The text. No, not for lads, Billy. Billy : Just because I like ballet doesn't mean I'm a poof, you know. Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Remember: This is just a sample from a fellow student. Yet it is often when Billy is alone such as in his escape from the brick-walled compound and during his limping run/dance away from home that Daldry emphasises his power. Daldry uses this scene to represent the universal experiences of loss, grief and strained family relationships, further accentuating how these are very real experiences and allowing the audience to reflect on how this is relevant within their own lives. The first sound the audience hears is Cosmic Dancer by T-Rex, and the lyrics I danced myself right out the womb carry obvious connotations regarding Billys character. The search for identity is a personal human experience often found when an individual finds those whom they feel they can relate, connect and belong with. This is presented through Billys best friend, Michael who encounters the barriers created through his discovery of his own sexual identity. WebLee Hall (playwright) Lee Hall (born 20 September 1966) is an English playwright, television writer, screenwriter, and lyricist. pursuit of dreams 4 - Billy teaching Michael to dance in tutu. Flyin' like a bird. From this, it is apparent that Michaels determination and courage through proceeding into an individual experience allowed him to cross stereotypical boundaries and overcome the expectations of his community. The Importance of Goal Setting & Why you Should do it. Webappear in his next play. Billys legs are emphasised throughout the film, but particularly when he first joins the ballet class. WebA working-class youngster (Jamie Bell) in 1984 England discovers a hidden talent for dance with the help of a hard-bitten teacher (Julie Walters). Individualism is celebrated as the all-powerful force of our lives, a message reinforced to the audience in the final shot of the film as a grown-up Billy leaps on stage during a production of Swan Lake. Featured Daily Deals. Director Stephen Daldry. Here, Daldry uses blocking (the movements and actions of characters within space) in combination with the editing and music to convey how Billy imagines the music in his head. In this instance, his friend Michael (who is gay) also seems to believe there's a correlation between his interest in ballet and his sexuality, but with this quote, Billy insists that there is not. Billy Elliot study guide contains a biography of director Stephen Daldry, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help you just now, "Insufficient facts always invite danger" declared Spock to Captain Kirk as the U.S.S. 2022 Apr 11 [cited 2023 Mar 1]. When introduced to Debbies father, we learn that he is a staunch conservative who despises the miners and any left-leaning political ideology. WebBorn with a terrible facial deformity, this shy, bright ten-year-old has been home-schooled by his parents for his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the stares and cruelty of the outside world. This similar drive traces the quest of the Brennan Family in the Australian Documentary Proof of life, when their son Nigel, a war photojournalist, is captured and held hostage in Somalia for ransom. The social, cultural and historical milieu of a composers era, significantly molds construction of [], The fear of a dystopian future that is explored in both Fritz Langs film Metropolisand George Orwells novel Nineteen Eighty Four is reflective of the values of the societies at the time and the context of the authors. WebCharacters: Billy Elliot (Speaker), Tony Elliot (Speaker) Techniques: Contrast, characterisation, exclamation #2: Look at them gloves, man. Billys personal transformation through opposition exemplifies the adversity aspect of the human experience on the individual level as he encountered, experienced and overcame an obstacle life had thrown at him. Why does Daldry do this? Moving into the world is explored in two texts which are Billy Elliot, by Stephan Daldry, and Eminems song Lose Yourself., When Billy describes his dancing and the feeling that he gets from it he says that he forgets everything and feels as if there's a fire in his body and that he feels he disappears. Wide angle face-to-face shot shows confrontation, Triumphant music represents Jackie's realisation of his obligation to support his son. Get your custom essay. It is clear that neither Billy nor Michael fit into the structure of their time, and at times it seems like the structure may overpower them into submission. Another interesting example is also provided however, in a short but important scene of the film. He reasons that Ballet is for poofs and that boys should be doing other things like football and wrestling (Daldry, 2000). Allow students to come up with their own ideas, eg dancing, growing up, strikes, working-class home life, friendship, sexual identity. Billy Elliot is Stephen Daldrys 2000 film about a boy becoming a ballet dancer, and gained acclaim for its promotion of individual