personality in real life, Conrad was casted to play one of the antagonists in the movie. His role as a corrupt Nazi who wasn’t completely loyal to the Germans was presented as stern and spiteful however played really well.
Sydney Greenstreet
Greenstreet was a British and American actor who was born on the 27th of December 1879 and passed away on January 18th 1954. He is well-known from three of the most famous Warner Bros. films during the 1940s, the American film noir ‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1941), The American war film ‘Passage to Marseille’ (1944) and of course ‘Casablanca’. Though he did not start his acting career until the age of 61, he debuted his stage appearance as a murderer in the 1902 production of Sherlock Holmes. He continued acting in plays then went on to produce some himself which led him to become well known and well respected in the film industry due to his range of skills and talent. In 1949, Greenstreet switched the focus of his career to the radio drama series ‘The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe’ which ended in 1951 as well as his acting career.
Peter Lorre
Peter was a well-known Hungarian and American character actor who was born on June 26th 1904 and died on the 23rd of March 1964. He first started his acting career in Europe then moved to America where he got signed with the Warner Bros. studios in the 1930s. Known for his timidly devious characters, his appearance, and accented voice, he was frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner which was no different from his role of Ugarte in ‘Casablanca’. He has been caricatured throughout his life and his cultural legacy remains in media today. He began his stage career in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before moving to Germany where he worked first on the stage, then in film in Berlin during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Lorre, who was Jewish, left Germany after Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power. Lorre caused an international sensation in the Weimar Republic era film M (1931) where he portrayed a serial killer who preys on little girls. His second English-language film was Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’ (1934), made in the United Kingdom.
S.Z. Sakall
Sakall (1883-1955) was a well known stage and film Hungarian American actor who has appeared in many prominent films such as ‘Casablanca’ in which he played the head waiter in Rick’s bar. He has also appeared in the romantic comedy ‘Christmas is Connecticut’ (1945), in the musical romantic comedy ‘In The Good Old Summertime’ (1949) and the musical ‘Lullaby on Broadway’ (1951). Sakall played numerous roles in the classic style of Hollywood productions hence why becoming a well respected and loved part of the film industry due to his talent, dedication and lengthy career. He also earned a reputation as one of the “stalwart character-acting veterans” of his day, particularly after being given his loyal and significant role in Casablanca.
Madaleine Lebeau
Though Madaleine (1923-2016) did not get casted for one of the main roles in ‘Casablanca’, however she possessed an acting career spanning numerous decades starring in films such as her first one being the melodrama ‘Young Girls In Trouble’ in 1939, the British drama film ‘Cage Of Gold’ (1950) and many more successful and recognisable films from which she gained talent and fame as she was seen as a beautiful and talented actress often compared to Ingrid Bergman despite their completely different levelled roles in ‘Casablanca’.
Dooley Wilson
Arthur “Dooley” Wilson (1886-1953), was an American actor, singer and well known musician who is best known for his character of Sam in ‘Casablanca’. Wilson was a drummer and singer who led his own band through the 1920s, touring mostly nightclubs in London and Paris getting many people’s admiration due to his immense talent. He began acting in the 1930s being casted for supporting roles on Broadway and a series of films such as the American comedy “My Favourite Blonde” (1942), the Western “Passage West” (1951) and many more. Wilson was borrowed by the Warner Bros from Paramount Studios in 1942 when the casting for ‘Casablanca’ began for 7 weeks at $500 a week.
Joy Page
Joy was born on November 9th 1924 and died on April 18th 2008. She was an American actress who is best known as her role of the Bulgarian refugee Annina (she was also sometimes credited as Joanne Page). In 1936, Joy’s mother married Jack L. Warner who was then head of the Warner Bros. Studios however despite this, he did not encourage his stepdaughter’s interest in acting. She was only 17 when she landed her role in ‘Casablanca’ without the help of approval of her stepfather therefore he refused to sign her to a contract and she never appeared in another Warner Bros. film after that. She went on to work for various other studios and even began regularly working for Disney later on in her career.
