ESSAY NO 2 - City of God

What is the importance of mise-en-scene and/or sound I'm creating meaning and generating response in the films you have studied?  

City of God, filmed in 2002, directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund follows a group of young boys/men through the space of 3 decades. Throughout the film the mise-en-scene mimics the themes and circumstances the boys living within the favela experience. Meirelles ensured that the actors within City of God are all citizens of the favela adding a sense of realism to the film because they aren't necessarily acting but simply portraying their day to day life. One scene in particular that uses the mise-en-scene to clearly show the dominance of crime is during the interaction of Steak and Lil Zè scene. A LS of Lil Zè and his followers is used whilst talking to Steak and Fries, Lil Zè asks Steak "wanna take a walk?", unlike Lil Zè and his fellow followers he is young boy who although has been introduced to the violent reality of life in the favela, has not yet conformed to it. The next shot shows a LS of the boys behind what appears to be a metal fence, the mise-en-scene creates connotations of imprisonment as they are all behind the cage-like fence. This implies that Steak is inevitably going to become trapped in the life of drugs and violence like  the others as a subsequent of accepting Lil Zè's offer. A high angle, LS is used showing the boys walking down an backstreet within the favela. The mise-en-scene within this shot clearly highlights the poverty within this community evident through the half-built, half-ruined shacks the citizens of the favela reside in. Another aspect of mine-en-scene within this shot which supports the previous point of the inevitable entrapment of Steak and Fries is the fact that the boy at the back is carrying an empty cage. This creates meaning because it shows that if Steak continues to intermingle with Lil Zè and his followers, he too will be introduced to the dangerous life and ultimately be trapped within it. The mise-en-scene of the cage caused me to feel wary of Lil Zè's intentions especially because the director had made such a point to show the theme of entrapment though aspects of mise-en-scene.

Another scene which creates meaning through the use of mise-en-scene is during the scene where Lil Zè becomes obsessed with the idea of fame. After already witnessing a scene prior to this one in which the boys show their gun skills and more importantly their knowledge on operating one, this scene becomes ironic. A hand held camera is used, whilst showing a upper MS of a Tiago trying to operate the camera, after failing to do so another boy mimics his attempt and also fails. A LS of Lil Zè's gang is used showing them all holding guns. The mise-en-scene of the guns and the camera and ultimately the contrast in the two objects highlights the attitudes of the boys and the general population within a favela. They know more about guns than a camera, suggesting that they value gun knowledge more than they do anything else. The community within the favela is often excluded from the rest of the world, they are excluded as a subsequence of their postcode. This interest and concern in gun knowledge enforced by their peers and parents is mainly due to the rivalry between drug gangs and the corruption of the police. The severity of police brutality within the favela is just as  present as the brutality between the citizens. This is proven through statistics, between he years 1997 - 1998,  699 residents were killed by Rio's military police.

ESSAY NO.1

What is the importance of mise-en-scene and/or sound I'm creating meaning and generating response in the films you have studied?  

‘La Haine’, directed by Mathieu Kassowvitz in 1995, follows 3 young men throughout a 24-hour day in the projects of France. The three main characters live in ‘les banlieves’ on the outskirts of Paris. During 1995, particularly in the lower class there was a significant amount of social unrest in the form of police brutality, racism (inevitable considering there were sixty different nationalities living in one area) and socio-political injustice, all of which are demonstrated throughout the film.

 One scene in particular demonstrates the differences between the police and the citizens, especially the lower class. The scene begins with a upper body MS of a young rookie police officer, without knowing the situation his feelings are made evident by his body language and facial expressions, an aspect of the mise-en-scene. His eyes keep looking up at the situation before him and then back down towards the floor signalling discomfort and possibly disagreement to what is happening. The diegetic sound allows the audience to feel the same as the cop, even though we don't really know what is happening. However, we can hear an interrogation going on which immediately suggests that what is going on is in fact a serious situation. Then the situation is revealed to us, and the discomfort we predicted due to the cops expressions and the diegetic sound is proven to be true. A MLS is used showing Saïd and Hubert sat and tied to two chairs, whilst two police officers are looking down on them. The mies-en-scene within this scene introduces the attitudes and mind-sets of the police officers within the room and possibly the institution as a whole. On the walls are posters of naked women, demonstrating the sexism attitudes beheld by both police officers and showing the corruption within the institution. However it also shows how the institution is male dominated, reestablishing and explaining the reason for the amount of sexism. The only diegetic sound within this scene is the dialogue between the men within the room however it still creates a lot of meaning. Not only is the issues of racism introduced by the framing and positioning of the police officers in correlation to Saïd and Hubert (A MLS is used showing Hubert sat down, eyes on the floor whilst the two police officers doing the interrogation are stood up looking down on him clearly showing the racial divide.) But there are also racial slurs during their dialogue "pick it up with your feet. That's what they do where you come from". As i and other audiences witness this scene rage takes over, due to the racism and ignorant behaviour exhibited by the police officers who you would expect to have a degree of respect and professional behaviour.


