Genre Research

On Gangster Movies and their

conventions
 Background of the genre
• This film genre started on the silent screen with records dating back to 1904
(The Moonshiners)
• This film genre (with sound) originated in the 1930’s (Bad Company)
• The genre was heavily criticised for glamorising violence and crime
(Scarface)
• In the 1940’s more sinister films originating from this genre were made, this
type was called film-noir
• In the 1960’s British gangster films (Get Carter) started it emerge
• In the 1980’s a renaissance (The Godfather) and new urban takes (Boys ‘n’
The Hood) on the genre were developed
• In the 1990’s post-modern directors tackled the genre to give their takes on
it, also the genre spilled into TV programmes (The sopranos) and comedy
(Analyse This).
 The basic Narrative of this genre
• The narrative of this genre normally
highlights the life of a crime figure or a
crime's victim (s). Or they glorify the rise
and fall of a particular criminal (s), gang,
bank robber, murderer or lawbreakers in
personal power struggles or conflict with
law and order figures, an underling or
competitive colleague, or a rival gang
 Directors and actors associated
with the genre
Directors Actors/ Actresses
• Quinton Tarantino • Michael Caine
• Michael Klinger • Helen Mirren
• Matthew Vaughn • Ray Winston
• Ross Kemp
• Colin Farrel
• Jude Law
• Jason Statham
Analysis of opening sequences,
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzMpH9jjo4w
It starts with the mobsters walking down the street with up beat music, this is a
counter hegemonic to the genre as normally it is a black background, white
text and dramatic music. This therefore creates a new opening and makes
the viewer want to see more.
at this point it also introduces the characters one at a time with names bottom
centre in orange/red/yellow, this is another challenging the genre
conventions as the text is a different colour.
Once it has finished the introductions the music stops and we man screaming
in pain this therefore creates an effect on the viewer that makes them want
to know what's happening and who is screaming and therefore keeping
them hooked. We then see the man covered in blood and it becomes clear
that it was the men walking down the street who are the inflictors.
We can denote the men in suits and there fore connote that they are gangsters
as this is a typical genre convention.
Analysis of opening sequences,
The Krays (1990)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgdRKl-es5k&feature=related
This film is based on a true story like many other gangster films.
It begins with white text on black background is used as it is sticking to
the common gangster convention, with dramatic music playing to
build tension
It then changes to a woman narrating broken by a screaming woman
given birth and blood running down the sheet, for this particular
movie it can be connoted as the pain inflicted by the twins.
After the woman has finished her business another woman breaks the
news that it is twins therefore introducing the main characters of the
film and also even though the beasts that developed, they started
off the same as us, as children.
Analysis of opening sequences,
Long Good Friday (1980)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMyaRq94KDk
This film starts with the credits appearing in whit text on a black background, this is a
convention of gangster movies and of which many use as the genre found it
successful from the past.
The moving footage starts with a man getting off a boat with a case and jumping in to
a car quickly, this connotes that he is trying not be seen and there fore creating an
opening that will hook the audience and want them to see more, after this he
opens the case and removes a wad of money and it soon becomes clear why he
was moving quickly and this gives the audience the idea that he is a wanted man
for good or bad reasons.
Non-diegetic sound is played all the way through the opening scene. This is Music
that sounds dramatic. This helps accentuates the tension as it makes the audience
feel that something may occur that may cause damage to the character.
The costume the character is wearing also implies at his outlaw occupation, as he is
smartly dressed and has a nice car (another common convention with gangster
movies) this implies that he is rich and therefore powerful within the underworld.
Analysis of opening sequences,
Get Carter (1971)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoa3OTJfWIY
It starts with the popular convention of a black background with white text, then
the noise of a moving train. This suggest that it could be a gangster movie
as trains are often used as getaway transport or targets to attack.
By including men in suits and an attractive woman it follows the genre
conventions as we can tell they are gangsters through the stereo type of
multiple men in suits with one woman (a wife maybe?) as members of
gangs/mobs.
