This Is England (Shane Meadows, 2006) is a British drama film that explores the culture of skinhead movement in England during the early 1980s. The film received critical acclaim and won the Best British Independent Film award at the 2006 British Independent Film Awards.
The film’s director, Shane Meadows, is a filmmaker from Nottingham who emerged during the 1990s during a period when regional arts funding was available – allowing him to collaborate with like-minded filmmakers and develop a handful of short films. Meadows released his first feature length film, TwentyFourSeven (1997), a piece rooted in kitchen sink realism and cinéma vérité – film movements that are defined by the showcase of the struggles of working-class lives of young individuals. Meadows’ narratives share concerns with these movements, touching upon similar subject matters, locations, and themes.
Throughout his filmography, Meadows often casts non-professional actors. In This is England, the most notable example of this is Thomas Turgoose who plays Shaun. At the time, Turgoose was a 13 year old boy who had never acted before, being banned from his school’s play due to bad behaviour. This serves to reinforce the gritty, realist tone that Meadows strives for within his body of work. When developing a screenplay, Meadows will typically write the foundations of the dialogue, before encouraging the actors to improvise during a rehearsals. Through this, the dialogue becomes fully realised and an extra layer of authenticity is also added during this process.
Shane Meadows
This is England was shot on location in the midlands, predominantly in Nottingham. However, Meadows filmed the scenes that displayed the town’s docks in Grimsby, making the setting more ambiguous. To reinforce this, the characters accents are also particularly eclectic. For example, while Woody and Gadget have a Lancashire accent, Combo, on the other hand, has a highly distinctive Scouse accent. The film’s aesthetic can be characterised by a mix of gritty realism and stylised cinematography that contribute to the film’s roots in kitchen sink realism. Meadows use of a handheld camera alongside natural lighting give the film a raw, documentary-style feel. The film’s compiled soundtrack also features a mix of classic reggae and punk songs that were popular with the skinhead subculture that the film explores.
The unnamed town’s docks, shot on location in Grimsby
The film portrays the skinhead subculture as a diverse movement that includes both racist and non-racist factions, with Shaun becoming involved within the cultures of both groups. The film also explores the impact of racism on the skinhead movement and how it led to the rise of far-right extremist groups in England. Throughout the film, the rise of far-right extremism in England is critiqued, alongside the indoctrination of these beliefs onto the youth. Shane Meadows has even cited his own personal experience with the skinhead movement as inspiration for the film. This Is England was followed by a television series of the same name, airing in 2010 and set from 1986-1990. The series continued the story of the characters, concluding in 2015.
Trainspotting (Danny Boyle, 1996) is an adaptation of the 1993 novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. The film is a product of the filmmaking collaboration made up of producer Andrew Macdonald, writer John Hodge, director Danny Boyle, and actor Ewan McGregor. The film was both a critical and commercial success, being nominated for two BAFTAs – Best British Film and Best Adapted Screenplay, winning the latter.
After realising their debut film Shallow Grave (1994), Andrew Macdonald spoke to Danny Boyle about the prospect of making Welsh’s book into a film after reading it on a plane in December 1993. Boyle was instantly enamoured by the book, excited by its potential to be the “most energetic film you’ve ever seen”. After reading the book, John Hodge set a goal to produce a screenplay that would have a clear three-act structure, lasting 90 minutes whilst also capturing the essence of the novel. Irvine Welsh was impressed that the trio wanted everyone to see the film, rather than just “the arthouse audience”.
The Trainspotting collaboration: Ewan McGregor (stars as Mark Renton), Andrew Macdonald (producer), Danny Boyle (director), Irvine Welsh (author), and John Hodge(writer)
Trainspotting was released during a time of significant social and cultural change in Britain. The 1990s were characterised by the rise of youth culture and the emergence of new subcultures, as well as the growing problem of drug addiction, especially heroin. Trainspotting captures the zeitgeist of this period and instantly became a cultural touchstone for many young people undergoing similar struggles. The film also rejects consumerist values promoted by the Thatcher government, for example during Renton’s famous opening declaration: “Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television”.
A still from the opening of Trainspotting
The film has a notably distinctive visual style, typical of Danny Boyle’s eclectic body of work. Throughout the film, Boyle implements techniques such as freeze frames, jump cuts, and handheld camera work to create a dynamic aesthetic that captures the frenetic lives of the characters. The film’s non-diegetic composed score also serves as particularly prominent contribution to the film’s aesthetic. The film’s mix of electronic music and classic rock creates a heightened sense of energy, reflecting the emotions of the characters.,
Trainspotting’s narrative structure is also particularly noteworthy, being a series of non-chronological vignettes that reflect the narrative structure of Irvine Welsh’s original novel. The film also utilises surreal, dreamlike imagery at certain points, such as during the scene when Mark dives into the “worst toilet in Scotland” in search of his suppositories, serving to reinforce his desperation and degeneration as a drug addict.
Mark dives into the toilet in an attempt to reclaim his suppositories
No Country for Old Men (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2007) is a neo-Western crime thriller adapted from Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel of the same name. Premiering at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, the film was received to positive acclaim, soon being nominated for eight Academy Awards, and ultimately winning four including the coveted Best Picture award.
Brothers Joel and Ethan Coen are a prolific American filmmaking duo, of which whose films are made up of an eclectic mix of genres and styles, known for subverting the conventions of genre in a tasteful and nuanced manner. The brothers write, direct, and produce their films together with Joel typically taking screen credit for directing, and Ethan producing. The two also jointly edit, assuming the pseudonym Roderick Jaynes for screen credit. The duo have collectively been nominated for 13 Academy Awards, for films such as Barton Fink (1991), Fargo (1996), and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).
Producer Scott Rudin initially bought the rights to the novel, suggesting that the Coen brothers should adapt it for the screen. The brothers were instantly enamoured with the book’s unconventional approach to narrative, one the subverted the Western genre – the story did not end with a typical showdown between good and evil. The title of the novel is taken from the opening line of Irish poet William Butler Yeats’ poem Sailing to Byzantium (1928), being “that is no country for old men”. The film remained mostly faithful to the source material, with the main removal being Sheriff Ed Tom Bell’s backstory.
Joel (left) and Ethan (right) Coen
The film’s cinematography was conducted by the esteemed Roger Deakins, arguably one of the greatest cinematographers of the 21st Century. Deakins has worked on cinematographic masterpieces such as The Shawshank Redemption (Frank Darabont, 1994), and has also had a long-standing relationship with the Coens, working on films such as The Big Lebowski (1998) and O Brother, Where Art Thou (2000).
Roger Deakins pictured with Joel Coen
Deakins’ cinematography in No Country for Old Men is widely considered one of the film‘s stand-out aspects. Throughout the film, he masterfully captures the bleakness of West Texas, making apt use of natural lighting and shadow to bring a breathtaking sense of cinematic realism to the film. Deakins noted that it was a challenge to deviate from his typical stylised visual flair, having to make it “very realistic to match the story”.
A wide shot from the opening sequence displaying a visually striking sunrise, emblematic of Deakins’ cinematic grandeur
No Country for Old Men’s score was composed by Carter Burwell, who has scored numerous films for the Coen brothers. The score is notably minimalist, with the film containing a mere 16 minutes of music. This idea was suggested to Joel by Ethan, who was persuaded to go along with the idea after initially being skeptical towards it. The sparse score that is utilised throughout the film is mostly made up of obscure instruments such as standing bells that are typically found within Buddhist meditation. This, alongside, a innumerable number of ambient sound effects and foley serves to create a pensive atmosphere throughout the film.
Winter’s Bone (Debra Granik, 2010) is an independent drama film based on a 2006 novel of the same name by Daniel Woodrell. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010, the film won both the Grand Jury Prize, alongside the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. The film also received two 2011 Oscar nominations – Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also kickstarted the acting careers of both Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes, who both received Academy Award nominations for their performances in the film.
The film’s director, Debra Granik, is an American independent filmmaker known for directing films including her debut, Down to the Bone (2004) and most recently Leave No Trace (2018). Considered a leading voice in independent cinema, Granik’s films often explore themes of poverty and working-class life, with Winter’s Bone being no exception. The film was widely praised for its naturalistic performances and filmmaking techniques.
Winter’s Bone was produced by Granik and Anne Rossellini through their production company, Anonymous Content. The film’s budget was $2 million, which after multiple failed attempts to finance was provided by a private equity deal. The film grossed $6 million at the box office, tripling its budget. The film was shot on location in the Ozarks of southern Missouri. Many of the supporting roles that spear in the film were first-time actors from the surrounding area, and each home seen within the film were already established – no sets were built. Granik kept most of the existing aesthetics within the homes, with added props being provided by the Ozark people in the community.
Debra Granik, the film’s director
Winter’s Bone also features a score predominantly made up of gospel, traditional folk, and bluegrass music, alongside an original soundtrack composed by Dickon Hinchcliffe. The score, particularly the main theme “Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby” serves to accentuate the rural environment of the Ozarks, reinforcing the themes of poverty and self-sufficiency. Hinchcliffe’s original compositions aids the film in creating a sense of foreboding and unease, heightening the tension as Ree searches for her father.
Dickon Hinchcliffe, the film’s composer
The film’s cinematographer, Michael McDonough utilised a notably muted colour palette throughout the film, emphasising the rugged rurality of the mountainous Ozark region. Handheld cameras were employed throughout the film, building scenes from single perspectives in order to create a sense of realism.
Cinematographer Michael McDonough uses a grainy combination of yellows, browns, greens, and greys to create an aesthetic reminiscent of a worn photograph
The next component we are studying is Component 1b: US Film Since 2005. This section of the course entails two films of study, Winter’s Bone (Debra Granik, 2010), an independent film and No Country for Old Men (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2007), a mainstream film. Throughout this component, the areas of study are the core study areas (including the key elements, contexts, aesthetics and representation) as well as two new specialist study areas – Ideology and Spectatorship. This component also involves a direct comparison between the two studied films, akin to Component 1a.
Compare how far your chosen films reflect their different production contexts.
Sample Assessment Materials
Plan:
Introduction
Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942) and Bonnie and Clyde (Arthur Penn, 1967) are two films that are shining exemplars of two starkly contrasting production contexts within Hollywood. Casablanca was a film produced by Warner Brothers under the Hollywood Studio System during the Golden Age – one which epitomises the rigid and traditional Classical Hollywood style of the era. Conversely, Bonnie and Clyde sought to defy the preconceptions of the Golden Age after the dissolution of the studio system, taking influence from the French New Wave to employ modern technology and unorthodox filmmaking techniques. The film foregrounds a gritty portrayal of two real life criminals – one which does not shy away from graphic violence and sexual undertones – birthing the New Hollywood era of filmmaking.
Body
Institutional context: Compare how Casablanca was produced by Warner Bros under the studio system (vertical integration, unbreakable contracts, star system, Hays code etc.). Whereas Bonnie and Clyde was produced after the Paramount Case, allowing for a greater deal of creative freedom within Warner Bros.
Technological context: Compare the styles of filmmaking (Classical Hollywood style vs French New Wave-influenced style). Mention specific examples rooted in key sequences, alongside the technology available to the studios. Filmed in the studio vs on-location.
Historical context: Compare how Casablanca was filmed and set during the First World War (Vichy water implications), but Bonnie and Clyde is set in a Great Depression 1930s (FDR posters plastered on the wall) , but released during the 1960s.
Comparing how the film stars are presented: Casablanca (Ilsa is glamorous and pristine, through key and fill lighting, Rick’s rugged appearance accentuated by lighting).
Conclusion
Ultimately, both films are apt representations of the production contexts that both films were produced under respectively. Casablanca epitomises the Classical Hollywood style typical of the films of the Golden Age, whereas Bonnie and Clyde paved the way for the New Hollywood era – embracing graphic violence and sexual content that defied the typicalities of the more traditional, conservative films of the previous age.