John Qualen
John (1899-1987) was an American character actor with Norwegian heritage who specialised and was well known for playing Scandinavian roles. He has starred in films such as the American drama “The Grapes Of Wrath” (1940), The American comedy “His Girl Friday” (1940) and of course his role in ‘Casablanca’. Qualen was also a flautist, having begun to play at only 8 years old, he continued studying music and even went on to play for an orchestra further into his career. He has also starred in a lot of films such as the drama “Street Scene” (1931), the American comedy film “Sing And Like It” (1934) and many more before ‘Casablanca’ and though he did not land a very relevant or memorable role, he did get signed with the Warner Bros.
Michael Curtiz(director)
Curtiz (1886-1962) was known as one of the greatest and most respected directors of all time. Producing over 170 films for Warner Bros. alone, he specialised in the film art known as ‘Film ‘Noir’ which is a style of film focusing on the high and low contrast (filmed mostly in black and white), enhancing shadows and creating a mysterious feel for the films. He was very passionate and caring about all his work, making him admirable and highly successful in the film industry.
Hal B.Wallis (producer)
Harold (Hal) B. Wllis
Wallis (1898-1986) was an American film producer who is well known for producing ‘Casablanca’ and many other popular films during the ‘Classic Hollywood’ era such as the American Film Noir “The Maltese Falcon’ (1941), the American melodrama ‘Dark Victory’ (1939) and many more which made his work become recognisable and respected. Hal is also the one who specifically requested Humphrey Bogart for the role of Rick because he thought that he would be the perfect fit for the role.
mise-en-scene
location – as much as ‘Casablanca’ seems like an exotic and tropical place portrayed by the film, it was actually all filmed on a sound stage with an artificial built set within the premises of the Warner Bros. studios in Hollywood, other than the end scene at the airport which was filmed at a local airport in Los Angeles.
interior sets – every single set was built after a lot of research about the actual place Casablanca in order to give a very authentic and realistic feel to the film. As lighting was a huge part of filming ‘Casablanca’ and how the final product would look, every piece of set design was purposeful in order to work with the lighting, creating pretty and visually interesting patterns in the form of shadows on character’s faces or on the walls enhancing the ‘Film Noir’ style of film.
props – props in the film such as the roulette table and cigarettes are very important as all these things get a close-up of them meaning that they hold some sort of symbolism but also to show their importance in a specific scene or throughout the entire film or even just relating to one specific character.
costumes – most characters in the film are meant to be refugees however, regardless of this, everyone in the film was well dressed and everyone followed their own colour scheme. For example Ilsa, her dresses were simplistic but elegant therefore emphasizing her youth and liberty but also her wearing a hat in most scenes also became iconic overtime due to it looking sophisticated and powerful. Another example would have to be Rick’s character who is usually seen in a black or white, well-tailored and expensive looking suits to show his power and authority.
editing
Even though Casablanca is an older film, the editing was seen as impeccable and even to this day, this movie gets a lot of recognition for its “invisible editing” meaning that the cuts throughout the film is done intentionally in order to not be noticed in any way. This is because when watching the film, the audience is meant to be amerced fully into the world of the film. The editing also allows the spectator to find out crucial information about he characters. For example, in the roulette wheel scene when Rick is helping the young man win the game in order to get enough money for him and his wife to get a visa and leave Casablanca, the editing throughout the scene was rapid and the camera did not only focus on the characters talking but it also cuts to symbolic features such as the wheel and the chips and the number 22 also having a significant appearance. This scene conveys suspense and interest but it also shows the spectator that Rick is not as heartless as he gets introduced to us at the beginning enhancing his character development.
sound
Though Casablanca was filmed not long after synchronised sound started appearing in films, the dialogue between the actors can be heard very clearly therefore allowing the spectator to almost feel the character’s emotions through their voice. There was also no Foley sound meaning everything we heard was organic and came only from filming other than the synchronised music in some scenes though in a lot of them we had the character Sam playing the piano live while filming.
