New Hollywood is an American film movement that took place in the mid 1960s to the early 1980s, where a new generation of filmmakers came to prominence. It had been influenced by Italian Neo-Realism and often featured taboo characteristics such as morally ambiguous characters, violence and antiauthoritarian sentiments.
2.) Name four of the films, directors and stars from this period
Films:
The Graduate (Nichols, 1967)
The Wild Bunch (Peckinpah, 1969)
Easy Rider (Hopper, 1969)
The Godfather (Coppola, 1972)
Directors:
Francis Ford Coppola
Martin Scorsese
Steven Spielberg
Ridley Scott
Stars:
Shelley Duvall
Olivia Newton-John
Al Pacino
Sylvester Stallone
3.) What events were taking place in America and elsewhere in the world around the period identified as the New Hollywood era of cinema?
The Cold War
Arms race
Vietnam War
Civil rights movement
French New Wave
1.) What is meant by the cinematic term French New Wave?
A cinematic movement that took place from the late 1950s (1958) to the late 1960s. The theory associated with French New Wave believed that rather than have films accredited towards the producers and actors, that the author or ‘auteur’ should be the director, and therefore the driving force towards the creativity by creating a visual style specific to them. This would be applicable to their body of work, and audiences should be able to recognise director’s work immediately. It broke away from traditional filmmaking, after French director Francois Truffaut wrote an article criticising its lack of creativity. This prompted the beginning of the movement, which featured new techniques such as handheld cameras which gave a documentary aesthetic and jump cuts, as well as different storytelling styles.
2.) What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in French New Wave films?
French New Wave films typically featured natural light, non-actors, improvisation and natural sets stemming from the low budget environment that was the result of the poor post Second World War economies. In terms of techniques, handheld cameras gave the iconic, more naturalistic style of typical French New Wave films. Jump cuts, inspired by Jean-Luc Godard, were popular within the movement and influenced other directors to break away from the traditional way of filmmaking, even breaking through into mainstream films.
3.) Which directors and films from the French New Wave influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde?
Penn was heavily influenced by the French New Wave directors Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard and their innovative and unconventional techniques.
The jarring nature of the straight cuts used frequently in Bonnie and Clyde were not at all typical of Hollywood film at the time, and is considered to be inspired by Truffaut’s The 400 Blows (1959).
Bonnie and Clyde was influenced by Truffaut and his de-emphasised plots, with the film being almost more of a character study rather than being plot driven.
French New Wave films were often shot on location to enhance the films’ realism and depth, which inspired Penn to also shoot most of Bonnie and Clyde on location.
A theme of French New Wave films was to include music, which is used often throughout Bonnie and Clyde, specifically when they are being chased by the police or driving from a crime scene.
4.) Identify 3 scenes from Bonnie and Clyde where stylistic links are created with French New Wave cinema and why was this the case?
The opening scene of Bonnie and Clyde demonstrate the iconic jump cuts that are archetypal of the French New Wave style, coined by Godard.
A significant amount of Bonnie and Clyde was shot on location, which was common among the low budget French New Wave style. A lot of the film was noticeably set outside, apart from when the Barrel Gang were hiding out or robbing banks, which makes the shooting on location easier for Penn.
The use of a handheld camera in this opening scene is reminiscent of the French New Wave style, as it allows for the fluid and spontaneous movement of the camera.
New Hollywood Style
1.) How did New Hollywood directors like Penn approach his film narratives? Penn was directly influenced by French New Wave directors such as Truffaut, which helped to shape the style he used for Bonnie and Clyde. Notably, the narrative in Bonnie and Clyde is very much de-emphasised, with the film not following much of a plot and feeling more like a character study rather than a plot heavy film, which strayed far away from the Classic Hollywood storytelling style. This is influenced by the French New Wave style of non-linear storytelling.
2.) What is discontinuity editing? Discontinuity editing is a style of editing which ruins the continuous flow, with an emphasis on showing the difference between shots. This style of editing has the goal of drawing attention to a particular shot, scene or sound.
3.) Why is this time in film production sometimes referred to as “The Rise of the Auteurs” in Hollywood? This time in film production can sometimes be referred to that way due to the rise in directors having their own distinct style. The word ‘auteur’ meaning ‘author’ was first used to describe filmmakers by Francis Truffaut, who had been criticising films at the time for not being creative. He suggested that audiences should be able to recognise a directors’ work immediately, which soon prompted a wave of filmmakers to join this movement. This style quickly found its way to America and into the ‘New Hollywood’ style.
