SECTION B- ROMPER STOMPER

ROMPER STOMPER

Directed by Geoffrey Wright, Romper Stomper released in 1992 is an action drama film about a group of skinheads who become alarmed at the way their neighbourhood is changing. They take matters into their own hands by racially attacking Vietnamese who they refer to as gooks which leads to a violent conflict as a large group of Vietnamese decide it’s time to strike back. The plot is linear and with no evidence of a backstory for the characters aside from Gabrielle, Romper Stomper lacks emotional response for most viewers.

THEMES

· Violence

· Crime and Deviance

· Racism

Emotional Response

· Fear- This is what the Vietnamese feel and the audience believing there is injustice from the skinheads actions can empathize with them. They are more likely to take to side of the Vietnamese because they are more likely not to understand or respect Skinhead ideals.

· Disgust- We are disgusted with the behaviour of the skinhead subculture believing their racist violent actions are wrong and have no justifications.

· Anger- Audiences who are from ethnic minority groups that have experienced racism physically or verbally will be easily annoyed and angered by the skinheads lack or reason and hateful behaviour towards them. This removes all sense of empathy towards them.

· Excitement- The skinheads seem to get some sort of enjoyment and buzz from being violent racists. It reinforces their primitative state of mind and their masculinity is accomplished where status and respect is given for their violent actions.

· Anxiety- The scenes leading up to the fall of the skinhead group with leave audiences who are skinheads themselves feeling uneasy.

Binary Oppositions

· The distinguishing of the terrain of those in poverty and those of affluence. (Barriers)

· The Skinheads vs. Vietnamese. (Refer to Vietnamese as Gooks)

CHARACTERS

Hando- He is the protagonist and the dominant leader of the skinhead group. Hando is like the alpha male in the pack who hunts gooks and truly believes in the ideology of white supremacy. He seems to be the most intelligent of the group and has studied facts about Hitler which he agrees with.

Davie- He is Hando’s right-hand man and seems to be second in charge. He follows the rules of the group but eventually ends up leaving them towards the end for Gabrielle. He buys a key prop, the Hitler Youth Knife which would later end the protagonists life after he launches a violent outburst on Gabrielle.

Gabrielle- She is the femme fatal that leads to the disbandment of the group. She starts a romantic associating with Hando but later is dumped by him when he realises she is a nuisance. She seems to be educated and intelligent but is mentally unstable due to being abused by her father. She is responsible for calling the police and getting the group captured. She has manipulative power. (Davie) (Hando for dress) (Martin the father for idle things)

Bubs- The youngest skinhead who idolizes Hando which is why he is given the title of scout. Unfortunately, even though partially innocent and mislead into this subculture, Bubs is shot dead when he points a pistol at police officers.

Martin- He is Gabrielle’s abusive father who the audience feel disgust towards. This vile man gets what he deserves when Gabrielle leads the skinheads to rob her old home in order to steal expensive goods and guns.

Messages:

o “There will be consequences to your actions.”

o “Crime doesn’t pay.”

Key Values:

o Companionship

o Status and Identity

CINEMATOGRAPHY/VISUALS

· H/A and L/A at opening sequence where the Vietnamese are getting beaten up in the underground passageway. (Hando attempts to kill Gabe at seaside.) (Vietnamese tourists looking down at 2 skinheads taking photos is ironic in conjunction to opening sequence.)

· Low key lighting when crime performed. (Robbing Martin) (Acceptance to natural lighting effects for 7-9 minute battle sequence between skinheads and Vietnamese. Could represent stepping over the line naturally which represents the emotional limit of the Vietnamese abuse.)

· Takes often fast paced during importance action/conflict sequences. In conjunction with AMX, this has opposing effects instead of Slow Mo. (Vietnamese chase at pub, violent sequences) (Some Handheld Camera work at 7-9 minute fight scenes)

· Credits of Hando and Davie’s name pop up portray their importance in plot.

· Hando centrally framed in the group to portray his dominant strength over the others. (Especially occurs in opening sequence)

· Key prop is Davie’s Hitler’s Youth Knife signifying death. (Used stab Vietnamese man during battle sequence and kill Hando at resolution.)

· Tilted angle POV shot at resolution, Hando’s death.

SOUND

· The “Smack Soundtrack” promotes hate and violence. Used as a way to link the audience with what the skinheads are thinking and feeling all the time.

· The “Fourth Reich Fighting Men” promotes hate and violence. The battle isn’t over till the war is done. This kind of music alongside with the visuals has the viewer’s feeling appalled as the theme is all about hate.

· Non diegetic background music is distorted when Hando attempts to murder Gabrielle in sea. Could reflect Gab’s POV. Sound of Hando’s diegetic roar is distorted.

· The music/soundtrack fails to control the audience’s state of mind unlike in AMX. It’s not mainstream music most people enjoy and only a select few do. This relates with those that can relate to the skinhead’s ideals.

MACRO ELEMENTS

· Todorov’s rules are broken, there is a constant use of the element of disruption within the narrative as the skinheads seek conflict and violence towards the Vietnamese.

· The films narrative structure is completely linear.

· Aside from minor info of Gabrielle, we aren’t provided with a backstory of the characters making the audience lack empathy towards them. (No use of flashbacks)

· Feel the skinheads are violent in order to make a pointless point provoking and causing trouble to reinforce their masculinity rather than for a just cause.

· The resolution is somewhat expected. Heeding the key messages, the audience know that the protagonist is walking a path that will lead to his demise.

· The visuals desensitize the audience towards violence. It’s only the opening sequence that shocks the audience but as the violent visuals are repeated viewers get used to seeing it very quickly. This stops them from feeling shocked towards anyone getting harmed in the film as it progresses.

· None of the characters redeem themselves for their immoral acts leading most viewers to be glad the key messages were heeded.

SPECTATOR/AUDIENCE THEORIES

· Gabriel could also be seen as a femme fatal if the spectators supported the skinhead ideology. This is because if it was viewed from this point, she is the fall of the hero and protagonist Hando disorganising the skinhead group. (She tells the police officers their current hideout.)

· Film likely not to be banned by governments because the messages are heeded and the audience lack emotional response for the characters.

· In a theoretical sense, Nazi skinheads could gain self-gratification from watching this film. (Hando directly reads from Hitler’s Mein Kampf)

· Male Gaze- The camera work is largely put in the perspective of a heterosexual who believe masculinity is an accomplishment. Thus the audience sees Hando and his group as representing their masculinity through the violence against skinheads even if they don’t agree with their morals.