As well as other old songs played in the film, the song ‘As Time Goes By’ written by Herman Hupfeld but composed by Max Steiner is an iconic slow romantic jazz song which becomes the sound motif of Casablanca. Funnily enough, Steiner did not like this song to begin with and it was also written for a different film entirely however due to some inconveniences with the actress Ingrid Bergmen on set, they were not able to change it therefore, Steiner composed the instrumental part of the song in different ways and almost in different genres in order to give of a different feeling every time we hear throughout the film. Sometimes it would appear euphoric and magical to emphasize the love between Ilsa and Rick however in other scenes it would sound dark and almost ominous to represent fear or danger.
aesthetics
themes and issues
Isolationism relates to the policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries. At the beginning of the film, Rick was seen as a isolationist as he was seen as just a bar owner who did not care much about much more than making money off of the refugees who would end up in Casablanca and were waiting for a way out. Most Americans were strongly opposed to the idea of declaring war on the Axis powers in order to help the Allies. Much like Rick in Casablanca, he did not want to get involved at all with anyone else and he did not want to be found being on one side or the other. However, a few years into the war, America gets involved in the war even though there was a chance where they would lose. Similarly, Rick decides to get involved with helping out Ilsa and Victor by getting them the documents needed as well as sacrificing his own good reputation by shooting a German general in order to get Ilsa on a plane, further showing his undying love for her and emphasizing his loyalty.
filmstyle
Casablanca is most famously known for being in the Film Noir style. This style focuses on the contrast between dark and lit up areas on the screes, this is also known as chiaroscuro. Film Noir directors also love creating pretty patterns and designs on the characters in frame or the environment around them by using blinds or props which captivate the light and therefore the eye of the spectator by using shadow play.
representations
women
In this film, women are portrayed through a complex lens which navigates themes of loyalty, sacrifice and the limitations placed upon them by both personal and societal expectations. the central female character Ilsa Lund (‘femme fatal’) embodies the conflict between personal desires and the harships which the war was bringing to women’s lives such as having to run from place to place for a man. Her relationship with Rick serves a symbol of emotional and moral ambiguity; as she’s positioned as the object of Rick’s affection, her choices are dictated by the war and her marriage with Victor is being overseen by her sacrifices to stay with him before and after he went to a concentration camp showing how women would have done anything for their husbands at that time regardless of their health or financial stability. Ilsa’s character, though often depicted as emotionally torn, is often seen as a woman who is capable of making difficult decisions for the greater good, reflecting a sense of agency within a difficult context. Yet, the film’s treatment of women also underscores their secondary role in a male-dominated narrative as all women seen in the film are always surrounded by men or with a male partner.
men
the representation of men is intricately woven into the fabric of wartime heroism, moral dilemmas and personal sacrifice with the male characters embodying symbolisms such as Rick’s character arc where he shifts from being an isolationist to a patriot. Though Rick is portrayed as the stereotypical reluctant hero who has a ‘hard exterior’ due to the fact that he is emotionally closed off due to past heartbreak. Similarly to this, Victor is also presented as patriotic hero who highlights the hardships men had to go through during wartime showing his masculinity and undying commitment towards a greater cause. Though most male characters throughout the film seem to have a stereotypical ‘macho’ look and feel to them due to them dressing smartly and elegantly showing their respect and status, characters like Rick also show their personal and emotional side showcasing the fact that they are just humans after all.
authority figures
Authority figures in this film are depicted through a nuanced lens which often blends corruption, self-interest, and duty, reflecting the moral ambiguity of wartime politics. Capitan Renault, the Vichy France police officer further embodies this representation as he is also under the control of the Germans showing that he is morally disadvantaged. Even though Renault is made out to be one of the bad guys the same as all other authority figures, spectators do start feeling somewhat sympathetic towards them as they are under the control of a greater power which they cannot go against therefore making the viewer sympathise with them.
people of colour
Though Sam is the only person of colour we get introduced to in the film, he has a very positive representation created among his character as Rick’s old friend, companion and even employee, Sam is seen as an innocent and smiley character who has the hearts of many especially with his performance in the film. During this time racism was definitely still a sensitive topic of discussion but definitely not unheard of therefore it may have been a little surprising having only 1 black person in this movie with no connotations or connections to racism whatsoever.
