mise-en-scene

Question 1

the set: sal’s pizzaria and korean grocery

Answer 1

• two empty lots to build the two buildings - ultimate focal point of all the film’s mounting racial tensions
• climatic riot scene shot last in order to burn building down - small budget
• korean store built specifically for the film

Question 2

the set: interlacing / interlocking

Answer 2

• mother sister in her window ‘sees all’
• DJ mister senor love daddy’s window is window to the entire neighborhood
• walls that are painted with political slogans
• the pizzerias ‘wall of fame’
• the bright red wall that is a back-drop for sweet dick willie and his buddies, who perform as if they are on stage

Question 3

costume: opening dance

Answer 3

• during the songs four min run time, perez undergoes five costume changes
• accentuated by the jagged rhythms of the editing, and the artificial red/blue hot/cold stage lighting
• shifting textures of the film and its themes of violence, music and conflict are foreshadowed in this sequence

Question 4

costume: symbolism

Answer 4

• tina’s boxing: reference to muhammad ali - significant boxer to help understand key themes
• 42 baseball shirt: robinson broke the colour barrier in 1947, becoming the first black player in the major leagues

Question 5

what are radio raheems love-hate brass knuckles a reference to?

Answer 5

homage to the night of the hunter and the words ‘love’ and ‘hate’ written on robert mitchums knuckles

Question 6

props: sal’s baseball bat

Answer 6

• always under the counter
• choke stick used to kill radio raheem
• reminds us of the potential for violence that lurks within american society - can suddenly erupt

Question 7

props: wall of fame

Answer 7

• photographs of famous italians
• buggin out demands there should be some black people on the wall - leads to films climax
• exists as a counterpart to images of malcom x and martin luther king = tensions
• relationship between objects and performances of the actors (highlighted through editing and camera work) creates meanings

Question 8

mr love daddy - panafricanism

Answer 8

• wearing vibrant baseball cap that combines colours of kenyan and jamacan flags
• hawaiian shirt against a black background
• point towards key themes - racial pride and awareness of african heritage

Question 9

music: orchestral score

Answer 9

• bill lee’s lush, orchestral score is steeped in a classic hollywood tradition
• nostalgic, melodramatic quality that underscores key moments e.g. mookie and pino’s argument
• roots in deeper african-american music - dreamy, bluesy, jazzy feel

Question 10

music: fight the power

Answer 10

• music sets the tone and atmosphere of the film - contributed to overall message
• reflects emotions and attitudes of characters
• public enemy: fight the power
  encapsulates theme of racial tension / resistance to oppression. addresses issues of police brutality and institutional racism