Playground - Dilys Latham

Playground

Directed by Mark Kuczewski

Synopsis: Short thriller about a man who picks up a young female hitchhiker and on the journey we learn of the man’s past and what his intentions really are.

I chose to analyse Playground as I found the development and portrayal of the main character Gordon interesting as the story is told to us from his point of view and with his narration which is not common in thrillers as the story is normally portrayed from the hero’s view. I thought the lighting and use of camera throughout the short was very effective as it gave it a sense of mystery, isolation and something eerily sinister all of which are important in any great thriller.

Representation

·         It is evident from the beginning of the film that we are dealing with character from a lower class background as he talks of his drunken mother and how he was ridiculed at school. However as the man is dressed in a shirt and tie and has his hair swept into a middle parting there is a suggestion of an more professional job which aids us in trying to understand his characters and his characters actions as it implies that although he may live a comfortable middle class life now, his past with his mother has terrible consequences upon his actions.

·         The girl who is hitchhiking is also clearly from a lower class background as she has run away from home which is most popular among young adults of the social background. It is interesting that the film deals with two people from a lower class background as it suggests that perhaps because of their upbringing they have both made the wrong choices or haven’t had any choice at all.

·         As the short is a thriller there is a suggestion that because of its sinister and painful storyline that the characters representations will then reflect upon their social class. However as it has a social realism style to it there is an indication the film is instead trying to portray the harsh reality for some people with a less wealthy background.

·         The character Gordon is particularly thought-provoking when considering his representation in the short as he is narrating the short throughout the audience is told of his painful life as a child however the audience does not empathize with him due to the lighting and camera shots which show him with a dark shadow across his face suggesting something dark and un-trustworthy and extreme close up subjective shots which have a profound effect as they effectively convey his heart-less and evil soul which is then reinstated through the narrative. Gordon’s character is a slight stereotype, a lonely middle aged man with a painful past picking up young girls, however I wouldn’t say it is a  negative stereotype as the narrative informs the audience that he has always been an unloved and unaccepted person.

Narrative:

Bordwell and Thompson Narrative Theory:

·         The use of plot and story in Playground is very effective as it begins at the end but the audience is not aware of this until the end of the film which gives the narrative a pleasant twist as the audience realise he has been relating this story buried under soil in his grave and because of this the audience also feels justice is done, Gordon got what he deserved. As the plot is in a non-linear structure it helps also to explain the characters actions and makes the twist at the end more enjoyable.

·         What is also significant with Playground is that it does not simply have a narrative and plot but there is also Gordon’s life story being told which is uncommon in short films but is clever in this short as it allows quick character development and scrutiny and therefore has a more profound effect on the viewer.

Vladimir Propp Theory of Narrative:

·         Playground is interesting when considering it in terms of Propp’s narrative theory as to begin with the audience is presented with a villain in the form of the main character Gordon, who picks up young hitchhikers and kills them however it would seem Katie, the young female in the short, who is initially portrayed as the victim is actually is anything but and at the end the audience discovers she is really a strong justice seeking female.

·         Propp’s theory is also important as it highlights the key themes of the film and the importance of justice and insanity. It suggests an audience whom immediately judge and pre-determine a characters role in the narrative is wrong to do so as the characters actions are caused by something and they can change in the space of the beginning and end of the plot.

Claude Levi-Strauss – Narrative Theory:

                                  

·         Levi-Strauss said that ‘all narratives are organised around the conflict between binary oppositions’ which is fascinating when applying it to Playground as in the short film we clearly have the evil character in Gordon and the innocent good character in Katie and the plot is based around their meeting and story. However at the end it becomes apparent that Katie is quite evil as she kills Gordon and so perhaps that yes, the narrative is organised by the actions between the two characters but what is effective in this short is that there is a reversal of roles which gives the film more value.

Genre:

·         Short films typically use genre to help tell a story but they also use genre to break conventions and boundaries to tease the audience and provide something more interesting for their target audience. The two genres apparent in Playground are thriller and social realism; it is riddled with suspense and enigma but also presents the audience with a harsh reality.

Steve Neal:

·         Neal’s theory of genre is that they are ‘instances of repetition and difference’ which is apparent in the short film Playground. To begin with the short seems very much your typical thriller; there’s an evil man and a young helpless female woman and this is what an audience expects to see when going to watch the thriller, a battle between good and evil. However in Playground it is the twist at the end which makes the thriller more enjoyable and exciting to watch as it makes the thriller break genre conventions.

Rick Altman:

·         Playground uses many semantic conventions to help communicate the thriller to the audience. The use of lighting and juxtaposing between light and dark in the same shot is very effective at simulating a sense of fear within audience it also creates mystery in the narrative which keeps the audience interested. The internal monologue from Gordon is where the thriller breaks the typical conventions of a thriller as it allows for insight and character understanding.

David Buckingham:

·         Buckingham’s theory is that genre is not simply given by culture but rather is a constant process of negotiation and change which can easily be applied to Playground. The short to begin with is a suspense riddled thriller with plenty of typical genre conventions however after the audience has viewed the entire thriller and understood its non-linear structure the dynamic boundaries set up at the beginning are changed. The actions of the characters becomes blamed up their social circumstances as children and the audience then realises that social realism is just as much a genre for the film as thriller is.

Audience:

·         The expected audience for this short would probably be for male and female demographic with the ages of 16+ due to the adult themes and issues current in the film and also because they would be more likely to appreciate and understand the short. The clever use of lighting and close up shots with the themes and issues addressed would both please its audience due to its relevance and breaking of conventions. The film was shot by a small team of university graduates and was screened at the BKSTS London, BFI.

Media Language:

·         The lighting and camera are very effective in Playground as not only do they create suspense and mystery but they also allow for very quick character development. The intimate close up shots with Gordon throughout as his narrates his past, allow for the audience to see the lack of remorse he has and then at the end when it is revealed he is telling the story from his grave a sense of justice is established.

·         The colour in the sequence is all dark blues and blacks which is fits in with the themes of evil and good and crime and punishment. It is also effective as it allows for the audience to understand the isolation of the characters and the world in which they live as the colour is so dark and gloomy.  

·         The film is all shot at night which has connotations of secrecy and mystery which is key to any good thriller but also important for this thriller as it stops the audience from empathizing with Gordon.