Essay – Version 1
Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942) and Bonnie and Clyde (Arthur Penn, 1967) are two films that are shining exemplars of two starkly contrasting production contexts within Hollywood. Casablanca was a film produced by Warner Brothers under the Hollywood Studio System that operated under the practice of vertical integration during the Golden Age. The film epitomises the rigid and traditional Classical Hollywood style of the era. Conversely, Bonnie and Clyde sought to defy the preconceptions of the Golden Age after the dissolution of the studio system. By taking influence from the French New Wave, employing modern technology and unorthodox filmmaking techniques, this appealed to the newly diverse cinematic landscape enjoyed by audiences throughout this period. The film foregrounds a gritty portrayal of two real life criminals – one which does not shy away from graphic violence and sexual undertones – birthing the New Hollywood era of filmmaking.
Casablanca’s conception originated with Warner Bros. buying the rights to a unproduced stage play, Everybody Comes to Rick’s, for $20,000. Afterwards, the studio quickly began work on building bespoke sets for the film, creating the illusion of exoticism by foregrounding the lavish production values that the studio poured into the construction. A clear example of this can be seen in the opening sequence of the film in which an expansively lavish set of Casablanca populated with countless extras takes place. This is revealed to the viewer through camerawork typical of the Classical Hollywood style: a crane shot that tilts down to reveal the opulent set. Conversely, Bonnie and Clyde strove to purport the highest level of authenticity and thus, chose to film the vast majority of the film on location with the implementation of natural lighting. The opening sequence of the film introduces us to Clyde through a wide shot filmed through a mosquito net, creating an atmosphere that feels much more tangible than Casablanca’s constructed reality. Akin to the French New Wave, the use of natural lighting serves to add an extra layer of authenticity to the film.
Casablanca is a product of the Golden Age of Hollywood that exemplifies the concept of film star ‘stables’ that were owned by the studios. Due to ‘unbreakable contracts’ that exclusively contracted actors to specific studios, Warner Bros. endeavoured to make apt use of their stars. With this in mind, the studio chose to cast Humphrey Bogart as Rick, a star who was often typecast as the ‘rugged individual’ archetype in films such as The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941). Through this, Rick’s character was customised to suit Bogart’s acting capabilities, introducing us to him in the ‘Leaving Rick’s’ sequence by filming Bogart from a centrally framed low-angle shot whilst being cast in shadow to accentuate his masculinity. In addition to this, during the Paris flashback sequence, Rick dons a trench coat and hat during the train station scene. This subtly pays homage to Humphrey Bogart’s classic detective roles he was cast as during the Film Noir scene, demonstrating that Warner Bros. attempted to fully capitalise on the ‘stable’ of stars they possessed. The studio also chose Ingrid Bergman to play Ilsa, an internationally renowned actress. Throughout the film, Bergman was highly glamourised through the use of lavish costume design, hair, makeup, alongside the use of key lighting and soft focus to accentuate her beauty. This is highly typical of the Classical Hollywood style that Warner Bros. was renowned for at the time.
In contrast, the titular couple in Bonnie and Clyde are presented in a vastly different light. Instead of conforming to the ‘rugged individual’ protagonist archetype, Clyde is presented in a much more nuanced manner due to his ambiguous sexuality that Warren Beatty (producer and star) campaigned for. Towards the end of the opening sequence of the film, a closeup is displayed of Clyde drinking a bottle of Coke, which both connotes provocatively phallic imagery and is indicative of the Prohibition Era that was in effect during the 1930s. This is furthered later in the film when Clyde appears to be uninterested or perhaps unable to engage in sexual activity with Bonnie. Bonnie is presented in a much more seductive manner in contrast to Ilsa, which is immediately demonstrated to the audience through the first shot of the film – an extreme closeup of her luscious red lips, a symbol of sex. This, alongside the fact that Bonnie appears naked for the first scene of the film, presents her feminine beauty in a more natural and intimate manner than Ilsa’s artificially maintained beauty.
Casablanca’s production was spearheaded by Jack L. Warner – the president of Warner Brothers. A primary agenda of Warner was to feature the ongoing war prominently in the studio’s films, in an attempt to subtly signal America to join the war efforts. This is particularly evident in the final scene of the film, in which Captain Renault chooses to bin the Vichy-branded water bottle, displayed to the viewer through a closeup. This is symbolic of the studio’s negative views towards fascism, perhaps being indicative of the side the country eventually took when America joined the war. Historical context is also important to consider when evaluating the production contexts of Bonnie and Clyde. Although the film was released in 1967, it is set during the 1930s – a time in which the effects of the Great Depression coursed through all of America, particularly the poorer Southern states in which the film takes place. For example, the streets that the couple walk down in the opening sequence are barren, reflective of the Great Depression. The mise-en-scène is also meticulously selected to reflect the time period, such as the FDR presidential campaign posters that are plastered to the walls, serving to immerse the audience in the 1930s. Through this, viewers who had lived through this time period themselves were encouraged to empathise with Bonnie and Clyde’s struggles during this period of poverty and bleakness.
Casablanca was shot entirely in black and white, a typical feature of Warner Brothers’ ‘house style’ at the time. By 1942, colour had been implemented into a number films for around a decade, with studios such as MGM immediately choosing to embrace colour. MGM would go on to produce The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939) a landmark of the cutting-edge Technicolor technology, but colour was considered by many other studios to merely be a ‘gimmick’. During the time of Casablanca’s release, black and white was arguably at its peak, and Warner Bros. believed that choosing to film in black and white – despite the introduction of colour technology – demonstrated artistic nuance, as the iconic ‘noir aesthetic’ had now been refined for over 50 years. Colour was not as ‘sterile’ as black and white was during this time, only being able to display highly saturated colours. Conversely, Bonnie and Clyde was shot in colour, aptly portraying a much grittier and authentic atmosphere in contrast to Casablanca romanticised ‘noir’ aesthetic. The film’s cinematographer, Burnett Guffey, once stated that Arthur Penn wanted the film to be “as real and untheatrical as possible” and the decision to embrace modern Technicolor technology supports this.
During the production of Casablanca, the studio was significantly limited by the Hays Code – a series of regulations that forbade graphic violence and sexual content to be displayed within the film. This is particularly evident in the final scene of the film in which Rick shoots Major Strasser, after which no blood is shown, indicative of the Hays Code restrictions. This conservative presentation of violence soon became a typical convention of the Classical Hollywood style, to which audiences became accustomed during the Golden Age. This greatly contrasts with how violence is presented throughout Bonnie and Clyde. After the dissolution of the studio system that occurred after the result of the Paramount Case, the Hays Code gradually became more lax over time, resulting in Bonnie and Clyde’s presentation of graphic violence as a means to shock audiences who had become accustomed to the conservative presentation of violence typical of Classical Hollywood. At the end of the ‘Botched Heist’ sequence, Clyde shoots a man in the mouth through a car window. This is presented to the viewer through rapid editing, cutting quickly between closeups of the man clinging to the car and reactionary shots of Clyde. The film does not shy away from its presentation of blood, with the film implementing the use of squibs filled with stage blood, which exploded upon impact. These were employed in this scene, alongside many others throughout the film, including the infamous massacre of the titular couple at the end of the film. This graphic display of violence serves to ground the film in reality and forces the audience to confront Bonnie and Clyde’s heinous actions.
Ultimately, both films are apt representations of the production contexts that both films were produced under respectively. Casablanca epitomises the Classical Hollywood style typical of the films of the Golden Age, whereas Bonnie and Clyde paved the way for the New Hollywood era – embracing graphic violence and sexual content that defied the typicalities of the more traditional, conservative films of the previous age.
Bonnie and Clyde (Arthur Penn, 1967) is widely considered to be a landmark film in shaping what would later be known as the New Hollywood era of filmmaking that lasted throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. There are several important contexts to consider when evaluating what factors influenced the film’s production.
Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty in costume as Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow
One of the most significant factors to consider is the cultural context within America throughout this period. During the late 1960s, a series of significant cultural events emanated throughout America during this period, including both the Civil rights movement as well as the Vietnam War – two majors sources of conflict and tension that manifested films including both Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979) and The Deer Hunter (Michael Cimino, 1978). Bonnie and Clyde arguably spearheaded this new era of filmmaking during this time, often considered to be a reflection of the rebellious spirit of America at the time, coming off the back of the dissolution of the studio system that gradually occurred after the Paramount Case in 1948. It is for the reason why Bonnie and Clyde is often cited as the first film of the New Hollywood era.
Another important context to consider is the historical context of the 1930s – the time period in which the film is set. The real life Bonnie and Clyde carried out their criminal activities during a time in which the lasting effects of the Great Depression were observable all across America, particularly the rural southern states in which the couple’s escapades occurred. The film aptly illustrates this time period, displaying barren streets that are plastered with posters advertising the FDR presidential campaign. As a result, audiences who had lived through this time period themselves were more likely to empathise with Bonnie and Clyde’s struggles within this time of poverty and bleakness.
Institutional and political contexts also played a key role in influencing the production of Bonnie and Clyde. The film was produced by Warner Brothers – one of the ‘Big Five’ Hollywood studios. Throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood, the studio garnered a reputation for making traditional and conservative films, keeping to a ‘house style’ that conformed to the regulations of the Hays Code. Bonnie and Clyde could be considered a drastic departure from this Classical Hollywood style – foregrounding both graphic violence and underlying sexual themes. This was initially viewed as controversial, facing particular opposition from Jack L. Warner who despite his fervent attempts, ultimately failed to block the production of the film. Despite this drastic shift in tone, the film was become a critical and commercial success, in large part due to the support of influential figures within the studio, namely the man responsible for spearheading the film’s release – producer and star, Warren Beatty.
The social context of the 1960s also had an impact on Bonnie and Clyde’s release. The film was released at a time when there was a great deal of interest in the lives of ordinary people and their struggles, which was largely popularised in America through this notion being commonly depicted within French New Wave cinema. Audiences were now exposed to film movements outside of Hollywood after the collapse of the studio system, and as a result, techniques and themes of other movements, including the French New Wave, were gradually imbued into the films of New Hollywood. Bonnie and Clyde took a great deal of influence from this film movement, with the its portrayal of the couple’s relationship and their struggles against the forces of authority resonating with many viewers, aiding the film to inevitably become a cultural touchstone.
Cutting-edge technology of the 1960s also played a role in the production of Bonnie and Clyde. The use of handheld cameras and long lenses served to create a more naturalistic atmosphere throughout the film, with this technology being used in a similar way during the French New Wave to achieve this effect. It was also one of the first films to utilise ‘squibs’ extensively. These were small explosive charges filled with stage blood that would detonate inside an actor’s clothes to purport violence in a more dynamic and authentic manner.
The “meeting family” sequence of Bonnie and Clyde (Arthur Penn, 1967) begins after Bonnie runs away from the gang into a field, after which Clyde desperately attempts to locate her as he repeatedly calls her name. After he finds Bonnie, she informs Clyde that she wishes to see her mother again. We then cut to a barren wheat field in which the members of the gang, now made up of: Bonnie, Clyde, Buck, Blanche, and C.W. convene with Bonnie’s family, in order to partake in a family gathering. This desolate location is highly symbolic, perhaps foreshadowing Bonnie and Clyde’s inevitable demise. To accentuate this, this sequence is filmed in a manner reminiscent of a dream sequence – providing the setting with an otherworldly quality. The sequence ends with Clyde’s boyish charm failing to convince Bonnie’s mother that everything is okay, as she tells him that “you best keep running, Clyde Barrow”.