4.) What is the lasting impact of the New Hollywood style on modern films? Since the New Hollywood movement, directors have become far more involved in influencing the looks and overall style of their films. Furthermore, the ‘Auteur Theory’ can be seen in directors of the modern day, such as Wes Anderson.
As well as this, the rebellious plots and rise in graphic content led to the fall of the Hays Code, a strict set of rules designed to censor ‘immoral’ content and restrict what can be shown on screen.
6.5/10 – I had high expectations going into this film, but I didn’t find that I enjoyed it nearly as much as I expected. I liked the historical aspect of it, and the fact that it was based on real people. I found the visual style overall very pleasing, particularly the costumes which were the standout for me. Faye Dunaway did a very convincing job at acting insane, but I just didn’t find the story particularly engaging, especially in the beginning.
The most memorable scene for me has to be when the police find out where the Barrel Gang had been hiding, and they ambush them with Buck being shot in the head in the process. This felt like a really important turning point in the film, and where I felt the story became far more interesting.
Dir. Michael Curtiz – A Hungarian refugee, who had moved to America and became a director for Warner Brothers, where he made 173 films in his career. Knowing about being a European refugee, Curtiz casted refugees to play the majority of extras in Casablanca.
Cast members
Humphrey Bogart – plays Rick
Humphrey Bogart was a veteran Warner Brothers actor prior to Casablanca, but not considered the top actor in the industry. Hadn’t been known for romantic films – but detectives and gangsters. Thanks to his typecast of gritty and cynical characters, the producer, Wallis, saw him as the ideal actor to play a character like Rick. For example, he starred in The Maltese Falcon in 1942, where he payed a private detective and Passage to Marseille that was also directed by Michael Curtiz.
Ingrid Bergman – plays Ilsa Lund
Ingrid Bergman became a star after Casablanca, and became highly sought after. She had been 26 when she got cast, and was considered ‘exotic’ – Curtiz liked the idea of having a foreign woman to play Ilsa Lund. She had been acting in Sweden, before starring in Casablanca. For example, she played an orphan in a Swedish film in 1936 in On the Sunny Side
Paul Henreid – plays Victor Laszlo
Paul Henreid was an Austrian-born actor who initially appeared in British films before moving to the U.S. in 1940, where he starred in Casablanca. He has starred in other films after Casablanca such as The Spanish Main, Deception and Rope of Sand. Victor Laszlo’s unquestionable disdain for the Nazis initially attracted Henried to the character.
Claude Rains – plays Captain Louis Renault
Rains played a variety of leading and supporting role since the beginning of his acting career at the age of 11. He had experience playing criminals, aristocrats, politicians, spies and many other roles, which made his highly versatile and suitable for the character of Renault. Examples of his films are Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Notorious, which he co-starred in with Ingrid Bergman after Casablanca.
Conrad Veidt – plays Major Heinrich Strasser
Veidt was a German-born actor who opposed the Nazi regime and their antisemitic values, which drove him to move to Britain, where he starred in anti-Nazi films, and then he moved to the US permanently in 1941. He started his career in Germany, where he starred in roles throughout the 1920s, even becoming visual inspiration for the Batman villain the Joker. He died in 1943, Major Strasser being his last role to be released during his lifetime.
Sydney Greenstreet – plays Signor Ferrari
Sydney Greenstreet was initially a theatre actor, and toured in Britain and his roles ranged from musical comedy to Shakespeare. He refused to appear in films until he was 61, where he began working for Warner Bros. He co-starred with Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon in 1941, and then Casablanca in 1942.
Peter Lorre – plays Ugarte
Lorre was a Hungarian actor who was known for films in Vienna and Germany, before he settled in Hollywood after the Nazi Party came to power in 1933. He became a featured actor in many Warner Bros. crime and mystery films, such as The Maltese Falcon, before acting in Casablanca in 1942.
S.Z. Sakall – plays Carl
Sakall is a Hungarian actor who became a star of the stage in the 1910s and 20s, before moving to Vienna where he appeared in films. He then moved to Berlin for a short while, where he even ran his own production company. However, after the Nazi Party came to power in 1933, he moved to Hollywood. Sakall played many supporting roles in musicals and other films of the 1940s and 1950s after Casablanca in 1942.
