Formal Strategies Present in Television Play Made in Britain - Movie Review Example

FORMAL STRATEGIES PRESENT IN MADE IN BRITAIN By Formal strategies present in Made in Britain United Kingdom has for over a century had a significant industry regarding the film sector. The production reached a high all-time in 1936. In 1940, the British cinema was believed to reach the golden age. At this error, the directors of the sector, Michael Powell, Carol Reed and David Lean, came up with the most highly valued and acclaimed work. Most of the British actors have to date achieved the most critical success and international fame. A significant number of films and plays that have had the largest ever office box returns have a history of being made in the UK. The identity of British film industry with relations to Hollywood has been subjected to debate. The main challenge, that has affected the Britain industry, is the attempts for competition with the American industry (artbrain.org). In the years between 1970 and 1980, British productions were cut back by the American studios which in many cases stopped the financial support to the British market. The films that were financed by the interests of America were still being processed and produced in the 1970s although the funds had failed to come. In the 1980s, to 1990, their trend in the industry changed relatively. Due to the cut support in the film industry by the American country, there was a reduction in the movie production. In the year, 1980, there was a production of 31 British films only. The rate marked a 50% decline. The rate too marks the lowest number since the year 1914 while the number reduced further to 24 films in 1981. Further, the industry suffered a blow as a result of falling cinema attendances. The state made it for an overseas film company to possibly write off a relatively large amount of its consequential production cost by means of shooting in the United Kingdom. The business was the primary factor that had attracted a big-budget American succession to the British studios in the 1970s. The factors led to changes in the industry. Secondary markets including television and video have become a crucial part as a factor in the increasingly profitability in the British films market. It was in this time zone when Alan Clarke and Leland David produced the film titled Made in Britain. The film came into the market with a blow and,; as a result, and it turned out to be famous throughout the state. The film did revolve around stories of in and out of school. In the movie, the fragmentation of the present society has been brought out. The major character in the play is a sixteen-year-old boy by the name Trevor. Trevor is depicted as a skinhead and violent character. The character has been shown in fields of numerous violent states. Made in Britain, a British television play was directed by Clarke Alan and written by Leland David in 1983. The play talks about a skinhead racist who is 16 years old named Trevor. Trevor always confronts the authority figures throughout the play. The play was the fourth in Leland’s untitled work series. The play was first aired on 10th July 1983 on ITV. Most of Leland’s works revolve around the education system in Britain. Thus the name Tales Out of School. In most of Alan’s works, there exist attempts to depict working-class life English by the director. The depiction is realistic without complicated plots as well as moralising. The play features racism, anti-establishment feeling, violence, as well as strong language. Chris Menges, the Cinematographer, uses Steadicam that contribute to the gritty and fluid atmosphere of the play (TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 1983). Trevor has a Swastika tattoo on his forehead. The play is framed in a medium shot that is close. Trevor abruptly stands up and moves towards the camera. Trevor’s body appears to be projected to the forward by the apparatus movement. The projection seems to be smashing into the face of the viewers. The aggressive body language of the actor is reinforced by the discordant punk music and the slightly lingering camera that has created a visual choc. The scene and actor’s performance determines the significance of the film, as well as engaging the viewer in a cognitive and affective process that embraces understanding, thoughts, memory, sensations, feelings and perception (artbrain.org). Illusion and reality The first sequence of the film Made in Britain is a reminder of the complexity of the experience of film watching that comprises of thoughts, body reactions, as well as feelings. The paper thus questions the emotional responses by the film spectators within the representation, reception and production network. The paper focuses on specific stylistic and aesthetic figures present in Alan’s film. The paper has an intention to represent how clues of orientation are provided by strategies of representation. The paper further explains how spectators are captured and inscribed with the space of the film. The article also describes how strategies of representation anticipate the reply of the spectators. The essay emphasises on stylistic cues that extensively demonstrates how emotions in a cinematographic texture and text are invested during interplay cognition (TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 1983). Emotions are embedded in the viewing experience and are at the core of the appeal of the film medium. Recently, theorists and critics have ignored the film reception’s affective dimension. The manner, by which cinema actions activate the mind and the body, has been discussed by contemporary scholars. The students have been taking into consideration the emotional representation strategies in the film. As per the theorists of cognition, emotions experienced and expressed in film watching are as the same as the feelings in the everyday experience and situations. Thus, the emotions are real. The roots of the emotions are of similar processes (TALES OUT OF SCHOOL, 1983). The processes generate emotions of the real world. The assumption opposes the theories that are for cinema being a producer and a locus of mere illusion. The emotional products of cinema and television are more than being mere reality reflection. They are active reality parts in which they exist (artbrain.org). In the sequence Made in Britain opening, the body and face of the actor cannot be minimised to a vector of the story that is simpler. The physical feature present in the film expresses meaning for them. The physical features further embody the conventions and, as a result, they are charged with connotations. Trevor is a culturally and socially defined type. The