Key Elements, Context, and Representation
The opening scene in which the gang attempt to locate Bonnie is a prime exemplar of the how the film takes dual influence from the familiar Classical Hollywood style alongside newer, more experimental influences such as the French New Wave. As for the Classical Hollywood style, the camera is placed on a rig to seamlessly track the car’s movements as the camera moves backwards. The use of a rig creates a highly controlled environment, typical of films such as Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942). The use of a crane shot is also employed to display Clyde chasing Bonnie through the field, a technique also frequently implemented throughout the films of the Golden Age. Techniques that are inspired by the French New Wave includes the use of long lenses to film. This, alongside improvised handheld camera movements and blocking when Clyde chases Bonnie through the wheat field, creates a naturalistic atmosphere. The scene is also shot on location, meaning that the visuals are not particularly clear. However, this only serves to add an extra layer of realism to the scene.
The weather also appears to break continuity during certain shots – the wheat field appears to be in shadow until it cuts to a closer angle, displaying a much sunnier scene. A piece of wheat also flaps in front of the camera, demonstrating the uncontrollable nature of filming on location. The fact that the couple lie in a dead wheat field is perhaps an example of metaphorical foreshadowing – Bonnie and Clyde’s demise is inevitable.
After Clyde agrees to the family gathering, we then cross-dissolve to a new location, the abandoned industrial wasteland. The sequence opens on a wide shot of this wasteland, displaying the moribund state it exists after the Great Depression. During the scenes that take place in this setting, a grainy filter is applied to the camera that was achieved by filming through a car windscreen. This creates a distant, otherworldly atmosphere to the scene, implying that these brief moments of happiness only prolong the couple’s inexorable downfall. The colouring also appears to be extremely washed out, further emphasising the barren atmosphere that the family are forced to seclude themselves within.
The abandoned, moribund wasteland
The closeup of Bonnie’s mother is also shot on a long lens, creating an entirely shallow depth of field behind her. This serves to separate her face from the background, drawing the viewer’s attention towards her withered appearance. Each character is also dressed in solemn, formal clothing – reminiscent of funeral attire, contributing the overall ‘death metaphor’ present throughout the sequence. The sound throughout the sequence also appears to be much more distant than normal, merely consisting of muffled diegetic ambience and dialogue. The use of frame rate drops are also employed, jarring the viewer and creating a disjointed atmosphere.
As Bonnie and Clyde innocently play with Bonnie’s nephew in the pit, Buck and Blanche awkwardly stand to the side in a subdued manner. From this, the viewer is able to surmise that Buck and Blanche have realised the inevitably of Bonnie and Clyde’s demise and are empathising with the couple’s blissful naïveté. Clyde’s charismatic charm doesn’t appear to convince Bonnie’s mother of his suitability as a partner for her daughter. During this, Bonnie is portrayed in a much less playful and flirtatious light – she takes on a solemn demeanour, displaying concern for her future with Clyde. As Bonnie’s mother delivers her truthful opinion of Clyde to his face, she is once again isolated in a closeup – emphasising that no one possesses any hope for their future.
As the characters slowly begin to leave the frame, the final conversations revert back to utilising a typical shot/reverse shot sequence. This reinforces the idea that the jovial family gathering has now concluded, and the gritty reality of the poverty-struck South has once again become apparent. The sequence ends with a wide shot of the abandoned wasteland, leaving the Barrow Gang isolated in the frame – informing us that the family does not intend to aid their efforts, and the gang is truly alone.
Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942) is a film that arguably epitomises the landscape of filmmaking that existed in America throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood. It was produced under the context of the studio system, in which the Big Five and Little Three dominated the playing field of Hollywood, operating under a vertically integrated system.
In late 1941, Warner Bros. producer Hal B. Wallis became fascinated by an unproduced stage play called Everybody Comes to Rick’s. In late December of that same year, the studio bought the film rights for $20,000 and changed the title to Casablanca. The studio quickly began work on building bespoke sets for the film, creating the illusion of exoticism by foregrounding the lavish production values that the studio poured into the construction. Key set locations include the streets of Casablanca, the streets of Paris, and of course – Rick’s Café Americain, the primary location of the film. Each of these sets were populated with a multitude of extras in creating an artificial sense of hustle and bustle.
The film is both set and was filmed during the events of the Second World War. Because of this, executive producer Jack L. Warner pioneered the heavy wartime undertones featured throughout the film, as he vehemently believed that it would strongly encourage America to join the war effort. The final scene is particularly notable in this regard, as when Renault chooses to bin the Vichy-branded water bottle, it is symbolic of the studio’s views on fascism. Due to the ongoing war, the studio was not allowed to film at an airport after dark. Warner Bros. instead decided to film on a sound stage using a cardboard cutout of a plane – playing with perspective to create the illusion of a full-sized aeroplane.
The Vichy water bottle is disposed of by Renault, being indicative of Warner Bros.’ views on fascism
Casablanca was shot entirely in black and white, which was highly characteristic of Warner Bros. at the time. By 1942, colour had been implemented into a number films for around a decade, with studios such as MGM immediately choosing to embrace colour. MGM would go on to produce The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939) a landmark of the cutting-edge Technicolor technology, but the technology was considered by many other studios to be a ‘gimmick’. During the time of Casablanca’s release, black and white was arguably at its peak, and Warner Bros. believed that choosing to film in black and white – despite the introduction of colour technology – demonstrated artistic nuance, as the iconic ‘noir aesthetic’ had now been refined for over 50 years. Colour was not as ‘sterile’ as black and white was during this time, only being able to display highly saturated colours.
Despite the fact that Casablanca is now a landmark of American cinema, only three actors who received screen credit were born in the United States: Humphrey Bogart (Rick), Dooley Wilson (Sam), and Joy Page (Annina Brandel). All of the other actors were European exiles who had fled the war, landing themselves in Hollywood. Many of the actors who appear as Nazis in the film were in fact German Jews who had escaped from Nazi Germany, with Conrad Veidt, Major Strasser’s actor, being forced to flee Germany after the SS learned of his friendship with the Jewish community. Veidt was convinced that he was aiding the war effort by playing a Nazi villain.
Casablanca is also a product of the Golden Age of Hollywood that exemplifies the ‘stables’ of film stars owned by the studios. Due to ‘unbreakable contracts’ that exclusively contracted actors to specific studios, Warner Bros. endeavoured to make apt use of their stars, The studio chose to cast Humphrey Bogart as Rick. Throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood, Bogart was often typecast as the ‘rugged individual’ archetype in films such as The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941) and Rick’s character was customised to suit Bogart’s acting capabilities.
Ilsa’s actress, Ingrid Bergman, was an internationally renowned Swedish actress known for her radiant beauty. Warner Bros. capitalised upon this by casting Bergman as Ilsa, accentuating her glamour by utilising lighting and costume design to portray Ilsa in a glamorous manner. The fact that Bergman measured two inches taller than Bogart did not align with the gender stereotypes at the time of release. Because of this, Bogart was actually made to stand on boxes during specific shots of the film to make him appear taller than Bergman.
The final sequence of Casablanca is widely regarded as one of the most poignant scenes across cinema. We are displayed a heartfelt final goodbye between Rick and Ilsa, before Rick shoots Major Strasser – symbolising good triumphing over evil. The sequence ends with Rick and Renault walking off into the mist, before Rick speaks the iconic final line of the film: “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”.
Cinematography
The sequence opens on a mid-tracking shot of an airport attendee, before coming to rest on the moving car. The camera then tracks the movements of the passengers leaving the car, before pulling out further into a five-shot that displays who Captain Renault is speaking to. This is a clear example of the Classical Hollywood style of camera technique, and blocking which prevents the requirement for any jarring cuts that would shatter the immersion for the viewer.
Rick and Ilsa’s final exchange is filmed with a tight two-shot, framing them in a romantic manner. This also alleviates the requirement to film a shot/reverse shot sequence, which would be less immersive. Both characters are filmed in a shallow depth of focus, directing the viewer’s attention towards Rick and Ilsa.
Sound
A number of reoccurring leitmotifs can be heard in Steiner’s non-diegetic score during this sequence, including As Time Goes By. This encourages the viewer to reminisce on Rick and Ilsa’s relationship, and how it has evolved over the course of the film.
Mise-en-scène
Lighting is utilised to make Rick’s eyes glisten alongside Ilsa’s for the the first time, emphasising the heartfelt nature of their final conversation. He has finally come to terms with his relationship with Ilsa.
Editing
A rapid shot/reverse shot sequence is employed between Rick and Major Strasser heightens the tension of the scene, before cutting to an over-the-shoulder shot that displays Rick’s quickdraw victory.
Performance
Renault’s line “round up the usual suspects” harkens back to his earlier line heard in the opening sequence. It informs us that he is not going to incriminate Rick, reinforcing his sleazy demeanour.
Context and Representation
Instead of immediately shooting Strasser, Rick gives him three chances before finally shooting him in a non-fatal way. This represents Rick as the noble rugged individual American protagonist archetype.
When Strasser is shot, no blood is displayed due to the restrictions of the Hays Code. This emphasises the content restrictions that Casablanca had to abide by.
Renault actively chooses to throw the Vichy-labelled water into the bin, proceeding to then kick it. This symbolically reflects Jack L. Warner’s views on the abolition of fascism – it is his way of encouraging America to join the war.
This sequence begins with Rick glumly drinking in his café alone, after coincidentally reuniting with Ilsa after she happens to walk into his abode, stating the famous line: “of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine”. After Sam walks in, he requests for him to play As Time Goes By, reminding himself of his time with Ilsa in Paris. We then transition into a flashback sequence. This example of analepsis serves to contextualise Rick and Ilsa’s relationship in Paris, also informing us that Ilsa ran away without telling Rick in order to save her husband – Laszlo – whom she’d presumed to be dead in a concentration camp.
Cinematography
The scene where Rick sits in the bar is shot with dim lighting, shrouding Rick within a thick shadow. This aptly reflects his distraught state of mind.
The closeup of Ilsa’s final note to Rick is left on the screen for an appropriate amount of time as to provide the viewer with enough time to read it. The fact that the ink is melting on the page is perhaps also symbolic of the two lovers’ relationship melting away.
As Ilsa enters Rick’s café when we return to the present, over-exposure is implemented to portray Ilsa as a beacon of light. This illustrates her as an angelic deity, entering Rick’s dark inner sanctum.
Sound
As we transition into the analeptic flashback sequence, Steiner’s non-diegetic soars to a crescendo in the mix.
During the café sequence, Sam can be seen playing As Time Goes By, which recontextualises the previous interaction between Sam and Ilsa.
Mise-en-scène
The shot of Rick and Ilsa driving is shot with the use of back projection, creating the illusion of a Parisian vista being behind the couple.
Makeup has been applied to Rick and Ilsa to make them appear younger during the flashback sequence. Rick’s face appears to be much less wrinkly and rugged due to the fact that he is wearing concealer.
The Eiffel Tower can be seen in the background of the set, informing the audience that we are in Paris. A number of props can also be seen throughout this sequence, such as Ilsa’s beret and a model of the Eiffel Tower in the café. These silently remind the viewer of the location that this flashback is taking place in – Paris.
The heavy rain at the train station as Rick hopelessly waits for Ilsa to arrive is an example of pathetic fallacy, reflecting Rick’s distressed inner turmoil.
Editing
Despite the fact that Sam is playing piano, the camera remains on a closeup of Rick, highlighting his importance as the protagonist.
To initiate the flashback sequence, the camera pushes into a tight closeup of Rick, before fading to white. We then cross-fade between an array of positive memories of Rick and Ilsa in Paris, characterising their relationship.
Performance
Rick utters his famous line: “Here’s looking at you, kid” during the flashback, foreshadowing Rick and Ilsa’s final goodbye at the end of the film.
Context and Representation
The use of analepsis in the film is a notable deviation from the Classical Hollywood style. The vast majority of films released throughout this period were told in a predominantly linear fashion, as to tell a simple narrative in a clear and easily digestible fashion. Despite this, the extended flashback sequence is told through normal continuity as to not confuse the viewer.
The striking implementation of real wartime newsreel footage ground this sequence in reality, reinforcing the war setting that the film was both set and filmed during.
