Thursday 17 October 2013

Why Did DREDD Fail At The Box Office?

In the following essay I am going to compare the 2012 version of DREDD with the 2012 version of Batman The Dark Knight Rises and explain which film was  more successful and why –

Before 'DREDD' was even the mere idea of a blockbuster film, the character 'Judge Dredd' featured in British science-fiction comic books known as '2000 AD.' The characters first appearance was in the year of 1977. In 1995 the character made its debut on the big screen and was released globally. Many people, including critics, understand that the main reason for its lack of success is the fact that the character was not recognisable in any other country or even continent apart from the UK, as the comic books which it featured in had never been released anywhere else other than Britain and so in countries such as America, the character was virtually unknown, therefore the film did not attract large crowds to the cinema. The only reason the film did make an overall profit was the fact it featured well known actor Sylvester Stallone. Without his appearance, the film would most probably never have made the amount it did.
A futuristic police officer in armour and a helmet that covers all but his mouth stands on the corner of a building roof with a gun in his hand as large tower blocks burn behind him. Above the man reads a tagline "Judgment is Coming".
The DREDD DVD Cover and advertising poster
However, Batman was also a comic book star before being transported into the cinematic world. The time gap between the two characters is crucial as to why 'DREDD' failed and 'The Dark Knight Rises' succeeded. The first reason is that Batman has featured in hugely popular comic books (DC) which have been distributed around the globe since 1940, a substantial amount of time longer than 'Judge Dredd'. DC Comic books are also much more recognisable and popular than 2000 AD comic books, as DC comics are distributed to hundreds of countries across the planet, whereas 2000 AD comics are mainly distributed in the UK. These reason alone suggest why Batman is a more popular character and why 'The Dark Knight Rises' was so much successful than 'DREDD' at the box office - Batman has been a well-known, popular comic book character for a longer time than Judge Dredd, the character is also more recognisable to more people on the planet and so 'The Dark Knight Rises' was bound to be the more successful of the two films.

DREDD was in fact a British film and so had a vast amount of money less to spend on the likes of top, A list actors than the Dark Knight Rises. Although it did feature an experienced cast, none of them were stand out performers. The most recognisable in the film was New Zealander Karl Urban, who has featured in films such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as Star Trek and the Bourne Supremacy. However, both the producer and director decided to cover Urban's face with the famous DREDD helmet, and so Urban was almost unrecognisable to the audience throughout the entire film. This may have been another crucial reason as to why it failed miserably on its opening weekend. It is a common fact that big name actors attract audiences and boost the films advertising; therefore the overall popularity is increased. A list stars also give the film that certain 'wow factor' which audiences are looking for, by giving the audience this, the film is more likely to stick in their minds, as great actors are never forgotten. However, as DREDD did not feature any A list stars, it lacked that 'wow factor' and so was extremely likely to be overlooked by the audience, as although the film may have looked like it could be a 'good watch' without that star quality, audiences were just not as interested. On the other hand, the Dark Knight Rises had a star studded cast and featured the likes of Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Michael Cane, all of whom of are some of the most successful and well-known actors of the 20th/21st century. These hugely popular actors may have been another crucial reason as to why The Dark Knight Rises was so successful at the box office, as their names alone may have made the audience attracted to the film as typically films with these actors in are usually outstanding. Therefore, another reason as to why The Dark Knight Rises was much more successful than DREDD was because of the big name actors involved in the film.

The production team who worked on DREDD decided to include many graphic, violent and mature scenes throughout the film. These include sex scenes, drug usage and graphic violence. Although this style of film may have appealed to a number of people, it also potentially lost the film millions of pounds. The film was released as an 18, and therefore eliminated what could have been the films 'gold mine audience' by this i mean the younger audience, as it is a common fact that superhero style films are extremely popular with children and teenagers under the age of 18, rather than older audiences of 18 and above.
Dark Knight.jpg
The Dark Knight Rises DVD Cover and
advertising poster
However, although The Dark Knight Rises included a large amount of violence and mature themes such as terrorism, it was released as a 12A and so children, teenagers and adults could all go and watch the film, therefore it made a huge more amount of profit than DREDD.