Madeleine Lebeau – plays Yvonne
Lebeau had initially appeared in a French film as a student, and uncredited role, in 1939. Her and her husband, actor Marcel Dalio, who she had met while performing a play, fled Paris in June 1940 ahead of the invading German Army and reached Lisbon. Once reaching Hollywood, Warner Bros. signed Lebeau to a $100 a week contract for 26 weeks to be on a number of films after she was cast as Yvonne in Casablanca.
Dooley Wilson – plays Sam
Wilson was a known drummer and singer, who led his own band in the 1920s that toured nightclubs in London and Paris. He had only taken up acting in the 1930s, where he was playing supporting roles on Broadway. His role in Casablanca was his most prominent, though he continued to act in other Broadway shows such as Bloomer Girl (194-46).
Joy Page – plays Annina Brandel
Page’s mother married Jack L. Warner, the then head of Warner Bros. studios, though her step-father did not encourage her interest in acting. Her first film was Casablanca, which she was cast in when she was only 17, without the help of her step-father, who reluctantly approved. She went on to act in films for other studios, as her step-father refused to sign her to a contract. This includes a featured role in Kismet in 1944.
John Qualen – plays Berger
Qualen reached Broadway after leaving University to join a Toronto-based travelling troupe as an actor, where he gained his big break in 1929 playing a Swedish janitor in Street Scene. His film career began when he reprised the role for a film adaptation. He appeared in many films such as The Grapes of Wrath before being cast as a Norwegian resistance member in Casablanca.
Mise En Scene in Casablanca
Excellent example of the Hollywood Studio System
Slightly over the top as it was filmed on a backlot on the Warner Bros. studio – not really meant to represent the real Casablanca
However, it suggests exoticness, just as some of the stars did
Every element stands out – fringe on the lamps, large, exotic plants etc.
Example of the lamps with fringe
Lighting contributes to cinematography
Lighting helps to suggest emotions that the characters are feeling
E.g. 1: Close ups on Ingrid Bergman suggests emotion
E.g. 2: Darkness on Ilsa and Rick represents the intimacy between the two – lighting goes dark when they are dancing in Paris and infers that the two realised that they are in love with each other
E.g. 3: Darkness before the flashback scene suggests Rick’s sadness
Costume adds another layer to the mise-en-scene in Casablanca
Each characters have a colour palatte
There are no wrinkles or imperfections in any of the costumes, and many believe Bogart’s to be the most glamorous of all of his roles.
Hats became a signature feature of the costumes in Casablanca – often seen on Bergman’s character Ilsa and is widely believed to be a suggestion to innocence.
Iconic hats and costumes in Casablanca
Editing in Casablanca
Quick – the film is 1h 30, but it goes by very quickly
Pace is very effective – e.g., when Rick is helping the young couple to win money to buy an exit visa from Casablanca – helps to build tension between the characters
E.g. When the young couple are trying to win money for an exit visa by playing roulette, the editing is fast and builds tension in the audience as they don’t know whether Rick is going to get caught rigging the game or not
Therefore, this helps to suggest information about different characters
For example, before the flashback to Paris, the camera tracks in on Rick’s face before pausing at around a medium close up, as if hesitating to remember Paris, before fulling tracking in to a close up to transition into the flashback
Sound in Casablanca
La Marseillaise is sung by all of the customers at Rick’s – almost feels like a musical number within the narrative
This is the French national anthem – feels very patriotic
The characters do as well, evidenced by the emotional look on their faces
Also acts as a competition between the Germans and everyone else – represents how despite some of France being occupied by the Germans, they knew that they would win the war
Score composed by Max Steiner
The music helps to reflect the characters
E.g.: The music becomes dark and heavy when the Nazis arrive in Casablanca
As Time Goes By was originally written for a Broadway show
Steiner hated the song + almost got it re-filmed with a different one, but Ingrid Bergman had a different haircut
Therefore, Steiner decided to make it a musical motif for the song and imbeds it in other aspects of the score
Aesthetics in Casablanca
The general aesthetic of Casablanca can be considered hyperrealism due to it’s over-the-top style
It had been filmed in a Warner Bros. backlot, and wasn’t meant to represent the real Casablanca
Despite this, the film does have high Verisimilitude as while it wasn’t meant to represent the real Casablanca, it does feel like it could be a real place somewhere
While there is a romantic undertone in the film, there is still the wartime backdrop, which gives it a tense tone because it is unpredictable.