Rick dons a trench coat and hat during the train station scene, paying homage to Humphrey Bogart’s classic detective roles during the Film Noir scene. This is an example of Warner Bros. capitalising on the ‘stable’ of stars that they possessed, using them to their fullest capability.
Auteur
The dialogue during the flashback sequence is highly expositional, serving to clearly explaining the events of the Nazis invading France. The viewer now has a clear understanding of Rick and Ilsa’s relationship in Paris, and thus forms an emotional connection to them.
This sequence establishes the foundations of the history that Rick, Ilsa, and Sam share together during their time in Paris. At this point, the events of what actually happened are shrouded in mystery, and the viewer is left to ponder why the relationship between the characters is so tense. This sequence also introduces us to the main theme of the film – As Time Goes By – which is performed by Sam.
Cinematography
We spend the majority of the conversation between Sam and Ilsa looking at Ilsa, with the typical shot/reverse shot sparsely being used.
As Sam plays As Time Goes By we cut to an extended reactionary shot of Ilsa. From this, the viewer is able to infer that she has an emotional connection to the song.
As Rick enters the room, we cut to a low-angle shot that frames him centrally. This provides an appropriately dramatic entrance for the tense reunion between the past lovers.
Rick’s depth of field is much deeper than Ilsa’s subconsciously diverting the viewer’s attention towards Ilsa’s glamour. The closeup of Rick draws attention to his rugged, craggy appearance, whilst also being able to take in the surroundings of the café.
Sound
As Time Goes By is expertly implemented as an emotionally manipulative diegetic piece that provides an appropriate romantic evocation – it was specifically selected by Max Steiner himself.
As Rick and Ilsa see each other, Steiner’s emotional score promptly enters the mix, highlighting the tension between the couple.
Mise-en-scène
Rick’s café as a set is arguably the heart of the production, being meticulously designed and highly expensive. The location is inevitably displayed often, foregrounding the lavish production values.
Ilsa wears extravagant jewellery that glistens in the light, highlighting her beauty.
Careful blocking of the actors allows for everything of importance to be visible in the frame. For example, Laszlo moves out of the way when Renault calls a waiter to the table in order to display who he is talking to.
Editing
In typical Classical Hollywood fashion, Curtiz employs a shot/reverse shot sequence between Rick and Ilsa. However, the closeups of Ilsa are much more prolonged, highlighting her radiant appearance.
Reframing the composition of the shot provides a seamless transition from a four-shot to a three-shot, reducing the frequency of potentially jarring cuts.
Performance
At the end of the sequence, Rick silently conveys his emotions. His distraught facial expression emphasises his emotional inner turmoil as he turns to face the camera. Although he doesn’t look directly into the camera, this mid shot of Rick appropriately illustrates his wistful state of mind.
Context and Representation
The dialogue between Rick and Ilsa is highly melodramatic, reflecting the conventions of the romance genre that the film conforms to. The specific language used successfully manipulates the viewer to tug on their heartstrings and emotional resonate with the characters.
Throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood, Humphrey Bogart was a film star who was often typecast as the ‘rugged individual’ archetype. Studios capitalised upon the fact that audiences went to see films in order to see their favourite stars, and Rick’s character epitomises Bogart’s acting strengths.
This sequence serves to introduce us to two more important characters in the film – Victor Laszlo and Ilsa Lund. As they sit at a table in the café, we learn that Victor Laszlo is a fugitive Czech Resistance leader who narrowly escaped a concentration camp. Strasser confronts Laszlo in the café, and the two face off against each other in attempt to stand their ground. Under Major Strasser’s command, Captain Renault arranges a meeting with Laszlo for the next morning.
Cinematography
A tracking shot is used to follow the movements of the couple as they enter the cafe, diverting the viewer’s attention towards them.
During the dialogue sequence, the camera moves fluidly, panning up and down whilst maintaining a gliding motion. This allows the composition of the shot to easily be reframed without having a convoluted shot/reverse shot sequence.
Main, back, and fill lighting is used to light Ilsa in a highly flattering and glamours manner, as opposed to Renault who is lit more modestly, in order to appear more compassionate.
The closeups of Ilsa use a much shallower depth of field than the closeups of Lazslo, which fully draws the viewer’s attention towards her glamorous appearance.
Sound
When Laszlo and Ilsa approach Sam, the diegetic sound of his piano playing rises in the mix, immersing the viewer into their position. Conversely, the piano lowers in the mix during the dialogue scenes in order to efficiently convey exposition.
Mise-en-scène
In the last sequence, we were introduced to Rick wearing a white suit. As Lazslo and Ilsa enter the café, we can see that the couple are also both wearing white – with Ilsa’s costume being the whitest. This use of colour is representative of the characters’ purity and innocence, whilst also drawing the viewer’s eyes towards Ilsa’s radiant appearance.
Editing
When Laszlo speaks to the resistance member, Curtiz employs the use of a shot/reverse shot sequence to display who is talking at a specific moment.
Performance
Laszlo’s expression is stoic, emphasising his resilient nature after enduring the torturous concentration camp. Ilsa, on the other hand, appears to be nervous as she enters Rick’s abode, provoking questions in the viewer’s mind. We also see Sam’s reaction to the couple’s arrival – his face exudes a sense of apprehension when he sees Ilsa, which suggests that he knows her from the past.
Context and Representation
Ilsa (played by Ingrid Bergman) was an international film star and was thus dressed in a radiant manner, andlit in a highly flattering lighting in order to fully accentuate her feminine beauty. This can be seen through her meticulous neat hair and how her skin does not contain a single blemish. Bergman was predominantly filmed from her left side, so that the three-point lighting caught her eyes in a way that made them appear to shine.
Conversely, the male characters – such as Rick and Laszlo -are lit in are a more obscured lighting to emphasise their ruggedness. This is exemplary of Warner Bros. selling the ideal of glamour within their films, a notion that was highly typical of the Classical Hollywood style.
Ilsa speaks in a Mid-Atlantic accent – a superficial accent used frequently throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood. This accent blends the British and American accents in a way that appeals to both audiences and also conveys a sense of aristocracy and elegance.
Major Strasser is presented as a cold and ruthless force during his confrontation with Lazslo, standing over him to assert his dominance. Laszlo then stands up out of his chair to tower over him, shifting the power dynamic. This paints Laszlo as the ‘noble European’, standing up to the nefarious Nazi forces.
“Rick’s Introductory Sequence” serves to introduce us to the primary location of Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942) – Rick’s Café Américain. The entire café was a set built for the film, and this sequence serves to foreground the illicit dealings that occur within the establishment, alongside introducing us to the protagonist of the film after 10 minutes of build-up – Rick Blaine played by Humphrey Bogart.
Cinematography
The scene opens on a long shot of Rick’s café, which then cuts to a wide shot that clearly displays the sign for the viewer to see. This sequence of shots is typical of the Classical Hollywood style that Casablanca epitomises.
Curtiz employs a multitude of sophisticated filmmaking techniques in this sequence that are presented in a seamless manner. The camera movements are very smooth and appear to glide around the set, which was achieved by the bespoke set constructed purely for the film. This seamless camera movement is reminiscent of a Steadicam, which was not invented until 1974.
One character holds the door open for the camera, breaking the fourth wall. This is almost as if the camera is a customer entering Rick’s café which serves to provide a heightened sense of immersion. The shot then becomes a crab shot, displaying the set in all its splendour.
The camera tracks a waiter’s movements across the cafe, creating a flowing rhythm as we move to the new location which lies deeper within the cafe. This area exists within the inter area of the bar, perhaps representing a deeper core of Rick’s establishment.
As we eventually cut to the casino, we are first introduced to Rick through a closeup of a document that he is authorising. The fact that he uses his own name to represent his authority, merely writing OK RICK” establishes that he sits at the highest level of importance within the café. We then cut to a shot of Rick’s arm handing the document to another man, before the camera finally tilts up into a closeup of Rick himself.
Curtiz briefly pulls Rick out of focus in order to draw attention to his rugged and weary face, demonstrating that he is a weathered and experienced figure.
The sequence concludes with an over-the-shoulder shot of Rick observing his empire. Each person appears to be looking up at Rick, seeking his approval.
Sound
As the camera crabs and pushes in towards Sam, the diegetic sound of Sam’s singing rises in the mix. We are able to hear him more clearly the closer the camera gets, further immersing the viewer within the establishment.
Mise-en-scène
The actors are deliberately blocked out of the way of the camera, which allows for clean shots of the interior. This immerses the viewer within Rick’s world as we seamlessly glide into his inner sanctum.
The chessboard on Rick’s desk perhaps conveys symbolism. We can see that the black pieces are on Rick’s sides, emphasising his mysterious and powerful presence. Rick also smokes and drinks alcohol, which conveys his masculinity to the viewer. The camera finally tilts up to reveal that Rick is wearing a white tuxedo and a black bow tie, emphasising his elegance and sophistication.
Editing
After the closeup of Sam singing, we cut to a wide shot of a different angle of the café. Through the use of a sophisticated L-cut, we are still able to hear Sam singing. This subconsciously informs the viewer of the fact that we are still in Rick’s café, despite the cut to a different angle.
Performance
To inform us of the fact that the bar is a seedy location, the viewer is presented with some shady exchanges in which the actors speak in a hushed manner. For example, a man tells a man to remember to pay him in cash, which provokes the viewer to fill in the blanks. This reinforces the secretive and illicit nature of this dealings.
Context and Representation
Rick’s café is another expensive set that a large portion of the film takes place in. Because of this, the set is displayed frequently in order to foreground the lavish production values of the constructed reality that is the café.
Rick’s iconic white tuxedo with a black bow tie inspired the likes of later cinematic icons like James Bond.
The fact that Rick is displayed drinking and smoking only serves to paint him as a rugged, masculine individual. To contrast this, the women seen in the café are lit in a juxtaposing light, serving to accentuate their femininity.
The “Enemy Arriving” sequence serves to introduce the audience to the main antagonistic force of Casablanca – the Nazis. The sequence also further establishes the shady occurrences within Casablanca, as well as the refugees’ desire to leave Casablanca to depart for America.
Cinematography
The aspect ratio of the film is 4:3, which was the standard practice at the time and was referred to as the ‘academy ratio’. Through the deliberate blocking of the waiter, who perfectly positions himself between the couple, this allows the three of them to be viewed in a single shot within the square frame. They are in prime position for the conversation to take place most effectively.
The wide shot of the couple sitting outside in the cafe is shot in deep focus. Through this, the viewer is able to view the French sigil in the background of the shot, which allows for efficient storytelling.
A wide shot displays the plane landing in the airport, after which we cut to a slightly closer shot with an identical composition, this being an example of subtle continuity editing. As the Nazis walk out from the plane, the camera pulls back to naturally transform the three-shot into a five-shot.
Sound
The diegetic sounds of the plane rise in the mix during the shots that display it landing, but lower when we cut to the citizens of Casablanca gazing at the plane. This allows for the audience to hear their dialogue, providing a more immersive experience.
Mise-en-scène
A model aeroplane is used to create the illusion of a real plane flying in the air. The plane also flies by Rick’s cafe, prominently displaying the sign to the viewer. This suggests it will be an important location. All of the actors are blocked in a way that frames the shot in order to divert the viewer’s attention towards the plane. The shape of the archway in the airport is also noticeably stylistic, reinforcing the exoticism of Casablanca.
Editing
The considerate use of blocking meant that the frequency of cuts was able to be reduced, thus making the editing seem invisible
The shot of the plane in the air cross-fades into a matte painting of the airport, providing a seamless transition.
Performance
The actors playing foreign refugees all perform in a stereotypical manner that immediately gives the viewer an idea as to where they are from.
Renault presents himself in an affable and happy-go-lucky manner, characterising himself as the sleazy police chief.
