Film Ma Thesis
| Animation
Animation of conflicts is obtained with Costigan sending back information to the cops about Costello's plans and Sullivan delivering information to his boss. Both Costigan and Sullivan act as moles, obstructing each other's efforts. Intensification Intensification of conflicts happens when Costello's group eliminate Captain Queenan, and Sgt. Dignam gets fired. Costigan have no more patience and takes things into his own hands. He organises the ambush in which Costello and his crew get caught, and Costello dies. Costigan goes to the police to get his identity back, and finds out that Sullivan was the mole in the police. Madolyn, the police shrink who lives with Sullivan, also finds out about his relationship with Costello. Resolution The specificity of the film lies also in an unusual ending of the hero – the hero dies. Costigan gets killed by Sullivan, who would not let his secret be revealed. Sullivan kills everyone who might be a threat to his position. However, at the end of the film, Stg. Dignam intrudes into Sullivan's apartment and kills him. For a moment, the justice seems to be fulfilled. Binary oppositions that re-occur in the film are: Good vs. Bad 3. 3 EASTERN PROMISES (2007) by David Cronenberg "The Vory is like a contagious disease...There's no cure once they've touched you." Ana (Naomi Watts) is a hospital midwife who testified the death of teenage Russian girl in childbirth. She takes teenager's diary and tries to find out more about girl and her family. Anna finds a business card in the dead girl's diary for a local Russian restaurant, which she visits hoping to have some more information and translation of the diary. She introduces Semyion (Armin Mueller-Stahl), seemingly a gentle old Russian, but it doesn't take long to figure out that Semyon is the boss of the Vory V Zakone, the Russian mafia, which operates from the restaurant. Semyon's associates are his self-destructive son Kirill (Vincent Cassel), and Nikolai Luzhin (Viggo Mortensen), an elegant, self-contained driver who also does some dirty business when needed. The trouble begins when Ana's uncle Stepan (Jerzy Skolimowski) and her mother Helen (Sinead Cusack) translate the diary which reveals much about Semyon's and Kiril's criminal activities, and about vory v zakone gang. Principal elements a) Technical elements Camera shots: The use of close-up and mid shot accentuate the world of characters that go through dilemmas, identity troubles, while tiny facial gestures create tension. Camera angle: straight on – as in all his movies, we are in the hands of "trustworthy" narrator. Lenses: wide-angle Depth of field: close-up focus – characters are embedded in the world of signs and meanings. Duration of the shot: the shots are long in the scenes with violence. Because of his rational approach, the violence in Cronenberg's fims provides a high degree of repulsion. Camera movement: Cronenberg uses elegant and "old fashion" camera movements with tracking or dolly. Editing: The editing is "invisible", in firmly restrained rhythm, except in the frame of Mercedes approaching to old motorcycle of "sentimental value", which refers to the encounter of two traditions and values, two cultures and civilizations. Framing
Cronenberg narrates in an unobtrusive manner, but with surgeon's accuracy and coldness. For example, Nikolai stands naked in front of the gangsters who are about to test him for promotion. The frame provides the sense of a medical council investigating the patient whose body owns a "false identity". Lighting: With the use of low key Cronenberg avoids chances for "nice" shots. The story usually takes place in the obscure buildings, with stylisation through particular colours. b) Symbolic elements Costume and objects: Costumes are casual, with slight stylisation for Nikolai, which emphasises character's film noir origin. The story takes place in London, mainly in closed spaces, interiors, in which all action scenes revolve. Interiors characterise Cronenberg's opus. Stars and performances: Main villain, who committed the most gruesome crimes, is played by Armin Muller Stahl, who does not own a kind of star power that could prepare audience for the content. Mise-en-scene
Even in the frameworks of gangster genre which possesses strong rules and principles, Cronenberg finds space for his authorial signature. In the scene of Nikolai being promoted, Cronenberg patiently presents the act of "new identity adding". New meanings that transform Nikolai to another person are being imprinted, with the use of surgeon's gloves and technical apparatus. The frame consistently fits into Cronenberg's opus devoted to questions of identity and the body as a proof for our existence in physical world. |
