Friday 30th January - Yazzmin Fergsuon-Dillon

Gangster Conventions

Definition: A gangster film is a sub genre of a crime film usually associated with characters involved in criminal activity. There are many other sub genres of crime films such as thriller, mystery and drama.

Settings:

• Dark/mysterious back streets


• Busy cities/ overcrowded homes


• Ghetto areas- poverty, high rise flats, dirty streets.


• Casinos nightlife/nightclubs/bars

Narrative:

• Rivalry between gang members


• Violence, murder, action, suspense


• Language is usually slang


• Police/FB1/MI6 usually involved


• Usually a breakdown in family relationships


• Fast cars, women, bling-clothes, jewellery


• Racial discrimation –hood films mainly associated in the USA


• Achieving status and recognition in the community is important

Characters:

• Victims are often innocent but can be involved in organised crime


• Drug dealers, gamblers


• Gang members usually from specific ethnic background : Mafia,Triads, Crips,Bloods


• Young boys,teenagers hanging around street corners- urban culture


• Usually street smart, ruthless,immoral

Example of a Gangster film:

Snatch is a British gangster film directed by Guy Ritchie in 2000.

Clip: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yE6nKPoWaZw

We watched the opening sequence up until 5:00 minutes where the opening titles begin.

Starring: Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, Vinnie Jones, Dennis Farina,Lennie James.

Age Rating : 18

Target audience: teenagers, adults, usually in the 18-25 category but this film will be enjoyed by anyone who likes watching gangster films.

Analysis of the opening sequence:

• Begins with two men sitting in a dark room,known as Turkish and Tommy


• There is no music, narrator’s commentary- non diegetic


• The dark setting creates suspense


• We know that these two men are criminals from their clothing


• Close up of shots of their facial expressions and body language reveal that there is more to their character


• The Jewish men can be seen on cctv walking into jewellers so the audience assumes that there are imposters and will attempt to cause a scene


• They move together in a group which adds to the suspicion about their true identity


• Music is played as soon as they enter the building (traditional folk music) which contributes to the stereotype of their characters – entertaining for the audience


• The lively music stops as soon as the men enter the back room, fast action music begins so the audience is aware that the men are in fact criminals- tension builds up and meets our expectations.


• The men strip off their costumes and pull out guns- violence is associated with criminals.