Another reason why DREDD failed at the box office was due to the fact that the DREDD production team had spent a large amount of their budget on the special effects within the film, they decided to release it to cinema's in 3D only, as they believed it would captivate the audience and show them how much work, effort and money had gone into the creation of the special effects. This proved to be extremely unpopular with audiences globally, as although many people agree 3D is a great experience, many would argue that they prefer to watch a film in 2D with HD features. The Dark Knight Rises once again got the better of DREDD, as the production team decided to release the film to cinemas in both 2D and 3D, giving the audience the option of choosing which style of film they would be most suited to. Unlike DREDD, the option of 2D proved to be extremely popular with audiences globally, as The Dark Knight Rises had a large amount of money coming in from both 2D and 3D films, rather than just 3D. This is yet another crucial error for DREDD and another reason why The Dark Knight Rises was so much more successful.

As mentioned before, prior to DREDD a 1995 adaptation of the virtually unknown comic book character titled 'Judge Dredd' was released. Although this version made an overall profit on it's opening weekend, it was given many negative reviews from critics and was only given an average rating of 3.7/10. These statistics make it clear that 'Judge Dredd' was not very popular in 1995. However, 17 years later and another version of 'Judge Dredd' was released, however it was clear to see that the memories of the horrific '95 version was still present in the minds of audiences worldwide. This clearly gave millions of people across the globe negative visions of what the new version titled DREDD would be like, this is another reasons which suggests why DREDD failed at the box office.
However, The Dark Knight Rises did not have this problem. As Batman has been an established, popular comic book character which has been recognised globally since the 1940's and so many different versions of Batman films have appeared in cinemas. Films such as 'Batman' 'Batman Returns' and 'Batman and Robin' all made a good amount of profit and were films which were enjoyed by audiences because of their 'comic book style' However, in 2005, Christopher Nolan took over the role of the Batman director and completely re-branded the character into a dark, misunderstood, crime fighting character that audiences have been crying out for, for years. The Nolan trilogy is to date one of the most successful superhero trilogies of all time. Therefore upon its release, The Dark Knight Rises was of course popular with audiences not only because it was the third and final installment of the Nolan trilogy, but also because of previous films which were popular and successful. These are other clear reasons as to why DREDD failed and the Dark Knight Rises succeeded.

Overall, DREDD took a total of $45 million to make, however it only grossed a total of $36.5 million upon its release, therefore the film was in a large amount of debt after its opening weekend and was of course branded as 'unsuccessful' and possibly was one of the worst superhero remakes of all time.
However, as The Dark Knight Rises was an American film, it took a total of $185 million to make, a vast amount more than DREDD. However, although it had a larger budget and spent more to make, the results were extremely successful and proved to be the right decision. The reason for this is because on its opening weekend, The Dark Knight Rises grossed a staggering total of $1,004,558,444, a titanic amount more than DREDD. From these figures alone we can see why The Dark Knight Rises was so much more successful at the box office and why it succeeded. We can also see why DREDD was so unpopular and why it did not manage to make any sort of profit upon its opening release.



Friday 11 October 2013

Camera Work -

Film directors use many different camera angles throughout their films in order to create different atmospheres and emotions e.g. a close up shot on a character will make the audience connote that the character which has been zoomed in on is important in that particular part of the film. Another example may be a long shot, this sets the scene and allows the audience to see where the action or future action is taking place. The use of different angles means that the film is ever changing and therefore creates more exciting viewing for the audience.

Below are some examples of angles which directors most commonly use whilst filming -


High Angle shot-




Low Angle shot -




'Tilt' shot -



Pan shot -
















Below is an example of how the camera moves in order to create a pan shot. 
Pan1.gif


















Tracking shot -



















Focus shot -





Extreme close up -
















Close up -




Mid-shot -





















Long Shot -




Inside Framing -














Outside Framing -












Thursday 10 October 2013

The British Film Industry -

British Film Institutions -


British Academy of Film and Television -

The British Academy of Film and Television, most commonly referred to as 'BAFTA' is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image - film, television and games.









