Genre

Film studies essay 14th November

Comparative essay between two films - pans labyrinth / city of God/ la haine

Variety of MACRO

Themes- government oppression

Youth- innocence

Corruption of innocence

Violence/force

Narrative- shape/ structure- 

These films travel well abroad

Look at international market and national market

National cinema- has to challenge dominant ideology of that country

Linked to the identity of of the country- identity- conventions of Hollywood- rules of fillms

La haine- vicious circle of life- the characters are trapped in it

Pans labyrinth- two narratives- interwoven storylines- viewed from the perspective of ophelia-represents Spain- 

City of God- cycle of violence- the violence never stops, it will just be replaced by someone else

60s yellow- 70s greeny blue

Real life event

Representation study

Genre

La haine

Crime/ youth drama

Social realist

City of God

Gangster film ( la Haine has elements of gangster film)

Pans labyrinth

Fantasy

Horror

War film

Trailer 1- Spanish/ Mexico- horror- it's horror because it challenges Spain.s attitude about the civil war

Trailer 2- english/ Hollywood- fantasy- foreign audiences don't understand the context and just see it as a fantasy film and the trailer is made like that

Genre- the fantasy aspects are universal to everyone because they are relatable to everyone.

Film studies

Narrative

500 word summary of the narrative of pans labyrinth- what is the structure- why is it relevant to the message of the film

Themes

Facism

Innocence

Conflict/Power

War- Spanish civil war

Delusion

Greed

Famine/ poverty

Oppression

Legacy/obsession

Family

Patriarchy

Rebellion

Messages

Fascism creates conflict within countries, and breeds hatred- facist regime of time period

Good always wins over evil- internal conflict

Fate isn't avoidable- people don't talk about it- taboo

Absolute Power is corrupting and leads to oppression- opression 

War takes away childhood innocence - isolation and hardship

Belief doesn't solve problems - resistance to facism- eventual fate

 

La haine

 Messages

Can't escape conflict

Government oppression exists and causes inequalities

Values are everything

Fraternity Liberty equality

City of God

Respect is everything

women are insignificant

No one will win the war for power

Death is the only way out

Context

Spanish civil war, facist regime, internal conflict, war between neighbours and families

People don't take about it- taboo, isolation and hardship, resistance-  oppression- masculine society- very little role for women- Franco Franco took over the king- church- intimidated- quite conservative- Russia helped arm the rebels- proxy war- nazis and communists- Russia v Germany

CoG- poor people in favelas children in violent gang war and drugs, military in the poor, military arming the gangs

La Haine- student protestors killed during innocent protests- mbola- French nationals- French bnp- they got seats in the house of French commons- racists in parliament- Algerian massacre- all immigrants marginizaliaed in banlieues (slum)

Go throug films- style genre themes- magical realism