Ghetto Culture from Media Magazine

La Haine

Section A: Urban Stories - Examination Checklist

For this section of the exam paper it is important to directly answer the question by referring to film sequences from ‘La Haine’ and ‘City of God . It is also essential that you use film language (mise-en-scene/camera etc) and make use of key issues such as representation, narrative and genre conventions as well as the social issues at the centre of the topic.

• The names of the film’s directors and the year of the release is mentioned early on

• The question is addressed in the opening paragraph

• The keywords in the question are referred to throughout the essay

• Good detailed reference to the film has to be at the core of any answer. Try to use sequences.

• This must have some indications of the use of film language – mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, sound and music.

• If you don’t do this many examiners will view your information as mere description.

• An understanding of narrative and the way it functions may also be required. 

• Consider resolution, closure, structure, cause and effect, pace, linear/non-linear.

• Representation is also an issue that should be employed in your answers. This could focus on individuals, groups, location, gender and nationality.

• Refer to genre; in terms of conventions, iconography and expectations.

• Wider contexts need to be employed in your answer. How are these films World Cinema? What influence does the time in which they were made have on these films? What events are they based upon?

• You must compare and contrast these films directly. Look for points where these films share distinctive elements and also if possible where they differ.

• Give your own opinions of the films – linked to what needs to be discussed in terms of the question. Support with reference to the films.

• Try to ‘think outside the box’. Candidates who offer more thought provoking responses tend to get higher marks.

• Write a short conclusion that draws you and the examiner back to the terms of the question. Remember that this is the last thing that they will read before they put a mark down.

• three to four sides should assure quality and quantity.

Characters
One approach to reflecting upon the question is to focus upon specific characters rather than trying to cover them all. Although the main characters are central to the themes of the film minor characters also play significant roles in developing the binary oppositions at the core of the films and discussion of them may set your response apart from other candidates.

Sequences
Another way of ensuring an analytical approach is by comparing key sequences and fitting them to the questions. You should do this by giving the examiner a sense of each sequence filmically and not descriptively. Openings, complications, climaxes and resolutions make ideal discussion points, as they tend to draw upon the key issues.

Environment
This is a key factor in this topic as the environment in these films plays a central role in shaping the characters lives. Choices, options and opportunities are limited by the surroundings and urban experience.

'A' Grade Exam Response

Section A – Urban Stories: Power, Poverty and Conflict.

“Compare the different ways in which conflict between the poor and the powerful are represented in the films you have studied in this topic”

The difference in thematic stylistic and cinematic conventions regarding the films “City of God” and “La Haine” have attributes of representation roles of characters that contrast one another.

For instance, the role of “L’il Ze” in “City of God” represents the possession of having power in the world of crime within his favela, as we see slowly throughout that his dominance is enhanced by giving his framing more thought and his angle being higher than others. This character is high-up in the world of the poor, but in the world of the powerful he is miniscule – we see the effective contrast of setting being close as the favelas and topsy-turvy, unkempt position of the handmade houses demonstrated with a binary opposition of how close-by but out of reach, the rest of the richer, more industrial Brazil is. The film takes place over the space of a few decades, beginning with a yellowish, warm sepia editing that basks the open space of the poor settlers in the early 60s and darkening into a more dangerous tone in the 70s and 80s, giving off a feel of gloominess and expressing the theme of having no escape. Colder colours in mise-en-scene such as grey and blue are used in comparison to the earlier warmth. The palette of vivid colours displayed that range of extremities of cold and warm are perhaps the only embodiment of the true cultural Brazilian nature of a jungle type, natural world.

In “La Haine”, however, the film takes place over a space of 24 hours – a short tie frame as if to portray a small portrait of the culture at the time. Also with a use of black and white stock that convinces the audience of its grittiness, the themes of the French “liberty, equality and fraternity” are expressed to us with three main characters. A particularly strong character, Vinz, who represents “liberty”, is portrayed in a mirror at the beginning shot in a similar style to “Taxi Driver”, when De Niro’s character talks to himself in the mirror. The reference of this film, added to the similar “skinhead” look, gives the audience a sense of the French culture being less influential in this film than the western American conventions. This lack of French culture suggests an anonymity of the characters, presenting Vinz as a poor individual who is living in a society in which has no connotations of the language he speaks. Rap music is also incorporated within the beginning sequence as a strong suggestion of a focus on this being anywhere in the world, as if perhaps the emotions conveyed here are global and this swings the audience into the meaning behind the film. Rather than accepting “La Haine” as a French film, because it has little references its own culture, the audience must instead focus on the conflict the poor face against the privileged all around the world, reinforcing its effect dramatically.

