Elite Squad: Gender, Narrative, Representation and Gender

Question 1

While Elite Squad is derived from real life events, generically speaking, this is a crime film – and to be slightly more precise, falling into the sub-genre of the police __________.

Answer 1

Procedural

Question 2

The police procedural, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of _________ fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes.

Answer 2

Detective

Question 3

The primary notion for a ‘successful’ narrative is to develop the relationship between ‘good’ and ‘evil’, as this essentially is what develops the _______ which then develops the story.

Answer 3

Conflict

Question 4

With __________ approaching, Nascimento plans to step down, and the film charts his efforts to find a replacement whilst tackling violent criminals and endemic police corruption.

Answer 4

Fatherhood

Question 5

Nascimento is one of the few clean cops, but such is his utilitarian approach to imposing justice – often resorting to ________ of suspects – that the line between himself and those he hunts is often hard to discern.

Answer 5

Torture

Question 6

The ingredients are thus present for a classic anti-hero, but the film fails to ever figure out the _____ status of this character, just as it fails to figure out its stance towards the organisation in which he works.

Answer 6

Moral

Question 7

You can construct your own table of ‘typical’ male/female characteristics, like this one:

Typically masculine:

• Tough
• _____
• Sweaty

Answer 7

Hard

Question 8

Women are often represented as being part of a ________ (family, friends, colleagues) and working/thinking as part of a team.

Answer 8

Context

Question 9

In drama, they tend to take the role of helper (_____) or object, passive rather than active. Often their passivity extends to victimhood.

Answer 9

Propp

Question 10

The representations of women that do make it onto page and screen do tend to be __________, in terms of conforming to societal expectations, and characters who do not fit into the mould tend to be seen as dangerous and deviant.

Answer 10

Stereotypical

Question 11

‘Masculinity’ is a concept that is made up of more rigid stereotypes than femininity. Representations of men across all media tend to focus on the following:

•Strength - physical and intellectual
•\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
•Sexual attractiveness (which may be based on the above)
•Physique
Independence (of thought, action)

Answer 11

Power

Question 12

Male characters are often represented as isolated, as not needing to rely on others (the lone _____).

Answer 12

Hero