Comparative Analysis

The following films I will be decoding within this textual analysis are all of a social
realism/drama genre, and the works of top British directors. Each films run time
ranges from to ! minutes, and each is uni"ue and effecti#e in its own manner and
each accomplishes the !$ %oint %lan written in The Script, an article written by
&arilyn &ilgrom. The films analysed will be'
The Most Beautiful Man in the World
Two Cars One Night
Stripes
Youth
Soft
(ll of these films reflect and deal with sub themes within the theme of the coming of
age reflected in youth. The films tell #ery different stories about characters, and how
the characters deal with their experiences within their own li#es. )owe#er, they all
share a common #iewpoint on children* that through relationship and lo#e, they
become wiser human beings, through exploring their own interests. These interests
are only put to work when an oppressor forces these actions upon the character, either
intentionally or unintentionally. +or example, the boys soft connection with the
young female in Two Cars One Night is something completely unexpected, as when
we look at the boy himself, and things about him such as his offensi#e language and
smaller stature, we would not expect him to produce such a heartfelt connection with
another person, especially an older female. This unexpected connection shows the
kind of attitude that the short films ha#e towards children* that children can be goaded
into situations with other people that confuses them* the young boy does not know
whether he likes or dislikes the female. This demonstrates the young boy has been
pushed to the point of no return, where something finally clicks, and that childhood is
lost* he has now become a young man, and has become a wiser human being.
The fi#e films explore the coming of age in #ery intimate ways, with each character
ha#ing different dynamics on how to deal with a situation. These methods of dealing
range from the #ery understated, to the sadistic.
Neglect
(ll these films ha#e an element of neglect within them. The Most Beautiful Man in
the World, directed by (licia ,uffy, introduces us to an uncomfortable intimacy to a
small girl. The audience is immediately introduced to the theme of neglect towards
young children. In one scene, the girl can be seen chewing her fingers, whilst adult
females talk to each other, out of the frame. The content of the dialogue re#ol#es
around the cost of hair products, something which the girl has clearly not been
introduced too, as she pays no attention to the situation. The clear distance the girl has
from anybody around her is prominent to the audience* because the situation is so
clear, the audience has no choice but to take it in. This feeling of an uncomfortable
nature being forced on the audience is reminiscent of the actual situation of the child*
the child might not want it, but because of o#er-bearing parents, its happening to her
regardless.
( similar situation occurs in Soft, by .imon Ellis. /hen .cott, the young teenage boy,
tries to attract his fathers attention, the father shows signs of an inconsiderate
connection with his child. The father keeps his back turned towards .cott for o#er a
minute, before he realises the bruises on his sons face. This lack of concern the father
originally shows is slightly worrying to the audience* the situation could ha#e been
much direr, with se#erer conse"uences on .cott. The lack of communication
exchanged between both parties shows the high boundaries between adulthood and
childhood* the father feels less need to show concern towards his child, whilst the
child feels he is unable to communicate properly with his father.
/hilst the conse"uences were not as se#ere from the issue of neglect in the two
pre#iously discussed films, the film Stripes, directed by .ean .pencer, is different in
this aspect, as it posed brutal conse"uences towards the character Eddie. Eddie, a
young black adult, retells the story to his counterpart, &ichael, who he has brutali0ed
and imprisoned to some extent, within his own home. +ifteen years ago, &ichael
apparently bullied Eddie physically, to an extent where bricks were thrown at him* he
still holds scars from their numerous encounters. Eddie felt the teachers neglected
him, as they did nothing to stop the #iolence that was committed, sometimes e#en in
their own classrooms. The brutal description Eddie gi#es us is extremely prominent to
the audience for two reasons* the first being that we would not associate that kind of
#iolence in a working en#ironment, especially full of young children. The contrast
between the treatment of children then and now is huge, as nowadays that kind of
beha#iour would not be tolerated in any shape or form. The second reason is that
whilst the issue of bullying is shown to the audience, we can decipher another
possible issue incorporated within this situation* discrimination, or rather, racism.
