Continued from down below. This part will be covering Representation.
8. To what extent do you think the audience is expected to be 'comfortable' with this portrait of two teenagers?
First and foremost I believe that you're not supposed to feel too comfortable with the portrayal of these two teenagers. They are both 'lost' and they both are certainly neglected. Our Polish teenager has a father figure but one his main storylines in the film is about how his father is a drunk and hardly ever there. We see his fear of his father which would most likely make parents, and children alike, reasonably uncomfortable with the situation that this teenager has been put in. Our teenagers in the film are very young but they're having to face some pretty grown up things throughout the course of the film and I think this is what could make the audience uncomfortable with what they are facing.
9. A sign on the estate reads 'children playing on these grounds is prohibited'. In what different ways do Tommo and Marek seek to amuse themselves within this environment? Do you think the film encourages us to judge any of their actions?
During the film I did actually notice this sign and find it quite amusing. Our underage teenagers near the end of the film amuse themselves, and drown their sorrows over the loss of Maria a French waitress, but gettin
g very drunk. We see childish behaviour come out of these teenagers and see that they are very immature even though they've seen and been through so much. We're not encouraged to judge these actions if not sympathise with them, we're feeling sorry for this lonesome teenagers.
g very drunk. We see childish behaviour come out of these teenagers and see that they are very immature even though they've seen and been through so much. We're not encouraged to judge these actions if not sympathise with them, we're feeling sorry for this lonesome teenagers.10. What messages about childhood and adolescence do you, or could you, take away from the film?
As I've said our two characters have seen much that I'm sure many people in the audience wont have experienced at such a young and tender age. Especially not on their own. I think this film has a message about childhood in it. How it's changing. A lot of people currently believe that 'childhood' has disappeared, I think this film could reflect these comments in that we see Marek and Tomo being forced to grow up so fast.
11. Do your reactions towards the boys change at different points in the film? Which moments in particular:
a) encourage you to sympathise with the boys;
a) encourage you to sympathise with the boys;
I think we really sympathise with the boys after the incidents when the boys get very drunk. We see both the boys left with almost nothing, confused as to what has happened. I also feel sympathetic when Maria returns to France we're shown the immaturity as they believe they were something really special to Maria. We see their dismay as they believe she's left without saying goodbye because she does not love them. Also another high point of sympathising is when Tomo is attacked after arriving in Somers Town
b) make you unsympathetic towards them?I don't think there are any particular points where we're unsympathetic towards these teenagers. I think throughout the film we're understanding and empathising with Tomo and Marek rather than feeling unsympathetic towards them.
Notes from Lecture
What is British Film?
- Low Budget Quite often British film do not have massive budgets and big explosions or CGI etc - Ordinary People We find many British films have ordinary people in the films. - Intimate More often than not British Films are very intimate in their approach. It's very focused on the character and thei
r character development. - Focus on Class Just like Somers Town which focuses on the working class we see realistic films which can focus on changes in middle class etc.
British New Wave 1958 - 1963
British New Wave is what we learnt to be the overall title of films made during the time period above. British film ended up in a trend which was used often, this was used to show realistic types of film
to differ from the 'happily ever after' stories that cinematography had so expressively seen before the 'New Wave'
Look Back in Anger (1958)
- Low Budget Quite often British film do not have massive budgets and big explosions or CGI etc - Ordinary People We find many British films have ordinary people in the films. - Intimate More often than not British Films are very intimate in their approach. It's very focused on the character and thei
r character development. - Focus on Class Just like Somers Town which focuses on the working class we see realistic films which can focus on changes in middle class etc.British New Wave 1958 - 1963
British New Wave is what we learnt to be the overall title of films made during the time period above. British film ended up in a trend which was used often, this was used to show realistic types of film
to differ from the 'happily ever after' stories that cinematography had so expressively seen before the 'New Wave'Look Back in Anger (1958)
Look Back in Anger is one of the first of these 'New Wave' films and is about a love triangle including the aspect of class. I've added this film to my LoveFilm list (DVD rental) and will post something about the film once I have watched it as I am very eager to see some similarities from the selection of New Wave films and Somers Town.
Other films included: Room at the Top (1959), The Entertainer (1960), Billy Liar (1963), A Hard Days Night (1964), Kes (1969)
We learnt that without British New Wave and the rise of realistic films there would've been no chance of seeing things like Coronation Street and Eastenders on our tellys.
I am hopefully going to carry out my own research into these new wave films and will post things in the future on my findings!
Other films included: Room at the Top (1959), The Entertainer (1960), Billy Liar (1963), A Hard Days Night (1964), Kes (1969)
We learnt that without British New Wave and the rise of realistic films there would've been no chance of seeing things like Coronation Street and Eastenders on our tellys.
I am hopefully going to carry out my own research into these new wave films and will post things in the future on my findings!
Happy Reading!
Excellent notes Kenny. You'll have to let me know what you think of the
film. M
Some detailed analysis of representation here Kenny. I like how you discuss sympathies. Where is Q12? It is quite important as it looks at stereotypes. M