Americans
Americans are presented as being somewhat above the foreigners in the film as they are not necessarily stuck in Casablanca as some of them already have an American passport and Visa. The main example of this is Rick and his embodiment of the Americans in WW2, his transformation throughout the film, from an isolationist to a patriot was the main representative of America and their morals during the WW. The film showcases Americans as having the power to influence certain events but also as reluctant participants in global struggles, stuck between personal pleasures and their call of duty.
Europeans
Europeans are represented as being both victims and collaborators with the Nazi’s ruling, often representing a range of moral complexities and survival instincts in the case of wartime oppression. Though Ilsa’s character embodies an European woman who has been forced to move from country to country along with her husband Victor who is depicted as a hero as he was part of the resistance, they are represented as positive European characters. This however contrasts characters such as Major Strasser who even though he is European, he is correlated with the Nazi as he was one of the German officers who was taking over France therefore creating two opposite representations of the Europeans in the film.
political and social context
World War 2 started in 1939 and ended in 1945. There were two main groups fighting against each other to acquire land during the war, these were: Allies – Great Britain, Russia (USSR), USA and Axis – Germany, Italy, Japan
During the war, France was on the Allies’ side fighting against the Axis however very early in the war, France got defeated and they surrendered. However, there were French soldiers and generals (Allies) which wanted to keep fighting against the Germans, these were known as the 3 French.
Free France – Vichy France was the central and southern part of France where “unoccupied” France was still controlled by the German government. Casablanca is also in Morocco which was also a part of French territory at the time therefore, Vichy France controlled Morocco.
America was an isolationist country at the beginning of WW2 however, after the attack at Pearl Harbour a couple years after the war starter, America officially declared their inclusion in the war.
Operation Torch (November 8th 1942) – Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa while allowing American armed forces the opportunity to begin their fight against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy on a limited scale, arrival of the Allies.
world premier of Casablanca – It had its world premiere on November 26, 1942, in New York City and was released nationally in the United States on January 23, 1943. The film was a solid, if unspectacular, success in its initial run.
Casablanca Conference (January 14, 1943 – January 24, 1943) – the finalization of Allied strategic plans against the Axis powers in 1943, and the promulgation of the policy of “unconditional surrender.” (President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the French generals Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud, and the CCS.Joseph Stalin, the Soviet premier).
“It captured the zeitgeist” – the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time. “the story captured the zeitgeist of the late 1960s”.
newsaboutthewar – In the cinemas they used to have short clips of what was then considered as the news where Americans would sit and watch what was happening in the world before watching the main film as well as listening to the radio and reading newspapers.
In ‘This is England’, the youth is represented in different ways. The main character Shaun who is a child, is introduced as a lonely child who often seems to get picked on by other people. The ‘Skinheads’ is the gang Shaun makes friends with at the beginning of the film but they also represent the youth in Britan at the time as Woody and his friends ae in their teens or early twenties, implying that they could’ve also gone through similar experiences to Shaun such as getting picked on. This further explains why Woody was very keen to take Shaun under his wing. The main character representation of young people in this film is much nicer and kinder than the school kids we are shown at the beginning picking on Shaun because of his father.
older people
Older people are represented quite negatively throughout most of the film. Prior to the introduction of Combo and Banjo, older people did not make much of an appearance due to the fact that Combo and Banjo were the “first generation” of skinheads therefore they are presented as entitled and powerful although Combo just got out of prison meaning his past activities were rather negative and dangerous. Other older characters we get introduced to are most males such as the ones in the picture above, showing the nationalists wanting Britain to be for the British making them the antagonists in the film due to them taking advantage of the younger generation such as Shaun and modelling their minds to become prejudiced towards anyone not British. Not all older figured are represented this way however. For example Shaun’s mother who is presented as a sweet and caring woman wishing for her child to get treated right even though Shaun is at an age where he might not yet be able to appreciate her efforts fully. After Shaun changes his appearance, she doesn’t seem too be too angry and she even thanks the skinheads for making Shaun feel included and happy, further implying that she has his best interest at heart.
