My Detailed essay plan...
How and why have a number of different social issues been represented in the film Crash ?
Intro:
As my independent study focuses on the film Crash there are a number of different social issues that take place within the film that engage the audience through different camera techniques and by the use of realistic issues taking place in a relaistic location(LA). Such social issues are racism, stereotyping, different characters having prejudices on different people in the film, women and also class divisons such as the rich and the poor. Evidently the rich in the film are portrayed to be the white charcters whilst the poor are depicted as black characters. My chosen text is also appropriate in analysing different social issues, as I can refer to different facts such as social issues do still exsist within the society we live in nowadays and also links to the point on how these social issues have changed over time. (S)(H)
Crash is a film which is mainly based upon racial tensions and social issues taking place in the city of LA. The film depicts different characters from different backgrounds during a 36 hour period and brings them together through a car crash(evident throughout the film as this happens at the beginning and the end), different shootings, and lastly car jackings. The narrative structure of the film does start with a car crash which holds the attention of the audience straight away as they are left in suspense about what has happened and want to find out why this certain situation has occured. Therefore this also causes the effect of different narrative enigmas to be raised such as "why is there a dead body?" or "who is this person?". Overall by the fact that a social issue or drama has occured from the start of the film engages the audience by creating narrative enigmas to keep them entertained throughout the film. This is further reinforced by slow tensed music and a dark mysterious atmosphere.(G)(N)(A)(M)
Prejudice:
In the film many characters are racially prejudiced in one way or another and become involved in conflicts that force them to examine their owm prejudices. For example in the film we see "sandra bullock" whos racial prejudices escalate after her carjacking. In the scene she assumes that two black characters are going to do something to her and has an instant fear towards them. Therefore this creates a social issue straight away as the fear towards a black person has created a social barrier or even division. This engages the audience as they have noticed that many characters in the film are vividly racist and also links to the fact that the audience can also challenge their own assumptions on different races in society.(A)(S)
However on the other hand it can be argued that her husband(Bendan Fraser) is racailly sensitive as he is a white district attorny democrat and african americans are his key democrats. Therefore this can lead to many interpretations such as is his character placed in the film to have a positve effect to racism or is his character placed in the film to be one that just doesn't take place on racial situations to reassure his votes in the film. This can also challenge the audiences perceptions on the rich and the powerful in contemparary society.(A)(R)(ID)(S)(P)
Racism/prejudices:
Another main character in the film "Chris Ludacris Bridges" is represented to be a stereotypical black american character that has the main idea all the society is against black people or anyone that is black. In one main scene we see his character carjacking another black character. This is created by fast paced editing to engage the audience as the scene is very dramatic and tensed. The reason to why this social issue might have been placed in the film could have been to suggest the idea that even people of the own race are racist to each other to an extent. Therefore sends out a message to the audience that the majority pf people living in the usa are evidently racist.(m)(id)(A)(P)
Crash also depicts the social issue of racism by placing a persian family to own a store in LA. The persian family are afraid for their own safety as the father of the family(farhad) is very frustated by the racial harassment he experiences in the United States. He also has difficulty in speaking and understanding english which could be another reason to why charcters are racist towards him in the film. In one scene his door needs to be replaced but Farhad does not listen to the locksmith as he believes he is being cheated. Ironically later on in the film the shop does eventally encounter a break in and he blames the locksmith for this racial destruction. Farhad takes revenge and shoots the locksmiths daughter with a gun that has blank bullets. This scene is very suspenseful by the use of fast paced edits and also many facial expressions are emphasised(zoom in) on characters eventually engaging the audience. (A)(R)(M)
Prejudice:
The locksmith in the film "Daniel" faces alot of discrimination in the film from upper class charcters. This social issue is further reinforced by the way in which is he being represented to the audience. For example he has a shaved head, wears baggy jeans, and also has tatoos on his body. In reality he is actally a family man who cares alot for his daughter. Therefore the social issue of discrimination and prejudice is represented in the film crash by using different representations on characters to send a message out to the audience that you should not judge people on the way that they look. This engages the audience by the fact that innocent people in the film are being judged for no reason. (R)(S)(A)
Women/prejudice:
In one main scene in the film the audience see a black women getting sexually molested by a white racist police officer. This brings up the social issue of prejudice against women in society. The way in which the audience are engaged is through the use of close up shots of the legs which are being fetishised whilst the camera is panning up and down. The female has the quality to-be-looked-at-ness. This crtain social issue might have been raised to send a message out to the audience that we do still live in a patriarchal society, where men predominantly have more power over women. (S)(A)(ID)(M)-lAURA MULVEY- the male gaze
link the point above to the fact that crash does use attractive women in the film such as sandra bullock. She has the quality to-be-looked-at-ness and does conform to the theory of the male gaze as she can be portrayed to be a sexual object in the film. Therefore this links to the social issue of women being sexual objects in society-argue for and against this point- Laura mulvey-passive female and the active male.
Begin to talk about other theorists such as Propp. The different character roles in the film such as the hero, villain and the princess. Also mention how these charcter roles change through out the film. The hero role happnes in the car crash when the white racist police officer saves the women he abbused earlier. This engages the audience as one main character who was dominantly racist in society changes his role in the film.(A)- Propp
Todorov
The narrative of the film follows his theory to a extent. This is because the film crash does have a beginning a middle and an end however it can be argued that towards the end of the film the audience encounter another car crash happening. Therefore this can explain the fact that the film has not really ended realistically and also in society because this sends a message out to the audience that racism and other social issues will still continue no matter how much people try and change this from happening. This also links to the fact that socially our lives are all linked which is prooved by the non linear narrative of the film.
Stereotyping:
Definition of stereotypes in the media provided from research. Link this to the black people in the film how they are stereotypes negativley by the white characters in the film. The causes and effects of stereotypes.
Links to other films such as bullet boy. Bullet Boy also portrays black characters in the film negativley as they are involved with gun crime. This is very similar to crash. The use of the iconographic symbol of the gun can link to the social issue of gang violence and crime in society which also engages an audience into the film.
Social divisions:
social divisions tend to divide people into "better" and "worse" catergories. Thereofre social divisions result in social inequalities. Those who are placed in the better catergory tend to lead happier lives. Link this to the idea of crash being a socially divided film by the use of class divisons and racist attitudes.
Social inequalities refer to differences in people(not just money but also other factors such as helath and education. This is evident in the film crash as there is a social divide between the rich and the poor people who are mainly black. The white charcters in the film can be seen to have better jobs in society and are also well educated. Thereofre the use of social divisons engages the audience as they are made more aware and educated on contemporary issues in society.(A) (S)
Sum up all points mentioned on how these social issues are represented in the film and also why. Link this to how these issues engage an audience. Also argue on how effective these issues are and if they are likely to change in society-link to research.
References:
Websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash_(Film_2005)
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Modules/MC30820/represent.html
http://afgen.com/race1.html
http://mediaknowall.com/representation.html
Books:
Managing the message -Peter Hobday-(2000)
Social Divisions -Geoff Payne-(2000)
The media book- Boyd Barrett and Van Den Bulck-published in united states of America-(2002)
An Introduction to film studies -second edition-Jill Nelmes-(1996)