Context and Representation
Warner Bros. constructed an expensive set of Casablanca purely for the film, which is populated by a multiplicity of extras. This constructed reality serves to provide the highest sense of immersion for the viewer.
The sequence involving the pickpocket is representative of the shady atmosphere present throughout Casablanca.
The residents of Casablanca are wistfully transfixed onto the plane, informing the viewer that they are seeking an escape. A short dialogue exchange also confirms this.
The Nazis behave in a very formal and mechanical manner that is representative of how Jack L. Warner perceived them to be.
Auteur
A typical Michael Curtiz technique involved pulling out the camera from a two-shot in order to reveal a third person in the frame. This technique can be seen in this sequence, when the camera pulls out to reveal a third man talking to the couple who are sitting down. This is an example of efficient camerawork, in which the editing is able to naturally blend into the background.
The opening sequence of Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942) serves to aptly introduce the viewer to the film, establishing the setting, tone, and general premise. The sequence is highly expositional, utilising narration to explain the current war situation, as well as why refugees are fleeing to Casablanca. We also learn of the two German couriers suspected of possessing the important documents, and witness a murder occur in broad daylight. This all serves to present the Nazis as the domineering antagonistic force of the film.
Cinematography
The opening narration is accompanied by the animation of a dramatic spinning globe, after which the camera pushes into a visual representation of the journey.
The idyllic nature of the city begins to fade as the camera tilts down into the crowded streets. This reveals an expansive set populated by a mass of extras.
The man speaking into the telephone is centrally framed in full focus as he speaks into the telephone, fully diverting the viewer’s attention towards him and the expositional dialogue he recites. He proceeds to explain the case of the German couriers suspected of being in Casablanca possessing important documents.
Sound
The first notable aspect of Casablanca’s opening sequence is Max Steiner’s highly triumphant score that enters the mix in a grandiose manner as the credits roll, which naturally segues into the French national anthem. This provides a twofold sense of international exoticism alongside patriotism. After the opening credits sequence concludes, the score lowers in the mix and the non-diegetic narration rises in the mix.
The diegetic narration establishes the exposition for the film, explaining the path the refugees take in order to reach Casablanca.
Steiner’s non-diegetic score now lowers in the mix, foregrounding the diegetic busy ambience of the streets.
The French national anthem is played in a minor key after the murder, emphasising the political unrest that lies at the heart of Casablanca.
Mise-en-scène
Casablanca is portrayed as an idyllic destination through the use of narration, which is merely accentuated by a hand drawn matte painting of the city. This illustrates a vivid world of vitality, yet the clouds are dark – suggesting that a force of evil resides within the city.
As we cut back to the streets of the city, an erratic atmosphere is created. Each extra is blocked in a way that creates a sense of business, as the police car enters the scene.
Editing
We cross-fade between each country, after which the camera pulls out to display the scale. The map is superimposed onto live-action footage, providing a dual sense of enticing scale alongside realism. This ultimately provides a sense of heightened immersion for the viewer.
We then cross-fade into the office of a man receiving a telegram.
The pace of the editing begins to quicken, demonstrating the urgency of the situation. This sequence merely serves to assist the narrative, providing a sense of urgency that contextualises the persecution of the refugees in the city.
Performance
A sense of escalation is created through the narration as the man utters the line “wait… and wait”, suggesting that hopelessness is exuded throughout Casablanca.
Although most of these scenarios occur silently, we are presented one where the dialogue is able to be heard. This efficient method of storytelling is highly typical of the Classical Hollywood style prominent during the Golden Age of Hollywood.
The German soldiers speak in highly exaggerated accents, informing the audience that they are not filming locally in Morocco and instead employ American actors to put on an accent.
Context and Representation
The film opens with a large Warner Bros. logo, with Jack L. Warner’s name proudly displayed at the forefront, immediately informing the viewing that it is ‘his’ film. Despite his lack of personal involvement, Warner pioneered the film’s production and oversaw prolific elements of the pre-production stage. The stars, such as Humphrey Bogart and Paul Henreid are listed before the title of the film itself, demonstrating that the stars outweighed the film in terms of influence. It is also interesting to make note of the fact that Michael Curtiz’ name is the same size as the rest of the producers, suggesting a level of equal collaboration between them – reinforcing the idea of the studio auteur.
The film is shot in black and white, which was highly characteristic of Warner Bros. at the time. By 1942, colour had been implemented into a small number films for around a decade, such as The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939), but the technology was considered by many to be a ‘gimmick’. During the time of Casablanca’s release, black and white was arguably at its peak. Choosing to continue a film in black and white despite the invention of colour demonstrated artistic nuance, as the iconic ‘noir aesthetic’ had now been refined for over 50 years. Colour was not as ‘sterile’ as black and white was during this time, only being able to display highly saturated colours.
When the man possessing the out-of-date documents is shot by the Nazis, no blood is displayed at all – he merely falls over and the viewer must assume he is dead. This is indicative of the Hays code: the content regulations that each of the Hollywood studios had to conform to. The effects of violence were not allowed to be shown on screen, and even firing a gun at someone was pushing the limits of the regulations.
The leaflet embossed with the ‘Free France’ propaganda message is centrally framed, being symbolically ironic due to the man being shot under the French message that is promoting freedom. This demonstrates Jack L. Warner’s influence upon the film – he firmly believed that war should feature prominently throughout the film, and it is suspected that the film was his way of signalling America to join the war.
Over the course of the Golden Age of Hollywood, American filmmaking ultimately coalesced around Hollywood – a suburb of Los Angeles. Filmmaking was considered both a huge commercial proposition and a business first and foremost, which led to the emergence of a small number of domineering film studios. These corporations fiercely competed against each other in order to produce grander and more impressive films.
The Studios
By the 1930s, eight American film studios had been established – all being conceived at similar times throughout the previous two decades. Colloquially known as the ‘Big Five’ and ‘Little Three’, each of these studios appeared to be very similar on the surface, however each studio possessed a multiplicity of business intricacies that separated them from one another. Each studio had its own unique selling point, attempting to offer something fresh to the table. The studios that made up the ‘Big Five’ included: Metro Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, and RKO. The ‘Little Three’ studios were United Artists, Universal Pictures, and Columbia Pictures – the latter two of which ironically possess a very prolific presence throughout the cinema of the modern day.
Most of the eight studios established themselves by originating from a small chain of cinemas which went on to merge with an array of production companies in Hollywood. These studios then dominated the filmmaking landscape over the late 1910s and 1920s, before The Great Depression of 1929. A few of the studios, such as MGM and Columbia, were able to weather the effects of The Great Depression, and continue strongly into the 1940s, whereas other studios such as 20th Century Fox and Universal were not as fortunate, and had to sell significant assets to survive.
Studios such as MGM offered films which provided glamour and spectacle, also embracing cutting-edge technology such as Technicolor. MGM produced films such as Gone With The Wind (Victor Fleming, 1939) and The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939). Other studios such as Paramount were known for producing light entertainment, such as comedy, whilst also dabbling in biblical epics, such as The Ten Commandments (Cecil B. DeMille, 1956). Both Paramount and Columbia embraced the invention of television in the 1950s and 60s, increasing the studios’ longevity. One of the ‘Little Three’ studios, Columbia, chose to produce B-movies to sell to the bigger studios. These were secondary films that acted as an accompaniment to the main event being shown at the cinema. Columbia managed to successfully survive the Great Depression with no repercussions, primarily due to the fact that they did not have a ‘stable’ of actors to hinder them.
The majority of the eight studios were frequently passed around by a handful of corporations throughout the 1980s and 90s and underwent a business model transformation, such as Universal who in the 1970s, began to focus primarily on releasing a handful of expensive blockbusters each year. These included the likes of Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975) and Jurassic Park (Steven Spielberg, 1993) In the case of RKO, the name of the studio died out completely and the company was merely absorbed into Paramount.
The logo of MGM
Vertical Integration and Unbreakable Contracts
The studios also implemented the business tactic of vertical integration, with each studio overseeing and taking ownership of all the means of production. Studios contracted screenwriters, editors, actors, directors, and even entire cinemas in an attempt to monopolise the film industry. From a business perspective, this meant that little to no money spilled out of the studio and each of the eight studios managed to fully maximise their profits, and dominate the market. Due to the studios owning all of the cinemas in United States, this meant there was no opportunity for American audiences to view films outside of the realm of the American studios and cinemas.
The actors were claimed by the studios through the use of ‘unbreakable’ exclusivity contracts that meant that the actor was required to star in a set block of films for that studio and were prevented from making films with any other studio. These actors were the ‘pull’ that drew audiences into cinemas and were thus a vital bargaining chip for the studios. Through this, each studio proudly possessed a ‘stable’ of stars, all of whom would frequently appear in each of the studios’ films that they would go on to produce.
Because of this, studios began to fear the prospect of losing a specific film star after they were approaching the final film on their contract. Many studios decided to ‘cheat the system’ and decided to simply not produce the final film in an actor’s given contract, rendering the contract ‘unbreakable’. From there, many actors were forced to make an impossible decision: either sign another contract with the same studio or never make another film.
As a result of this, four film stars in particular were extremely unhappy with the state of the studio system, claiming that the studios collected an disproportionate amount of money, and did not treat actors fairly. D.W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks collectively founded United Artists – a company premised on allowing actors to control their own line of work, rather than being fully dependant upon the domineering film studios.
The four film stars creating the United Artists studio
Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942)is arguably the most prolific and well-acclaimed film released during the Golden Age era of Hollywood. It is an American romance/drama film starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid. Being a landmark of cinema, Casablanca’s characters, quotes, and evocative theme song have garnered an iconic status over the last 80 years.
Plot
The film was both shot and takes place during World War II, centering around the protagonist, Rick Blaine – a cynical owner of a gambling den in Casablanca, Morocco – a French colony. The club is a cultural hub of refugees attempting to acquire visas to depart for America, who remained neutral in the war at the time. Rick’s cafe also hosts a number of Vichy French and German officials who attempt to persecute these refugees. Rick himself claims to be neutral in all matters, but we soon learn that he was a gunrunner for Ethiopia during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and also fought for the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War, demonstrating to the viewer that he fights for justice.
A crook called Ugarte has obtained “letters of transit” by killing two German couriers. These letters allow the bearers to travel freely around German-occupied Europe. Being highly sought after among the refugees in Rick’s club, Ugarte plans to sell them and persuades Rick to hold the letters for him. Ugarte is instead arrested by Captain Louis Renault – the corrupt police prefect of Casablanca – and dies in custody, keeping the fact that Rick has the letters secret.
Afterwards, a woman called Ilsa Lund enters Rick’s cafe. After Ilsa asks the club’s pianist, Sam, to play “As Time Goes By”, Rick becomes initially furious at Sam for disobeying his order to never play that song again. However, as Rick spots Ilsa, he is astonished and his anger is relieved immediately. It becomes clear that the couple have a history. Ilsa is married to Victor Laszlo, a Czech Resistance leader who is a fugitive and the couple seek an escape to America. A Nazi leader, Major Heinrich Strasser, enters the club in an attempt to arrest Victor.
After finding out that Rick possesses the letters of transit, Victor attempts to buy the letters off him. Rick refuses his offer and informs him to ask his wife, Ilsa, the reason why. Ilsa then confronts Rick to inquire why he refused her husband the letters, threatening him with a gun. She soon professes that she still loves Rick and explains that she thought that Victor had been killed while trying to escape from a concentration camp. We cut to a flashback sequence, and receive a glimpse of Rick and Ilsa’s time in Paris together. As the couple are about to flee the city together, Ilsa mysteriously abandons Rick without explanation to see her husband, who we learn is in a physically distraught condition after escaping the camp.