English people
The cast for this movie mostly contains English people therefore they create the main plot of the film based on pride and love for their country. Characters such as Woody and Lol do not seem to be as impacted by their British identity compared to characters such as Combo and Banjo, therefore representing Woody’s group as more comfortable with who they are in society. Combo on the other hand utilises his identity in order to persuade Shaun and the others to join his group by twisting the idea of patriotism and suggesting to people like Milky for example that his British identify is superior to his Jamaican identity. This represents the British people in the film to be patronising and forcing their beliefs and standards onto everyone else.
foreign people (people of colour)
Woody’s group consisted of mostly white people, Milky however was the only person of colour we get introduced to whilst also being part of the group. Not only does this show Woody’s kindness for not segregating Milky and for treating him like anyone else but it also shows that Milky has not done anything wrong and that he is a positively represented character. However with Combo back, the segregation and hatred towards Milky begins and further becomes more obvious with the way Combo almost kills Milky at the end of the film though Milky actually did Combo a favour when he asked him for some weed. Combo also uses Milky as a main topic when trying to break up Woody’s gang in the first place by bringing attention to the fact that no one in the group stood up for him when racist jokes and comments were being made, further supporting Combo’s argument that English people do not stick up for each other anymore. However Combo’s actions quickly get overseen by the way he treats Milky at the end. Besides from Milky who represented black people in ‘This is England’, the shopkeeper represented the Asian community and in my opinion he was a very important character. He is presented as a simple man trying to make a living but is then given trouble by Shaun at the beginning of the film as he was being irritating and at that time it seemed like he was the one in control. Further along in the film, we are presented with the shopkeeper again when Shaun comes in with Combo and his group trying to threaten the shopkeeper for being a different ethnicity to them. His shop gets robbed by them and racist slurs are being thrown at him, showing that now he is not the one in charge anymore but now he is rather helpless.
men
The men in the film make up the majority of the cast, implying that back in the late 90s men were seen a the dominant gender and the ones who are “in charge”. The representations of men in the film vary widely. We firstly get introduced to Shaun who represents the younger group of Englishmen, he idolises first Woody then Combo as they are older and he wants the masculinity they have. Woody is then introduced to us as a caring and outgoing person who wants to tach Shaun how to be confident but in the other hand, we then get introduced to Combo who only seems to project is nationalist ideas onto everyone especially Shaun as he is young and vulnerable. The rest of the male characters present their strength in one way or another however they also express extreme emotions at times, making it hard to see them in a positive light.
women
In ‘This is England’, the female characters aren’t initially presented as very important however they do become more apparent as the film goes on. The main female character Lol (Woody’s girlfriend) is given her own story and character development as she is just seen as one of the other girls in the group however she turns out to be a very caring character. We then find out that she was essentially raped by Combo while she was drunk before he went to prison, showing not only her hatred for him and what he stands for but also her strength and bravery especially when she accepts his request to talk to her alone in his car. Smell is a character who becomes Shaun’s girlfriend and serves no other real purpose in the story as we don’t get to learn much about her or her background. Shaun’s mother is a character who truly shows the contrast between the men and the women in the film. She is caring and supportive even though she was recently widowed and shows her strength by having to look after Shaun by herself which makes the audience respect and like her.
Why did film makers and producers move to Hollywood?
A lot of film makers moved to Hollywood as there was a lot of real estate being sold, perfect for movie sets and studios to be built.
2. Name some of the big stars, directors and pictures from the ‘Silent Era’.
directors: Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980), Michael Curtiz (1886-1962)
stars: Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) John Wayne (1907-1979)
pictures: City Lights (1931), Battleship Potekim (1925)
3. In what ways were the early Hollywood studio system like a factory or production line or even the ‘Premier League’?
In the early 1900s, actors and actresses did not have much liberty at all. This meant that if they got into any trouble or public drama, directors and film producers would often fire them but also make sure that they will not be working in the film industry again meaning that their career was ruined. Actors would often also be sold and signed with different producers all the time depending on what genre and type of films were being created at the time.
4. When was the first “talking picture”?
The first “talking picture” (film where an actor/actress spoke audibly for the audience to hear) was ‘The Jazz Singer’. This film was originally presented as a “talkie” (although it only had limited sound sequences) and it premiered on October 6th 1927.
