How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques? La Haine

La Haine

The scene within La Haine where the character Vinz is being shown by the use of a split screen shot with Vinz's face on the left and what he is witnessing on the right. The use of the use depends on the distinctive use of film techniques by the split screen shot it shows Vinz as a reaction shot and what he is witnessing on the right hand side of the screen. On the right hand side of the screen it shows what Vinz is seeing, where a gun being shot is shown, at this moment on the left hand side of the screen it shows Vinz's reaction in a reaction shot to what is actually happening at this actual moment in time. The use of this film technique has a big impact towards the film as it shows Vinz and how he handles crime first hand, in comparison to earlier within the film where he was watching an action movie at the cinemas showing crime to Vinz in third hand. This film technique has a big impact on the film because it shows the character Vinz face of shock and awe to witnessing crime happen in real life where it is out of control. The use of this is to represent the difference between reality and what is not reality. This shows what impact violence has towards Vinz, although Vinz may be highly influenced under crime because of films and controlled fighting it doesn't effect him the same way to cause him to aspire to a life of crime. Another use of this split screen shot of Vinz's reaction is also to show that everything on television fake and fantasy where as in the real world it shows Vinz does not find violence acceptable or at the very least he does not aspire to a life of crime even though previously in the movie he has pretended to point a gun or pointed a gun and has not shot multiple times, he is also neutral when doing this, his reaction never phases from a neutral expression when witnessing crime until he sees it happen first hand, which the reaction shot within the split screen shot that real violence can conjure up much more or actual emotions more than film does. Linking to another scene where La Haine shows further dependences on distinctive uses of film techniques is earlier on within the film where the character Vinz impersonates a scene from the film Taxi Driver which features Robert De Niro, the scene that Vinz is impersonating here is the infamous "Are you talking to me" scene, the reason that this links within this scene is because it shows Vinz being influenced by the use of crime and action within films but again is not actually phased by it within this scene also, this shows that until he witnesses with real guns with real violence he is not phased by it at all until he witnesses it first hand which leaves him in despair.