More differences are the amount of characters to focus on. In “City of God”, a voiceover suggests a story-like anecdote behind each random character that the camera pans fluently, suggestive that the main issues with power in the favelas stem from the way they all live on top of one another within a vast population. In contrast, the focus on three main characters in “La Haine” gives the audience an expectancy of self-contained narratives of each one of them, and their struggle is that there are not enough of them to make a difference against the corrupt police. The camerawork is also focused on coming out of the back of each dominant role’s head as their side of the story is focused on, linking the audience to the character emotionally and framing them centrally within their surroundings.

Similarities arise in both films, however in the two urban stories we are met with the representation of the films meaning by a smaller embedded narrative. This is seen during the beginning sequence of “City of God” that has a hysterically panning camera tracking the chasing of a chicken about to be slaughtered. With the diegetic audio of evil laughter in the background and a hurried, terrified escape failing, it is with this sense of despair and frustration that the audience comes to understand the display of non-escapism in the film, and alludes to the characters being hit by a glass ceiling every time they try and break free of drugs and crime.

This small story is also posed similarly in “La Haine”, through the minor character of an old man relating how, when he was a prisoner of war, pride stopped a fellow man’s life from being saved as he was too embarrassed by the falling down of his trousers to jump onto the train. This, intensified by a mirror reflection of the three main characters silently listening, tempts the audience via framing to assume the story means more than is let on. This theme of pride preventing courage is central to the way the characters are represented in Paris, in a reverse dolly-shot that blurs them from being in lace with the city as they appear to be lost amongst a rich world but are too proud to try and be like these people, as their background also prevents this.

The films also have the themes of unsustainable romance, with failure to be in love and nurture a relationship seen in liaison of the poverty and upbringing of the social circles. “City of God” portrays women being raped, mistreated and marginalised, with the main character unable to keep his girlfriend due to drugs, and “La Haine” presents us with a scene in which the three characters attempt to flirt with women of higher class, resulting in shaky camera angles as they fail and lose their footing. Altogether the films provide the audience with a portrait of the conflicting barriers between the underclass and the rich that provoke emotional response.

Exam Responses: Guidance 

• Developing more thorough responses to exam questions is a key skill that needs to be developed in preparation for the exam. 
• Below are sample paragraphs of A and D grade responses to an Urban Stories question from the January 2012 paper. 
• These highlight the contrasts in content, detail and discussion that is required to get the highest grade possible. 
• Strengthening your exam skills and technique to create better responses is not difficult if you can recognise your weaknesses and change your approach to answering questions from a more critical perspective rather than largely descriptive.

(Question 5.)

Compare the different ways in which conflict between the poor and the powerful are represented in the films you have studied for this topic?  

'D' grade response

The early sequences of the film are set post-riot when we see the destruction of Hubbert's gym and the vandalism of police cars by Said it is clear that there is obvious conflict between poor and powerful. The police have also killed someone and Vinz's readiness to go and kill a police officer to get even clearly demonstrates how conflict is rife between people and authority, and how they resent those in power. The unrest and continuation of the riots helps visualise the unhappiness that prevails in the projects and the readiness of people to change it shows how they want to be recognised and helped.

Comments

Lacks detail - has a tendency to generalise - lacks film language - fails to discuss wider issues

'A' grade response

With the use of black and white stock footage of the riots in the title sequence the audience are made aware that conflict is a key issue from the start. The grittiness of the style exemplifies the themes of conflict in French culture of 'Liberty, equality and fraternity' in mid 90's Paris and the way that the 3 main characters express contrasting attitudes to dominant social values. A particularly powerful character is Vinz who represents 'liberty' in the narrative; he is seen displaying power in the scene when he talks to himself in the mirror in a mid-shot and adopts De Niro's posturing from 'Taxi Driver'. His lack of any 'true' identity though suggests that he is a poor character struggling to gain respect from the society that wishes to exclude or devalue his participation in French society.   

Comments

Includes detail - does not generalise - uses film language - discusses wider issues - is confident

The Films we are studying for this module

As you make your way through this blog you will need to watch La Haine (Kassovitz, 1995) and City of God (Meirelles, 2002) and you should have made plenty of notes on characters, genre, narrative and messages and values. We will be examining:

• Cultures and subcultures
• Power, Poverty and Conflict
• Characters
• Key Scenes
• Messages and Values
• Social and Historical Contexts

Key Terms to use when studying Urban Stories

Ideology – A person’s or society’s set of beliefs and values, or overall way of looking at the world.

Culture – The way in which forms of human activity and interaction are socially transmitted. The way of life of a particular human community living at a specific time and in a particular place.

Subculture – Cultures subordinate to the dominant culture.

Counter-culture – Cultures that are actively opposed to the dominant culture.

Power – The various forms of control some individuals and groups within society have over other individuals and groups.

Representation – The variety of ways in which individuals and groups are displayed to audiences within the media and other cultural texts.

Les banlieues – Satellite towns – housing estates for the poor away from the middle classes.

Urban deprivation – built up areas that are run down

Social segregation – The upper and middle classes live separately from the working classes.

Fascist and Fascism – Far right groups, racist- often blame unemployment on immigration.