5. Why did the end of the Silent Era cause problems for some producers working in the film industry?
Some actors or actresses were just not good enough for the job anymore. For example, their voice would not sound good as it would be too high or even too low therefore not matching their face and their acting. In some cases, the actors would not understand the new technology evolving around them such as different cameras or microphones, further causing problems during filming.
6. What was happening in America (and around the world) as this time?
The film movements of ‘Classical Hollywood’ as well as French impressionism, German expressionism as well as the German montage began during this period. America then came to its economic demise as ‘The Great Depression’ hit, leading millions of people to lose their jobs and livelihoods, ultimately leading to them also losing their money due to the economic ‘Wall Street Crash’. This was a major stock market crash in the United States which began in 1929 with a sharp decline in prices on the ‘New York Stock Exchange’.
Censorship
The Hays code is a set of rules and guidelines self-imposed by Hollywood studios. These guidelines regulate the moral content of films produced and filmed from 1934 and 1968. The Hayes code prohibited obscenity, profanity and racial slurs from making any appearances in films. This included strict instructions outlining how certain topics should be shown on screen. This code also restricted homosexuality, criminality, miscegenation and even substance use.
The Hollywood Studio System
What were the big 5 studios and what kind of movies are they each known for?
MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) – this studio was founded in 1924 and it was popular for its over the top musicals with big budgets such as ‘Wizard of Oz’ (1939)
Warner Bros. – this studio got famous in the 1930s due to their films being some of the first ones with synchronised sound, they produced low budget mellow-dramas and they also branded themselves as “the studio of the working class”
Paramount – Paramount Pictures is the last major film studio to still be situated in Hollywood and it was well known for producing mostly European movies such as ‘Morocco’
20th Century Fox – this studio was founded in 1915 and it became famous because of John Ford who was a very well known and loved director for creating dramas such as ‘How green was my valley’
RKO – this studio was home to the very popular Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals, they also produced what is known as “one of the most influential films”, ‘Citizen Kane’
2. Explain what virtual integration and block-booking was.
Virtual integration and block-booking were two strategies used by major film studios to maintain the film industry. Virtual integration refers to how studios would produce, distribute and exhibit films through a combination of ownership and control. This allowed studios to control the production process and have complete creative freedom without needing to rely on external suppliers. Block-booking was a practice where theatres were forced to buy a bundle or a “block” of films from one specific studio instead of being able to select films from different studios. This left theatres with little to no choice as this way, the theatres would also display the films which were less popular or with a smaller budget.
3. Why and when did the original studio system collapse?
The biggest turn of events in the studio system history was when the US government’s Supreme Court ruled in the ‘Paramount Decision’ which forced film studios which also owned theatres to sell them to individually owned theatres and this violated the ‘anti-trust’ laws as they owned and profited from a lot of revenue, denying other people’s success. This court rule weakened studios’ distribution and exhibition control, therefore taking away some of the studio’s power.
4. What was happening in America and around the world at this time?
The ‘Wall Street Crash’ caused what we now know as the ‘Great Depression’ during this time as many lost their jobs and money and savings worth a lifetime.
5. What genres were popular and why did people go to cinemas in this period?
Film genres such as Musicals, Gangster films, Westerns and Romantic comedies were thriving. It was way cheaper and more accessible to go to the cinema during this time compared to going to the theatres for example. Therefore, many wanted to forget about everything going on in their lives and they would go to cinemas as a distraction. The film industry was doing better during this time than any other, producing around 800 films per year compared to today’s rate of 500.
Classical Hollywood style
In Casablanca, it was curtail that editing was seamless as it gave a sense of continuity by having no sharp or noticeable cuts. This was achieved by having the shots arranged in a certain way in order to make the storyline develop for the entertainment of the spectators. Films usually followed the ‘beginning, middle and end’ structure in order to create a strong and interesting narrative. Film makers had the task of creating the entire world of the film, often building sets instead of filming on location however this still gave the illusion that what was happening on screen was actually also happening in real life.
Aesthetic – refers to the overall style and theme of the film including the texture, this refers to the beauty of the film and how aesthetically pleasing it is looks wise
Realism
Verisimilitude – the believability of the world of the film (diegesis), how real it looks compared to the normal world.