British Board of Films Classification -

The British Board of Films Classification, most commonly known as BBFC, is an independent, non-governmental  body which classifies and censors films and video as well as computer and console-based games released in the UK.


BBFC Logo.svg









British Film Institute -

The British Film Institute is the official UK agency for international and cultural relations. Its film department promotes new British films internationally through festivals and showcases.




British Council -

The British Council is or was a government backed leading agency for films in the UK. Its job was to ensure that the economic, cultural and educational aspects of film were effectively represented at home as well as abroad.










UK Film Council -

The UK Film Council promotes understanding and appreciation of Britain's rich film and television heritage and culture.









The Main British Production Companies -

The main or most noticeable and well known British production companies are:

- Film 4
- Working Title Films
- BBC Film Network
- Momentum Pictures

All of the production companies listed above have produced many different pieces of film or TV Drama's. 

Film 4 -

Film 4 is a digital television channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland, owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation, that screens films. Film 4 has produced highly popular films including The Inbetweener's Movie, This Is England, The Iron Lady and 127 Hours.

Working Title Films -

Working Title Films is a British film production company, based in London owned by Universal Studios. The company was founded in 1983 and produces feature films and several television productions.
Working Title Films have produced highly successful films such as Billy Elliot , Bridget Jones' Diary, Hot Fuzz and Paul.


BBC Film Network -

BBC Films is the feature film-making arm of the BBC. It has produced or co-produced some of the most successful British films of recent years, including Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa. The BBC Film Network co-produces around eight films a year, working in partnership with major international and UK distributors.


Momentum Pictures -

Momentum Pictures (also known as Momentum) is one of the leading independent motion picture distributors in the UK and Ireland and releases approximately 20 theatrical films a year, with several DTV releases. The company has released films such as Limitless, The Kings Speech, The Season Of The Witch and The Woman In Black.


Who dominates the UK Film Industry ?

Although they are all very successful companies, only two stand out. Working title films and Momentum pictures have produced some 'corkers' over the last 10 years. Both have collaborated with bigger companies or companies which they are owned by such as Universal Studio's, but both remain at the top of the British Film Industry.
However, Working Titles appears to be the more successful or popular with not only British audiences, but worldwide ones, as it has produced the likes of Notting Hill and Bridget Jones and remains the best British production company of its generation, ranking as one of the world’s (not just the UK’s) leading producers. The company is backed by Universal Pictures through to 2015 thanks to a new first look deal which funds its projects.

Working Title Films are trusted by Universal to deliver films which match a British sensibility with Hollywood production values. Working Title has made nearly 100 feature films since 1983 that have grossed over $5 billion at the box office, within that time they have seen their films pick up a whopping six Oscars and 30 Bafta awards.




How to qualify as a 'British Film' -

To qualify as a British Film the project HAS to include 3 of the following 6:

- A British Director
- A British Producer
- A predominantly British cast
- A British Production Company
- A subject matter that informs the audience on the British experience




A futuristic police officer in armour and a helmet that covers all but his mouth stands on the corner of a building roof with a gun in his hand as large tower blocks burn behind him. Above the man reads a tagline "Judgment is Coming".Does DREDD Qualify As A British Film? 

DREDD does in fact qualify as a British film, the reasons for this are clear. First of all, the film was written, produced and directed by Englishmen, Pete Travis (director) and Alex Garland (producer and writer) these two men are in fact are both from the south of England. DREDD was also produced at the London based production company 'DNA Films.' The distribution of DREDD took place at 'Entertainment Film Distributors' which is located in London as well as Lions Gate Entertainment in California.
Therefore the movie itself qualifies as a British made film as it uses 4 out of the possible 6 points needed to be branded as a British Film.






How do British Films Attract Audiences?