This could possibly create exceeding tension between possible members of the
audience, showing that the theme of neglect is substantially definiti#e to a childs
wellbeing, and is so powerful, that the audience members can also be negati#ely
affected by this situation.
Fantasy vs. Reality
Two Cars One Night, directed by Taika /aititi, forms the theme of fantasy #s. reality,
through the relationship between the young boy, 1omeo, and the young girl, %olly.
1omeo, at the young age of 2, creates an intimate relationship with %olly, a young girl
of !3, and they end their con#ersation on the sub4ect of marriage. This surprises the
audience, as their age group is not one associated with debating such topics. It also
shows that the coming of age of both these characters has come at such a young age.
It contrasts Eds, 1omeos brother, feelings, as he is immersed in his childrens book
and is not slightly interested in the girl. )owe#er, 1omeo and %ollys talk of marriage
is fantasy, as in reality, they are both way below the age it becomes socially
acceptable to marry in most places. They are li#ing happily in a dream world, before it
is cut short by the adults, who bring them back to reality. The audience can presume
the children were for a while, imagining themsel#es as adults* from sitting in the front
seats, pretending to dri#e, and acting as though they had 4obs, before being bought
back to their role as the child.
Youth, directed by 5ane 6infoot, is a triptych of stories about teenagers* filmed in a
naturalistic style, this short focuses on the minutiae of adolescence. Its first storyline
in#ol#es a male teenage adolescent frolicking around his room, listening to music
through a retro record player* this kind of en#ironment emphasi0es an archaic tone.
The skinny adolescent male dances in front of the mirror topless, and in skinny
trousers, which he has kept hidden away in a bag. )is drastic hand and body
mo#ements and his closed eyelids gi#e off a sense that he is at one with the music* he
has blocked out the supposed stressful nature of his life, to be replaced with happiness
in his fantastical world. The adolescent takes pictures of himself from a high angle,
looking down on his body. This type of beha#iour shows he is comfortable with his
body, and feels no pressure in exposing himself when he is alone. /hen he ties a belt
tightly around his arm and bites the rear end of the belt, it and gi#es off the impression
he is exploring his sexuality in distinct and drastic ways* through physical pain and
relief. This adolescent is clearly li#ing his own fantasy, dri#en by the sound of music.
The adolescents innocence is destroyed, when an adult male enters the room* the
audience immediately assumes him as the father. The fathers expression of confusion
and distaste gi#e off the impression he is unimpressed with his sons actions* he
clearly finds it embarrassing. The audience gathers that the father expects his son to
ha#e a masculine persona, yet he clearly does not agree with his sons decision to
challenge the forms and con#entions of somebody 7manly8. The entrance of his father
clearly brings the young adolescent back to reality* he stops dancing, and immediately
looks disgruntled and embarrassed. The audience feels uncomfortable, and
sympathetic towards the boy, as his fantasy has been interrupted by an intimidating
force. The father acts as the oppressor in this situation, as he brings out the reality
persona of his son, thus challenging him to become a wiser human being.
The Most Beautiful Man in the World is composed of a similar situation, although the
circumstances are slightly different. (fter escaping from her reality of isolation, the
small girl encounters a male character* this male meets the re"uirements of what
females see as an attracti#e specimen* he is topless, and has a muscular physi"ue, yet
he appears to be a soft character. %articular members of the audience may put
themsel#es in the girls shoes, and begin to understand why the title is 7The &ost
Beautiful &an in the /orld8* up until this point, the title did not match the story arc.
The man creates an intimacy with the girl, by socialising with the girls dog, and
placing a beetle in her hands. They ga0e upon each other for moments, before both
notice a woman watching them* originally, it became confusing as to whom this
character was, but when the girl begins to run towards her, the audience assumes her
to be the mother or guardian of the child. The presence of the woman breaks the
connection the audience and the small girl ha#e with the man, and in moments we are
entrapped along with the girl, back in her harsh reality* she sits alone inside, and once
again becomes an outsider to situations she is not in#ol#ed in. The audience
sympathises with the girl, as the mother is the clear oppressor within this situation, as
she sabotages the small girls e#olution into a young woman.