Released in 1972 and directed by Paul Morrissey, Heat was set as a parody film based on Sunset Boulevard and quickly became one of the most scandalous films released in the 1970's. Andy Warhol originally aroused the idea of creating the film but lacked film technique; due to this Warhol chose Morrissey to support him in creating his next piece of art by becoming the director for Heat.
Joe Dellasandro was picked by Warhol so that he could mold Dellasandro into a "super star" a term Warhol used for exceptional famous individuals. Joe Dellasandro had no acting experience prior to filming Heat; he was chosen by Warhol mainly due to his look and physique. You can notice throughout the film that the camera concentrates on the male form, this is a style that Warhol has given to the film. Heat's filming was done on a budget which resulted in interpretive acting, which from a spectator ship view can be seen as very comedic, as much dialogue makes little sense and it tightly rushed. Due to the low diegetic sound quality of the film it is also to troublesome to understand the conversations of the characters 100% of the time. The film was filmed in one take for each scene due to the budget of the production, this resulted in multiple noticeable mistakes throughout.
From a spectator point of view Heat presents itself as a trashy substandard version of Sunset Boulevard which I believe is what Warhol was trying to achieve, although set on a budget with poor acting Heat does bear many quality shots and camera techniques. Warhol intended that Heat become part of the trash cinema genre which are films particularly filmed on low budgets which poor performance in acting and low quality shots. Trash cinema is also very ludicrous and playful with slapstick themes. The film bears many hyperbolic sex scenes which create unwanted discomfort as a spectator, as the films narrative could be run without half of the sex scenes. Warhol more than likely decided to implement the scenes to add increased sexuality to the film, to make the film as trashy as it could possibly be.
In conclusion, Heat directed by Morrissey was based around the ideology of the successful film Sunset Boulevard, Warhol wanted to design Heat to be the trashiest film of its time, as film was a new thing Warhol was experimenting with he chose not to direct the film himself but played a huge role on the production and filming of Heat. In terms of spectatorship Heat is incredibly hyperbolic and playful with its narrative, although featuring some serious themes it turns them into parody's of themselves making the movie seem realistically humorous.
Chungking Express is a Chinese film directed by Hong Kar Wai, it is a film about relationships which all take place in a multi-national urban environment which is highly populated - this greatly impacts the characters choices throughout the film.
Many characters in this film follow the urban stories conflict of not having an identity. Cop #223 and #663 both lack identity as they are referred to by their cop numbers and not their birth names also Fayes uncle continually gets #663's number wrong and when he is corrected he states "I don't really care". The men in Chungking Expresspossess slightly different characteristics to the men in other urban stories like La Haine and City Of God, the men are very oblivious and cannot help themselves move forward after their old relationships. The women in Chungking Express are alot more proactive and in control of their lives - the women even sometime try to help the men an example for this is Faye with cop #663. During the scene where Faye is cleaning the windows and floor at the food stand, the camera positions itself so that you as a viewer are looking through the glass at #663, Faye cleans the glass over where he is standing as a way of cleansing him from his negative past. Later in this scene she also mops the floor around him in the same context. The police officers are self absorbed and isolated this could be a metaphor the Hong Kong at the end of the twentieth century.
Film techniques used are often referring to the characters state of mind in the scene, for example cop #633 has a flash back of his old girlfriend and it can be shown that he misses the old relationship because he continually irons her old air hostess uniform. Smudge motion is used during the scene where Faye and #663 are at the food stand, this technique shows that the characters are lacking power and the ability to move forward with their lives, this can be related to the theme of isolation within the highly populated city.
Towards the end of the movie #633 places all his old girlfriends things in boxes but still keeps the boxes in his house this shows that he still has not changed and the next sequence of things he does all follow this theory. He goes to the California bar to meet Faye and asks for loose change three times in the scene. The referencing of change is very prominent as it literally means physical change, this scene shows that he has changed due to his new clothing but it also shows he has not changed completely due to smudge motion being used. Later in the store scene where he finds his ex girlfriend when asked how he is he replies "still the same" referencing there is no change in his character.The symbolism of a new chapter in the movie is referenced by the sound of an aeroplane, the sound signifies a new journey for a character and is used multiple times throughout the movie.