For a British film producer this is always the first question that needs to be asked. Once a possible idea is in place, the producer needs a clear idea on what style of film he/she is going to make, whether it be comedy, action-thriller, Sci-fi or historical etc. They also need to decide what type of market they are aiming their film at - whether it be UK based or Global.
For a successful UK film, many producer's would most likely go down the road of comedy, as us Brits love a laugh! They may also get a well known actor or comedian on board in order to make the film noticeable and stand out. However, this style of film will most probably appeal to only a British audience and may not be very popular on the Global level e.g. 'The Wedding Video,' this film is a 2012 British comedy which was only released in Britain and features well known presenters/comedians Rufus Hound and Robert Webb, although the film was fairly successful in Britain, it would have failed miserably if it had been released to the global market, as people outside of the UK may not, for instance, understand the humour or even know who either of the 2 main characters are.
However, the producer may choose to make a more sophisticated style of film and intertwine comedy into it to show the British style of life e.g. Bridget Jones' Diary. This may appeal to both British and Global audiences as it is a film which portrays what British life is all about, which is what the Global market are looking for in a British film. It may also be successful if it does not feature an actor or comedian only Brits would recognise or find amusing, therefore it may appeal to a larger audience and be more successful.
The producer may also be enticed by the idea of a historical British film, as UK and Global audiences are always fascinated about the nations famous history. To make a historical film noticeable on the worldwide market, the producer would have to get a 'big name' actor on board.


How are British films distinctive compared to American blockbusters? 

It is a well known fact that most if not all British films have a lower budget than American blockbusters. This may sound like a bad thing, but many a critic may have a different argument. A lot of critics believe that British films are often better productions because of the meaning, story line and humour that appear within the films. Although American blockbusters may have these components, they may not need to use or emphasise them as much as British films because they have a substantial amount of money to spend on things such as special effects and A list actors. British films do not tend to have these luxuries and so producers and directors involved with British films need to make the story line and overall meaning of the film stand out to the audience in order to replace the lack of special effects or/and A list actors. A lot of the time this has a positive affect on the audience, as in many cases, the audience would rather have experienced a hidden meaning or a story which makes them think, rather than watching two hours of endless explosions and fighting etc.



Audience Types -

Mainstream -
This audience type is most likely to watch only 'Hollywood' style blockbusters.

Mainstream Plus -
This audience type generally only watches mainstream 'Hollywood' style films, but occasionally venture out into the world of film and watch something less mainstream.

Aficionados -
This audience type tends to watch a mixture of different films. These include major foreign language titles and can be encouraged to become even more adventurous in their viewing choice.

Film Buffs -
This audience type prefers films which include a more extreme, violent and has a challenging subject or story line.


Which Audience type would want to view DREDD? 

DREDD is a film which has the potential to be categorised into three of the four categories above. Firstly, the film was released on the global scale and so qualifies as a mainstream film, as audiences all over the world were able to view it in cinema's. However,the film was not as successful as many people had hoped and so lost it's 'Mainstream' title, as audiences lost interest very quickly.The film is also violent, has mature themes, such as drug taking, and is very different and somewhat unique compared to other 'sci-fi' or futuristic films which have recently been released, therefore it may also qualify as both a 'Mainstream Plus' - as it is a film different from the average 'Mainstream film.' DREDD could also be placed into the 'Film Buffs' category because of the violence and mature 'non mainstream' themes such as drug usage etc.

A 'gory' scene from DREDD













Box Office Figures And The British Film Industry -

Statistics clearly show that British films are less popular when it comes to the Box office. Purely British films (films which have not collaborated with major US film companies) make a substantial amount less than US films. Not only do they make less money, but they are shown in a lower number of cinema's, are only shown for a short amount of time e.g. 1-2 weeks and therefore make a lower overall gross profit. However, for British films which have collaborated with film companies from abroad e.g. DREDD, the story is very different. DREDD was shown in 415 cinema's on the weekend of it's release and therefore has made an overall total profit of £1,049,345, a vast amount more than a purely British film.

This comparison suggests that audiences are influenced by a number of different factors, these include -

- the distributor
- country of origin
- overall gross profit

Film audiences around the globe will most often be attracted to a film if they can recognise either the distributor as well as the country of origin. Audiences will most commonly be attracted to a film which has been distributed by a major distributor e.g. Warner Bros. They may also pick one film over another depending on where the film has originally come from e.g. Audiences may choose to watch an American film over a British film etc.
These facts suggest that the British film industry is nothing but a mere shadow of the US film industry and will never be able to compete on a level playing field. The British Film Industry is powerless when it comes to the box office, as worldwide audiences are simply more attracted to films which include famous names, whether it be the distributor, the actors, or even the director, rather than basic 'simple' productions which rarely include any of these. This of course affects the overall gross profit and often leaves British made films miles behind the American made blockbusters.



