NOTES ON CACHE SCREENING Some of the wider themes in hidden focus on the idea of Homogeneity, Surveillance and this

s idea that although we all interact within the urban environment, for some of its inhabitants there is the desire to shut out the city and the outside world and a world unfolds behind closed doors. As a successful broadcaster, Georges can be seen to contribute to the economic success the City but, he would prefer to ignore the social and political dynamics that life in a big city brings. Haneke argues that Cache is about an internal, political, hidden struggle and offers a thousand versions of the truth and we all have a different truth , in the same way we all experience life in a different way, even if it is in the same city. POWER Socially and politically Georges has power and leads a comfortable life that reinforces this. Within the context of the film however, he lacks power. He is powerless to find out who is stalking him, he has no power over the police to influence an investigation and is powerless, despite trying, to supress his feelings of guilt. As a result of losing his personal power over the situation, we see Georges losing control and the respect of his wife and son. Majid has no power socially or politically and the flashbacks offer us an insight into how he may have felt as he grew up. His lack of power politically is also reflected in the framing and shot types used in the apartment scene between Georges and Majid, his body language clearly suggests that he is defeated by Geroges, but his dialogue is more complex. Majid reclaims some power through the film over Georges and although he ultimately kills himself, he has succeeded in making Georges face his own feelings of guilt, even if he wont admit to them. Majids son asks George what are you so scared of? Feelings of Georges guilt are clearly linked to the idea of power and so his son asks a question that possibly reflects wider social issues regarding post-colonial France and the middle classes.

POVERTY The poverty of Majid verses the obvious wealth of middle class Georges, Anne and their friends is clear. Majid also has experienced poverty of opportunity and subsequently lives his later years in material poverty as seen by the mise-en-scene of his flat and appearance. Georges and Annes attitude to work leads to an emotional poverty they are clearly committed to their middle class intellectual lifestyles (they are almost entirely surrounded by books as a symbol of their intellectualism) but at the expense of caring for their son or each other. Georges has material possessions but there is poverty in his emotional warmth they are cold and their family life lacks any sense of love or any kind of intimacy. When Majid dies, Georges never asks his son if he is ok, how he will feel he just states he will not take responsibility.

CONFLICT Conflict is shown from the beginning of the film although with subtlety. There is the conflict of cultures, class, location, emotion and attitude.

Georges is conflicted by his feelings of guilt and their jarring with his experience of urban life and the trappings it serves him. Georges is also clearly conflicted by his childhood and the role he has in society now as a respected literary critic and broadcaster. As Majid points out to him he has much to lose but his loss of power and feelings of guilt are what create most conflict in George, not the life that Majid had been subjected to as a result of Georges inner conflict. G spends his life on screen & in the urban world being watched by thousands but is unsettled by the idea of someone watching him privately this creates a conflict between his public and private persona In the film we see the idea of the cruelty of human beings, which creates conflict between acknowledging guilt and denying it and in the process, losing power: what wouldnt we do not to lose ours

Representation of the city The city is seen as transient and is always there Serves as a backdrop to lifes dramas The city still carries on, whatever occurs for the people who live within it. Familiar urban locations and settings: o Public toilets o Police o o Streets o Police stations o o Schools o Buildings / estates o o Garages & service o Houses o stations o Cinemas o Cars o Swimming pools

Trains General public Work places Cafes / restaurants

Is the city in Cache recognisable as the same city in La Haine? The urban environment is seen by the middle classes as a place to fear rather than one to explore or conquer Exterior shots represent the city as a dark, dangerous and unfriendly place We often see Georges in the dark and he shuts the curtains to keep himself hidden away from the realities of the urban environment that he doesnt want to confront. The conflict found in the city & their experience of urban life is internalised for the middle classes How does the experience of the city affect the lives of Georges and Anne? Is it the same for Majid and his son? The representation of Georges, Anne, their middle class friends and how they interact in the urban environment reinforces the idea of strangers living in close proximity to one another in the city (Mark Jayne)? Context Reference to Algerian massacre by police in 1961 Reflects social milieu in Paris in early 21st Century - loss of identity of Algerians in postcolonial Paris their plight is hidden Representation of the characters Do we like them?

Lack of interest in others about the self no sense of identity, cohesion or looking after each other e.g. Georges not telling Anne about his hunch and not knowing where pierrot is when he doesnt come home from school Theyre caught up with the trappings of what urban life brings - they have good jobs and money that gives them financial security and power, but hide away emotion How come I didnt see him? It will remain a mystery (G) He isnt aware of his urban environment its a place of work for him, not a site of interaction with other people, cultures, lives they are distractions that appear to irritate him Characters as secretive hiding away their problems, on the surface (in the outside world) everything is calm but behind closed doors the drama is experienced.

Stylistic features Haneke purposefully detracts from mainstream film making open ended; ambiguity in the plot regarding the stalker as who it is doesnt matter its Georges response to it that is important, preference for long, subjective shots makes object of frame also ambiguous who are we watching and why are we watching? Do we actually notice? Very little, if any, colour desaturated palette of mostly black and whites references to the past are in colour and slightly over saturated indicates that memories are hidden but clearly not forgotten as Georges suggests they are and so the stylistic devices here are essential in communicating subtle messages within the film Use of muted colour palette reinforces idea that Georges is in the dark socially and politically he doesnt want to engage in his feelings of guilt for fear of what he could lose in consequence. Im not responsible When G meets M, the framing is important in that is splits the screen in two with the door frame. This creates a physical and metaphorical barrier that separates both men emotionally, physically, politically and socially. Open ending we see Majids son and Pierrot in conversation but dont know what they say or, we dont see them and realise that it could now be about a new generation life continues and we can make up our own minds as to how the film could / should end Use of ellipses Sense of time is unclear how much time has passed? Mise-en-scene, framing and choice in shot types help to create contrasts (and therefor some sense of power conflict) between Georges life and Majids. The discussion in office between Georges and boss tightly framed shot reverse shots of 2 white men with the backdrop of the city- reinforces notion of city as a site of industry, where ideas are made and money is earned. They are educated, professional and intelligent and the backdrop signifies their progress and success as things that matter within our contemporary urban world. This is a stark contrast to the use of the tracking, subjective camera, tight framing and squalor of the mise-en-scene in Majids apartment. Long shots allow the audience to interpret meaning when so much in the plot and script is ambiguous or hidden