identity, its challenge to restrictive gender norms and its celebration of artistic pursuits. This essay has been submitted by a student. Though his sexuality remains somewhat ambiguous in the film, Daldry suggests that aversion to an individuals expression of sexuality stems from powerful cultural forces. The mining strikes donation is specifically placed next to the jewellery store, and he has to chose which side to align with. The miners strike came about as a response to fears that Conservative Party policies would decimate the already-dwindling mining industry. struggle with adversity 1 - Cross-dressing scene. WebBilly Elliot: Michael Caffrey cross-dresser: Stuart Wells (young Michael) Merryn Owen (adult Michael) Michael is a young boy and the best friend of Billy Elliot. Often these experiences have to do with change many of the characters are in important periods of transition in their life but experiences of consistency or even inertia are also relevant. And if being punched in the face is meant to disempower Billy, then the opposite soon occurs: a dolly shot (a shot where the camera moves closer or further from the subject) is used by Daldry to show Billys steady empowerment through dance. In a Newcastle first, Billy Elliot the Musical will play for a strictly limited 3 week season at the Civic Theatre from 7th October! His relative scale increases, and this subtle effect hints at whats to come. For example, the motif of the bus which recurs mostly in the context of the strikes, but which also transports Billy to his new life in the ballet school. While a person ages, they are affected by all these factors. Not friggin' ballet. Not friggin' ballet). Research a story of unethical research and/or plagiarism. pursuit of dreams 1 - Billy practising pirouettes in different places 1. This is not an example of the work written by professional essay writers. Who do others want him to be? Furthermore, Daldry depicts the struggle with adversities as a collective experience evidenced with the event of the miners strike in 1984 in Northern England. Determination - In Learning to Pirouette, a montage is used to represent Billy's determination in learning to master a difficult move. As a result of these reforms seen by the political elite as necessary for growth, but seen by the working classes as a cruel depravation of social safety nets divisions between classes grew. WebA young boy, Billy, has a passion and talent for dance that drives him to defy all the social and cultural rules in his world. 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help you just now, "Insufficient facts always invite danger" declared Spock to Captain Kirk as the U.S.S. It reflects the event when Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, announced the closure of Cortonwood Colliery in Yorkshire, leading to the loss of 20,000 jobs. Notice also the visual contrast between legs (dancing) and arms (boxing). While he is very passionate about dance, he knows that going to a fancy dance school in London will be a huge culture shock and will change the course of his life. Note: Flower symbolism in visual arts has a long and varied history, but in Western traditions it has often been associated with fertility, life and sexuality. Mise-en-scene of wardrobe depicts Michael as an anomaly and reflects the ideas of challenging gender expectations and the fears that come with this. I felt peaceful and free and as if nothing mattered., Billy Elliot is a 12-year-old boy who lives with his father Jackie, his big brother Tony and his eighty-year-old grandmother in Everington in Northeast England at the time of the miners' strike in mid-1980s. These clashes are frequently demonstrated in the film, and they symbolise a broader conflict between democratic or populist wills and technocratic or authoritative forces. What are the key quotations and examples in Tim Winton's short story "Neighbours" ? With a text as unique, wide-ranging and socially conscious as Billy Elliot, making arguments about the role of art, authority, sexuality, freedom and adolescence in human experiences should be relatively straightforward, provided you pay close attention to what the films messages are and how they are delivered. The key to Billy Elliot is understanding how challenging ideas about the human experience new perspectives and arguments about how we should live our lives are delivered in sympathetic and even comedic ways. This study guide is structured as follows: The Rubric. Context. Close analysis of textual devices. Themes. The Rubric The effect of the diegetic sound and the panning of the camera helps the audience to gain an overall view of the strike and the atmosphere of frustration and outrage the throng of miners are feeling towards their government. ! stated Billy. Editing has been used to create internal focalisation, representing Jackie's point of view as he converses with his sons. In the 2000 film Billy Elliott, the character of Michael is 11-year-old Billys closest friend, who also happens to be gay, and quite open about it almost certainly an anomaly in the