After learning this, Rick agrees to help the couple, falsely informing Ilsa that he will stay with her when Victor leaves. Victor enters unexpectedly and learns of Rick’s feelings for Ilsa. After she leaves, Victor tries to persuade him to use the letters of transit to take her to safety. Victor is then arrested by the police, during which Rick convinces Renault to release him by promising to set him up for the crime of possessing the letters. Rick explains to Renault that he and Ilsa are soon departing for America. Renault declines and attempts to arrest Victor, before Rick threatens him with a gun.
Right as the plane to Lisbon is about to leave, Rick tells Ilsa to board the plane with Victor, informing her that she would regret going with him and that “we’ll always have Paris”. Major Strasser attempts to intervene and arrest Victor, before Rick promptly shoots him. After the police arrive, Renault orders them to “round up the usual suspects”, before suggesting to Rick that they join the Free French in Brazzaville. As Victor and Ilsa depart for Lisbon, Rick and Renault walk away into the mist. Rick says, “Louis, I think is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
The final shot of the film
Context
The film was directed by Michael Curtiz, a Hungarian-American director who became the head of Warner Brothers’ Burbank studio. Curtiz’ filmography is vast, spanning over 100 films that were all released under Warner Brothers.
Released in 1942, Casablanca gained immediate critical success, winning three Oscars including Best Director – despite Warner Brothers’ apprehensiveness towards the film, fearing that it would flop. This was due to the fact that it was filmed over the course of three rushed months, with the actors and Curtiz not working well together on set. Casablanca was merely one of a multiplicity films released by Warner Brothers’ in 1942, and was neither the most expensive film nor the film the studio expected to take off.
Despite taking place in the exotic location of Casablanca in Morocco, the entire film was shot at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California – the only exception being the the opening sequence in which Strasser flies past a aeroplane hangar, filmed at Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles.
As previously mentioned, the film was both shot and takes place during World War II. Interestingly, the film was shot a mere four months before the events of Pearl Harbour, which is why the United States remain a neutral territory in the film. It exists in a liminal period in which America was fully at war, but not yet fully immersed in a propagandistic war ideology.
A shot from the opening sequence of Casablanca
Techniques
The film’s narrative is predominantly linear, with Curtiz making use of one flashback sequence to illustrate Rick and Ilsa’s romantic affairs in Paris. Curtiz also employs lots of centrally-framed closeups of both Rick and Ilsa, with key lighting and fill lighting also being implemented. Through this, both harsh shadows and well-defined outlines of the characters are created. This, alongside the fact that the film is in black and white accentuates the wistful emotion and atmosphere of the film. Due to the lighting, Ilsa appears to be emanating a sort of radiance which contributes to the mythical nature of her character. Rick’s cafe also feels incredibly lived-in and bustling through the use of blocking, mise-en-scène, and diegetic ambience.
As previously mentioned, the film’s main theme is particularly iconic – the diegetic implementation of the 1931 jazz piece, As Time Goes By. The piece provides a strong romantic evocation, and is played by Sam, the house pianist, in Rick’s club.
I really enjoyed Casablanca for the inarguably timeless romance story it offered, underpinned by the hardships faced by the refugees of World War II . It holds up extremely well for an 80-year-old film, and its prestigious pedestal in cinematic history is well deserved.
Overall, I would rate Casablanca ★★★★.
A central closeup of Ilsa,enhanced by key and fill lighting
The next component we are studying is Component 1a: Hollywood 1930-1990. This section of the course entails two films of study, Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942) and Bonnie and Clyde (Arthur Penn, 1967) . Throughout this component, the areas of study are the core study areas (including the key elements, contexts, aesthetics and representation) as well as two specialist study areas – Auteurship and Context. This component also involves a direct comparison between the two studied films, unlike previous two-film components.
Being the french word for ‘author’, the concept of auteurship suggests the that each work of art is produced by a single artist alone. In concept, this auteur possesses full creative and artistic control over the film and thus, their ‘style’ becomes highly distinctive. Auteurs are often defined by specific reoccurring traits and techniques that appear throughout their body of work, placing their name above the film itself.
Context details the relevant cultural, historical, institutional, political, social, and technological background information surrounding the two films we will study.
Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994) holds a highly influential place in the history of cinema. Winning the Palme d’Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, the film was both a critical and commercial success. The film also revitalised the careers of both John Travolta and Bruce Willis, and its self-reflexivity and pastiche impacted the legacy of independent cinema forever.
To delve into Pulp Fiction’s cultural impact on cinema, we must first establish an understanding of the creative auteur behind it all: Quentin Tarantino.
While working in a video rental shop, Tarantino began his career by writing a number of screenplays after being encouraged by Lawrence Bender. Despite not amounting to a final product, this led to Tarantino gaining notoriety among producers. Because of this, he was able to write, direct, and act in Reservoir Dogs (1992)– a low-budget crime thriller featuring a dialogue-driven narrative set in a single location. Being screened at the Sundance festival that year, the film received immediate acclaim from critics.
Afterwards, Tarantino sold two of his previously written screenplays to studios to create both True Romance and Natural Born Killers, both of which featured Tarantino’s name heavily on the respective posters. Audiences soon eagerly await Tarantino’s next film, of which he kept important details other than the title – Pulp Fiction – under wraps. Upon release, the film received immediate critical acclaim and five Oscar nominations, with Tarantino winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. By this point, Tarantino had established himself as a highly prominent and notable auteur, going on to create seven more films, including: Kill Bill (2003), Django Unchained (2012) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). Throughout Tarantino’s body of work, certain directorial tropes are ubiquitous throughout each, making the film indicative of Tarantino’s creative influence. Including nonlinearity, stylised violence, explicit language, and compiled scores featuring songs from the 1960s and 70s, many of these tropes can be traced back to the very start of his filmography.
Quentin Tarantino
With this in mind, Pulp Fiction can be defined as an experimental and postmodernist film. Featuring the majority of Tarantino’s directorial tropes, it acts as a prime exemplar of Tarantino’s body of work, establishing him as an auteur.
The film displays several interconnected storylines to the viewer in a nonlinear fashion now typical of Tarantino’s oeuvre. Cleverly building upon pre-conceived cliches of the crime genre, Pulp Fiction presents archetypal characters – such as a charismatic hitmen duo, a washed-up boxer, alongside a a stoic mob boss and his self-aware wife – in a fresh and unique narrative format.
A large portion of the dialogue featured throughout the film initially appears to be superfluous, as it doesn’t seem to drive the narrative forward in any meaningful direction. Considerable amounts of the film are dedicated to monologues centring around seemingly ‘mundane’ conversation topics, including: burgers, bible verses, and foot massages. In actuality, this dialogue richly characterises the archetypal characters of the crime genre presented to us. The dialogue has a snappy yet naturalistic style to it, through which the viewer is able to relate to and empathise with each of the characters on a deeper, parasocial level. This distinctive style of dialogue also further portrays Tarantino as an auteur, being present throughout his entire filmography.
The film additionally features very strong and graphic violence, a taboo that was seldom seen within the mainstream of cinema at the time. Being another common trope of Tarantino’s body of work, the extreme violence is presented in a humorous and exaggerated manner, creating a sense of irony.
Pulp Fiction’s status as a touchstone of postmodern cinema is due to a variety of factors – namely its extensive use of homage and pastiche to older works. Throughout the film, Tarantino makes subtle reference to many of his filmmaking inspirations – such as Hitchcock’s Psycho. The scene when Marcellus turns his head to see Butch in the car directly mirrors a similar scene from the 1960 classic. Similarly, the shot of the taxi licence when Butch is paying Esmeralda mirrors a similar shot in Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976). Butch also uses katana to kill Maynard, a samurai sword seen throughout many Japanese films that inspired Tarantino, such as Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954).
Pulp Fiction and Psycho comparison
The film’s score is also entirely compiled, being made up of an eclectic soundtrack predominantly from the 1960s and 70s. For example, Dick Dale’s rendition of Misirlou is famously used during the opening credits of the film, with Tarantino stating that “it sounds like rock and roll spaghetti Western music”. Each and every song used by Tarantino throughout the film garnered a renewed surge in popularity, such as Urge Overkill’s cover of Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon. This further demonstrates Tarantino’s influence as an auteur.
Tarantino’s use of pastiche throughout the film also contributes to Pulp Fiction’s postmodern status. A famous scene in the film displays Mia and Vincent dancing the twist to Chuck Berry’s You Never Can Tell. The cinematography and choreography of the scene parodies a scene in Bande à part (Jean-Luc Goddard, 1964) in which the three main characters decide to spontaneously dance in a crowded cafe. Another example is Christopher Walken’s monologue to a young Butch about his time in a POW camp, pastiching his role in The Deer Hunter (Michael Camino, 1978).
The third component we are studying is Component 2c: Silent Cinema. This section of the course entails four films of study, each directed by Buster Keaton – a renowned silent filmmaker. These include One Week (1920), The Scarecrow (1920), The High Sign (1921) and Cops (1922). Throughout this component, the areas of study are the core study areas (including the key elements, contexts, aesthetics and representation) as well as one specialist study area – Realist vs Expressive filmmaking. This specialist area of study focuses on how the emergence of film as a new art form led to filmmakers around the world taking a variety of starkly juxtaposing approaches to filmmaking.
The second component we are studying is Component 2b: Documentary Film. This section of the course entails one film of study, being Sisters in Law (Kim Longinotto, 2005). Throughout this component, the areas of study are the core study areas (including the key elements, contexts, aesthetics and representation) as well as two specialist study areas. These include critical debates, particularly discussing the use of digital technology within documentaries, as well as examples of filmmakers’ theories, such as the ideologies of Bill Nichols.
1. Define a portmanteau film. What are other notable examples from recent years?
A portmanteau film (also known as an anthology film) is a sub genre of film which consists of several short films that are often intertwined by a thematic concept, premise or overlapping event. Arguably the most famous example of a portmanteau film is Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994) which fluidly intertwines its parallel narratives into an enthralling non-linear story. An anthology film released recently is The FrenchDispatch (Wes Anderson, 2021) which follows three different storylines which revolve around a French newspaper company releasing its final issue.
2. Give a brief synopsis of each of the stories in the film. Which are the most effective? Why do you think these stories have been chosen?
“Pasternak”: Every passenger on a plane realises that they all have a negative connection to a man named Gabriel Pasternak, who happens to be the pilot. They soon learn that the flight was a setup and that Pasternak has locked himself in the cockpit. Pasternak then crashes the plane into his parents’ house, committing the ultimate kamikaze.
“Las ratas” (The Rats): A waitress recognises a loan shark at a restaurant as the man who is responsible for her father’s death. The older chef offers to mix rat poison into the man’s food and proceeds to do so without informing the waitress. The mobster’s teenage son arrives and begins to share the poisoned meal with his dad. After the waitress attempts to take the food away, the loan shark begins to attack her until the older chef stabs him with a chef’s knife. The tale ends with the son receiving medical treatment with an ambulance as the chef is arrested and driven away.
“El más fuerte” (The Strongest): A smartly dressed man is driving through the desert and attempts to overtake an older car that persistently blocks his path. He insults the rugged, burly driver as he overtakes him. The businessman’s tyre then gets punctured as the burly man soon catches up. He proceeds to smash the businessman’s windshield as well as defecate and urinate on it. A hectic brawl then ensues between the two men which results in both of them being blown up. The police mistakes the two for lovers who died in a crime of passion.
“Bombita” (Little Bomb): A demolition expert discovers that his car has been towed away after collecting a cake for her daughter’s birthday. Angry with the fact that the road was unlabelled, he reluctantly pays the fee. The next day, his appeal at at the DMV is rejected and he attacks the glass. He hatches a plan to deliberately get his car, now planted with explosives, towed away in order to destroy the towing office with no casualties. He is imprisoned and the engineer soon becomes a local hero, being dubbed “Bombita” and instantly beloved by the prisoners.