Upper class, by having the main character in a high class way of travel it shows
he has money which is a common convention within gangster films.
Music is used to build tension to hook the viewer at the start and want them to
watch more.
Analysis of opening sequences,
Lock stock and Two Smoking
barrels (2000)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o1UXSxTjfo
White text on black background is used again, repeating the common
convention.
Using cockney accent, flogging stolen goods we can see that the
character is on the other side of the law and it is based in London,
England.
Music is used to create the feeling that the film will be fast paced and
exciting.
A voice over occurs and we can hear a man describing what the other is
good at, this includes crime so we can see that the man is a gang
member.
Slow motion shots at the end creates tension as it makes you perceive
that the characters are slow and therefore get caught for their actions.
 A DVD cover, Scarface
Director; Brian De Palmer
Year of Relaease;1983
Certificate; 18
This film begins by having white text running over
a black background explaining a piece of
history behind the immigration of Cubans to
America
Then it changes to a man giving an emotive
speech saying that they do not want them.
Then Red text flashes on a black background.
After this person finished speaking it changes to
the docks of Cuba and people riding in their
boats and others boarding overcrowded boats
to get to America
We then see boats over filled with people moving
out the docks
Then we see the Red text on a black background
again
 Scarface cont.
Conventions that are challenged at the beginning of this film are; that it did not introduce or show the
main characters, it was setting the background of which the character was from i.e. A Cuban immigrant,
also it challenges the dialect stereo/archetype as normally it is a strong Italian-American accent where as
in this it is only the Cuban language in dialect we can hear, also the narrative of setting the scene for
violence to occur is challenged as it is only showing the Cuban population immigrating to America.
Furthermore it challenges the convention of costume as there was nobody in a smart suit, all the people
you could see were quite ragged and rough looking.
as well as challenging some conventions it also stuck to some, firstly it stayed with the traditional white
text on a black background to connote death with the black, but then they altered this and had red text
this then change the view and could connote blood as blood is red. Also by denoting everyone wanting to
leave to get a better life it connotes that they all want money and this of which is a major importance for
gangsters as this helps to get power.
Not many main characters are shown in the opening two minutes but one influential character is ---------
and when he is shown he is in a military style hat and has a beard, these are the only things we can see
as it is a close up shot, this shot also has a low angle and this therefore connotes power and he is giving
an influential speech about a problem. This helps attract the audience as it is building up tension as he is
irate about a topic and because they don't show the full speech it hooks them as they want to know more
about it. Also by having slow editing it keeps viewers interested as it creates the effect that the action is
going to build up and be a really good film.
I feel that the audience for this film will be from teenagers to people in their 30’s as it is a film with loads
of violence and foul language and also it is a certificate 18 so young people will not be able to watch this.
 Conventions of gangster movies
shown in Donnie Brasco
(DVD, 1997)
In this film the conventions of genre conventions shown are;
It has White text, using a famous convention but it challenges this by having images
underneath this instead of the black background.
It is in black and white, this is used as this genre originated when films were black and white,
so in some sense they are paying homage to the original films, also black and white still
images can be denoted these still image that flash up connote police surveillance photos,
as the people they are of do not know about them taking the photo, which gives us an
idea of what they do for a living.
Also orchestral music can be heard throughout the opening sequence, this connotes to us
that the characters may be religious, this therefore relates back to the convention of
operatic/orchestral/religious music first shown in ‘the godfather’ this is used to help build
up the tension within the audience whilst they are waiting for the moving film to begin.
The conventions of mise-en-scene were used as men in suits can be denoted, by using this
denotation we can connote that it may be a gangster movie, and that therefore we can
anticipate violence and crime.
Camera conventions can be denoted in the opening sequence such as extreme close up,
close up and mid-shot, and techniques such as match on action. By using these
techniques and types of shot it makes you feel that you are getting to know the
characters.
Editing used that sticks to the conventions are that it is fast paced to build the tension for the
film, also this fast paced editing works in tandem with the sound as they are both helping
to crank up the tension/anticipation for the film