Casablanca, while not the typical genre of a film noir, is clearly filmed in black and white
Therefore, the director had to work with the lack of colour to represent different character’s ideals, beliefs and overall style
Themes and issues: Isolationism: The belief that the Second World War was ultimately a dispute between foreign nations and that the U.S. had no good reason to get involved. What was the American’s view on the Second World War? 88% of Americans opposed the idea of declaring war against the Axis powers in Europe. FDR also declared that while the U.S. would remain neutral in law, he could not ask that every American would also remain neutral in thought.
Producer: Hal B. Wallis was the producer of Casablanca, and he put the team of writers together, coordinated scenes etc. As well as this, he oversaw the production of the film and he also brought the script for Casablanca. He had a lot of control over how he wanted Casablanca to look and therefore, the film started to turn into a piece of propaganda due to the timing.
Representation in Casablanca
Women: While there aren’t many female characters throughout Casablanca, there are stand out performances from the leading actress Ingrid Bergman playing Ilsa and Madeleine Lebeau playing Yvonne, who is represented as an incapable and almost needy mistress to Rick. Bergman’s character, however, is represented far more as a capable woman that doesn’t just accept things as they come; she confronts Rick when he doesn’t want to speak to her and even threatens to kill him over the letters that he has from the two German soldiers that were killed at the beginning of the film.
Refugees: Refugees make up a significant amount of the characters, considering the fact that Casablanca was a place where refugees would get stuck trying to get an exit visa to Lisbon, and then America. They represent many nationalities; 34 having been cast, with a large majority of the extras being European refugees too. In the film, refugees are represented in many ways depending on their nationalities. For example, the German couple who are celebrating finally getting an exit visa are represented in a very comedic way, by talking about how they are going to get along well in America all the while speaking in unusual ways because German is spoken differently to English.
Men: A lot of the time in Casablanca, men are represented as the saviour character in away, such as Victor Laszlo who is shown to be a typical resistance character. Rick is presented to be cynical and a realist; he doesn’t stick his neck out for anyone, but at the same time, he could also be considered as a character that people would swoon over because of his stoic personality. However, there are some men who are represented to be sleazy and rude like the Germans, which reflects the attitudes towards the Germans at the time due to the Second World War.
People of colour: There is only one main character that is a person of colour; Sam, who is played by Dooley Wilson. He is represented to be an upbeat and optimistic character, which almost shows the attitude towards musicians who are people of colour like Louis Armstrong. They also represent other people of colour like the non-refugee population of Casablanca. However, they are presented a little more negatively-trying to scam Ilsa into buying fabric.
Historical and Political Context in Casablanca
Allies: Britain, USA and USSR (+France) Axis: Germany, Japan and Italy
France: Begins as an allied power, but soon into the war they were invaded and surrendered to the Germans. However, some soldiers decided to continue to fight – known as the Three French. Vichy France was a territory with its own government that was basically a ‘puppet’ to the Germans, a non-occupied zone.
Morocco was part of the French empire and was controlled by Vichy France.
1939 – Second World War starts 1941 – America joins the war after the bombing of Pearl Harbour by Japan
Casablanca came out at perfect timing because the war hadn’t been going well for the Allies, but it came out when Churchill and Roosevelt had a meeting in Casablanca. It gave the Allied populations hope for the war and their futures.
“It captured the zeitgeist” – the defining mood or spirit of a particular period in history.
Operation Torch – A compromise operation that aimed to divert attention from the Eastern Front (take pressure off the Soviet Union), which allowed American forces the opportunity to invade North Africa and begin their fight against Germany and Fascist Italy. Began on 8th of November 1942
Casablanca had its world premiere on the 26th of November 1942 in New York City and then had its general release on the 23rd of January 1943.
The cinema would be a very popular way of learning about what’s happening in the news, as well as the radio and newspapers.
Casablanca Conference – A meeting between U.S. President FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Joseph Stalin declined to attend. This was a finalisation of Allied strategic plans against the Axis powers. It lasted from the 14th January to the 24th, 1943.
Film noir: a style of filmmaking with defining characteristics like being in black and white, and high contrast lighting. This genre is commonly stylised crime dramas and gangster films.
8/10 – I really enjoyed the film Casablanca; the story was told very effectively and I see why it is a beloved film. It was interesting to see a wartime film that is set in a different perspective than that from the Americans, British or Germans, as well as hearing many different languages. I enjoyed the fact that they implemented comedy throughout the film as well.
