Writing Credits: Jeff Pope, Terry Winsor
Release Date: 14 July 2000 (UK)
Genre: Crime/ Thriller
Production Company: Granada Film Productions
Distributors: Buena Vista, Filmark, Madman Entertainment, Miramax Films, Pathe
Producers: Pippa Cross (executive producer), Paul Frift (line producer), Jeff Pope (producer)
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
User Comment:
******** - Donald Thomson
"Winsor's film, it seems to me, brilliantly evokes both the drabness and cruelty of the criminal mindset. It does this partly through the choice of dull, flat Essex landscapes with their coastal marshes, grey motorway links, flash nouveau riche mansions and the tawdry glamour of seafront locations."
"The characters are both repellent and yet curiously mesmerising. This is not a film in which it is easy to lose interest."
User Ratings:
Males- 5.9
Females- 5.9
Under 18- 4.9
Males Under 18- 5.0
Females Under 18- 4.7
Aged 18-29 - 6.1
Males 18-29 - 6.0
Females 18- 29 - 6.7
Essex Boys has a very authentic feel to it as it is based on a true story. At the beginning of the film, while the credit are on, there is a non-diegetic sound of perhaps a car being scratched; this automatically identifies the genre of the film. This is also backed up by the use of black and white on the screen. The first shot is quite ominous with dust, cobwebs etc and the mise en scene is overall very dark. The establishing shot is of Billy in a garage- he is lit by chiaroscuro lighting; also suggesting the genre and creating suspense. The garage is a good choice of location because it's a claustrophobic space and the darkness of it emphasises the corruption of the characters.
A voiceover is used as a cultural signifier; we automatically notice the Essex accent. The purpose of it's use is to engage the audience and to address them directly.
The first shot of Jason Locke is from a point of view shot. The image of him is very powerful as he stands out in the garage, staring straight through the car window towards Billy. As they are driving, you notice that there are wet, deserted roads, enclosing walls around them and a highly unglamorous industrial, grey look. All of these visual aspects show how Winsor is utilising the Thriller genre. The tunnel that they drive through is used as a kind of vanishing point; connoting claustrophobia once again but also could be a metaphor, as it looks like the barrell of a gun.
The "Welcome to Essex" sign is very ironic as the image given to the audience of the county so far isn't good. It is used to take the audience into "Jason's country". The light that goes across the car window as they are driving looks like jailbars; suggesting that billy is being blinded and corrupted by Jason. He has been brought into Jason's world through the job which he naively thinks is just chauffuering Jason wherever he wants to go. Another thing that could be suggested from that image is that the light is like piano keys; Billy is being played by Jason.
Jason is a very violent character, Billy finds this out when looking through the wing mirror of the van to see Jason attacking a man. This is done through a point of view shot and is quite a common feature in Thrillers. The violent behaviour of Billy tells the audience that he is a dark character; maybe a criminal or someone with a dark past.
At the end of this clip, the victim is left stranded, in a horrible situation. Jason and Billy drive off and a shot of Essex landscape follows, reitterating the statement that it is Jason's country. By leaving the victim stranded there, it suggests that he has been kept as a prisoner in Jason's world. You can see the white van driving off in the distance of this shot; the van is another generic signifier of a Thriller.
Hi Sabrina - I'm pleased to see the work you've been doing in Media (Is there more to post?).
ReplyDeleteI'll be coming back here every so often to take a look at the work you've been doing.
You should get an email notifying you that I've left this comment. If you do get that email, can you just email me to let me know (g.sealATcns-school.org)
Mr Seal
Essex Boys:
ReplyDeleteIn the voice over Billy says Jason has just come out of prison!
You need to explain the purpose of the point of view shot - why does the director use this technique?
The mise-en-scene of the featureless and bleak Essex marshes - interpret how Essex is represented in these shots and in what way the marshes reflect Jason's moral void and Billy's vulnerable situation. Some useful analysis here.
Overall Sabrina you have done substantial research into thriller films and aspects of the genre. This is not an easy genre for students to grasp but you have worked steadily throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteWell done, overall enthusiasm and a desire to get to grips with this complex genre suggests a mainly strongly proficient understanding. At times your analysis is excellent. Particular when you explain that at the end of the clip we watched in "Essex Boys", Jason's victim is left as a prisoner on the bleak Essex Marshes which is Jason's world.
Sabrina I urgently need a hard copy of your evaluation on Monday 29 March at the latest so that I can advise revisions by Thursday P.2 at the latest. If you have any problems could you please email me.
ReplyDeleteI've found your hard copy of your evaluation, I thought you'd handed it in. With revisions you could get a good mark, you've put the evaluation together articulately. I'll return it to you tomorrow for you to revise.
ReplyDeleteIgnore my post from yesterday, your evaluation had got caught up with another student's!
Hi Sabrina, a reminder. The final draft of your Evaluation needs to be posted onto your blog under the Labe "G321 Thriller Evaluation" by April 18th at the latest.
ReplyDeleteSee Page 10 of yellow booklet and handout I gave you at the end of term. All 7 questions must be addressed. All points need to references your research into thrillers and the thriller gener; any feedback from your productions; and references to your thriller film to include referencing aspects of your mise-en-scene, and utilisation of soundtrack and titles. Thanks!