Monday, 10 December 2012

Film Analysis: Dead Man Shoes Part 2



Here are some scenes that I think are the best because it reveals the characters very well along with the fact they are so intense and enjoyable that you can’t not watch them and not enjoy it.

 This is truly intense scene and it explains a lot about the characters. Anthony cowers once he reveals that Herbie is one of the lads involved with the situation, just playing his role perfectly, the innocent hiding from the wicked. This is where you first realise who Richard is, who has the gang annoyed now. He lures Herbie in by staring him out then looks weak by answering worriedly but then suddenly changes into a psychotic man, not only is it the comeback he says but the way his stare has changed as well. He was staring as if he wasn’t really paying attention and then he is staring at Herbie with pure hate, like he is trying to send his thoughts of what is to come for Herbie and the gang. Even thought Richard terrifying performance is brilliant in this scene I enjoy Herbie even more because this scene sets the mind frame for the rest of the gang, he is dealing drugs to two lads for a cheap price, thinking he all hard and like a gangster and then he sees this bloke staring at him. Richard at first glance doesn’t look that intimidating, he is a large fellow but you would think he was homeless or at least living it rough at first glance, which he is but that is deliberate, Richard did this to lure Herbie and allow him to feel big and hard so that he can inflict more fear at his best moment. It was so realistic seeing Herbie reactions towards Richard, seeing this bloke eyeballing  him he asks him politely but still with hint of don’t mess with me and when Richard responded in a worried way Herbie feels bigger and harder which a bully would do in real life and just as a real “think I am hard” bully would do starts talking more intimidating  towards Richard, but Richard puts him down and Herbie’s face tells you everything, Herbie is clearly terrified, as scared as a child is after being shouted by their parents.


Now this is one of my favourite threats and scenes ever, Richard is confronted by Sonny and Richard turns I back around and intimidates Sonny. This is so powerful but simple at the same time it’s a unique piece of writing. In this you see Richard rage slowly peek through, you see it in his laughter when as Sonny talks to him, it’s his facial expression that really get this across, every second that goes by you can tell that Richard is getting angrier and more desperate to just hurt them which I think he tells him to leave because he wants to mess with them, make them as scared as Anthony was when he died. What I also like about this scene is when Sonny takes a look over at Anthony, this is to trick the audience to thinking that Anthony is there and what is so good about it is Sonny time looking at him, Sonny if focused on Richard and is just scoping the area and the fact he looks at Anthony is just coincidence but the audience wouldn’t know this and then question what has made Richard so angry to want to hurt them.


Whilst Richard is terrorising the gang he does many things; breaks into their houses, steal their stuff, vandalism them, show that he has the capability to get to them but may favourite method he does is spraying on the walls “cheyne stoking”, when I first saw this I had no idea what it meant, I took as an army threat meaning I’m coming for you but when I watched the film with the commentary playing they reveal the meaning of it, “cheyne stoking” is a pattern of breathes you take before you die, if a ambulance man says you’re “cheyne stoking” you are most likely going to die. And this threat is so terrifying if you know what it means.

This is one of my favourite British films because it is entertaining and constructive in each area of the film, but the main benefit I think I gain from this film is the knowledge that simple can be brilliant, you don’t have to be over the top to achieve great characters and narrative, sometimes the simplest is the best. It also teaches me to really think of my characters, try to base them on someone you know therefore the character will be more realistic.

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