Mustang Scene Analysis

Question 1

how does cinematography change with scenes inside the house

Answer 1

1. inside = static, tight framing, low-key lighting
2. outside = dynamic, open framing, high-key lighting

Question 2

how does lighting reinforce the themes of Mustang

Answer 2

1. outside = high-key, naturalistic (inside is opposite)
2. light is always present to show that freedom is so very close

Question 3

what is the significance of Mustang being set in a rural, coastal town in Northern Turkey

Answer 3

feeds into the wider themes of secular/liberal views in urban areas (Istanbul) are threatened by Erdogan’s Presidency

Question 4

how does Lale see Istanbul

Answer 4

a city of freedom, independence, and empowerment

Question 5

how are props used in Mustang to show the Sisters transformation

Answer 5

1. costume shows that the girls are at an age deemed appropriate for marriage
2. prop of a book on sex (‘All about sex’) shows a forced transition from childhood
3. Grandmother removes corruptable props and access to the outside world (computer), replacing them with cooking,cleaning, and sewing props

Question 6

what do the car keys in Mustang symbolise for Lale

Answer 6

a means of escape and freedom from possession

Question 7

how does costume change throughout Mustang

Answer 7

1. school uniform (white shirt, black skirts and ties) = liberation, opportunity, and empowerment
2. denim jeans, and t-shirts = femininity and individuality
3. forced to wear brown, shapeless dresses that symbolise traditional and oppressive ideas
4. white wedding dresses = expected purity and innocence

Question 8

what do the wedding dresses symbolise

Answer 8

1. corrupted purity
2. caused by child marriage and their abusive Uncle Erol
3. forced onto them

Question 9

what is the significance of the slow editing pace in Mustang

Answer 9

1. supports scenes emotional context
2. mirrors oppression and boredom

Question 10

why are long takes used in Mustang

Answer 10

provides an opportunity for viewers to absorb the interactions between characters and the nuanced performances

Question 11

how does editing trap the spectator with the girls

Answer 11

1. lack of cross cutting and parallel editing to different perspectives other than Lale’s
2. spectator has limited knowledge of what is happening outside

Question 11

what editing technique is used in the football match that breaks from the conventional editing

Answer 11

cross cutting between the match and home creates a sense of tension as there are fears of Erol seeing the girls on TV

Question 11

how does Mustang pull from Western genre conventions

Answer 11

1. set in an isolated town, away from outside exposure and influence
2. governed by the laws of the community

Question 11

what is the problem with Warren Ellis being the sound designer of Mustang

Answer 11

takes away from the realism

Question 12

whose music is used in the wedding scene in Mustang

Answer 12

Baba Zula, Selim Sester, and Ahmet Yurt

Question 13

why did Erguven want the Sisters to be seen as one entity

Answer 13

show that their life will follow a similar path

Question 14

how does uncle Erol act throughout Mustang

Answer 14

1. stern and hard (forces Sonay and Selma to take virginity tests)
2. rarely makes eye contact with the Sisters
3. faces away from the Sisters (character to fear)

Question 15

what messages are made through age in Mustang

Answer 15

1. explores generational tension
2. younger generations want to embrace a secular/liberal pathway
3. older generations want to celebrate traditional/cultural/religious heritage

Question 16

which adults in Mustang are outliers

Answer 16

Yasin and the Sister’s teacher

Question 17

what do older characters in Mustang represent

Answer 17

1. traditional conservative values in rural Turkey
2. may be a metaphor for the dangers of Erdogan’s presidency

Question 18

why does the Sisters playing with boys in the sea become a catalyst for the change in circumstances in Mustang

Answer 18

represents the pressures of the community and need to keep up appearances of traditional and cultural values

Question 19

where are traditional representations of femininity seen in Mustang

Answer 19

1. Sisters are dictated by the household (controlled by the men)
2. expects women to be domesticated while mean are given freedoms (driving, working)
3. cyclical cultural oppression shown through arranged marriages (reinforces subsurvience in society)

Question 20

how does the subject of sex reinforce traditional views in Mustang

Answer 20

1. prop book ‘All about sex’ suggests an outdated approach to sex that is so taboo it is only brought up before marriage
2. the Sister’s virginity is a focal point

Question 21

how does Uncle Erol reflect traditional masculinity

Answer 21

1. displays an authoritarian rule through the patriarchal parameters that exist in rural Turkey
2. is aggressive and asserts physical dominance

Question 22

how is Uncle Erol a hypocritical character

Answer 22

1. his actions of oppression and sexual abuse do not make him a protector
2. represents the antagonist of the narrative

Question 23

what is Istanbuls significance regarding religion

Answer 23

provides an escape for and diverse representation of Turkish Muslims who follow more secular values

Question 24

why are traditional views believed more heavily in rural Turkey

Answer 24

99.8% of the population is Muslim, so they would retain traditional values if they are away from the government