UNIVERSITY OF TUZLA Faculty of Philosophy English Language and Literature

ESSAY The Critical Review - L.A. Confidential

Student: _____________________ Mersida Bei

Tuzla, December 2011.

The Critical Review - L.A. Confidential Corruption and crime are global problems, and all strata of society are affected by these problems. People around the world are fighting to eradicate corruption and crime, but most of the people, in some way, participate in it, even if not voluntarily then tacitly because they do nothing against it. Because all of that, corruption and crime are a frequent theme in films. For viewers, films with that kind of theme are interesting because they have elements of mystery, and because those films strive for the administration of justice. Film genre with elements of crime and corruption is film noir. Film noir is one of the most recognizable styles of filmmaking, and it was one of the most influential film movements in the 1940's. The film noir genre has its foundations on corruption and crime, setting is usually in an urban environment and often the emphasis is on sexual motivations. Film, which is one representative of this genre, is the film L.A. Confidential (Curtis Hanson, 1997). This film is not typical representative of the film noir style. It has more conventions of neo-noir film style. This paper takes in consideration some basic cinematic techniques which are used in L.A. Confidential, how proper usage of these techniques contribute to the quality of the film, and how all of that put this film in front of its time. It also discusses about the common cinematic conventions of the film noir and neo-noir genre. L.A Confidential is film based of the novel by James Ellroy an American crime fiction writer and essayist, and directed by Curtis Hanson an American film director, film producer and screenwriter. This film has a really complex plot which can be described as a maze. The plot in this film presents a narration that in continuity emphasizes surprise and suspense. The dialogue is very sharp and the subplots are developed as well as the main plot is. Ultimately, this film is very good adaptation of eponymous novel by James Ellroy. L.A Confidential is set in Los Angeles in 1953. This crime drama shows the dark side of the Los Angeles Police department, and problem with organized criminal in that city, but also this film shows intentions of few individuals to solve these problems. Dudley

Smith (James Cromwell) is the head of the police station. He is loyal to his servants, but he is ready to tolerate corruption in his department and maltreatment of the suspects. His motivation is to punish them. Bud White (Russell Crowe) is a police detective who does not choose the means to get to the target. He uses the violence to punish the criminals. Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is a police officer who has become a detective, but he wants to do his job in a fair manner, and for that matter, he does not hesitate to report other colleagues if they do not do their job properly. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is detective who serves as technical advisor for the TV series Badge of Honor. He also tolerates corruption and he collaborates with Sid Hudgeons (Danny DeVito), who is publisher of the scandal sheet Hush Hush, and he also helps him to get information when celebrities get busted. Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), White (Russell Crowe), and Exley (Guy Pearce) are protagonists of the film story, and they become involved in the web of lies, corruption and betrayal, and all of that starts with a multiple murder in one coffee shop where White's former partner is also killed. The plot follows the investigation about murders, and from this point there are involved several major lines of the action that contribute to complexity of the plot. Vincennes, White, and Exley believe that this is the work by Mickey Cohen (Paul Guilfoyle), who wants to keep his position in a network of organized crime, but further traces complicate situation and create different lines of action. In one line of action, several black youths are the main suspected, and almost all, spectator's attention is focused in this direction, but with a few scenes, which are inserted in this first line of action, the second line of action is presented to spectator. This second line of action reveals pornography, and one man standing behind it, Pierce Patchett (David Strathairn). He organizes plastic surgery for women who work for him, and he makes them look similar to movie stars. Because of work that he is engaged, he becomes a suspect in the investigation. White's role in the investigation is more and more complicated when he starts a relationship with Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger), one of prostitutes.(1) By giving a great freedom of choice to the viewer, and by putting doubt in anyone, sense of suspense is created in a very good way. At the beginning of the film we can notice different usage of editing. The film begins with the narration of Sid Hudgeons (Danny DeVito). The narrator helps us to create necessary images for better understanding of the film story. We can see how carefully