The Auteur theory and how it applies to Quentin Tarantino
Projector: Notes on the Auetuer theory in
1962 Andrew Sarris Book pages 562-564 [16]
Speaker:
"The assumption that underlies all the
writing in a movie is that the director is the author of a film, the person who
gives it any distinctive quality." Auteurs are described as film makers
with a great sense of original style and distinctive work. Quentin Tarantino
conforms to this ideology remarkably, his idiosyncratic, quirky style of film
is immensely recognised in the industry for being excessively violent and
murderous. Tarantinos distorted, unrealistic interpretation on violence has
aroused the conclusion that he is indeed an auteur.
Speaker:
It's incredibly easy to distinguish a Quentin
Tarantino film, intense violence, over exaggerated special effects, and intense
over the top story lines are all factors which each and every film he has
directed hold. This all backs up the idea that Quentin Tarantino is an auteur;
a highly talented director that implements his own style of film to each film
they direct. Tarantino is repeatedly asked the same question as to why his
films are so overly violent and he has always replied with the same answer.
[10] "violence is the best way to control an audience," Tarantino
believes that good violence creates good cinema. During his childhood Tarantino
moved to California when he was 4 and this is where he developed his love for
films. He stated one of his earliest memories was when his grandmother took him
to see a John Wayne movie. [17] His mother has previously said that since he
was young he loved story telling but he would also show his creativity in
unusual ways. [17]"He wrote me sad mother's day stories. He'd always kill
me and tell me how bad he felt about it." This quote could explain and
interlink some aspects in Tarantino's films, one of which being violence
towards women or involving women.
Projector: Kill Bill - Go-go Ubari fight
scene (3 mins) Youtube Clip
Speaker: Kill Bill is one of Tarantino's most
popular films and from watching this short clip you can see Tarantino's
distinctive style from the beginning of the clip all the way through to the
end. In the clip you see the main character Black Mamba and Go-go jumping in a
hyperbolic manor, it is extremely over exaggerated as the characters jump
inhumanly far. [15] "Extreme violence is the best way to control a viewers
emotions" this extreme violence element of Tarantino's style can be
noticed in this particular scene towards the end as Go-go is killed, blood
pours from her eyes which would not realistically happen if someone where to be
killed this way in another film. This scene features a lot of diegetic sound to
add to the realism of the scene, but when over exaggerated violence or
character movements are occurring non diegetic sound accompanies the action.
For example when Go-go flips and falls into the table you can hear a bowling
ball hitting pins over.
Projector: Kill Bill - Animated O-Ren Ishii
scene clip (3mins)
Speaker: This particular scene is the first
and only time animation is used in Kill Bill, even in animation Tarantino's
distinctive style is still prominent. You can notice by how Tarantino romanticises
the violence, you can also notice that he has
left his mark on this from the humorous character in the scene, this character
is a gang boss of the yakuza called Matsumoto. Tarantino has said in previous
interviews [14] that he likes his audiences to laugh at the violence and look
at it with a humorous point of view. This particle style of animation or
"anime" is significant to Japanese culture which Kill Bill is greatly
influenced by, examples of which are the samurai swords and the fact that the
final part of the film is set in Japan.
Projector: Kill Bill - Head cutting scene
(ending) (2min)
Speaker: This conclusion of the film ends as
violently as the film began, again this scene featured hyperbolic character
movement and special effects from jumping and over exaggerated gore. This
particular scene features many uses of close ups focusing on the face and sword
of both O-ren Ishii and The Bride, this represents the iconography of the
weapons and violence during the scene. All these factors support my ideology of
Quentin Tarantino being an auetuer for his distinctive filming style.