Social Realism – films which reflect a range of environments and social issues
Magic Realism – films with a realistic tone containing fantastical events bringing old stories, myths and tales to modern relevance
Hyperreality – films where everything feels overly real, an exaggerated reality to the point where it becomes hard to believe it is real
Visual Style
Iconography – the use of recurring images and symbols in films to convey specific themes or evoke specific emotions and build the film’s narrative
Intertextual Referencing – when a film overlaps with another work of art (another film, work of literature or another art form)
Visual/Sound Motifs – recurring visual or sound element used throughout the film to create meanings and representations
Colour Grading – a way of manipulating and editing raw film to maintain colour tones through the film
Auteur Trademarks – when a film “author” or director who is in full control of the making of the movie utilises the same way of filming including camera shots and angles, themes and lighting throughout most of their work
Tone
Pathos – different objects, subjects or specific elements which convey an emotional appeal, making the audience convey a sense of pity or empathy
Bathos – an anti-climax in a film, when the audience expects something to happen and something usually more underwhelming happen
Suspense – usually in correlation with anxiousness and anticipation, the spectator not knowing when and how it is going to happen
Comedy – a genre of film which mostly focus on humours moments therefore making the audience laugh
Dramatic Irony – the significance of a character’s words or actions is clear to only the spectator but not the character itself
Distancing Effect – usually used in live plays, when the character breaks the “forth wall”, it is used to distance the audience from emotional involvement
Postmodern Humour – another style of comedy including other comedy features such as parodies, irony and including both high and low art styles
impressive vocabulary – “The deliberate and stylised use of this slow-motion reaction shot…”
Diegetic – a way of describing the overall world of the film and everything in it
Cathartic effect – the emotional experience the spectator goes through after watching a film caused by the impact it has left
Reframing – to change the way something is viewed by others
response example:
•Throughout Joker, cinematography is used effectively to create sense of chaos within the film’s diegetic world. This is particularly evident in the scene towards the end of the film where Arthur is shown using a low- angle, close-up looking out of the police car window and reacting with glee at the riots taking place around him. Here, the camera is used to position the spectator as not only connecting with Arthur, but now looking up to him. This suggests to the spectator that the tables have turned and Arthur who was earlier depicted as pathetic and sad, is now depicted as powerful and heroic. This “reframing” of the central character” has a potentially cathartic effect on the spectator who has, up until this point, been encouraged to sympathise with Arthur’s point of view as a victim of circumstance. The deliberate and stylised use of this slow-motion reaction shot, enables the spectator to get a sense of poetic justice being served.
I have decided to give this film a rating of 8/10 because i felt like this was a very impactful movie as it represents different social groups very well such as the younger and older generation of people living in England at the time of the war that was taking place. I also feel like this movie was great at presenting the nature of Englishmen and how pride can drive people to do horrible things such as murder and many other hate crimes just because some people did not fit the “English” stereotype in the eyes of characters such as Combo.
In my opinion, the most memorable scene from this film was when Milky was brutally beaten by Combo after trying to stand his ground. In my opinion, this scene was very impactful as it showed Combo’s true colors and what he was capable of but also how he was able to very easily influence a child (Shaun) to join his “gang” and partake in offensive hate crimes towards different races and social groups. This scene was particularly impactful for me as this was the moment Shaun realized what kind of person Combo is and how he made the decision that he does not want to be associated with him anymore.
I have chosen to give this movie 7/1O. This is because I think this movie was heavily impactful as it is based around addiction and how younger people can very easily get addicted to drugs especially heroine and it also brigs attention to the fact that quitting drugs, especially when there is no support system set in place can be very challenging and disheartening to watch. This film also represented different social groups and social classes very well such as the youth, lower to middle class and many other elements of how the youth in Scotland was affected by drug usage.
in my opinion, the most memorable scene was when Renton went to the Mother Superior’s den to get one last hit of heroine before going to a rehabilitation unit and he overdosed. I think this scene was particularly memorable because it caused a lot of suspense upon the viewer as we did not know if Renton was going to live. The way the scene was almost set up as a funeral and made it look like Renton was in a coffin underground also made this scene that much more heart-breaking as he was young with his whole life ahead of him.