The most memorable scene for me would be when Rick and Ilsa meet again for the first time since Paris—the audience doesn’t know that they had met previously but the acting shows their longing and desire to show that they know each other.
1.) Why did film makers and producers move to Hollywood? The mountains, plains, consistent climate and low land prices made Hollywood the ideal place to open film studios
2.) Name some of the big stars, directors and pictures from the Silent Era of Hollywood. Big stars – Charlie Chaplin (English) and Harold Lloyd (American) Directors – D.W. Griffith (American) and King Vidor (American) Films – The Gold Rush and The General
D.W. Griffith
Charlie Chaplin
3.) In what ways were the early Hollywood studio system like a factory or production line, or even the Premier League? Stars, writers, directors and crew all worked under long-term contracts. Similar to football players, actors were the properties of the studio, with their contacts conditional based on their performance and whether a scandal came up.
4.) When and what was the first ‘talking picture’? The first feature film that was originally a talking picture or ‘talkie’ was The Jazz Singer, which premiered on the 6th of October 1927.
The Jazz Singer
5.) Why did the end of the silent era cause problems for some performers working in the film industry? After the era of talkies premiered, silent films became obsolete and some performers were inexperienced in acting with their voice in the new medium.
6.) What was happening in America at this time? The First World War (1914-1918), Jim Crow laws (extreme racism), Wall Street Crash (1929) and the Great Depression, The Dust Bowl
The Wall Street Crash of 1929
First World War trenches
Censorship:
The Hays Code was a set of industry guidelines that censored content that was applied to most motion pictures. It applied rigid moral guidelines and rules that were meant to make pictures “presentable” and “safe”.
Some of the rules included:
Keeping Catholic and family values
No sexually explicit content
Good guys always win, bad guys always lose
Nothing that promotes “bad values” or “perversion”
No swearing and saying offensive things
The Hollywood Studio System (The Golden Age of Hollywood)
1.) What were the Big 5 studios and what type of movies was each studio famous for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM): Gone With The Wind, Wizard of Oz Paramount: Morocco, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde RKO: King Kong, Citizen Kane 20th Century Fox: Les Misérables, Rawhide Warner Bros.: Casablanca, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2.) Explain what vertical integration and block-booking was. Vertical integration allows companies to reduce overhead costs and improve efficiencies in manufacturing and distribution by combining one company of two or more stages of production that are normally operated by separate companies. Block-booking is a system of selling multiple films to a theatre as a unit, typically including unwanted or inferior films. This was outlawed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948.
3.) Why and when did the original studio system collapse? The studio system’s decline began in the late 1940s due to the rise of television which increased production costs, as well as societal shifts changing audience’s tastes.
4.) What was happening in America and around the world at this time? Second World War (1939-45), end of the Great Depression (1939), beginning of the Cold War between Russia (Soviet Union) and America
5.) What genres were popular and why did people go to the movies in this period? Westerns, slapstick comedies, musicals, dramas
Classical Hollywood Style:
1.) What is meant by the invisible style of storytelling? Invisible storytelling is referring to when a film is shot and edited so well that the audience does not notice that it has been edited at all to create a completely immersive experience—the ideal style of classical Hollywood and perfected in Casablanca.
2.) What is continuity editing? Continuity editing is when the story is told in a continuous way—where it is put together in a comprehensive and discernible way. It is also important to consider continuity of the story and to not forget certain details later on.
Aesthetics – The overall style and feel of a film including the lighting, mise en scene, colour palate and cinematography.
Aesthetics Terms 1 – Realism
Verisimilitude – believability within the film; how convincing the world is to the audience.
Dune is a good example of verisimilitude as the sci-fi environment feels very fleshed out which makes it feels like it could be an existing world.
Social realism – films that aim to depict the effects of environmental factors on the development of a character.
This Is England demonstrates how children can be very naïve and impressionable, especially when faced with something tragic like a father dying in war, which is ultimately what attracted Shaun to Combo’s views in the first place.
Magic realism – depicting magic systems in a realistic way.
While Harry Potter is very much a fantasy series, the magic system doesn’t really feel like it has any flaws, as well as being very vast in terms of what it can do.
Hyperrealism – a dramatic depiction of reality/gives it a ‘perfect’ feeling.
The Barbie film depicts life in a dramatic and exaggerated way, with the beginning of it suggesting that life in Barbie world is perfect.
