La Haine

‘’As this re-release proves, as a portrait of an inner city, multiracial community drawn

together by boredom, anger, prejudice and pounding rap music. La Haine has lost none

of it’s PUNCH.’’ – Empire Magazine

• He shares a bedroom with his sister – shows poverty• American influence, Robert de Niro impression – Taxi Driver.• Jewish memorabilia and Jewish music dance sequence • Poster behind him is not France – wants to get out.

• His gym has been broken into• Hubert has respect for women – doesn’t have any posters.• Looks after his pregnant mother and helps sister with homework• Bedroom: bob Marley, Bruce lee, Jessie Owen posters, listening to Isaac Hayes –

American influence• Dissolves and jump cuts to show boredom• Even though his gyms been broken into still using it• His house is very claustrophobic and run down.• Tried to make a life for himself, built a gym and was in the marines.

• Don’t see inside Said’s house• Has a large family that dominates estate – shows there aren’t any race issues

in les Banlieues, non white family has the most power.• Low-angle shot of les Banlieues and said and you cannot see the sky – shows

they are trapped by their surroundings• Protective of his family and sends his sister back to school –respect for women

and the system.• Live in run down area but don’t mind, not complaining about poverty.• Different ethnicities living in the same area.

Montage

• One boy against a lot of police – we only have rocks, you have guns’

• Police threw the first stone

• Kids are protesting peacefully and police are preparing to riot.

• Police have got out riot gear straight away without allowing kids to defend themselves.

• Media are in cahoots with police and government.

• ‘Burnin and a’lootin’ song reflects activities in La Haine. Western influence, no French idols for youth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1acEiZ4wCY

• Contra zoom • Les Banlieues has long lens – everything is in focus• Paris is short lens – shows they are out of place and don’t fit in with

their surroundings (police scene, flat scene and art gallery scene support this fact)

• No characters look comfortable, everything around them is overwhelming and this is shown through the Mise-en-scene –clothing is drab and they look miserable.

• They are minding their own business and are being harassed by media.• They are being shown behind a fence – keeping their distance.• When Vinz kicks off, camera starts rolling. Only media exposure the kids get.

Didn’t film them when they were calm, all middle class in Paris will see.• Further down, Middle class are seen as higher and superior whereas the youth

are shown almost in a pit and low class.• Playground is reminiscent of safari, animal rides, graffiti and needles.

• Graffiti and Run-down flats – No furniture

• Big Families – no father figures• Little work – no opportunities apart

from crime• No racial issues – everyone is equal –

Vinz is almost regarded as lower than Hubert and Said

• No security, everyone is grouped together, no privacy

• Vinz hasn’t been to prison, everyone else has. Left out and not respected. So desperate to kill someone to be involved with crime and be respected.

• Flats are built up and nicely furnished• Security system and Police at their ‘Beck

and Call’• Physical barrier between youths and the

middle class• Massive racial issues – Hubert and Said

are unaccepted• Vinz finds his place among the white

middle classes and is accepted.• Hubert and Said automatically ‘plucked

out’ by police and treated badly while Vinz gets away.

Messages and Values/ Successful?

• Highlights the extent of racism in France

• Media, Police and Government are all working together

• Losing their identity- Vinz’s parents are traditional Jews but Vinz is more modern, through generations they are becoming more French. France has a quota for French films and music.

• Style doesn’t distract from the narrative, shows their messages and values successfully.

• Black and White makes the film seem more classic, more boring and the audience is less likely to pay attention, they become passive to the narrative. Don’t notice messages and values.

• Because film moves slowly, when there is impact an audience is more likely to pay attention and react.

• Black and White makes them all even, shows oppression.

Context

• A young black man named Makome M’Bowole was shot and killed whilst in police custody.

• This murder resulted in a massive protest / activities against the police

• Les Banlieues is a place that resembles a slum and doesn’t tie in with our ideology of ‘suburbs’.