Billy Elliot by Stephen Daldry: Analysed Textual

Examples

Technique Example Effect

Contrast Billy jumping on the bed In the opening scene of the film, Billy is
- Long shot jumping on his bed – a prototype of his
- Mis en scène Billy making breakfast for his later dancing. The long shot set against the
grandma unrealistically vast backdrop of his
wallpaper emphasises the surreal nature of
this experience. In contrast, the
overcrowded mis en scène of Billy’s
kitchen elucidates the realities of his life:
his poverty and his responsibility for his
sick grandma.

Symbolism (mist) Billy and his family dancing Billy is able to escape his dark reality
Extradiegetic music to “I love to Boogie” by T through dance; in one scene, once again
Editing (cuts) Rex. made otherworldly and surreal through the
mist in the gymnasium, billy dances to the
diegetic music, “I love to boogie” by T Rex.
His silly dance cuts between him, his
brother (tony), his dad (Jackie) and his
grandma all dancing of moving to the song.
This demonstrates how music has the
capacity to give individuals freedom from
their realities; for Billy, the loss of his
mother, and for Tony and Jackie, the
miner’s strike.

© Art of Smart Education, 2020 https://www.artofsmart.com.au/

Extended metaphor "And then one night, she meets
this young prince and he falls in
love with her and she realizes
this is the one thing that will
allow her to become a real
woman once more”
This story is symbolic of Mrs Wilkinson’s
relationship with dance as she subverts the
idea of a “prince”, by metaphorically
suggesting dance was her saviour. When
her marriage was failing, dance allowed
her to feel alive again.

Billy Elliot by Stephen Daldry: Sample Band 6

Paragraph

Despite being set in a society which stifles artistic pursuits, Billy Elliot suggests that art
has the power to liberate individuals. In the opening scene of the film, Billy is jumping on
his bed – a prototype of his later dancing. The long shot set against the unrealistically
vast backdrop of his wallpaper emphasises the surreal nature of this experience. In
contrast, the overcrowded mis en scène of Billy’s kitchen elucidates the realities of his
life: his poverty and his responsibility for his sick grandma. Billy is able to escape his
dark reality through dance; in one scene, once again made otherworldly and surreal
through the mist in the gymnasium, billy dances to the diegetic music, “I love to boogie”
by T Rex. His silly dance cuts between him, his brother (tony), his dad (Jackie) and his
grandma all dancing of moving to the song. This demonstrates how music has the
capacity to give individuals freedom from their realities; for Billy, the loss of his mother,
and for Tony and Jackie, the miner’s strike. Dance also acts as a vessel for escape for
Billy’s Dance teacher, Mrs Wilkinson. She tells Billy, "And then one night, she meets this
young prince and he falls in love with her and she realizes this is the one thing that will
allow her to become a real woman once more.” This story is symbolic of Mrs Wilkinson’s
relationship with dance as she subverts the idea of a “prince”, by metaphorically
suggesting dance was her saviour. When her marriage was failing, dance allowed her to
feel alive again. Thus, it is clear that for Billy, his family and Mrs Wilkinson, dance and
music are a means to escape the often cruel realities of life.

© Art of Smart Education, 2020 https://www.artofsmart.com.au/

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