Aesthetics Terms 2 – Visual style
Iconography – the use of recurring symbols, visual motifs and themes to convey meaning and evoke emotion
Water is a recurring theme throughout Moonlight, that appears throughout all three parts of the film.
Intertextual referencing – the use of ideas or themes from other pieces of media or literature
Alice Cooper is seen in Wayne’s World, appearing as himself. This happens again in Wayne’s World 2, where Aerosmith appear.
Visual/sound motifs – a recurring story element acting as a way to highlight a film’s meaning.
The Imperial March is an iconic sound motif that occurs throughout the entire Star Wars franchise.
Colour grading – manipulating the colour, tone and mood of a film to enhance the impact of the story.
Though Schindler’s List was filmed in 1993, they consistently film it in black and white. However, one little girl is shown to be wearing a red coat to represent children’s innocence, though it has been interpreted in many different ways.
Auteur trademarks – when a filmmaker has complete creative control over a film and implements their visual style in other pieces of their work.
Wes Anderson’s iconic colourful style is recurring throughout a large majority of his work.
Aesthetic Terms 3 – Tone
Pathos – a persuasion technique that aims to appeal to the audience by evoking the intended emotions, mainly sadness.
Up utilises pathos at multiple points throughout the film, but the most famous would be the montage scene of Carl’s life with Ellie before she dies.
Bathos – an absurd or ineffective climax.
The ending of Monty Python and the Holy Grail could be considered bathos because it leads to a very unsatisfying climax.
Suspense – a state of anticipation towards an outcome.
The Silence of the Lambs uses suspense throughout the film effectively.
Comedy – a genre of film where the main emphasis is on humour.
Shaun of the Dead is a very highly rated British Comedy directed by Edgar Wright starring Simon Pegg.
Dramatic irony – a situation in which the audience or reader has a better understanding of something than the characters themselves.
Everyone watching the film Tangled knows that Mother Gothel is not Rapunzel’s mother, but she’s managed to convince her that she is.
Distancing effect (verfremdung) – techniques designed to distance the audience from emotional investment.
Dogville uses a distancing effect/alienation to prevent people from getting too emotionally invested.
Postmodern humour – aims to undermine highly regarded expectations.
Pulp Fiction tells the story out of the ordinary and flips our expectations of film structures.
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.
Performance – age, ethnicity, costume, facial expressions, body language + gestures, etc.
Stereotype – A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
Countertype – challenging stereotypes of certain beliefs. Example: having a black president of America.
Sarah Connor:
Sarah Connor looks like an average stereotypical American diner waitress in Terminator 1. She seems to be fed up with her job, as she shows up late and has to deal with demanding and annoying customers – whether that be a boy putting ice cream in her pocket or people forgetting which orders are theirs. She looks like she is in her early-mid 20s, and has stereotypically feminine traits.
Sarah Connor in Terminator 2 is far more built and muscular, which makes her a countertype of the stereotypical nurturing and caring female character. She looks like she is the heroine in an action film, as she seems comfortable with guns and ready to fight.
Representation in Trainspotting:
1.) Who is doing the representation? Danny Boyle, the director of Trainspotting.
2.) Who is being represented? Drug (specifically heroin) addicts, young, white Scottish men, parents.
3.) What social groups are omitted from the representations? People of colour, wealthy people
4.) What messages about about particular social groups are being conveyed? They seem to be trying to convey that drugs are not only bad for a person’s health, but also their general lifestyle by showing the very un-glamorous life they live.
5.) Which characters or social groups have power within the representations? People such as the people who interviewed Spud made it clear that they have the power in that situation, which I think shows how more middle-upper classes look down on the lower classes and people who are struggling with addiction.
6.) Do the characters adhere to or challenge stereotypes? I think that the main characters stray away from the previously glamorised lifestyle that is mostly associated with rich rockstars and musicians. However, it does adhere to the stereotype of what heroin-addicted people are like.
7.) Are the characters typical of films in that genre? The characters reflect some traits of characters in a drama, but this type of explicit representation of heroin addicts was very atypical.
8.) What do representations tell audiences about society at the time the film was made and/or set? Representations are good to show underrepresented or common types of attitudes/people of the time period.
9.) How are elements of film form (mise en scene/performance/sound/editing/cinematography) being used to construct the representations? Different elements of film form help to contribute to the verisimilitude of the film, which constructs representations. For example, the performance of Ewan McGregor is very effective in presenting what an addict would act like in real life. As well as the performance, costuming in Trainspotting reflects clothing of the time.