skinhead has an arrogant smile, somewhat cynical and has an aggressive body language. All the above characteristics have been exposed to the viewer’s fears and fantasies. The characters in return provoke rejection or admiration. The boy’s visual tensions present in his body affect the mind of the viewers and encourage engagement, as well as generating emotion. As per a cognitive-emotional development approach that is present in an interdisciplinary research field, various human faculties are connected by strong functional links. Feelings are close companions to mental activities. The approach breaks the mind and emotion Cartesian division (Davis E. 2011). A film theorist, Torben Grodal states that cognition and emotion are aspects of our brains function. As per recent research, cognition and emotion work together. The reason for the combined working stands to be feelings are intact and closely related to processes and structure present in the nervous system as well as the brain. Cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists are increasingly researching in the way by which emotions are generated and located in the brain. Cognitive perspective stands for the assumption the emotions are not chaotic or unorganized, but rather correspond to states that are well structured. The emphasis on the link between thought and feelings by cognitivist results to the view of emotions as forces of motivation that direct the body and the mind (Bower G. 2011). The emotional, cognitive approach in spectatorship of film considers the encouragement and interaction among the stylistic strategies, characters, point of view, as well as narrative structure. The approach also recognizes how the factors encourages the play of desire, feelings and cognition that results in an emotional response. The act reveals a cognitive method important aspect that faces its subjects by fragmenting them. The elements are given out into proceedings and component processes in the grounds of characters, objects, motivations or goals. The paper looks forward in examining some of the stylistic devices employed by Clarke. The paper also intends to consider their roles in the doctrine of spectator engagement. The paper is looking forward to revealing and elaborates the underlying structure and theories that arose through abstraction and elicit emotions (artbrain.org). Vicious circle At the opening sector of the Made in Britain sequence, the skinhead is held by Steadicam as the film’s protagonist since he is facing the camera. The status of Trevor is as the main focal point has been underlined by the framing. The shots of the mobile camera accompanying Trevor as he walks in halls, tunnels as well as the street also emphasize his status. Throughout the film, the Steadicam is closely and extremely attached to the character. The technique inscribes the film’s audience with the emotional and aesthetic spaces of the movies. The viewers are helplessly borne along as the skinhead matches on his rounds. Regardless of whether Trevor has smashed the Asian homes or destroyed the job centre, the audience remains to be his accomplice. The eyes of the audience are oriented by the camera. The camera involves the audience emotionally and perceptually. The involvement is seen in the stage movement by the characters. Christine walking down the anonymous suburb’s street, that is empty, is a god example. The patrolling British soldier at the British-Irish border of Northern Ireland is another example. The viewer cannot in any way escape the character as per the filming done by Alan. The feelings, grievances and movements impact the viewing experience. Moreover, viewers get into the emptiness of Christine’s life. The vacuum is reduced to consumption of drugs and ceaseless delivery. The viewer further confronts the soldier of terror while they still fear the snipers behind each of the trees. The set disregard the viewer’s capability of extreme brutality. In the road, there is exposure of the inhabitant’s despair of a housing estate to the viewer. Films comparing to that of Made in Britain and Christine create multiple spaces of emotions for identification. The state allows the audience align with the performance of the characters. The films offer numerous opportunities of admiration. The appreciation is provided to the individuals who worship his resistance capacity, as well as his racist purpose. Trevor is a sympathetic individual. The character is represented by Errol within the film. Trevor’s usual target of racist attitude is also brought out in the movie. To Errol, Trevor is his hero to whom he imitates. Made in Britain presents a rich portrait of the protagonist as shown by Trevor’s action and attitudes depicted in the play (TALES OUT OF SCHOOL, 1983). Clarke’s films identify the situations in which the characters are brought in and developed. The film is not so much identified with the protagonist. Alan’s films offer possibilities and opportunities for alignment through which the audience is placed in connection with the movie’s characters as per their actions and what they feel and know. The work helps the audience to comprehend the action’s situations. Most of Clarke’s films and plays are permeated by violence. Violence is an expression name for the case of Trevor in Made in Britain. Violence is endured and distributed by fictional characters in the films. Centripetal and centrifugal, it seems contagious. The viewer experiences confrontation by the permanent tension present beneath the surface of the movie. Violence emerges as a continuing sensation that is depicted as a daily routine phenomenon. In the movies, actions are developed. The activities are not necessarily directed to the climax. Violence generated by monotony or banality rather than spectacular, become latent. The Films are built around the repetition idea with slight or even no idea of variations of the same situations and movements (iep.utm.edu). Christine is presented four times in identical situations while injecting herself with heroine before delivering the rest to her dealers. The location is at her dealer’s flat in all the scenarios. Contact as well as structured and presented din three situations. The first scenario is to the border patrol, search of terrorist, after patrol moment of rest, as well as next day’s activity preparation. Gilles Deleuze’s theory is illustrated by the Clarke’s films in which the images tell the audience what time and movements allow only. The director’s approach to the time factor and use of repetition give rise to a high efficient state. The films make the audience feel the experience and expressions of violence (iep.utm.edu). As per Susan L. Feagan’s