DREDD -

DREDD is a 2012 British-South African science fiction action film, which was directed by Pete Travis and written and produced by Alex Garland. The film is based on the 2000 AD comic strip Judge DREDD.
It was announced in December 2008 that a remake of the 1995 film 'Judge Dredd' was scheduled to be released between 2011 and 2012. The production was given the 'green light' in 2010 and filming commenced in Johannesburg later that year.

Distribution -
DREDD was distributed by London based 'Entertainment Film Distributors, as well as Lionsgate entertainment which is based in Canada. DREDD was advertised mainly on viral websites in order to save money and get it noticed by virtually a worldwide audience.

Writing: Story-line and script -
DREDD escaping from an explosion
Garland began writing the script and story line of DREDD in 2006, whilst filing '28 weeks later'  Garland's draft featured one of DREDD'S main enemies, the un-dead Judge Death. He described the story as a "riff on the whole Judge system", but he was unable to carry on with this idea because he believed the audience did not know enough about the character of DREDD or the DREDD comic book stories.
 Garland decided to rewrite the script and claimed that the story needed to be more focused and simple. He instead considered adapting some of the notable Judge DREDD story lines, including 'Democracy'  and 'Origins' , but he decided to avoid these lengthy tales in favour of a shorter, 'day in the life' story about DREDD and his job in  Mega-City One.
When developing the character of DREDD, Garland tried to closely follow the comic-book character, who undergoes only small personality changes over a lengthy period of time. He said: "I didn't think DREDD could have a great epiphany, but there is definitely a change in him over the course of the movie. He makes a very clear statement at the beginning of the film which he then contradicts at the end. That’s about as far as the shift goes."


Budget -
The production of DREDD was given a budget of $45 million. A vast amount of this money was spent on converting special effects into 3-D, as well as the wages of actors and the creation of sets and costumes etc.

DREDD and Judge Anderson during the 'drug bust'

Box Office -
On the weekend of it's release, DREDD failed miserably and earned only $23,153,028 from international markets and $13,414,714 from America, making a total of $36,567,742. In the UK, DREDD grossed £1.05 million ($1.7 million) from 415 cinemas during its opening weekend. This made it the weekend's 'number-one film'. It was also the first film to be restricted to audiences over 18 years of age to do so since Saw 3D in 2010.
In its second weekend, the film placed number five, earning just £769,381. DREDD was mainly shown in 3D in the UK, and 2D screenings were limited as the distributor denied cinemas' requested for 2D versions if the film. The decision was considered to have limited the film's audience where 2D was their preferred option. DREDD earned a total of just $6.9 million in the UK.


Director and Actors -
Karl Urban A.K.A DREDD
DREDD was directed by Salford born Pete Travis, who was confirmed as the director in 2010. To play the part of DREDD both Travis and writer and producer Alex Garland agreed that New Zealander Karl Urban would be perfect for the role. Urban has appeared in many blockbuster films, his first 'big' film appearance came in 2000 when he starred as 'Harry Ballard' in 'The Irrefutable Truth about Demons.' Urban has also featured in all three 'Lord of The Rings', as well as The 'Bourne Supremacy' and 'Star Trek'

To play DREDD'S assistant and 'rookie' cop 'Judge Anderson', Olivia Thirlby was drafted in. The 27 year old New Yorker had not appeared in a blockbuster until DREDD and din't manage to impress, as she was not nominated for any awards after the film was released.
DREDD also starred Lena Headey as 'Ma-Ma' the creator and dealer of the drug 'Slo-Mo' Headey is also another actress who failed to win any awards in her entire career. The fact the film has no big names or 'A list actors' may be another reason why the film didn't make as much overall profit as it expected to. If the film did feature a so called 'A list' star, then audience's across the globe may have been more attracted and tempted to go and watch the film.


