FM2 Section B: Living With Crime
How are criminals represented in the films you have studied for this topic?
Both of the British social realist films ‘ Harry Brown’ and ‘Kidulthood’ display a wide variety of criminals and criminal activity through the narrative and mise-en-scene.
At first ‘Harry Brown’ depicts the teenage population of Britain as criminals through the technical use of seemingly real film footage as through a phone, the diegetic sounds that accompanies the frame is muffled which supports the visual aspect of video footage. Within this scene there is a stereotypical representation of teens through the performance of the hooded characters (hoodies being a conventional motif for low criminals) the appearance of a gun in the mise-en-scene and the dark lighting in the graffiti location sets up the audience understanding that, where these teenagers are, is a dangerous place to be.
‘Kidulthood’ on the other hand gives a less menacing opening scene. The main difference is the contrast in location whereas ‘Harry Brown’ opens in an underpass (under possibly connoting descending which is a conventional narrative technique used by films to show danger). ‘Kidulthood’s opening shots are set in a school location with students and the playground in the mise-en-scene. Non-diegetic music sets the tone of the scene whilst the mid-shots of certain students establish the main characters and themes in the film.
Race is not an issue in either film which is interesting due to the fact that both films incorporate the multicultural society we live in. Although both films do discuss the idea that there is no age barrier in criminal activity. ‘Kidulthood’ represents crime through the point of view of teenagers in London. Though many of the crimes represented are minor, such as theft, underage sex, drugs etc some are harder hitting issues such as Katie’s suicide due to bullying in the beginning and Trevor’s death due to manslaughter by Sam in the concluding scene are represented to perhaps show varying degrees of criminal activity in the younger generation. ‘Harry Brown’ also describes teenage crimes such as theft, assault, harassment and drugs, and sexual abuse but mainly focuses on the harsher criminal acts such as murder to maybe dramatise the narrative of the film.
Adults in both films have important roles in the way criminals are represented. In ‘Kidulthood’ Trevor’s uncle acts as a role model for Trevor for the majority of the film although it is clear to the audience he is at the top of a stereotypical hierarchy of mobsters/gangsters similar to that as the leader of the mob in ‘London to Brighton’ another British social realist film. Trevor’s uncle in ‘Kidulthood’ is clearly a drug dealer and a gun-trafficker whom in one particularly hard-hitting scene forces Trevor into torturing a man, whilst the man lay helpless on a table in the mise-en-scene. The influence Trevor’s uncle has on Trevor could show the influence the older generation has on the younger generation and the cycle of bad role models created for the younger generation.
‘Harry Brown’ points far less at the older generation for criminal activity even though the main protagonist himself is an old aged pensioner, as acted by Michael Caine, who himself becomes a criminal to bring revenge and justice. Which suggests the ‘Rebel Without A Cause’ motif that supports the narrative of the film. Also adults play a large part in influencing the teens in ‘Harry Brown’. In the drug den the two criminals are distinctly older than the teens and are responsible for growing drugs, selling drugs, gun trafficking, and selling girls. The pornography in the mise-en-scene shows a lack of morals within the characters and a disregard for the law.
Both of the British social realist films ‘ Harry Brown’ and ‘Kidulthood’ display a wide variety of criminals and criminal activity through the narrative and mise-en-scene.
At first ‘Harry Brown’ depicts the teenage population of Britain as criminals through the technical use of seemingly real film footage as through a phone, the diegetic sounds that accompanies the frame is muffled which supports the visual aspect of video footage. Within this scene there is a stereotypical representation of teens through the performance of the hooded characters (hoodies being a conventional motif for low criminals) the appearance of a gun in the mise-en-scene and the dark lighting in the graffiti location sets up the audience understanding that, where these teenagers are, is a dangerous place to be.
‘Kidulthood’ on the other hand gives a less menacing opening scene. The main difference is the contrast in location whereas ‘Harry Brown’ opens in an underpass (under possibly connoting descending which is a conventional narrative technique used by films to show danger). ‘Kidulthood’s opening shots are set in a school location with students and the playground in the mise-en-scene. Non-diegetic music sets the tone of the scene whilst the mid-shots of certain students establish the main characters and themes in the film.
Race is not an issue in either film which is interesting due to the fact that both films incorporate the multicultural society we live in. Although both films do discuss the idea that there is no age barrier in criminal activity. ‘Kidulthood’ represents crime through the point of view of teenagers in London. Though many of the crimes represented are minor, such as theft, underage sex, drugs etc some are harder hitting issues such as Katie’s suicide due to bullying in the beginning and Trevor’s death due to manslaughter by Sam in the concluding scene are represented to perhaps show varying degrees of criminal activity in the younger generation. ‘Harry Brown’ also describes teenage crimes such as theft, assault, harassment and drugs, and sexual abuse but mainly focuses on the harsher criminal acts such as murder to maybe dramatise the narrative of the film.
Adults in both films have important roles in the way criminals are represented. In ‘Kidulthood’ Trevor’s uncle acts as a role model for Trevor for the majority of the film although it is clear to the audience he is at the top of a stereotypical hierarchy of mobsters/gangsters similar to that as the leader of the mob in ‘London to Brighton’ another British social realist film. Trevor’s uncle in ‘Kidulthood’ is clearly a drug dealer and a gun-trafficker whom in one particularly hard-hitting scene forces Trevor into torturing a man, whilst the man lay helpless on a table in the mise-en-scene. The influence Trevor’s uncle has on Trevor could show the influence the older generation has on the younger generation and the cycle of bad role models created for the younger generation.
‘Harry Brown’ points far less at the older generation for criminal activity even though the main protagonist himself is an old aged pensioner, as acted by Michael Caine, who himself becomes a criminal to bring revenge and justice. Which suggests the ‘Rebel Without A Cause’ motif that supports the narrative of the film. Also adults play a large part in influencing the teens in ‘Harry Brown’. In the drug den the two criminals are distinctly older than the teens and are responsible for growing drugs, selling drugs, gun trafficking, and selling girls. The pornography in the mise-en-scene shows a lack of morals within the characters and a disregard for the law.
Noel’s uncle in ‘Harry Brown’ could be seen as a parallel for Trevor’s uncle in ‘Kidulthood’ both are bad role models that have criminal characteristics and a lack of morals. Evidence that suggests Noel’s uncle to be a criminal is when he suffocates Sergeant Hicock in ‘Harry Brown’ whilst explaining to Noel how to do it. This could represent the influence family has on each other, and to be accepted.
Petty criminals are generally represented through the under class and lower class living in London. Both films are mostly male dominated with only the exception of the older woman in ‘Kidulthood’ attempting underage sex with Trevor and the sexual favours and drug/underage drinking undertook by Becki and Alissa. This is in contrast to ‘London to Brighton’ where the main two protagonists are women and largely focuses on the exploitation of prostitutes and underage prostitutes. Therefore the films ‘Harry Brown’ and ‘Kidulthood’ represent criminals through their social realistic genre conventions such as class, sexuality and age to allow the audience to understand the contextual aspects of the narrative.
Petty criminals are generally represented through the under class and lower class living in London. Both films are mostly male dominated with only the exception of the older woman in ‘Kidulthood’ attempting underage sex with Trevor and the sexual favours and drug/underage drinking undertook by Becki and Alissa. This is in contrast to ‘London to Brighton’ where the main two protagonists are women and largely focuses on the exploitation of prostitutes and underage prostitutes. Therefore the films ‘Harry Brown’ and ‘Kidulthood’ represent criminals through their social realistic genre conventions such as class, sexuality and age to allow the audience to understand the contextual aspects of the narrative.