Projector: Item 4 interview second half
(2mins)
Speaker: Quentin Tarantino is often
criticised on his level of violence in his movies, in this short clip you see
him take part in an interview in which the interview is very opposed to the
violent aspects of his film Kill Bill [1]. In response to over violent movie
claims causing realism violence Tarantino states that [14] he looks at his
style of violence in a comedic manor, he enjoys the aspect of film where people
can laugh at the violence and not take it as seriously as you would if it was
real life violence. He also states that "extreme violence is the best
way to control a viewers emotions" [15] he likes to play his audiences and he
believes that good violence creates good cinema. [13] Tarantino likes to use
his Cannes award for Pulp Fiction as a "big shield" against criticism
on his work.
Projector: Item 6 interview 2mins
Speaker:
Racial violence has become an ongoing issue
that Tarantino has recently been criticised for due to his most recent film
Django Unchained [3] which narrative follows a black liberated slave in the
early 1900's. Much controversy was raised due to this film, one factor being
the over excessive use of the term "Nigger"[9]. The term was used
over 100 times within the film and can be justified due to the time period
which the film was set in and that Tarantino wished to stay true to the brutish
events that took place nearly 100 years ago. Tarantino acknowledges that some
people may find the film hard to watch [7] but he believes he should stay as
true as legally possible (due to censorship) to the events.
Projector: Blank
Speaker:
Tarantinos over the top violence is often
blamed for real-life acts of violence such as many school shootings across America
[8]. He is accused due to the violence in his film indoctrinating people’s
minds with violence. Tarantino defends himself by stating that all violence in
his films he views as fantasy [5], he likes the concept of violence being humorous
and we can see proof of this in films such as Kill Bill v.1.
Projector: Pulp Fiction movie poster "http://thesefantasticworlds.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/movie-poster-pulpfiction.jpg"
Speaker:
Pulp fiction one of Tarantino's earliest
films is recognised mostly for kicking off his pattern of successful eccentric
violent films, the film won many awards including a Golden globe for best
screenplay in 95. A director’s success is required for them to be classed as an
auteur. In conclusion Tarantino is an extremely success director and auteur,
the many different concepts of violence which he displays in his film technique
back up this theory. He notably conforms to the auteur theory this is obvious
from his distinctive style of film and in how he controls the direction in
which his films travel.
The film genre of urban stories by nature features very unfortunate
characters and shines a light on the darker underbelly of certain
countries. In La Haine, Prinsessas and City of God the characters are situated in
poor rural areas which are infested with crime which results in the
characters being forced in to many situations which involve taking part
in crime. This could mean that they are victims of dominant social and
political means.
In La Haine there are many political issues that are apparent throughout the film some of these issues are shown in the opening scene of La Haine, the movie opens with real footage of Paris riots which set a negative violent tone for the rest of the movie. The movie is set inside the banlieues of Paris which have been built twenty miles out of paris and they almost seem as they were designed to keep the poorer population of paris out of the middle-class centre of the city. The banlieues are stereotyped in the media as places of urban deprivation, crime and drug use. In the banlieues slang French is used which is called verlan or 'back slang' it began in paris in the 1980's. In La Haine the majority of the characters do not have a single farther figure, this is a prominent theme for the urban stories sub genre and for many of the films we study. Said has a older brother which does count for a farther figure and you can notice how many of his actions and choices are very different to those of Hubert and Vinz's. Said is more moral than both of them and controlled which could be because he has a farther figure in the movie. This could mean that Vinz and Hubert may be victims to a social ideology.