Critical Reception -

The film received positive reviews from many critics and it gained a 78% approval rating from 147 critics, with an average rating of 6.5 out of 10 according to the website Rotten Tomatoes, which described the film as "An Action packed film, fueled by bombastic violence and impressive special effects, rooted in self-satire and deadpan humor, DREDD is a rare example of a remake that actually works."
Meta-critic provides a score of 59 out of 100 from 29 critics, which indicates "mixed or average" reviews. Cinema Score polls reported that the average grade moviegoers gave the film was a "B" on a scale of A+ to F.

Reasons for lack of success -

There are many reasons why DREDD was not as successful as first thought. These are:

The original film -
Sylvester Stallone as the original Judge Dredd, 1995.
Judge Dredd' was not a popular or successful film when it was released in 1995, the memories of this awful attempt may of still been lodged in the back of the Audiences minds and may have completely put them off the idea of watching yet another attempt at a Judge Dredd film.

3D -
DREDD was released mainly in 3D, something many film fanatics are not fond of, because of the glasses etc. If the film was released  in 2D with the option of 3D it would most likely have been 10 times more successful and attracted bigger audiences, therefore making a large amount more.

Lack of 'A list' actors -
As mentioned before, DREDD did not include any 'Big Name' or 'A list' actors and so lost the 'wow factor' as well as immediate popularity that films get when they star the likes of Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro etc. Big names like these automatically make the audience believe that the film will be worth watching, however as DREDD did not have this, audiences may not have thought of it as 'one to watch.'



Awards -
Although DREDD was given positive ratings by many critics, it did not manage to pick up a single award.


Technology used In DREDD -
DREDD was filmed with 3D and Red X camera's in order to release the film in 3D worldwide. Also, the majority of the film includes the 'Slo-Mo' drug, and so many special effects were needed to create the feeling that time was moving slowly. Also, throughout the film, many gun shot fight/action scenes take place, The 'Slo-Mo' effect is used here to create a fight scene which has never been seen before, the 'Slo-Mo' scene works perfectly at this point in the film, as DREDD manages to shoot a criminal through the side of the face, the 'Slow-Mo' shows the bullet piercing the skin and the blood bursting out, but does it in a way which does not appear gory or disgusting and makes the scenes viewable rather than un-viewable.


My opinion on DREDD -
DREDD. An action packed, realistic, dark view of the future world. I was put into a trance like state as soon as the film began. The film begins with an exhilarating car chase and immediately grabbed my attention. from there on i was gripped and was eager to carry on watching. To me, the special effects used throughout the film were spectacular, as they allowed me to experience how the characters were feeling when they had taken the 'Slo-Mo' drug. Also the 'Slo-Mo' effects allows 'gory' scenes to appear viewable as they appear somwhat elegant. When the 'Slo-Mo' effect is used, it puts the specific scenes onto another level, (especially the gun fight) as i have never seen a fight scene filmed in this way. It was also somewhat calming which added to the excitement and overall atmosphere.
In my opinion DREDD was a fantastic film, however, it could have been even better. I would have liked to see a 'Big name' actor appear in the film, just to give it the 'edge' it needed to go from a good film to a great film. I also believe that it would have been much more successful if it had been filmed mainly in 2D as it is a well known fact the 3D aspect put many people off.


How dominant is the British Film Industry? 

In this modern era, the British Film Industry is nothing more than a mere shadow compared to the likes of the American Film Industry. The main problem for British film makers is of course the lack of money, equipment, big name actors and big name directors. Although some British films have been highly successful, when it comes down to total gross profit, America wins hands down every, single time. Even when 'British' films are highly successful e.g. The Kings Speech, the whole project is mostly funded by America. This may suggest that British films have no place in the film Industry and that us Brits should just give up, but everybody in the Film Industry -including America - know the world would not be the same without British films at the cinema.


