URBAN

URBAN STORIES
STORIES ‐ POWER, PoVERTY & CONFLICT

KEY WORDS:
IDEOLOGY ‐ a person's or a society's set of beliefs and values, or overall way
of looking at the world

CULTURE ‐
1. The way in which forms of human activity and interaction are socially
transmitted.
2. The way of life of a particular human community living at a specific time
and in a particular place.

POWER ‐ the various forms of control some individuals and groups within
society have over other individuals and groups.

REPRESENTATION ‐ the variety of ways in which individuals and groups are

displayed to audiences within the media and other cultural texts.

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URBAN STORIES
STORIES ‐ POWER, PoVERTY & CONFLICT
LA HAINE

Relationships of power ‐ found within any social structure where there are
differences between groups.

Key questions:
Who has power?
Who is in a position of subordination to that power?
What is the nature of that power?
Is it economic power involving accumulation of wealth and ownership of
corporations?
Is it political power involving the ability to govern and make laws?
Or is it ideological power involving control over education and the mass media?

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URBAN STORIES
STORIES ‐ POWER, PoVERTY & CONFLICT

CHARACTERS IN LA HAINE

Said ‐ Arab African‐French (Beur)

Vinz ‐ A Jewish background
Hubert ‐ Black African ‐ French

Drawn together by a shared youth culture, are these differences important?

What is the role of each character within the narrative?

Look at scenes:
Said ‐ contemplating the police at the beginning and also look at the end of the
film.
Vinz ‐ How is Vinz linked to the gun? Emotional and physical.
Hubert ‐ we see him alone in his bedroom, at home with his mother. How do these
scenes increase our understanding of his character and our identification with
him?

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URBAN STORIES
STORIES ‐ POWER, PoVERTY & CONFLICT

How would you differentiate the three central characters?

Refer to specific scenes in order to illustrate your case.

REMEMBER! Film is a visual medium and will 'show' us features of an individual

character's make‐up through performance and/or carefully constructed shots
rather than simply 'telling' us in the use of dialogue.

• Which one if any is the central 'hero'? How would you justify your choice?
• What roles does Samir, the Beur police officer, play in the film?
• Are there any other minor characters who serve to tell us more about each
of the key characters?
• Why has the older character in the scene in the toilets been included in the
film?

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URBAN STORIES
STORIES ‐ POWER, PoVERTY & CONFLICT
You need to be able to identify the ways in which elements of mise‐en‐scene, cinematography,
editing and sound, and the structure of the narrative, create meaning and generate audience
response.
KEY SCENES:

KEY SCENES:
• The opening scene. Key themes, explored throughout the film, are introduced here 'Burnin
and Lootin' suggests a particular way of seeing the documentary footage.
• The TV News crew ‐ looking down on the three friends in what resembles a zoo or bear
pit.
• Hubert in his bedroom
• The police and local council authorities attempting to force the youths off the rooftop on
the tower block.
• The three main characters sitting in the children's play area. Boredom...
• The Dj using his decks to blast out an anti‐police message.
• The surreal, but grounded in historical truth sequence with the old man in the Parisian
toilet.
• The two 'experienced' plain clothe policemen interviewing Said and Hubert while the
younger trainee looks on.
• The late=night exhibition at the high class art gallery ‐ class divide
• The friends confronted by the skinhead gang ‐ issues of fascism
• The final dramatic scene in which there is a critical change to the story that has been
told several times, so that it becomes a 'society' that is 'falling'.

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URBAN STORIES
STORIES ‐ POWER, PoVERTY & CONFLICT

MESSAGES AND VALUES

La Haine based on actual event. 18 year old black youth shot by police 1992
Multiculturalism and ethnicity explore in Modern French society.

On the positive side: Three friends of mixed ethnicity within youth culture ‐ a vibrant cultural fusion
music dance styles street slang all features of popular youth culture.

The nature of the working class experience (see shooting styles) contrasted with middle class Paris

Racism ‐ skinhead gang

youth unemployment

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URBAN STORIES
STORIES ‐ POWER, PoVERTY & CONFLICT

How do the elements of mise‐en‐scene, cinematography, editing and sound, and the structure of
the narrative, create meaning and generate audience response in your sequence?

• Make sure you underline the key words in the question and make sure that you address them all in
your analysis.
• Briefly describe what goes on in your sequence and 'place' it in the film
• Just as you did for the analytical coursework essay last year, analyse the effects, meanings and
messages created by the micro features. This is the main body of your essay.
• Move out from the micro features to consider the wider context e.g. social political and
historical.

I need to see you using film language. Do not simply focus on dialogue and plot. This is not a book.
You need to refer to cuts, shots, framing,camera movement and point of view, mise‐en‐scene,
sound, and editing.
I also want you to ensure there are specific comments on the effects of editing ‐ an element of film
which is often ignored.

To be handed in Next Wednesday please. (Use wide‐lined paper please, not that narrow stuff. Ta!)

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URBAN STORIES
STORIES ‐ POWER, PoVERTY & CONFLICT

KEY SCENES:
• The opening scene. Key themes, explored throughout the film, are introduced here 'Burnin
and Lootin' suggests a particular way of seeing the documentary footage. Craig
• The TV News crew ‐ looking down on the three friends in what resembles a zoo or bear
pit. Sophie
• Hubert in his bedroom Ben T
• The police and local council authorities attempting to force the youths off the rooftop on
the tower block. Andy
• The three main characters sitting in the children's play area. Boredom... Charlie
• The Dj using his decks to blast out an anti‐police message. An
• The surreal, but grounded in historical truth sequence with the old man in the Parisian
toilet. Ben G
• The two 'experienced' plain clothed policemen interviewing Said and Hubert while the
younger trainee looks on. Rowan
• The late‐night exhibition at the high class art gallery ‐ class divide Evie
• The friends confronted by the skinhead gang ‐ issues of fascism
• The final dramatic scene in which there is a critical change to the story that has been
told several times, so that it becomes a 'society' that is 'falling'. Alex