In Princessas the ideology that Caye lives in a poor rural area is harder to identify this is because for the majority of the scenes of the film Caye is not at home. Although Caye does live in a set of building flats but in conflict of this Caye is saving up for plastic surgery as she states to Zulema in the movie. This could mean that Caye isn't that bad off with money and is only working as a prostitute for a limited time, as she also says in the movie that its just a 'temporary' job. A criticism of this being that typically in Urban stories the ideology is that most characters are never able to escape the harsh surroundings they are situated in. Furthermore a social issue which can be identified in Princessas is that of an ethnic conflict. In the hair salon scene you see the group of prostitutes inside the salon getting their hair styled whilst they all discuss the street walkers they can see outside the salon. The majority of the escorts outside the salon are illegal immigrants and come from African backgrounds. The girls inside the salon all criticise the immigrants stating that they are putting them out of work because they pay a lot cheaper for sex. The ethnic conflict between the two groups of women can say that the immigrants are victims of racism which is a social ideology, Additionally the idea that all characters in Urban stories are viewed as victims may not apply to all characters in Princessas, Caye is not necessarily a victim of political or social means - she has chosen to become a prostitute to help fund for her boob job and in scenes like the opening scene of the film in the hospital she is shown to be very much in control of her surroundings and in control of what happens in terms of how she works. This can be seen as she is very straight to the point with the young men in the beginning of the film and sets her own rules for them that they have to follow if she is to 'work' with them. This can also be countered that later in the film during the bathroom scene in the restaurant. A man forces her on her knees in the toilets after she refuses to have sex for money and states that she is no longer a 'whore'. Caye does give in to the man and gets paid for oral sex which shows she is a victim but this can also be linked to the ideology that no one can ever escape from their circumstances in an urban legend.
In City of God the film takes place in the favelas - the slums of Brazil this is noticeably very similar to the banlieues in La Haine as the favelas are placed on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro which like La Haine can be the idea that the favelas are placed on the outskirts of the city to keep them distanced from the middle-class city centre. In City of God a running theme throughout the movie is that romance never works out. This can be seen through many couples in the film examples being Benny and Angelica. The first couple we see in the film is Shaggy and Berenice, as we see them come up with the idea of escaping the slums by hijacking a mans car and forcing him to take them out with him the car breaks down and Shaggy is forced to push the car whilst the police end up shooting him dead in the process. You then see the car turn back into the favelas showing that Berenice was unable to escape aswell, this proves that Shaggy was indeed a victim in these circumstances. Later in the film another coupling forms between Benny and Angelica, just like Shaggy and Berenice they mirror the couple and try to leave the slums in search and a new life. But under the same circumstances Benny is shot dead at his leaving party. Prior to this scene Angelica makes a statement that is "This violence sucks" the contextual meaning of this can be that the violence in City of God constantly sucks the characters back in, there is no escape.
In conclusion to this all three movies Princessas, La Haine and City of God all have themes in common with each other. The idea that no one can ever leave an urban story and the ideology that they always take place in a poor rural areas - they show the underbelly of society. Although in Princessas Zulema was able to escape Spain she did so whilst contracting an illness from unprotected sex which means she may not have really escaped after all. In City of God only one character is actually able to escape the violent vortex and that is Clipper after his vision in the jungle of the bigger fish eating the smaller fish which contextually means that there is always someone bigger than you that will take your place, this can be proved from the last shot of City of God where the Runts walk away after killing Lil Ze.
In La Haine there are many different film techniques which determine how a user is impacted by the overall film. Film techniques can influence the viewers perception on the film and the way they view it.
Firstly, camera and character position within the film is very influential, the camera work shows conflict between character of different race. Saïd is almost always positioned in between Hubert and Vinz this could show conflict between they're ethnicities and they're characters - also the fact that Saïd is in the middle also refers to how he brings the three together as a group and how he is the main influence of them all being together - this gives the impact of Saïd's character being the less aggressive of the three. The idea of Saïd being the character that brings the youths together can be seen within the first few minutes of the film where Saïd goes to find Vinz then suggests they go get Hubert.