opinion, an individual must understand that durational factors cannot directly influence effective responses. If the opposite have to occur, cognitive intermediaries have to be produced. She further agrees with the fact that, it is difficult to distinct non-cognitive and cognitive-affective replies sources. The depiction is simply because of the interplay that is strong that is between them (artbrain.org). Clarke’s stylistic approach underlines that durational factors are the primary source of generation of thoughts that could be reinforced and integrated into emotional responses in consideration of cognitive and affective factors. The emotional response to his films is inter-connected to the symbolic production of meaning. The emotions are also linked to the manner in which violence is problematized and evaluated. The spectator engagement, as well as the film, helps the audience, as well as the entire public, to understand d and face the mechanisms and nature of collective and individual violence (Davis E. 2011). The presence of the repetitive character of the Clarke’s films describes the vicious circle. In the description, most of the protagonists are caught narrative structures, as well as Visual factors, translate the idea. The itinerary of Trevor guides him to escape from arrest but later to another detention (iep.utm.edu). After the assessment centre’s violent attack in which he is confined, Trevor is later on locked into a room. In the room, Trevor is seen like an animal in the cage walking round and round. A police inspector predicts Trevor’s life as that of between prison and crime. The life of Trevor is full of chains of violence. There exists exposure of visual arrangements that generates the idea of the alienation and isolation of Trevor. The multiplication by means of optic closures makes it overt. The overtness is shown by; gloomy colour, shadows, narrow space, visual obstacles (doors, windows and iron bars). The position is strengthened by frequent use medium close shots and close-up that have contributed to claustrophobia feeling. Trevor’s social exclusion and alienation are revealed in a number of situations. The conditions include; four showroom dummies’ contemplation, ideal family life imitation, as well as in the social worker’s home to whom is embarrassment of the intruder that leads to the owner calling the police (Bowers G. 2011). Trevor is a jobless mere teenager. The same case applies to Christine and the inhabitants of the housing of which the three further lacks perspective. The group belongs to the community of excluded from the modern society. Clarke depicts educational system, and social failure trough visual states and palpable. The presence of the film in the British society aroused the fact that, the British society is emotional participation blended (artbrain.org). The soldier and Trevor are both victims and culprits. The viewer is encouraged to question and engage the character as well as being aware of the contradictions of the characters. The sequence Made in Britain by expressing visually Trevor’s aggressivity and energy reveal the ambivalent position of the central character (Davis E. 2011). Trevor, with his relatively large movements, seems to determine and know the control space, as well as the action pace. The impression is first corrected by the information and details acquired by him. The teenager skinhead makes no decision for himself. Instead, decisions are made on his behalf by the adult police officer and judges as well as the social workers. At the last shot, Trevor is in a cell’s floor. Trevor has a triumphant smile while he is on the floor. He is knocked down although he is not broken. The spiral circular violence is deemed to continue as far as the skinhead determines his behaviour by being aggressive (Bowers G. 2011). The character will still have its way if at all the adults in the society will still be unable to give Trevor the correct perspective of life (iep.utm.edu). The film opens one of the major themes of Leland of the sequence that is brief in the children at play opening titles. The idea stands for instinctive learning through action as well as self-definition with the absence recourse in relation to the institutional system. The children’s freedom of play has been placed in contrast to the school’s demands. The children are grouped and contained as per their ability to perform and pass exams (Davis E. 2011). Clarke openly delivers portraits of destroyed and fragmented social units. The society is depicted as powerless and without the providence of further explanation or even alternative suggesting. The visual structures and films move from dynamism to stagnation, action to inaction. The abrupt frequent shifts correspond to the audience positions that are between the detachment and attachment. The distance resulted to by the detachment and attachment configuration leads to the stylistic device overt. The state further results create a self-reflexive dimension. In the dimension, spectators confront their status. The tension moments in Clarke’s are fragile moments of heterogeneity. The moments lead the audience towards an emotional set participation. In the emotional participation, sensations, cognition and feelings, converge (Bower G. 2011). The day after the film was aired on the ABC television on 20th November, 1983, a gradual view of the movie was an experience. The film was seen by almost 100 million individuals in its initial broadcast. The film is the highest rated film currently as per the history (artbrain.org). References Interview: Made in Britain author James Gavin Bower on the Hackney riots. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2015, from http://hackneycitizen.co.uk/2011/09/06/interview-made-in-britain- james- gavin-bower-hackney-riots/ Davis, E. (2011). Made in Britain (pp. 15-34). Britain: Littel, Brown. February 13, 2015, from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=NPyscQAACAAJ&dq=Davis,+E.+%282011%29.+Made+i n+Britai n.+London:+Little,+Brown.&source=gbs_book_other_versions&redir_esc=y White, R., & Brockington, D. (1983). Tales out of school: Consumers views of British education. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. Best Film Editing Sequences. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2015, from http://www.filmsite.org/bestfilmediting10.html Emotion and Cognition: About Some Key-Figures in Films by Alan Clarke. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2015, from http://www.artbrain.org/emotion-and-cognition-about-some- key-figures-in-films-by-alan-clarke/ Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (n.d.). 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