Iconography applied to Buscomb's (1970) table:
Narrative elements Plot: The London's hospital midwife Ana engages in an investigation about a teenage Russian girl death and introduces the Vory V Zakone gang, which is deeply involved in the case. When Semyon realizes that teenager's diary says too much about him and his gang's activities, he tries to inhibit diary's translation. He employs Nikolai, the driver, to take care of the diary and to "take care" of Ana's uncle Stepan who had read the diary. Nikolai unexpectedly finds his loyalties divided, when he has to choose between Ana and the Vory. Characters: Hero is a Russian agent Nikolai Luzhin who, in association with the Scotland Yard, engages in the undercover mission in order to brake down the Vory V Zakone organisation. London urban woman, Ana Ivanovna presents a heroine, who works as hospital midwife. The main villain is Semyon, a monstrous Russian gangster. Secondary characters include Ana's caring mother Helen, rigid and cranky uncle Stepan, and Turkish barber and criminal Azim. Dialogue: Dialogues are characterized by English with Russian accent. The dialogue is strong and symbolic. When dead body of a Russian is found on the river bank, Detective explains: In Russian prisons, your life is written on your body, in tattoos. If you don't have tattoos, you don't exist. Defending himself from any involvement in criminal deeds, Nikolai repeats: "I'm just a driver!" Identity problems are emphasized by Ana's inquiry "I need to know who you are!" Historical setting: The story is settled in the 21st century, year 2006. Location: The story takes place in urban setting, London, England. Objects or weaponry: In all violent scenes characters use cold weapon: curved knives, razors, and scissors. Themes: The film investigates the world of Vory V Zakone, the Russian mob in London. Locomotion: Nikolai drives long black limousine, while Ana drives a motorcycle. Motif: Tattoos are central motif in the film. Tattoos are the landmark of Vory V Zakone organisation. For Nikolai tattoos are the only sign of his identity: "If you don't have tattoos you don't exist" and "Every sin leaves a mark". Plot structure according to Shatz (1977): Establishment The story opens with two deaths: the brutal murder of a Russian in Turkish barber's saloon and a death of a fourteen year old, Russian teenager while having childbirth, in London hospital. At the hospital we introduce midwife Ana, who gets teenager's diary in order to find out more about the life of petty girl. Time and place in which story takes place is established, and Russian immigrant milieu which operate as a criminal group is presented. Animation Through Ana's investigation, we introduce the Vory V Zakone gangs, Russian criminals Semyon, his son Kirill and their driver Nikolai. The diary reveals gruesome facts about Semyon and Vory V Zakone organisation. Diary reveals that Semyon has raped the teenage girl and that he is father of the baby. Semyon tries to stop Ana from revealing the story, and employs Nikolai to take diary away from her. Ana has, however, already read the diary, with the help of her mother Helen and her uncle Stepan. In the meantime, Nikolai gets promotion and becomes a member of Vory V Zakone organisation and gets tattooed signs of membership. Having read the diary, Nikolai wants to help Ana and to stay loyal to the organisation at the same time. Intensification After being a victim of revenge for the Kirill's murder of a Russian friend, Nikolai stays at the hospital. The Scotland Yard officer comes to visit him and we find out that Nikolai is an undercover detective who tries to collect enough evidence and send Semyon to prison. In the meantime, Semyon sends Kirill to kidnap baby from the hospital. Resolution Kirill takes the baby from the hospital in order to throw it into the river. Ana realizes that Kirill has taken it, and she and Nikolai go to the place from which they throw dead bodies. Nikolai manages to stop Kirill and gives baby to Ana. Semyon gets arrested and Nikolai stays undercover, as the boss of the mob. Binary oppositions that re-occur in the film are: Modern vs. Traditional 3.2 Conclusions The genre analysis methodology is largely based on categorisation and description. The process of research dealt mainly with observation, isolation, categorisation and listing of important elements and characteristics. Through the analysis of principal elements, mise-en-scene, iconography, narrative elements, plot structure and binary oppositions I tried to identify all the characteristics that speak of authorial contribution to the theme and of ideological dimension of the films. What these characteristics present will be discussed in the chapter that proceeds. Doc. mr Sanja Jovanović, producer |