Hand-held camera is used within the projects to give a life like sense to the film and create a sense of reality for the viewer. This can be linked to the real footage of the riots which was shown at the beginning of the film and which is continually shown throughout the film through tv's. Within the projects a wide angle lens is used which keeps everything in the shot in focus, this shows that they are in touch with their surroundings whilst in the projects - this could be linked to how the three youths know the majority of the people who live in the projects this can be see by how they recognise Mohamed's motor bike just by hearing the engine at the beginning of the film. During the scenes in Paris a telephoto lens is used, this lens makes it so the background of the shot is not in focus which shows a disconnection between the characters and their surroundings whilst in Paris this can be seen on the bridge scene.
The french film is very dominated by american culture - this can be noted through how the main three characters act and how their bedrooms are laid out and also by the music which is played through the film. Hubert's room is very americanised you can see this from the posters around the room and also how he has boxing gloves. The posters around his room show the black power at the olympics and also posters Mohammed Ali which show american influences on Hubert. The music that plays during Hubert's bedroom scene is reggae which could be linked to the fact that he is smoking cannabis also the music genre is very popular within america. There is also a mixtape scene where the camera fly's over the projects - whilst the camera flies over there is a mixtape of Edith Piar playing alongside KRS-One sound of the police - this shows a mix of french culture with american culture. Furthermore when Vinz is introduced the camera zooms on his ring which has his name on it, this is referencing american rappers as they typically have similar styled rings.
Question - Does Quentn Tarantino's specific use of violence in his movies suggest he is an auetuer?
Item 1- Kill Bill Volume 1 2003:
I have chosen this film because it is one of Tarantino's more popular films. After watching the film you can tell within the first few minutes that it is has a theme of extreme 'over the top' violence. So this makes a very good example for question on Tarantino being an auteur. The movie is drenched in violent scenes and shows dominant conventions of violence throughout this all reflects to my auteur theory question and proves that Tarantino enjoys creating more violent films.
Item 2- Pulp Fiction 1994
Pulp Fiction is noticeably violent from the opening sequence in the diner, the mise en scene of the characters and iconography of the guns all links to my topic of the theme of violence in films Quentin Tarantino has directed. The violence is destined to be a dominant part due to the narrative. Being one of Tarantino's first it sets a running topic for his movies on the grounds of violence and is one of the movies that sparked curiosity to his fascination with violent themes in films.
Item 3 - Django Unchained 2012 -
Django Unchained showed brutality from the first few minutes. It uses over exaggerated special effects in terms of violence i.e blood spraying unrealistically far. Further scenes even show two slaves fight to the death bare handed which ended in the slave master handing a hammer to one slave to finish the job. This film is incredibly violent and definitely follows my theory that violence is a running for Tarantino's. It can be proved that it follows this from the graphic scenes that are seen throughout and the language which is used is of an abusive, discriminative manor which often links with violence.
Item 4 Quentin Taratino interview (2003): The interviewer discusses how Tarantino's movies are noticeably violent were, she continues to discuss how this on going theme of violence may disturb some viewers but Tarantino counters this with the idea that sometimes violence can be empowering in films and violence in films is extremely entertaining.
Item 5 web link:
http://www.channel4.com/news/tarantino-cinema-violence-django-unchained-quentin
The web page starts by introducing Tarantino with a quote he previously told channel 4 about movie based violence, he suggests movie violence is fantasy based and has no relevant links to real-life violence. The webpage discusses about Tarantino on the grounds of violence in movies and find that he overall finds violence thrilling to watch in movies and he believes his audience also feel the same way as they understand the violence this all gives proof on my theory of Tarantino being an auteur.
Item 6 Interview Channel 4 news:
In this heated interview Tarantino is questioned on his movie Django Unchained, they discuss Tarantino's style of violence in movie's. When asked questions about why Tarantino likes to create such violent movies, he replies saying that he believes violence creates good cinema for viewers to watch. To summarise the interview as a whole there is noticeably a lot of conflict with the idea of all Tarantino's movies being repeated violent over and over again, I can use this because whilst in the interview he is labelled as a director that only produces violence films which links to my auteur theory question.