Trainspotting Representations:
Older people:
Elderly people in homes are represented in this film briefly as the main group of characters steal their television and drugs. They are shown as a bit of a stereotype as they sit around, sleep and don’t do anything as their TV is stolen. As well as this, there are other older people such as the people that interview Spud, who seem very above him and seem to think that they are superior.
Addicts:
Addicts are represented a lot throughout Trainspotting whether it be when they are taking drugs with the Mother Superior, taking speed before going to an interview, or even just when they are smoking consistently throughout the film.
Scottish people:
Scottish people are shown a lot in pubs in general, for example the beginning of the film when Begbie is being introduced they are in a very busy pub, with people drinking and chatting all around, which is a staple of Sottish and British culture in general. There are other parts of Trainspotting that represent the general Scottish population such as the nightclub scene and in the second pub scene towards the end of the film.
Women:
Women are represented scarcely in Trainspotting; the only woman that is part of the ‘main group’ being an addict as well. Other than that, Tommy and Spud’s girlfriends are presented to be fed up with their boyfriends, especially Tommy’s, who breaks up with him after he becomes addicted to heroin, suggesting that a lot of the women in their lives won’t put up with their addictions. Finally, the only other woman that is in the film is rather coercive and doesn’t tell Renton that she is underage before he sleeps with her, which is a very negative depiction of her.
Young people are mainly represented in the beginning of This Is England, not only by showing the school that Shaun goes to, but also in the form of Woody and his friends, who are quiet young. It is revealed that Gadget goes to the same school as Shaun, as well as Smell. They are mainly represented as a rowdy sort of bunch, who are easily influenced which is evident by how quickly Shaun joins Combo. However, it is also shown that a lot of them don’t hold the same views as the typical skinhead does, as Woody is far more left-wing than Combo.
Older people (parents/authority figures/politicians):
There are multiple clips of Margaret Thatcher, as well as radio broadcasts of her, throughout This Is England. However, she is not presented in a good light; from the very beginning of the film, there is lots of anti-Thatcher graffiti, and then later on, Combo reveals his criticisms of her. Conservative politicians, especially Thatcher are represented in a very negative way, though it was mainly because of Combo’s white supremacist views.
There are other people of an older generation that are also represented in the film. For example, the National Front that are giving a presentation are all older men, who seem to be of a higher status and class due to their much nicer clothes. Combo and his friends are also of a generation older than Woody, which emphasises the fact that the older people in the film (apart from Shaun’s mother) are represented with far more right-wing views.
English people:
A lot of the English people in the film -despite whether they are white supremacists or not- seem to be somewhat proud of the country. However, a majority are represented as racist nationalists, which include Combo’s violent group, as well as the politicians that are introducing the National Front to Shaun for the first time.
Masculinity:
There is a bit of a theme in This Is England of masculinity, even though it is quiet subtle. There are no women at the National Front meeting, and none of the women in Woody’s group decide to join Combo, which suggests that the nationalist skinhead stereotype is very much associated with men. As well as this, when Shaun comes back in after Combo assaults Milky, Combo stops sobbing and notices that Shaun is crying a lot, which prompts him to shove a finger in his face to tell him to stop crying and say that ‘men don’t cry’.
People of colour:
The representation of people of colour in the film shows them as being a villain in Combo’s eyes. In his ‘This Is England’ speech he describes them using racist slurs, and talks about how they are ‘taking jobs’ from the unemployed in England. While they are represented in a negative way, they are clearly not shown to be the actual villains of the story, and the audience is seemingly supposed to sympathise with them. Rather, Combo and his group are presented as the villains.
Setting:
The setting of the film really seems to give an insight into what England was like in 1983. It is filmed on site, which gives it a sense of verisimilitude and in general, it just feels grimy, gritty and grey which represents the English weather very well.
Diegetic – existing or occurring within the world of a narrative rather than as something external to that world.
Cathartic effect – releasing strong emotions that were previously held back.
Reframing – changing a person’s mindset towards something, whether it be good or bad.
Connotes – suggest something other than the primary meaning. – Suggest – Imply – Signify – Indicate
The PEEL structure that is typically used for essay question is clearly defined in the level 5 analysis. They use effective terminology consistently and there is further analysis of multiple aspects of cinematography.