“La propuesta” (The Proposal): A teenage son of a wealthy family arrives home after committing a hit-and-run on a pregnant woman. The parents settle a deal with their lawyer to have their faithful groundskeeper take the blame for $500,000. The local prosecutor subsequently sees through this plan and the lawyer attempts to renegotiate. The father calls off the deal and tells his son to confess to the media. The lawyer and father finally agree on a lower price. Finally, as the groundskeeper is taken away by the police, the dead woman’s husband repeatedly strikes his head with a hammer.
“Hasta que la muerte nos separe” (Till Death Do Us Part): At a wedding, the bride soon discovers that her groom has cheated on her with one of the guests. In utter distress, she confronts him during their first dance and soon runs away to the roof. As the groom finds her on the roof, he discovers her having sex with a kitchen worker. Chaos ensues, as the bride slams the woman her husband cheated on into a mirror. A brawl emerges between the groom’s mother and the bride collapses. The couple then resolves their differences and make love by the wedding cake.
I personally believe that the most effective tale is the third tale, “El más fuerte” as it aptly builds tension and suspense through various ways and ultimately ends in an extremely satisfying manner. The six stories are inspired by the pressures of Argentinian modern-life, and four are based on real life experiences of the director, Damián Szifron.
“Las ratas”
3. The literal translation of the title is Savage Tales. How is this a more appropriate title and how well does it apply to each of the stories in the film?
The six “deadly stories of revenge” all concern members of modern society who reach breaking point and unleash their primitive instincts upon the world. The adjective “savage” has connotations of being undomesticated and feral. Therefore, “Savage Tales” can be considered to be a more appropriate title for the film.
4. Explain the title sequence — how is it an appropriate choice for the tone, message and aesthetics of the film?
The title sequence depicts a variety of ‘wild’ animals, such as an eagle, shark and tiger thriving in their natural habitats. Accompanied by a composed score by Gustavo Santaollala, the title sequence symbolically reflects the primitive nature of the characters throughout the six tales.
5. What does the viewer learn about Argentine society from watching the film? Does this accurately reflect the political and social reality?
Throughout the film, it becomes clear that the film presents an Argentine society in which individuals persistently attempt to rebel against disagreeable social constructs. This stance presented by Szifron relates to the 1974 ‘Dirty War’ of Argentina in which a military junta led by Gen Jorge Videla seized control of the country. This led to around 30,000 terrorist-related deaths.
The ‘Dirty War’ of 1974
6. Are there aesthetic differences between each of the stories? How do the aesthetics support the story being told?
An over-arching aesthetic motif that emanates throughout the film is the juxtaposition between the mundanity of the characters’ lives and the extreme violence presented in each of the six tales. The abuse of power displayed in each tale varies, ranging from the pilot of a plane full of passengers to a notoriously powerful loan shark.
7. Are there any notable similarities or differences in the representations of men and women, rich and poor?
In tales such as “El más fuerte” the differentiation between the rich and poor is made explicitly clear through the use of mise-en-scène. The wealthier man drives an expensive new car and wears an elegant suit and sunglasses, subtly informing the viewer of his social class. Conversely, the poorer man drives a well-used car and wears cheaper clothes, including a basic shirt and cargo trousers to indicate his lower place in society.
Wealth divide presented in Wild Tales
The social divide between men and women are also presented in a similar way. Throughout the film, men hold highly prestigious jobs such as pilots, lawyers and engineers. On the contrary, women hold more domestic positions, such as cooks and waitresses.
We have been tasked to answer a number of questions which detail the contextual implications of Pan’s Labyrinth.
1. Synopsis
There are two distinctive worlds featured throughout the film, being the gritty war-torn reality and the fantastical labyrinth realm. Through this, Guillermo del Toro manages to tell two intertwining stories which can never be fully explained without delving into details featured within the other tale.
Real world:
It is 1944 and General Francisco Franco is the fascist ruler of Spain. Captain Vidal and his falangist troops have taken control of a mill in the mountains of Spain. They stockpile food there, giving the civilians barely enough to eat so that they can’t afford to give any supplies to the leftist guerrillas in the woods. Vidal has married Carmen, who bares his child. He sends for her because he wants to be present at the birth of his son. Vidal has little time for Carmen’s young bookish daughter, Ofelia. Unbeknownst to Vidal, his housekeeper (Mercedes) has a brother who leads the rebel maquis. She and Doctor Ferriero secretly supply the guerrillas. The communist rebels retake the mill shortly after Carmen dies during childbirth. As the falangists are overrun, Ofelia kidnaps the newly born child. Vidal follows her into a nearby labyrinth where he shoots the girl and reclaims the baby. He is confronted at the entrance of the labyrinth by Mercedes and a large group of maquis. Pedro (Mercedes’ brother) shoots Vidal under the right eye and kills him. A weeping Mercedes cradles Ofelia. Ofelia dies.
Fantasy world:
Princess Moanna sneaks out from the underworld to become mortal and dies. Her spirit passes through countless humans. The king of the underworld vows to wait for Moanna’s return. A fairy leads Ofelia to a labyrinth where a faun tells her she is a reincarnation of Princess Moanna and that she needs to return to the underworld. However, to make sure that her magical spirit is still intact, Ofelia has to successfully perform three tasks — obtain a key from the belly of a giant toad (that is killing a tree where enchanted creatures rest); use the key to retrieve an item from a locked door guarded by a demon (the Pale Man); spill the blood of an innocent into the portal of the underworld. The faun instructs her in sorcery. Ofelia is distracted because of her sick mother and fails the second task. Ofelia passes the final test by sacrificing her life instead of her brother’s. Princess Moanna returns to the underworld where she rules with “justice and a kind heart”.
2. When and where do the events in the film take place?
The period featured, 1944 in Spain, is intriguing as it is clearly a period where the rumblings from the Spanish Civil War are still being felt despite the war itself having finished in 1939.
The film takes place in a military outpost located outside Madrid in rural Spain. The presence of the fascist Falangists as well as the cowering rebel Maquis are effervescent throughout the duration of the film.
3. Briefly, what was the Spanish Civil War about? When and how did it start and end?
The Spanish Civil War was a military revolt against the Republican government of Spain which lasted from 1936 to 1939. After an initiative coup d’état failed to win control of the country, a civil war ensued between the Falangists led by General Franco and the Spanish Republicans.
Falangist regime
4. Which of the factions does the Captain represent? Why is he stationed at the mill?
Captain Vidal is very much representative of the Falangists, who are in the process of exterminating the few remaining Spanish Maquis rebels who are currently residing in the mill.
5. Which of the factions do the people in the mountains represent? Why are they hiding?
The people hiding in the mountains are representative of the few remaining Spanish Maquis rebels. They are hiding from the malicious fascist Falangist regime, led by Captain Vidal.
6. Which of the factions do the political and religious elite support? Why?
Political elites featured throughout the film are clearly in support of the Falangist faction, due to most political parties forming an alliance to initiate the coup of July 1936. Religious elites are additionally in support of the fascists due to the power and wealth of the catholic church. Throughout the film, a priest is shown participating in the feast hosted by Vidal which emphasises that the church is on the side of the nationalists.
A local priest, attending a meal held by the Captain, dismisses the possible pain felt by the rebels on theological grounds. His representation lacks humanity and is clearly a barbed commentary on an out of touch and complicit Catholic church: “God has already saved their souls. What happens to their bodies hardly matters to him.” Del Toro uses the cinematic conceit of a banquet to heighten the corruption of the local middle classes and ruling elite. Despite his criticisms of Catholicism as a dogma and institution it is clear that Del Toro admires the spirituality of his native religion — in a later film Crimson Peak, a ghost story, he commented on his belief in ghosts. The scene above is strongly redolent of a stylised heaven with its church-like setting, a rosary window flooded with golden light and a grey bearded father figure flanked by a doe-eyed mother. It is all rather stuffy and formal befitting a royal court perhaps but not a fairy domain. That said it is clearly Ofelia’s (Princess Moanna’s) ‘happy place’ — she has come home to a loving warm family and an adoring people.
7. Which of the factions do the peasants support? Why?
Throughout the film, the peasants are shown to be in support of Vidal and the Falangists. Despite the Marquis rebels offering arguably more just ideals, the deprived peasants are utterly dependant on the fascists for food and other resources.
8. What role do women play in the two factions?
The representation of women is evidence of the social problems women faced in this patriarchal and macho era.
Women play a vitally important role in both factions featured throughout Pan’s Labyrinth. For example, pregnant women such as Ofelia’s mother represent the future generation of the fascists, due to the fact that Carmen is pregnant with Vidal’s unborn son. In addition to this, women are portrayed as subservient to the ‘superior’ male, holding roles such as a mere servant in the case of Mercedes. However, characters such as Ofelia recontextualise the role women hold when she shows a level of rebellion against the captain.
9. How is food an important symbol in the film?
The symbol of food presented throughout the film represent a variety of contextual ideas. For example, it is presented as a vital necessity as the peasants struggle to survive as Captain Vidal thinly rations the available resources. Moreover, in the realm of the labyrinth, food is symbolic of the biblical ideology of temptation when Ofelia is punished by the Pale Man for eating two grapes.
Temptation in Pan’s Labyrinth
10. How is poverty an important theme in the film?
The theme of poverty is expressed throughout the film through the depiction of the rebellion against the fascist regime that has conquered Spain. The deprived Maquis rebels are poverty-stricken by the Falangist political elite and this forges the motivations for the uprising by the peasants.
11. How is time an important theme in the film?
Time is important theme presented throughout Pan’s Labyrinth illustrated predominantly through the symbol of Vidal’s pocket watch. This watch holds invaluable sentimental value to the captain and is visually symbolic of Vidal’s necessity for rule and order.
12. How is disobedience an important theme in the film?
Disobedience is the underlying motif that emanates throughout the course of the film. It is representative of the motivations behind the Maquis rebels’ actions and this exemplifies how the choice of rebellion is sometimes morally correct. Ofelia must choose whether to blindly follow Vidal’s authoritative order, or disobey and overthrow the fascist regime.
Vidal’s watch
13. How and in what ways does Pan’s Labyrinth draw on fairy tale and fantasy tropes and archetypes?
The film pays homage to traditional fairy tales throughout the film. For example, Ofelia dons a stereotypical dress worn by both Dorothy and Alice from their respective tales. In addition to this, the Pale Man is representative of typical stories such as Hansel and Gretel by tempting Ofelia with grapes.
Pale Man
14. How is fascism portrayed in the film?
Fascism is portrayed throughout the film through the depiction of the Falangist regime. The authoritative portrayal of the fascists emphasises them as a threatening and overbearing presence. Punishments issued by Vidal are depicted in excruciatingly brutal detail and this invokes a visceral reaction within the viewer.
The negative depiction of Franco’s fascist forces is clearly intended to be extended to the imaginative poverty of fascism in general — in contrast to the more benign and sensitive (although hardly democratic) fairy kingdom. A more realist political representation is that of the guerrillas who are presented as resourceful and determined and egalitarian. Mercedes’ love of children (Ofelia and her baby brother) suggests a tenderness and a celebration of all things childish — indeed, unlike Ofelia’s weak and dismissive mother, Mercedes gives advice on the handling of fauns.
15. How does Guillermo del Toro employ uterine and yonic imagery in the film?
Del Toro utilises uterine imagery in a variety of ways. For example, the faun’s head has a striking resemblance to a uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. GdT has additionally confirmed the use of a “fallopian palette of colours”. The trees are also uterus-shaped and there is a detailed depiction of Ofelia’s unborn brother in Carmen’s womb. This could perhaps be symbolic of Ofelia’s developing maturity as the film progresses.
Uterine imagery in Pan’s Labyrinth
16. How are maternal instincts presented in the film?
Maternal instincts are presented throughout the film through the characters of Mercedes and Carmen. Both characters attempt to nurture Ofelia in vastly different ways. For example, Ofelia’s mother attempts to indoctrinate her into joining the Falangists and addressing Vidal as her father. Conversely, Mercedes shows Ofelia the way of the rebellion and guides her towards the path of uprising. Ironically, Mercedes’ role as a mother-figure to Ofelia holds greater importance to her than her biological mother.