Item 7 - http://www.wmagazine.com/people/celebrities/2013/02/quentin-tarantino-django-unchained-director/
Magazine article which talks about Quentin Tarantino having a gift for violent set pieces and the article also talks about racial abuse and violence towards African american characters in the film Django Unchained.The article also covers aspects of Tarantinos work that could possibly be too violent for people to watch comfortably. He argues this saying it is a difficult movie (Django Unchained) and that it can be rough and brutal for older black people to watch. This is useful to me because I can use the ideology that Tarantinos films may become too violent for an audience to take interest in them which may ask the question if Tarantino would alter his choice of genre in films. or keep it the same. This all reflects the auteur theory ideology and can be used in reference to my question.
Item 8 – Quentin Tarantino
OK Celebrity magazine -
http://www.ok.co.uk/celebrity-news/Quentin-Tarantino-annoyed-by-movie-violence-links-to-Newtown-massacre
The article briefly discusses Tarantino's theme of violence and the suggestion that it could affect individuals to "live-out real-life massacres", but Tarantino doesn't agree with this statement. He then goes on to state that the issues with real life violence and film violence are not connected and that real life violence is due to the issues of gun control and mental health. This is useful to me as it covers social issues with the genre of violence in many films. In terms of Quentin Tarantino's films it proves that he is in indeed an auteur and does follow what my question asks.
Item 9 - Online Article of Django Unchained- http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/django-unchained-director-quentin-tarantino-404489
In this article it covers Django Unchained's reoccurring use of the N-Word - which states that it was used over 100 times. The use of extremely strong language and violence is very typical of Tarantino's films and this article is evidence of that. This is useful to me because it shows Tarantino's forms of violence can be both physical and verbal which shows versatility within what he deems violence and entertaining to shoot.
Item - 10 Only Article "violence is the best way to control an audience" Quentin Tarantino http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/6975563/Quentin-Tarantino-violence-is-the-best-way-to-control-an-audience.html This article focuses on Quentin Tarantino's love for violence which he directs and watches. He states that "violence is so good" because it is the most enjoyable form of entertainment in film, the article then goes on to talk about how Tarantino made a speech at the British Academy film and television in Piccadilly to explain that he uses gore in his movies to "play" the audiences. I can use this in my work as the article expresses how Tarantino is interested in violence and why he enjoys implementing violence into his films in unique ways.
Item 11 - http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/arts-and-books/django-unchained-quentin-tarantino-violence-rewriting-history
This article covers Tarantino's latest movie Django Unchained. It covers many different topics of the film but it does include information and explanations to why Tarantino chose to make the film so violent and it justifies this. The film is violent because the time period was set in was a violent time for African Americans. The article does go on to state that the films violence is nothing in comparison to what actually occurred in these times. I can use this in my work because it links to the auteur theory question as it discusses Tarantino's violence within Django Unchained and it also talks about why he chose to make the film this way which can give evidence and explanation to the auteur theory question.
Item 12 - Quentin Tarantino web interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVl0MvdFtsk
In this video clip Tarantino talks about how Django Unchained has to have aspects of violence within the film because he wanted to portray how the black slaves were treated in early 90's america. Quentin then goes on to speak about how he wouldn't be aloud to show the true brutality that the slaves endured in these times as it was too explicit for film. The usefulness of this item is because it shows evidence of violence in Tarantino's films which links to my question and its also useful as it deliberate's how he wanted to keep his film as realistic as possible.
Item 13 - I intend to insert a 30 second clip from Quentin Tarantino Documentary on moodle Hollywoods Boy Wonder 1994 49:10 to 49:40
Quentin talks about how winning the Cannes award is a "big shield" against people who are constantly criticising him for making overly violent films. This links to my question because it relates to the element of violence.
