Green Street Hooligans (2005) Micro analysis: Simon
Cheshire
Micro elements which are including in film are a very
important they help create many different meanings such as: new ideas, suspense
and they also represent an important meaning. The micro features in film include:
sound, camera, editing and mise-en-scene. The micro feature of sound includes
are the films diegetic and non diegetic. Sound can be essential in portraying
characters emotion, feelings, atmosphere it also engages the audience.
Furthermore the micro feature of mise-en-scene includes the props, costumes,
body positioning and location which the film is shot in. This can help set the
feel for the film and generates a lot more realism and suspense around the
film. This essay will focus on how sound and mise-en-scene are used to generate
meaning and response in a particular scene in the film Green Street (Lexi
Alexander, 2005) were the West Ham hooligans are first introduced to the
audience and have a confrontation with another football ‘firm’. This juxtaposes
with the next scene were Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood) is leaving Harvard
University with a envelope full of cash. This scene is an integral part of the
film because it introduces the whole feel of the film and engages the target
audience straight away with action, swearing and a engaging storyline with a
cliff hanger.
The director of Green Street is
Lexi Alexander she is a German film director and former world champion in point
fighting and Karate. Her work on Green Street helped it win the Audience and
Jury award for the first time in South by Southwest history. It was also
nominated for the William Shartner Golden Groundhog Award for Best Underground
Movie. She has worked on many films such as: Punisher: War Zone (2008), Lifted
(2011). She has also has
directed an episode for Anthony Zuiker's
BlackBoxTVYouTube channel
entitled ‘Execution Style’.
First of all the audience see a establishing shot of Bank
London Underground Station while they hear the non-diegetic of the famous
football chant ‘I’m West Ham till I die’ this is an iconic football chant which
the audience will easily recognize and associate with West Ham United football
club and the pure anger in the way it is be sung the audience can easily
identify that it’s not your average football fan singing, it is the football
hooligan, also it signifies to the audience how the football ‘hooligans’ will
even be prepared to die to maintain the reputation of West Ham. We hear this
before we seem them which represent how they are a group of people.
Next the main characters are first introduced to the
audience this shows all of their mise-en-scene such as the clothes they are
wearing, Bank London Tube station and they are kicking the can like a football
which would appeal to the audience because it shows they are football fans and
are just trying to achieve their dreams. The clothes they are wearing are very
symbolic, the white trainers, jeans and the high zipped jackets connotate the
hooligan idea and the director Lexi Alexander has done this to try to replicate
this as they are very stereotypical for a football hooligan.
The first piece of diegetic which the West Ham hooligans say
is ‘Fuck me, if I knew I was going to a bar mitzvah I would have brought my
skull cap’ this is racist towards a group of opposing football Tottenham fans, this
is a historic verbal battle between West ham and Tottenham and is supposed to
antagonist them and help ‘Pete’ the main character gain a reaction off them,
this is followed by the diegetic of his group of friends laughing in approval
to antagonise them even more which they do. In addition to this the constant
use of the swear word ‘fuck or fucking’ is very significant because it presents
to the audience how he has to swear to be heard and to gain authority over the
opposing fans he has to swear. This constant swearing by one main character
then turns into the two opposing groups swearing at each other kind of in
unison, this turns into a chant which everyone can join in with and signifies
that they are ready for battle similar to the way Zulu warriors would before
they are ready to fight. This is again highlighted in the non-diegetic of the
London Tube banging along the track.
This is then followed by the fight scene outside the station
where they use public things to fight each other with. For example they fight
with a telephone box, a bin and a street bollard. This has been done by Lexi
Alexander to show how they are fighting against society as much as they are
fighting against each other. Foley has been used drastically throughout this
particular scene to over exaggerate noises such as punches and glass smashing
which adds a lot more effect.
This juxtaposes with a peaceful shot of a river outside
Harvard University which has been done to show the audience the contrast in
locations, where the audience see a male character clearing his office out,
this is where the audience can see the huge different between the costumes
which the characters are wearing as ‘Matt’ is wearing a knitted styled jumper
which shows that he supposed to be a innocent character who wouldn’t do
anything wrong. However it is the same colour as ‘Pete’s’ coat was in the
opposing scene which Lexi Alexander has done to show similarities between the
two characters however they are different at the same time.
Next the audience see ‘Matt’s’ roommate on the phone with
his back to the television while it plays American football and soccer. This is
significant because it shows the huge contrast in the characters because in
England the football hooligans would be willing to fight or even die like it is
quoted in the song for football however in America they wouldn’t even dream of
having a huge care in football let alone be willing to die for it. This represents
the huge difference in the two cultures.
When Matt enters the scene an envelope of cash is placed on
his belongings while he is packing, this could have huge meaning and
significance. For example the envelope of money could be his only way out of
his current situation, furthermore for the character who is giving away the
money this is his only way of keeping his family name and their big reputation
clean, the audience knows this because he uses the diegetic ‘ I have my
families reputation to protect’. This again supports the idea of the two
contrasting cultures because the American characters are paying to keep their
good reputation with the envelope of money, however back in England they are
willing to stand and fight for their pride and reputation even if they do ‘die’.
Lastly we see ‘Matt’ using the money out of the envelope to
pay for a flight, which again represents how he is buying his way out of
trouble using the ‘dirty’ money. This also shows how he is condemning the
actions of his old roommate by spending the money and hasn’t got any backbone because
he won’t go through with any of his diegetic or actions. This again juxtaposes
with the English characters because they aren’t worried about the consequences
of standing up for themselves againt’s bigger opponents. For example in the
train scene the West ham Hooligans are mocked for their club being in the
second division however even though they are a so called smaller club they
still stand up for themselves and what they believe in which juxtaposes with ‘Matt’
the American character because he just takes the money and simply walks away.
The mise-en-scene of the money in an envelope is a
significant aspect of this clip; it connects very well with many different films.
For example in Alfred Hitchcock’s film Psycho (1960) an envelope full of money
was again used throughout the film to portray a secret message and this was a
theme which continued throughout the film. This shows how significant successful
mise-en-scene can be to a film and helps creates question which the audience
asks however they may become answered in the future.
In conclusion I feel the micro features which I chose to
analyse of sound and mise-en-scene helps create a deep meaning throughout the
scene of Lexi Alexanders film Green Street Hooligans (2005). I feel they both
help produce specific meaning throughout the clip. For example sound highlights
different ideas such as the ‘die’ for football situation, as well as this
mise-en-scene also helps creates specific meanings throughout the clip. For example
the idea of props and locations creates a huge contrast between the different
characters. However the specific colours which the main characters are wearing
represent a connection between the two which has meaning which again is
displayed to the audience further on in the film.
