Film City of God by Gerard Daly - Essay Example

of God Planning is an essential and indispensable part of a s well thought-out progress. It dictates the kind and pace of growth as well as the economic and social structures within a region. But planning and implementing are two distinct phases of development. In the film City of God, the audience was able to see the realities of urban dwelling in developing countries such as Brazil. It highlights a community’s cultural resolve to restructure itself following decades of negative reputation. City of God illustrates gang-related violence in Rio de Janeiro’s poorest neighborhoods. Among the emergent themes in the movie are urban crime, social network, education, urban slums, the lack of economic and social mobility, and the global city. These themes are presented through the lives of Rocket and Jose ‘Lil Ze’ who are in opposite paths in their lives’ but are both shackled to the city of their childhood. The torn down buildings and the dirty streets serve as the backdrop of the film’s storyline and the object of Rocket’s gritting photographs. In the Broken Window Principle, the idea is that one broken window will lead to many broken windows. In an experiment, the pristine condition of windows deters the commission of voluntarily shattering them. James Wilson and George Kelling write that the police play an important role in reclaiming their own authorities in streets that have been overrun by gang-related violence. This is further strengthened when the people see them as a partner in driving out those who commit organized crimes to return their communities to a peaceful state. “The process we call urban decay has occurred for centuries in every city... Earlier crime waves had a kind of built-in self-correcting mechanism: the determination of a neighborhood or community to reassert control over its turf” (4). Sadly, this was not shown in the film as corruption was a rampant attribute of the local police force. Zukin’s Whose Culture, Whose City? (75) with its setting in New York, reveals that public space is continually being privatized by corporate entitles, resulting in a cultural war within its streets. In this regard, it is equally important to look at the cultural relevance of urban decay with respect to education. It not only functions to develop the individual but the nation at large. For developing nations, education has a pivotal developmental role. In this movie, education in the developing Rio de Janeiro, is quite accessible but an extensive portion of the populace remained ignorant. Rocket was an unusual character since he was the only one who strives to get an education and fulfill his ambition to become a journalist (Muir 40). In spite of the fact that he did not have formal education, his camera enables him to hone his skill. The other character, Lil Ze, disregarded education and reveled in criminal life as a trendy endeavor. The entire movie highlights that the precondition of ignorance was the lack of education. Majority of the teenagers engage in criminal activities in the city of Rio were uneducated. Global cities connote those that invaluably influence the international economy. The film was set in Rio de Janeiro at a time when the urban center was experiencing massive economic development. Various economic activities were happening simultaneously due to its picturesque scenery, landmarks, beautiful beaches, and rich culture. This of course included the popular carnival celebration. Owing to these multiple activities, tourists throng the city, contributing to the global market. As in the case of other international cities, Rio, alluded to as the ‘City of God’ in this film, experienced numerous hindrances such as insecurity, crime, gangs and the ever-present wide economic gaps between the rich and the poor. This same situation occurred in New York where people were incessantly competing for dollars from tourists and international investments. The city was bustling as a center for cultural innovations through restaurants, avant-garde performances and innovative architectural designs (Zukin, 76). Based on these multiple challenges, the management of this global city was ultimately a herculean task (Muir 49). Nevertheless, where the cities are on the rise and its tourists spots were material to economic growth, certain areas remain poor and downtrodden. Social order disruption potentially poses challenges to the populace and the government. City of God highlights the manner in which Rio’s traditional structure has been altered owing to rapid and poorly planned urbanization. The society was characterized by anarchy with gangs controlling the day-to-day activities of society unhampered by law enforcers. There are numerous burglaries, murders, thefts, drug-deals and drug abuse cases in the city. The steadfast lawlessness coupled with high poverty rates encourages the youth to pursue such deviant activities. Zukin cites that private entities that control various cultures within the city potentially control societal ills such as violence, economic decline and hate crime (77). This context was epitomized by Lil Ze who assumes the role of a gang leader in the neighborhood and inflicts violence and fear in the community and even with the vulnerable members of his own gang. Massive inequalities in the social context also emerge in the film and have an adverse impact on how the city’s developmental and planning initiatives are pursued (Muir 57). The already densely populated Rio de Janeiro remained to have exponential population growth rate because of rural-urban migration. City of God was established in the city’s outskirts under a project geared at ameliorating housing issues attributed to the massive immigration of people from rural regions (Daly 61). Contrary to expectation, the Favela elicits a different outcome as shown in the movie. The better part of the families does not have appropriate housing amenities provided by the government. The characters’ lifestyles depicted that a favorable housing environment is a luxury. These housing problems and poor government planning facilitate the sprouting of slum dwellings like the Favela. The houses are characterized by poor sanitation and disappointing health amenities. Even when these amenities are present, they are inadequate. This vivid description of the slums ascribed to urban regions was captured in the Favela (Daly 66). These informal settlers largely contributed to the congestion within the city. Ultimately, poor resources and dismal social amenities led to high crime rates perpetrated by gangs as shown in the film’s neighborhood. Unfortunately, the people were keen to harbor and protect these gang members because they repaid them with security (Daly 82). Zukin (80) points out that the fastest growing public space ascribed to America are prisons. People become compelled to resort to criminal ventures to sustain their daily needs. In the Favela, the fastest way to earn decent living is through crime. As a result, the insecurity levels in the city are notably high. Gangs control criminal activities, and feuds are the order of the day. In the film, Lil Ze and Rocket are in opposing gangs that seek control over the city. The gangs control the drug business and use fear as a means to enforce it. Lil Ze proclaimed himself as a dominant gang leader and has massive control over the Favela. As a gang leader, he oversees the gang’s perpetration of crimes. The person became afraid of the gangs and does not dare report their activities to the police lest they fall victim to their agenda. Owing to the low security levels in the region, the levels of investment and development remained poor (Daly 97). They became incapable of steady and progressive development. Poor individuals engage in crime to escape poverty since they did not have education. Health was also a main concern together with the lack of social amenities. It is difficult for individuals to dig their way out of poverty that is why they were willing to do just about anything. Rocket, however, manages to nurture his photography skills and land a job in his quest to lead a life away from poverty and crime. The Favela was inundated with the deaths of individuals who attempt to lead prosperous albeit criminal lives. While social decay in shown by the staggering crime rates, urban decay was extensively shown in City of God. In conclusion, the City of God vividly defines the tenets of most global cities that are characterized by similar dilemmas. The characters instrumentally represent the living conditions of average individuals in such regions. The movie is an essential tool what helps highlight the issues ascribed to development in urban centers and can espouse the development of proper programs for planning and resource distribution in such regions. These aspects of gang violence and lack of educational motivation must be addressed in order to prevent urban decay. There are many stakeholders to warrant peaceful communities and all must be willing to share in this agenda. Proper urban planning contemplates many aspects for proper implementation. Then it is by a strong will that they are adhered to and protected. Works Cited Daly, Gerard J. P. City of God: A Readers Guide. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2004. Print. Muir, Stephanie. Studying City of God. Revised Student ed. Leighton Buzzard: Auteur, 2008. Print. Wilson, James Q. and Kelling, George L. “Broken Windows” The police and neighborhood safety. (n.d.): 1-10. Web. 27 November 2014. Zukin, Sharon. "Whose Culture, Whose City?" The Cultures of Cities 15.45 (1995): 75-85. Print. Read More