One scene in particular- when Hubert, Vinz and Saïd walk down a street in paris- perfectly contrasts the scenes filmed in the out skirts of Paris.  A XLS is used showing Hubert, Vinz and Saïd walking down a street in Paris. The mise-en-scene within this scene, the cars alongside the road and the three boys is framed in a way that makes the shot ordered and symmetrical. This is because all the cars evident within the shot are on the left side of the fame. Throughout these scenes Saïd is constantly in the  middle, establishing the "liberty, equality and brotherhood" theme evident throughout. However, each scene shot in paris is shown to have structure and symmetry suggesting the nature of society in Paris. It suggests that theres is some degree of social order within Paris. In comparison to a scene shot within the outskirts of France, it is clear to see the social unrest in comparison to Paris. For example, the rooftop scene. The scene begins tracking Saïd's movement allowing the audience to see the rooftop. Graffiti is evident, plastered over the walls which immediately introduced the mindset of the youths,  rebellious and possibly bored. This contrast in scenes through the use of mise-en-scene gives a clear understanding of the nature of the three boys lives, in the poverty stricken outskirts of France with social unrest. Also, during the XLS scene within Paris, the only diegetic sound is distant cars, and the quiet dialogue shared between Saïd, Hubert and Vinz. Whereas the rooftop scene is dominated by the diegetic sound of western cultured music. Signalling in the 'les banlieves' everyday life is busy and hectic constantly dominated by western culture.

THEA BARNES A2 COURSEWORK- RESEARCH PROJECT

Scenes of gore and violence are often found in Park Chan-Wook’s films, does this make him an auteur?

Films

Item 1- Oldboy (2003)

I am using this film as  part of my research and as the key film of my study because it perfectly displays the conventions of violence throughout film, supporting my question. The film follows Oh Dae-Su through his journey of escapement out of the room he has been held captive in for years. Oh Dae-Su's mental state is clearly portrayed throughout the film and as a subsequence acts violently. For example, the fight scene. Dae-Su ruthlessly and violently attacks and beats several men singlehandedly. Similarly, the tooth torture scene, where Dae-Su physically harms and mentally tortures and taunts his victim showing how Chan-Wook's film are dominated by violence because not only does he include physical violence but also mental cruelty. 

Item 2- I’m a Cyborg, but that’s Okay (2006)

The second film I have chosen for my study is Chan Wook's 'Im a Cyborg, but that's Okay' follows a girl who is convinced that she is a cyborg finds love within a psychiatric hospital. This film helps to show the reoccurring conventions of violence present in many of Chan-Wook's films, simply because this film is classed a romantic comedy yet Chan-Wook still incorporates scenes of mass murder and violence further establishing Chan-Wook's signature styles suggesting he is in fact an auteur. Also, this film is filmed in the classic Chan-Wook style further implying he is in fact an auteur. By "Classic Chan-Wook style" I mean his immaculate framing, his pacing which is slow and competitive and his simplistic visual styles creating symmetry.

Item 3- Thirst (2009)

The final film I will be including in my research is 'Thirst'. This film clearly demonstrates Park Chan-Wook’s conventions of violence and gore, especially gore. This film shows how Priest Sang-hyeon goes through an internal battle of morality due to the fact that he has committed acts of violence that inevitably disregards his faith. This film perfectly portrays the influence of Chank-Wook's early life and how he incorporates his early experiences into his film enabling him to create a signature style. 

Internet-

Item 4 - HorrorBoom  Side by side comparison picture (20^th February, 2013)  http://horrorboom.com/tag/park-chan-wook/

This article strongly argues whether Chan-Wook is an auteur as it shows 2 side by side shots of both ‘Stoker’ and ‘I’m a cyborg ‘. Both shots are identical, showing both female protagonists holding a gun. This clearly shows the influence of violence within Chan-Wook’s films simply because the narratives of both films are vastly different. 'Stoker' follows a murderous family whereas 'I'm a Cyborg' focuses on falling in love. So even though both films belong to contrasting genres, Chan-Wook is still able to extend the boundaries of the expectations of certain genres and incorporate violence in anything which is how he has created a recognisable style, implying he is an auteur. 

Item 5- http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/thirst-park-chanwook-133-mins-18br-pontypool-bruce-mcdonald-96-mins-15-1804621.htmlettle audiences.

This online article is helpful as it dissects the reasons why Chan-Wook’s films fall into the horror category even though they aren’t necessarily horror films. It concentrates on the source of violence through the black humour often found within his film, that can be clearly seen throughout Chan-Wook's films. It also discusses how and why Chan-Wook twists the traditional conventions of the horror genre ultimately showing how his films often unsettle audiences. I will use quotes from this source in order to support my statement. 

Item 6- ‘theguardian’ (17^th October, 2009) http://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/17/park-chan-wook-thirst

This interview specifically focuses on the violent themes apparent in all of Chan-Wook’s films. This further supports my question, and does in fact demonstrate that violence and gore is a reoccurring theme within his films as he states this himself. This is a crucial source as it allows me to explain why he continues to stick with this genre as he argues that  he can’t make any other type of film or even receive funding.

