Lianne's Media Coursework

Discuss the similarities or differences in the representation of one social group in East is East and one other film of your choice.

East is east is set in Manchester in the 1970’s in a poor looking neighbour hood, we can tell this by the way that the camera shots have a birds-eye view of the neighbour hood and shows back to back houses in long rows of houses, and in the street in which cars are supposed to be able to drive lots of children playing outside with things such as sticks, balls and space-hoppers, these space-hoppers help the
mise-en-scene of the film as the space-hopper was very big back in the 70’s. the children all seem very happy as a community and although they are of different races all live happily within a community. The khans have 5 sons and 1 girl who are all around their teens other than the oldest and youngest sons. I will be focusing on different social groups and how they act in their environment.

In this film George is the head of the family this is shown by a vary of things such as the attitude shown towards him from his children and his wife, also by the camera shots used when filming certain parts of the film that George is showing authority. For example, when George walks; in after Tariq messes up the wedding garments after finding that his father has set up an arranged marriage for him and his brother Abdul; the camera is shot up from a high angle shot of George looking down at his son Maneer who is trying to fix the wedding garments after they have been trashed, this is also shown when George attacks both Manner and his wife Ella.

The children of George and Ella are stuck in between two cultures they themselves seem to have taken on more of their mothers English side but are being forced to be a part of a Pakistani environment in which they seem to not be so keen on. Their father is Muslim and they are to take part of this, but when their father is gone and is not in the house they are seen to be eating pork which they aren’t meant to be doing, but when there father comes in, they rush to put everything away and hide the evidence, to make this scene more effective they use canted angle shots and the music also helps set the scene.

Another time you see the children going against their fathers heritage and beliefs is when they are at the back of ‘Georges English chip shop’ which is their fathers chip shop, Tariq and his girlfriend are kissing at the back of the shop, this is shot from a eye level shot, his girlfriend then turns to him and says, ‘were like Romeo and Juliet’. this shows not only the impact that George has on his own children but also the minds of others.

Whilst George is away getting the wedding garments for his sons Tariq and Abdul, Saleem comes down and asks his mum for money for his art work, his father does not know that his son does art but thinks he is doing an engineer course at college, this is another way that shows the fear of their father received by the teenagers in this film. Also in the film there is a part where Meenah is in the street looking threw her legs and this is shot in a point of view shot and shows what Meenah sees threw her own eyes of the street.

The film I will be comparing East is East is Kidulthood as this film involves teenagers, although this film is based on a London life set about 30 years after East is East, this film demonstrates certain teenagers who are in control of their lives unlike the teenagers in East is East where they have to sneak around to live their lives.

Some could argue at the teenagers in East is East well especially Tariq would aspire to be like the teenagers in Kidulthood as they are allowed to go out to parties, they have sex and are not on a leash to what their mothers or fathers. In Kidulthood the teenagers take over their own lives and unlike the teenagers from East is East who fear the raft of their father, the teenagers fear an older teenager called Sam, he is feared both in school and outside of school, they use point of view shots a lot more than East is East as well due to the fact that the teenagers thoughts have more importance to the teenagers in East is East, as the Mother Ella in East is East says to the father George, ‘ If you listened to them, to what they want’. this tells us that the kids thoughts and cares are not considered.