Item 14- Book - "Quentin Tarantino Interviews:" By Gerald Peary page 31
In this book of Quentin Tarantino's interviews on page 31 there is a discussion on realism violence and movie violence, on this page Tarantino talks about his thoughts on movie violence in comparison to realism violence. He states that he looks at everything as comedy - he enjoys the aspect that everyone could be laughing at his movie then suddenly "the next moment theres blood on the walls". Tarantino then further talks about how in his view ultra realism is "absurd" and that he chooses his character to talk to each other through pop-culture. This is a good source as is analyzes why Tarantino makes such violent films and how they can be justified for not causing real life violence, this also covers his views on ultra realism and how he enjoys the impact violence can have on films.
Item 15- Quentin Tarantino Daily Mail Article
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1242783/Quentin-Tarantino-pays-tribute-power-violence-British-Academy-Film-speech.html
In this online article Quentin states that "extreme violence is the best way to control a viewers emotions" Tarantino also goes on to say that he like to use gore to "play" his audiences. These quotes from Tarantino all link to my auteur theory question on his element of violence throughout all of his films, they do this because they all give evidence towards my theory and back up my ideas.
Item 16 - Andrew Sarris notes on the auetuer theory 1961 BOOK pages 562-564
http://alexwinter.com/media/pdfs/andrew_sarris_notes_on_the-auteur_theory_in_1962.pdf
In this Item it discusses the definition of the auetuer theory and goes on to talk about how the skill of the director is linked to the conception of an auetuer. The auteur theory can be visualised in three circles concentric circles, the outer circle is technique, the middle circle personal style and the inner circle interior meaning.
In this item which overviews Tarantinos early life, current and early film production it discusses how he came to love films and how he implemented aspects of his childhood into the films he directs today. This item is particularly good for me as it holds many quotes that I can use for my presentation script.
Rejected : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-bPjtUvWTg
The interview on Graham Norton's television show with Tarantino very briefly talks about his new movie Django Unchained. The majority of the interview is of a humorous nature and does not go deep into Tarantino's film concepts of violence.
Rejected - Django Unchained interview with Tribute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jCuwvaYV4o
In this interview Quentin Tarantino rarely discusses violence and for the majority of the interview which lasts 5 minutes he talks about how he hired Jamie Foxx for the main role and other aspects of the film which don't link to my auetuer theory question he does not discuss violence what so ever.
Rejected - Interview with Quentin Tarantino on Conan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmtqJzQlnUk
I rejected this item because it shows no relevance to my auteur theory question, throughout the interview they discuss Tarantino's movie Reservoir Dogs and also cross over the topic of his representation of women in his films. But they do not talk about violence used within any of his films.
Under The Skin (2013) - Is described as a British/American science fiction film which is directed by Jonathan Glazer who also directed Sexy Beast (2001), also its produced by James Wilson and Nick Wechsler. The film is based off the novel of the same name by Michel Faber which was released in 2000, the films first release was at Telluride film festival on 29th august 2013 and then the official release being 14th march 2014 for UK audiences.
A brief description of the narrative is that it is based in modern day Scotland where a young woman's body is hijacked by a alien; the alien then lures men in to harvest their flesh. The film runs for 108 minutes and is given a viewers age rating of 15 by the BBFC. The reasons for this rating are due to infrequent strong sex and frequent nudity.
The Films budget was $13.3 million and on the box office mojo received $3,668,973. Under The Skin opened with a gross of £239,000 at the uk box office and opened in the United states with $140,00 in four features, earning its highest per-theatre average out of all the films released during that weekend. The film stars Scarlet Johansson who is recognised for her role as Black Widow in the big block buster hit The Avengers (2012), being typically known for big roles it was odd to see her take the role in a low budget British film.
Reviews were generally quite positive towards Under The Skin with many people pleased with Glazer's directing and Johanssons performance within the film. The review website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a score of 86% off of 159 reviewers gaining the film an average score of 7.9/10. A positive review of the film stated that it is "A claustrophobically seamless and unnerving drama of self-awakening", a negative view was that of Kaleem Aftab of the Independent, who stated that the film was "laughingly bad" giving the film 1 star out of 5.