All aspects of film form including narrative contribute to the representations of cultures and societies (gender, ethnicity and age) including the ideological nature of those representations, meaning that films create meaning and generates response through cinematography, mise-en-scene, editing, sound and performance of actors.
performance – age, ethnicity, costume, facial expressions, body language/gestures
ideology – the beliefs which an individual holds about something or someone (could also refer to groups of people)
stereotype – a widely and strictly held view, image or idea of a particular type of person or groups of people
countertype – the opposite type of a certain something or someone, usually goes against a stereotype
example: Sarah Connor (Terminator 1 & 2)
In Terminator 1, the character of Sarah Connor is presented to the audience as a clumsy, young American waitress working at a diner where is seems as everyone is trying to hive her a hard time.
In Terminator 2, is like the audience gets introduced to a completely new character even though it is the same one. This is due to the significant change not only in physical appearance (looking stronger due to muscle definition, having her hair up instead of up, wearing manlier clothes etc.) but also her mindset and personality has taken a turn causing her to seem “crazy”.
Representations in Trainspotting
Who is doing the representations? (Danny Boyle – the director)
Who is being represented? (younger generation of drug users, middle/lower class)
Which social groups are being omitted from the representations? (elderly and very young children)
What messages about particular social groups are being conveyed? (younger people can very easily get addicted to drugs and getting out of the addiction is very difficult to stop unless you have a support system)
Which characters or social groups have power within the representations? (The mother superior and the parents of the characters but also Renton at the end of the movie)
Do the characters adhere to or challenge stereotypes? (when we were first introduced to the characters, they all met the “young drug users” stereotypes apart from Tommy however by the end of the movie, he became like the rest of them)
Are the characters typical of films in that genre? (yes because the characters help represent the youth in Scotland at the time)
What do representations tell audiences about society at thetime was being filmed or set in? (the characters show what the normal experience of young drug users at the time and how easily people can start doing drugs but how it can also change your life drastically)
Even though both sound designers and mixers play very important roles within the world of film, there are some differences between the two, such as:
sound designer – sound designers have the role of recording or finding the audios and sounds used in a specific sequence or scene (e.g. dialogue, background noise, sound effects). sound designers often create their own sounds which often get used as “fillers” in scenes where there might not even be any dialogue.
Diegetic & non-diegetic sounds
Non-diegetic: This scene in joker begins with no sound at all other than the subtle dialogue between Arthur and his social worker however, as the dialogue gets more “heated” and tense, tense music starts playing over the top. As the scene goes on, the music gets louder and louder creating tension and anticipation making the audience curious and intrigued.
Diegetic: This scene in Joker had the diegetic sound of applause happening in real time with the actions in the movie making it authentic and makes it seem as if we (the audience) are there living it with him.
synchronous – sound which is matched with the actions and movements being viewed.
asynchronous – sounds which are not matched with what the audience is seeing, usually used to create tension as the4 viewer can hear the sound but not see the source.
sound mixers – sound mixers are in charge of figuring out the timing of when those sounds get used in the sequence or scene. They have the skill of mixing sound elements together in order to make the final sound track sound like a whole.
sound effects – artificially created of enhanced sounds which are used in artistic ways to emphasise an action, mood or feeling.
Foley artist – creating a clean sound replicating what is on screen which then gets added in post-production.
leitmotif – “short, recurring musical phrase” associated with a particular character, setting, emotion and development of a character. “leitmotifs are guides” they condition the audience emotionally for the interventions, arrival or actions of a particular character.
sound J & L cuts – sound bridges which creates a smooth visual transition between scenes.
voice over/ narration – often informs the audience with all the information they need about a certain character or event, this can sometimes also be presented as “unreliable narration” meaning the viewer does not get all the information straight away.
musical score – pieces of music specifically created for a film/specific scene.
underscore – music playing “under” the dialogue between characters, usually quite quiet.
needle drop – popular pre-exciting pieces of music (out of the world of the film) which helps set the tone of the scene, this can go with what is happening in the scene or juxtapose it which usually creates a “jarring” of off-putting mood.
sound perspective – the apparent distance of a sound source, this can be supported by its volume, timber and pitch.