lower-income blue-collar community in which they live and where Billys father and older brother, Tony, work as miners. The descriptors he uses show the judges (and the viewer) that Billy has a deeply felt passion for his discipline, that it is something intrinsic to his very being. The mineworkers, who proceed working despite the ongoing strike. They went out with the ark. WebBE ELECTRIFIED. This is further emphasised through a medium shot of Billy who cautiously looks around before going inside to ensure that no one has seen them since he knows that society would not approve of what they are doing, What are you doing? Sell on bidorbuy Daily Deals Stores Promotions. However, with perseverance and enthusiasm, Billy challenges societal expectations and rebels against the male stereotype by pursuing his passion for ballet. They both involve expressions of identity and being through physical bodies, and as such they are both tied up in the complex politics and history of gender and behavioural norms. WebThe search for identity is facilitated by engagement with texts that broaden our perspectives or give voice to our own understanding. I got this feeling earlier today, driving through the country-side, through open paddocks and fields with rolling slopes and the mountains in the background. The trick is finding it.. Set against the background of the 1984 Miner's Strike, Billy Elliot is an 11 year old boy who stumbles out of the boxing ring and onto the For instance, smash cuts which is when a scene very abruptly and suddenly cuts to a new location or context are used in conjunction with sudden transitions in sound mixing to suggest that we can only hear the music when Billy can hear it. Note also that the scene takes place at the setting of a lake. InI Am Sam, describe how Sam's relationship with Lucy is a healthy one. I'm just there. Music and editing are combined and used to reinforce the subjective experience of the film throughout. Daldry suggests that the same object or the same idea or experience can have vastly different meanings depending on ones personal and social context. The framing of the elevator gate in the foreground, the staging of all the miners packed together and the low-key, desaturated lighting suggests that while Billy has experienced a transition into a brighter and more positive future his family remains trapped and under broader authority. We've let out your room. R. Starring Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Jamie Draven. At some point, Michael is seen using a dress and makeup. Sorta disappear. Mrs. Websearch for identity ideas. We will occasionally send you account related emails. Subsequently this creates a sense of Daldry, S. (Director). The film is set during the 1984-85 coal miners strike in Britain. Note: Natural lighting has become more widely used in recent years as film technology has developed and artificial lights have become somewhat less necessary, but there are some earlier independent film movements and historical cinematic eras which were characterised by a similar style. Examinethe pressures that affect Billy in What are some film techniques used inPsycho by Alfred Hitchcock? Different social class contrast between Billys old house and Mrs Wilkinson, Lower social class was due to the social class, Billy has little to no connection with family. The film is called Billy Elliot. What is the independent variable in this analysis? Students who find writing to be a difficult task. For instance, when Billy first joins the dance class, a dolly shot pulls back through rows of dancers feet, mostly girls dressed in ballet attire. WebBilly Elliot (2000) has been widely recognised as an important British film of the post-Thatcher period. In Jacob's Ladder, Jake's chiropractor Louis quotes the 14th-century mystic Meister Eckheart to Jake, stating, "If you're holding on and afraid of dying, you'll see demons tearing your life apart. Latest answer posted February 06, 2012 at 10:15:48 PM. For Billy, dance allows him to express his real identity irrespective of gender norms or cultural practices, and his description of dance as electricity towards the end of the film is fitting. The protagonist, Billy faces these problems to gain possibilities. It has been analysed using multiple disciplinary methodologies, but almost always from the theoretical frameworks of class and gender/sexuality. Identity concerns what it means to be you. Using the discussion earlier, answer the questions below: (a) How do Clark's feelings toward his aunt change during the course of the story? The 80s are widely recognised as a controversial and important period of British (and global) history. Here, Daldry uses wardrobe to convey the relationship between gender roles and aesthetics (such as fashion), and how the former can arbitrarily restrict the latter. Based on the powerful and acclaimed film, Billy Elliot swept the Tony, Drama Desk, and Olivier awards for Best Musical, by combining a dynamic score by the legendary Elton John with sensational dance to create a heartwarming, inspirational and triumphant experience