MDA3200 Film Theory
Consider the role of genre in
communicating ideological messages
 Film Reference- Gran Torino (2006)
Film Theory Essay
There are four different meaning for the term “genre”. These general
definitions of genre are: a type of literary or artistic work, a style of expressing
oneself in writing, an expressive style of music, and finally, a class of art (or
artistic endeavor) having a characteristic form or techniques
(thefreedictionary.com). However, the definition of film genre is the critical
category for organizing films according to shared themes, styles, and narrative
structures (courses.washington.edu). There are many different genres for films,
such as action, adventure, comedy, drama, historical, horror, musical, science
fiction, war and western (filmsite.org).
The definition of ideology is the values or viewpoints and meanings or
messages that a film might be able to communicate to the viewer
(blogspot.co.uk). There are two aspects of ideology are implicit and explicit.
Implicit denotes a film that contains more debatable meaning, possibly beyond
the conscious intentions of the filmmaker, which requires analysis and a
reasoned argument. While explicit defines what a character in a film or a
director/producer/writer they themselves declare to be the subject of the film
(blogspot.co.uk).
The role of genre in communicating ideological messages is important as
it portrays useful and effective messages to its audiences, allowing them to learn
usable values from the genre that can be applied in real life.
In this essay, the reference film used is Gran Torino (2006), directed and
produced by Clint Eastwood, while the film extract for analysis are the scenes of
Walt insulting other race openly and privately. The plot for this film is about a
disgruntled Korean War veteran, Walt Kowalski, who befriends his neighbor, a
Hmong family and tries to save them and their teenage boy, Thao, from the gang
life ahead of him.
Gran Torino (2006) belongs in the melodrama genre category.
Melodrama films are somewhat a part of drama films that is usually
characterized by an exaggerated plot, which would in turn intensify the
audiences’ emotions. Mostly, it relies on the troubled characters’ development,
how they interact with others, and going through extremely sensitive matters.
Melodrama films often use plots that relate to human emotional crisis, strained
familial situations, tragedy, illness, and emotional and physical hardship. The
main protagonist character is the one who is constantly under tremendous
pressures, as well as under attack by threats, feeling repressed, constantly living
in fear, getting involved in dubious events or experiencing difficulties socializing
with friends, community, work, lovers, or family. Main characters in this type of
film are mostly shown to be working through their difficulties or overcoming
their problems with unyielding endurance, self-sacrificing acts, and unwavering
bravery. The melodrama film plot structure starts with a Situation, then adding
some Disruption, and finally a Resolution. The Situation scene is where the main
protagonist character, Walt Kowalski, and his way of life are introduced,
followed by the Disruption scene is where the Hmong gang is introduced, whose
gang leader happens to be the Hmong teenage boy, Thao’s cousin, as they were
bullying him. Finally, the Resolution scene is where the gang members are
defeated, getting arrested for committing murder on an unarmed Walt. In a way,
Walt was being cured of his racist nature (wordpress.com).
Walt’s racism problem resolves slowly as the film progressed, until it was
completely resolved towards the end of the film. As the style of a melodrama film
clearly dictates, the plot of this particular film genre has to be very clear and
concise up to the point. In this film, it was up to the point of resolving the gang
culture, as well as Walt’s racist nature.
This film’s strongest and most obvious ideological message is anti-racism.
The protagonist character, Walt Kowalski, portrays it very well and in many
scenes throughout this film. It was first shown towards his neighbor, the Hmong
family, whom he referred to as “gooks”. The character Walt is a classic character
for this particular genre, almost a mimic that represents an old-fashioned old
racist American. However, he started to change himself when he befriends his
neighbors, the Hmong people, especially their teenage boy, Thao, whom Walt
nicknamed “toad”. At first, Walt did not like the Hmong family, especially after
catching Thao trying to steal his precious 1972 Ford Gran Torino red-handed. As
a punishment suggested by Thao’s mother, he was to work with Walt until Walt
is satisfied with the job he gives the teenage boy. Walt also saw Thao helping a
lady pick up her groceries while other boys who passed by ignored her. It was
then that Walt believe this boy have some good potential in him. He just needed
some guidance from someone. By guiding the teenage boy Thao to the right
path, Walt began to like the boy and even his family. I believe this is how Walt ,
the protagonist character started to solve his racist issue with his Hmong
neighbors. Another element that brings Walt and the teenage Hmong boy, Thao
closer is Walt’s 1972 Ford Grand Torino, so much so that Walt willed it to Thao
after his death, with a few instructions to maintain the car as it is, and no
modifications allowed.