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Item 7-  Electricsheepmagazine http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/features/2010/01/24/thirst-interview-with-park-chan-wook/

I have chosen to use this interview within this article as it gives a direct insight to Chan-Wook’s life as he refers closely to childhood memories of attending church classes, witnessing the priest drink wine which ultimately reminded him of how a vampire drinks blood, the clearly shows his influences for making ‘Thirst’. It also allows an explanation as to why his films always have a prominent genre, but it is unlike the stereotypical conventions expected from the genre.

Item 8-  Comic book resources - http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2013/03/01/oldboy-director-park-chan-wook-talks-stoker-violence-and-food/

This Magazine article is extremely useful for my question as it doesn't just focus on the evident violence throughout Park Chan-Wook's films e.g, mental torture, physical harm and torture and gore but it also talks about how his directing style highlights the gore and often leaves it to the audiences imagination as Chan-Wook will often cut the scene or pan up just as something is going to happen which ultimately causes audiences to think the worst. This shows that Chan-Wook has a distinct directing style suggesting he is an auteur, because he often applied this technique to his films.

Item 9- Clash Music http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/park-chan-wook

This item closely refers to my third focus film, 'Im a Cyborg but that's Okay". Chan-Wook discusses the way in which he translates the emotions in an unconventional way, as he states he steers away from phrases such as "I love you" because these days they don't necessarily mean what they should. This is obviously usual for the romantic comedy genre, however this is Chan-Wook's style because he constantly rejects genre expectations which is evident within his films, suggesting he is an auteur. Instead he focuses on pain and draws romance from this. This item allows a clearer understanding as to why Chan-Wook's films are often dark, he doesn't wan't to fabricate reality even though this means reality is deemed as harsh.

Interviews-

Item 10 HMVgetcloser (18^th March 2010) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g_8_qx5eI8

This HMV get closer interview is extremely useful because Chan-Wook discusses his influences whilst making his films especially the elements of film noir and why he decided to do a specific scene within ‘Thirst’ mimicking the film noir style. Film noir itself is notorious for violence, which allows a clearer understanding as to why violence can be found within Chan-Wook's films. This makes Chan-Wook's use of violence distinct because it is his most recognisable quality within his films.

Item 11- Park Chan-Wook: A conversation with the audience about OLDBOY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiNt_TKf6LQ

I have used this interview as it focuses specifically on the element of violence and more importantly why he uses the element so often. He speaks of childhood instances, such as the way in which is constantly suppressed his hatred and anger, allowing an insight to the reason why. This item offers some very useful quotes regarding his own personal instances with violence for example, he only ever had one fist fight, and actually informs us as to why he consciously chooses to add themes of violence throughout his films. Within this interview Chan-wook also comments on his personal influences, Franz Kafka'. Upon research it becomes evident that Franz Kafka was worried that people would find him mentally repulsive, which could suggest Chan-wook admired this quality and adopted it within his work. 

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Item 12-  The Oral History of Hollywood, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82NaXtzBKcg

This interview is again extremely supportive of my question. Instantly the interviewer makes a joke on how Chan-Wook now writes romantic comedies, which further illustrates how his films are anything but that which also suggests that Chan-Wook's film are very distinct as a result of the dominant genre his films display and his reoccurring themes of violence.

Item 13- CNN http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/09/travel/park-chan-wook-seoul-movie/

This item is extremely useful as it closely adresses Chan-wook's attitudes whilst making films and why, more often than not, his films don't seem hopeful but instead posses a dark tone which is his signature. This item also touched upon my third focus film 'I'm a Cyborg but thats Okay" with Chan-Wook stating how he never wishes to create a false sense of hope, but instead how he only ever wants to portray reality in truth often why his films depict the harshness of reality. 
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Books:

Item 14- The Auteur theory

This helps to answer my question as if defines what an auteur exactly is, meaning I am able to use the characteristics of an auteur to compare with Park Chan-Wook in order to hopefully prove and verify that Chan-Wook is in fact an auteur. With this information on what an auteur is and my research on Chan Wook, I will be able to utilise the information i have attained and successfully provide evidence adequately answering my question. 

Rejected Items-

Film: Stoker

I chose this film as I thought it was a good comparison with some of his earlier films, however upon reflection, the elements of violence - although evident- are not as prominent in comparison to his other films simply because the film focused more on the psychological aspect and didn't show clear scene of violence unlike 'Oldboy', showing numerous scenes of torture and brutality and 'I'm a Cyborg' showing scenes of mass murder. 

Interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvbLGa2j_8g

This interview proved to be not very helpful as it is purely a discussion on Stoker, which is my rejected film. Also, rather than discussing themes and genre choices, it purely focuses on the technicality and filming process of Stoker.  

Website:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0661791/

This website doesn’t really provide any reviews or reasons why Park Chan Wook’s films are the way they are, in simple terms it's useless... a very poor and unreliable source. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldboy_(2003_film)

This website focusing on Oldboy, only really discusses the plot, cast and details on production of the film rather than insight to the film itself therefore wouldn't provide any evidence as to why Chan-Wook is an auteur as a result of all the elements within his films such as his visual style, pacing, framing etc.