for the entire family. He tells Billy to get on the table and dance to prove to them that he's a dancer. Men like his father and the kids he is at school with believe that his love of ballet His brother represents a more volatile, masculine type of authority, much like his father, and he acts as a foil character whose contrast to Billy further highlights Billys rejection of normal masculinity. However, these relationships are not simply matters of domination or rebellion. Also, in the poem If by Rudyard Kipling, the audience reads about what a young boy must go through to ultimately grow up and become a man. And I've got this fire in my body. WebStephen Daldrys movie, Billy Elliot is about a 11-year-old boy who challenges the social gender norms in the rough mining town in Durham during the mining strike in 1984 in order to pursue his dream of becoming a ballet dancer.Throughout the film, ranges of human experiences is experienced through the complexity of the community of Durham, This is demonstrated in the final scene where he prepares to perform on stage. Select a choice: Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. Ones identity is shaped by the decisions they make; the choices they make represents their ipseity. Billy Elliot directed by Stephen Daldry outlines the transition of Billy Elliot, from a constrained society with limited expectations and restrictive gender These elegant and clean spaces are starkly juxtaposed against the grubby and blackened coal fields, suggesting a large tension in the broader world between different classes. Copyright The Australian Teachers of Media Inc Autumn 2008. How?) Choose a phrase that will answer one of the questions in parentheses. Stephen Daldry creates meaning through these human experience concepts through his exploration of metaphysical challenges and their impact on human existence in his debut film, Billy Elliot, which recreates the holistic experience of a historic event in Northern England from 1984, The Miners Strike. In Billy Elliot, dancing makes up a major part of Billy's identity as it is not only a means of expressing himself but also a symbol of freedom. Through dance Billy creates his own identity and breaks out of the expectations of his family and community, such as the family tradition of being a miner. This affects Billys identity by having him stretched between two separate cultures. As [], Problems faced by characters in literature often repeat themselves, and when these characters decide to solve these standard problems, their actions are often more similar than they first appear. These authorities are more faceless, perhaps even more sinister (particularly in the case of the government), and as such they may be considered the real antagonistic forces of the film. 2. Note how the syllabus emphasises an analysis of the emotions attached to human experiences, the paradoxes of human behaviour and the role of storytelling. High contrast, volumetric lighting (volumetric refers to how the light appears solid because of its interaction with smoke/particles in the air) is used to emphasise how daunting, and perhaps frightening, this new transition in Billys life is. The slow tempo and harsh sound of the orchestra in the classical piece, Swan Lake, creates suspense while the slow motion, low angle shot of Billy leaping skilfully depicts his ability to finally overcome his adversity. WebThe responder can see that dancing is innate and an important part of Billy Elliot. Gradesfixer , Billy Eliots Struggles With His Identity In The Film., Billy Eliots Struggles With His Identity In The Film [Internet]. The use of montage and juxtaposition also demonstrates the various oxymorons that exist in Billys life, and the paradoxes of his experiences. The film, Billy Elliot, directed by Stephen Daldry reflects the quest for personal freedom, as the protagonist, Billy, experiences conflict as a result of the limited values of his society and seeks to extend himself by discovering a more authentic sense of identity. He is the protagonist in the story and is principled, likable, and vivacious with a musical tone in his body. She knows that he is talented enough to at least audition for the Royal Ballet School, but knows that it will sound strange to Billy, and to anyone else, that a boy from a mining family should pursue a calling to dance at the highest level. __________________________. Through Billy and Michael, he displays forms of individualism that suggest that our identity comes from a more mysterious and unique source. Drawing parallels between Billy and the swan may be a useful way to explore how Daldry draws on the archetypal story and recontextualises it to connect with modern audiences. Daldry uses this scene to relate to the experience of hardwork and dedication and the complications and problems that come along with it, conveying how this may be present in the real lives of the audience. Neighbours '' the same object or the same idea or experience can have vastly different meanings depending on ones and! 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