The second portrayal of racism by the protagonist character Walt is
during the pub scene, where he and his friends were drinking at the pub. While
enjoying his drink and having a conversation with his friends, he made a racist
joke, stating “a mexican, a jew, and a colored guy walk into a bar, and the
bartender says, get the fuck out of here” (youtube.com, 2011) publicly in the pub.
The third portrayal of racism by the protagonist character Walt is when
he commented rudely while watching many Hmong people enter his Hmong
neighbor’s house, after returning from his wife’s funeral service at the church. It
portrays his disgust towards people from other race.
The forth portrayal of racism by the protagonist character Walt is when
the bully scene of the teenage Hmong boy, Thao by his gangster cousin and gang
members spill out onto his side of the garden. Walt held up a rifle at the gang
member and spat racial statements towards them while comparing them to the
Korean soldiers he used to fight during the Korean War.
The fifth portrayal of racism by the protagonist character Walt is when
Walt threw some racial insults towards his Hmong neighbor’s relatives during a
party at the Hmong’s household.
The sixth portrayal of racism by the protagonist character Walt is when
he helped the Hmong teenage girl, Sue, as she was hassled by 3 black boys. He
referred the 3 black boys as “spooks”. He even referred the white boy who was
with Sue at that time as “pussy”.
The seventh portrayal of racism by the protagonist character Walt is
when he visited his friend who works at a construction site. Walt called his
friend a “drunken Irish goon”.
The eighth and final portrayal of racism by the protagonist character Walt
is at the last scene, where he confronted the gang members and was
subsequently kill by them. As he arrived outside their hideout, he scolded them
with racial remarks.
After listing all the above scenes containing racial remarks towards other
races in this film, I found out that racism among two or more different cultures is
a very twisted and deceptive idea. Just because the protagonist character Walt
has lived a thoroughly American life and thinks that America is the best, driving
an American made car, a 1972 Ford Gran Torino; hanging an American flag on
his porch, he thinks he is an American and wants all things to be white. Even
though he originated from Poland, he acts like a true born American, as he joined
the US army and fought in the Korean War many years ago. He also carries
himself in a way that a true American born citizen would. However, the people
around him is not true Americans, as his barber is of Italian descent, the doctors
who treated him in the hospital are non-American as well, so are the people he
meets throughout the film.
In conclusion, the role of a genre can indeed communicate ideological
messages through the characters’ portrayal in a film. The ideological messages
can intend teach us to be better peoples in life. And the ideological message in
this film tells us that no one should be a racist, as “racism creates a divide
between cultures and causes violence, whilst being able to open your eyes and
being accepting of one another is good for stopping racism and rivalry”
(wordpress.com).
Bibliography
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/genre (date retrieved 2nd December 2012).
http://courses.washington.edu/ger370/filmguide.htm#Glossary (date retrieved
2nd December 2012).
http://www.filmsite.org/genres.html (date retrieved 2nd December 2012).
Wen, Isabella (2012) ‘Ideology in Film’. Blogspot website. http://isabellawenartofvideo2.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/ideology-in-film.html (date retrieved 2nd
December 2012).
Chadwick (2010) ‘What messages does Gran Torino convey?’ Wordpress
website. http://chadwickfilm.wordpress.com/2010/01/31/what-messagesdoes-gran-torino-convey/ (date retrieved 2nd December 2012).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melodrama#Film (date retrieved 2nd December
2012).
Invisiblescottie (2011) ‘Gran Torino - All Insults and Racial Slurs - in 5 min’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsXHVC8wM1M (date retrieved 2nd
December 2012)