Tuesday 1 October 2013

American Beauty: Mise en Scene Analysis -

I am going to analyse a clip from American Beauty. The clip I have selected features Lester. Prior to this scene, he has just quit his long term job and is on his way to a fast food restaurant and a sense of happiness is in the air -

In the opening of this scene Lester appears to be very excited and seems as if he is once again enjoying life. He is smoking, driving fast and has music blaring out of the stereo.
These actions may be viewed upon as 'childish' by the audience as smoking, driving too fast and listening to music which is too loud are stereotypical of young people or teenagers. This may foreshadow Lester's desire to relive his teenage days, as at that point in his life he had no pressures and was able to have fun and enjoy living. However, the fact he is smoking and driving too fast may be foreshadowing his death as it is a sign of his health deteriorating and a serious risk or danger in his life.

The song which is playing features the lyrics 'american woman, stay away from me.' This may be a sign or symbol of Lester's previous feelings up until this point, as until now, all three American women; Carolyn, Angela and even Jane have been controlling and manipulating his life. The lyrics are significant as they are the exact words Lester has been missing from his vocabulary throughout the film, however, now he is not afraid to say them, but sing them as loudly as possible. This may suggest to the audience that he has regained his inner confidence and that he once again has control o
f his life, and that the women do not.
On the windscreen of Lester's car we see the reflection of the city and the buildings flashing by in front of Lester's face. This may be a symbol or a view of Lester's life, how it is moving very quickly and is ever-changing. Also, the colour of the buildings may be foreshadowing Lester's death, as the first building we see is interesting, light in colour and has many windows. This may represent his current mood or his current happiness, and the windows are to show his new outlook or new views on life. However as that building disappears another one comes into the picture, this one is dark and very plain and may give the audience an insight into what Lester's death is going to be like. As soon as the darker building has reached Lester the scene changes.

In the next scene, we see Lester driving into a car park of a fast food restaurant. The floor is wet, however the sky is clear and the sun is shining brightly. This may be a symbol of Lester's new found confidence once more, as the wet floor suggests it has been raining, however now the weather is clear and bright. This may represent Lester's life as well as his new sense of inner peace. The weather suggest how his life was once dark and miserable, just like a day when the sky is dark and rain is pouring from the clouds, however now it is bright and everything appears beautiful and calm.





Lester then enters a 'drive thru' He is asked by a
woman on the counter if he would like to try a 'meal deal' however he responds by saying 'no' and is adamant he wants a 'big barn burger'. This may symbolise Lester's control of his life, as he is no longer afraid of standing up for himself and is able to get what he wants, also the fact he is not being controlled by a woman may also show his new ability to take charge of his life and will not be manipulated or controlled by a woman ever again. Lester then drives further on to the second window where he is greeted by the same woman with his meal. The woman is stood in the window. the background is dark, and she is wearing a typical fast food restaurant uniform. She stands out to Lester and may be the reason why he applies for a job, as it appears as if she is coming out of the darkness, just like Lester has. Also, the fact her uniform is bright and colourful may represent happiness, something else Lester now feels he has. The Restaurant is called 'Mr.Smiley's' which suggests to the audience how happy Lester really is, as he is prepared to rid himself of his dull, grey, miserable suit, and work in a place that allows him to wear a uniform which is full of colour and happiness, something which will make him stand out for a change.

When Lester has asked about a possible job he says the words 'i'm looking for the least possible amount of responsibility' this once again suggests his desire to relieve his teenage years and suggests he wants to live an easy life, a life of freedom without any worry, even when he is at work.


In the final scene of the clip, Lester is sat with what appears to be the restaurant manager. They are sat at a table and a bright light is hanging down. Lester is sat in darkness and shadows whilst the manager is in the light. The scene is set out to look like a police interrogation table. The lighting and props create a tense slightly nervous mood, as this scene could be 'make or break' for Lester, as he has finally found new confidence and to be rejected again may be to much for him to handle.
The manager is convinced Lester is 'to good' for the job, however, Lester desperately attempts to persuade the manager to give him the job. This may connote Lester's desperation to leave his old life behind, as he feels as if he is ready to step out of the shadows and into the light, therefore he is ready to leave behind his dark past and step into his bright future.
The clip ends with the manager sighing, which may suggest that he has given in, as Lester's confidence and new up beat personality has persuaded him that he is the right man for the job.


Below is the clip i have analysed, watch it for yourself and see if you agree with the points i have discussed -