17. What is the significance of faces and shaving in the film?
Throughout Pan’s Labyrinth, Vidal is often depicted shaving his face in an extremely precise and dexterous manner. He makes it a prominent part of his routine and focuses his full attention towards it. This is representative of Vidal’s obsession with being in control and the razor used is symbolic of threat and terror.
18. What is the significance of flowers in the film?
Flowers depicted throughout the film are representative of purity and authenticity. Appearing at the end of the film, Ofelia’s rose represents her everlasting presence as well as the journey she completed over the course of the film. The rose could potentially symbolise eternity, implying that Ofelia’s actions have made a permanent impact upon the fascist regime.
19. How does Guillermo del Toro operate a ‘one for them, one for me’ filmmaking policy?
After directing the critically condemned big budget blockbuster Mimic (1997), del Toro used the funds from this to produce and direct The Devil’s Backbone. This alternation between a studio project followed by a passion project became typical for del Toro, and this is the film that cemented it. Pan’s Labyrinth is a key example of a GdT passion project. After recently directing the Hollywood blockbuster Hellboy (2004), del Toro used the funds earned from this project to fully focus his efforts on Pan’s Labyrinth, the film he made for himself.
20. How far is Pan’s Labyrinth representative of Guillermo del Toro’s oeuvre?
Pan’s Labyrinth is an quintessential example of what makes a Guillermo del Toro film so recognisable. Firstly, the film is spoken in the director’s native language, Spanish, which reinforces just how much of a passion project this film really is. In addition to this, the film features heavy use of ultra-violent injury detail – especially in the facial area. This inordinately specific quirk is extremely typical of GdT’s filmography and Pan’s Labyrinth is no exception.
Del Toro as an effective and idiosyncratic fantasy/horror auteur is evidenced in his earlier films such as Cronos (1993), The Devil’s Backbone (2001) and Crimson Peak (2015) as well as in his much more mainstream Hollywood work such as Hellboy (2004) and Pacific Rim (2013).
21. How did the critical reception of The Devil’s Backbone influence the production of Pan’s Labyrinth?
Del Toro has stated that Pan’s Labyrinth is a spiritual successor to The Devil’s Backbone in a thematically linked trilogy of films. The critical reception of The Devil’s Backbone was mostly positive receiving an average score of 7.4/10 on IMDb at the time of writing. This positive acclaim encouraged audiences to go and watch Pan’s Labyrinth, which has contributed to its worldwide success.
22. Was the film financially successful?
Released in the UK by Optimum. Premiered at Cannes in May 2006 to great acclaim. Co–produced by a number of Spanish, Mexican and American production companies the $19 million budget is reflected in the complex production design, period dressing and relatively large cast. The eventual worldwide box office of $83.3 million was seen as a triumph.
Being released worldwide in December among a multitude of Oscar contenders such as The Departed (Martin Scorsese, 2006), Pan’s Labyrinth, the fantasy/war dark horse surprisingly grossed $30 million and is still running strong to this day.
23. Why is the year of release of The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth significant?
The two films were released in 2001 and 2006 respectively. Being released 5 years apart from each other, the years that the films are set are additionally set 5 years apart being 1939 and 1944 respectively.
24. Why physical effects over CGI?
Employing a minuscule amount of CGI within its special effects, Pan’s Labyrinth predominantly utilises a vast amount of meticulously designed makeup and animatronics to illustrate a visually pleasing spectacle.
The key technology used in this film is the animatronics and green screen work as discussed above and its effective creation of a magical-realist production design.
25. Why did Guillermo del Toro write the DVD subtitles himself?
Del Toro wrote the subtitles for Pan’s Labyrinth himself after becoming disillusioned with the translation of The Devil’s Backbone — a film also with the Spanish Civil War as its backdrop and the informal prequel to Pan’s Labyrinth.
Del Toro was extremely disappointed with the subtitles for The Devil’s Backbone and described themas being for the “thinking impaired” and “incredibly bad”. Subsequently, he took action into his own hands and wrote the English subtitles for Pan’s Labyrinth himself.
26. How does Guillermo del Toro use distinct colour palettes in the film?
GdT implements two distinctive colour palettes in order to visually inform the viewer as to whether the scene was taking place in reality or in the fantasy world. The labyrinth realm features predominantly warm colours such as “deep crimsons and golden ambers, almost like amniotic fluids” as noted by del Toro. Conversely, the colours of the harsh reality utilise a much colder palette, making apt use of deep blues and greens, as well as accentuated sharp angles to reinforce the brutality of guerrilla warfare.
Use of colour palettes
27. Look at the “context starter questions” on the Contexts Of Film mind-map. How many could you answer? Add your answers to the end of this post.
Institutional Context- How films are funded, how the level of production budget affects the kind of film made and the main stages of film production:
GdT was offered a large amount of studio money to shoot the film, as long as it was spoken in English. Refusing this to reflect his creative vision, del Toro financed the film himself with the help of fellow auteur Alfonso Cuarón.
Political Context – The way political issues, when relevant to the film chosen, are reflected in a film:
Guillermo del Toro chose to set the film five years after the end of the Spanish Civil War, as he believes it is a topic swept under the rug by most Spaniards. The Falangist fascist regime are explicitly depicted as brutal and malicious, whereas the Spanish rebel republicans are depicted as heroic and courageous.
Historical Context – Aspects of the society and culture at the time when films are made and, where relevant, where they are set:
Being released in 2006, del Toro himself has stated that the 9/11 terrorist attacks are what inspired him to make Pan’s Labyrinth. He stated that his perception of “brutality, innocence and war” changed after the destruction of the twin towers. The film’s social commentary is not exclusive to the Falangist regime but is an overall critique of fascist ideologies.
Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro, 2006) is a fantasy/war film starring Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil and Sergi López. The film is set in the summer of 1944, five years after the Spanish Civil War. The presence of the Falangist fascists still emanates throughout Spain as well as the Spanish Maquis rebel forces through which constant guerrilla warfare is initiated.
We follow Ofelia, the stepdaughter of the malicious Captain Vidal who is violently hunting the rebel Maquis. She stumbles upon a mythical world in which an abandoned labyrinth lies, which seems to belong to an enigmatic faun. It is through this that Ofelia becomes desperate to save her unborn brother from a life of anguish and rid Spain of all conflict.
Interaction between Ofelia and the faun
Del Toro utilises a variety of interesting techniques throughout the film in order to tell a compelling story. Firstly, del Toro’s signature use of ultra-graphic injury detail is ever present throughout the duration of Pan’s Labyrinth. Akin to his previous works such as The Devil’s Backbone and Crimson Peak, countless people are mercilessly tortured and maimed and through this, del Toro instills a sense of enervation within the viewer.
In addition to this, del Toro makes apt use of lighting to differentiate between the fantasy world and the gritty reality. High-key lighting is implemented during scenes when Ofelia is immersed within the labyrinth and this is used to represent a sense of unadulterated bliss. Conversely, during the majority of the film, low-key lighting is used to emphasise the sombre and harsh reality of the war-ridden world.
Use of lighting in Pan’s Labyrinth
The film does not follow a typical linear narrative structure. The film opens with the final scene of the film, which depicts Ofelia dying in reverse. This establishes an initial enigma, which is then resolved at the end of the film. Del Toro’s striking use of nonlinear narrative structure further intrigues the viewer and makes for one shocking opening scene.
The film holds an extremely important place within Guillermo del Toro’s filmography due to the fact that it is considered by many to be his magnum opus. Winning a bountiful number of academy awards such as Best Cinematography and Best Makeup, Pan’s Labyrinth is a profound drama which astutely blends two seemingly dissonant genres, being fantasy and war.
Del Toro receives his Oscars
Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed Pan’s Labyrinth from beginning to end. Del Toro successfully created an enthralling tale making intelligent and calculated use of the elements of film form throughout. I enjoyed each witnessing the struggles and hardships of each of the characters, particularly Captain Vidal who acted as an extremely effective antagonist.
My personal favourite sequence has to be the Pale Man sequence due to how enigmatic and intriguing the creature is. Through the use of no dialogue, the scene is extremely effective in the way of building tension and mystery.
The Pale Man
Through the use of symbolism, characterisation and fantasy, I think that the main message told throughout Pan’s Labyrinth is the terror of war and the capability for humankind to perform malicious and abhorrent actions. The contextual implication of the humans in the real world being just as malicious as the savage monsters of the labyrinth rings true throughout the duration of the film.
Throughout the film, Wes Anderson makes reference to a number of contextual ideas. These include:
Cultural/Social
What sort of person might have stayed at The Grand Budapest Hotel? What sort of lifestyle does the film evoke?
The hotel is home to many aristocratic, wealthy guests which reinforces the theme of class portrayed throughout the film.
The film evokes a life of extravagance and oozes style throughout. The vibrant colour palette emphasises the upper class society in which the inhabitants of the film are members of.
Historical/Political
Was there a real “Grand Budapest Hotel”? What inspired the filmmakers?
The “Grand Budapest Hotel” is indeed fictitious, however many elements of the film take influence from the style of Karlovy Vary, the colorful spa town in the Czech Republic, primarily the Grandhotel Pupp. In addition to this, the model of the hotel featured in the poster of the film, is the historic Bristol Palace Hotel.
Grandhotel Pupp and Bristol Palace Hotel
What key historical events are portrayed in the film?
The main historical event portrayed throughout The Grand Budapest Hotel is the stylistic portrayal of a fascist army which holds a strong resemblance to the Nazis. The costumes are emblazoned with a “ZZ” insignia not unlike the SS. It is interesting to make note of the fact that they are never referred to as “Nazis”, it is only subtly implied.
The “ZZ”
Institutional
How does The Grand Budapest Hotel fit into Wes Anderson’s canon of work?
The Grand Budapest Hotel is Wes Anderson’s eighth film and is considered by many to be his magnum opus. Through the use of an array of aspect ratios, an ostentatious colour palette and a vast ensemble cast, Anderson forges an unforgettable cinematic experience appreciated by critics and audiences alike.
Wes Anderson filmography
Technical
What interesting technical techniques does Wes Anderson employ to tell the story?
Wes Anderson uses a number of techniques throughout the film such as lighting, depth of field and narrative editing in order to reflect Zero’s emotional recollection of events. Anderson often establishes a frame within a frame and focus the audience’s attention by having an object enter the frame, which is often accentuated by convenient lighting.
We were tasked to consider the key contexts of City of God, specifically considering what questions we would have to ask to further understand the contextual aspects of the film.
Social Definition: How films can communicate truths about the society they portray and are influenced by the society in which they are produced.
For example: Sorry We Missed You (Ken Loach, 2019) explores the contemporary problems of zero-hour contracts and poverty.
For example: The Breakfast Club (John Hughes, 1985) contains casual racism and homophobia that was common in teen comedies of the 1980s.
Cultural Definition: How films can communicate messages and values.
For example: the strong message of equality and tolerance in recent Marvel films.
Historical Definition: How films portray history and are representative of the period in which they are produced.
For example: Dunkirk (Christopher Nolan, 2017) explores from a modern perspective the experiences of soldiers retreating from an approaching army in the Second World War.
Political Definition: How films portray and are influenced by the politics of the society in which they are produced.
For example: The Hurt Locker (Katheryn Bigelow, 2009) questions the role of American soldiers in combat.
Technological Definition: How films are influenced and limited by the technology available at the time of their production.
For example: the increasing use of CGI, 3G and IMAX in films at the beginning of the 21st Century.
Institutional Definition: How films are reflective of the industry in which they were produced.
For example: the highly stylised 1960s Hammer Horrors and the superhero focus of Marvel studios.
Otis Morley’s A-Level Film Studies Blog 
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