temporal relation is used in these first shots. Story is presented throughout some kind of flashback images and also crosscutting which emphasize action in this film. Sid Hudgeons describes a town of beauty, and his narration is accompanied by scenes which consistently reflect his narration. Step by step he reveals a real picture of Los Angeles and that picture is not what they are selling to the public, and to the world. This film contains nearly 2000 shots, an average of four seconds a piece.(3) Editing, in this film, contributes to the fact that the viewer has to keep his attention on the ongoing story, and spectator is not aware of work that is done by editor. An effort must be made to divert attention from the ongoing story and to become aware of rhythmic relations between shots. That rhythmic relations help to build up excitement at the beginning of the film, but also throughout the whole film. Well done work by cinematographer Dante Spinotti contributes to the quality of this film. Image sharpness and details are very good, although not at the level of quality sees in movies today, but still deserves praise because this movie is going ahead of its time. Color and style are used in dazzling way. Colors are rich and pure. Contrast is smooth, and picture produces a great level of shadow details. (2) In L.A. Confidential the performances are almost completely facial and because of that director Curtis Hanson shifts the emphasis among several key characters by coordinating his editing with widescreen, staging in depth close-ups and medium-close-ups rack-focus, and mobile framing (Bordwell and Thompson 6.111-6.122).(3) Different usage of focus shows which elements are important. Shooting from different angles enriches the scenes, and directs the viewer's attention in the right direction, without revealing facts that are important for the end, and for main conclusion of the film, and this contributes to the element of surprise. The whole narrative from the beginning of the film by Sid Hudgeons (Danny DeVito), that series of scenes which are already mentioned, in some way functions as establishing scene for whole movie. It gives back up information, and steers imagination of viewer by creating necessary images for building possible endings in the viewer's mind. Usage of light plays a major role in creating emotions that are important for a sense of decay. The daylight scenes have a sufficient amount of light, and that successfully creates a sense of belonging, and understanding, while the nighttime scenes are shot in

special way to highlight the contrast between light and dark. Usage of this technique can be seen in the shoot at the Victory Motel, near the and of the film, where White (Russell Crowe) and Exley (Guy Pearce) are trying to stay in a safe place, and they are trying to find way to escape from a dark hotel room while gunfire from the outside hits the walls of the room, and every hole by bullet provides penetration of blue light that cuts the darkness.(4) Setting, costumes and usage of colors with sepia tones, consistently shows the time period of 1950s. Many others factors contribute to the feeling that this film shows the real picture of that exact period of time in history. For example: usage of cars, buildings or interior from that period of time. Performance of the actors, their manners, movements and facial expressions convey a credible image which Curtis Hanson wants to create in the mind of the spectator. Although this movie has a lot of common points with film noir genre, however, there are some differences, and because of that L.A. Confidential is marked as neo-noir film. Here are some common cinematic conventions with those two styles. The expression 'Film Noir' literally 'black film' is coined by French film critics. This visual style has roots in German Expressionist cinematography. Film noir movies are low budget black and white films with the fundamental issues: corruption, fraud and deceit. Those are films with elements of mystery, and setting is often city during the night. Action happens at night, because the night and the darkness represent a mystery. These films contain some kind of investigation and there is always the role of femme fatale, and woman is presented only as an object. This is a common stereotypical view of a woman in the film noir genre. These common conventions can be seen in L.A. Confidential but this film is more than that. Basic difference between film noir and neo-noir is that neo-noir films are shot in color. Another thing is that L.A. Confidential, as a representative of neo-noir style, goes deeper into the psychology of characters, which is not customary in the film noir genre. This can be seen on the problem that arises between White (Russell Crowe) and Exley (Guy Pearce), because they both love the same woman Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger). One more thing which is different is that in some film noirs we are led to believe that the femme fatale is the destructive force which leads to the protagonist's downfall (Maxfield), but in L.A. Confidential, Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger) has a different role. She provides help for protagonists of the story White (Russell Crowe) and Exley (Guy Pearce). The role of the

femme fatale is changed in one more way because Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger) is not viewed as an object in such extent as in the classic film noir genre. In this film the viewers can experience Lynn Bracken as a person, they can find justification for her actions, and they feel pity for her because she found herself in that situation. It can be seen that even if the conventions of the film noir genre and neo-noir are very similar, there are many differences between these two styles because they are created from totally different perspectives. L.A. Confidential was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won two, Kim Basinger for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Hanson and Helgeland for Best Screenplay - Adapted. This fact testifies to the value of this film, but also through analyzing different usage of different cinematic techniques, can be seen a real wealth of effects which enrich this film. In L.A. Confidential, interesting and valuable film noir conventions are retained, but the film is enhanced by entering a new perspective, and new quality that brings a new neo-noir style. L.A. Confidential is the best movie released in 1997. This film is interesting, twisted and mysterious realization by Curtis Hanson, and this motion picture is worth of watching even in 2011.

Endnotes. (1) http://www.moviefone.com/movie/l-a-confidential/4759/synopsis Note, this page contain short summary of the plot. (2) http://www.thecinemalaser.com/brd_2008/la-confidential-brd.htm Note, this page contains some basic information about usage of contrast and colors. (3) Bordwell, David. Thompson, Kristin. Film Art: An Introduction. McGraw-Hill: The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008 A Closer Look: L.A. Confidential and Contemporary Editing Note, this closer look contains images, and those images can contribute to a better understanding. (4) http://www.filmreference.com/Films-Kr-Le/L-A-Confidential.html#b Note, page provide some information about of the usage of light.

Selected Bibliography. Primary Source. - Hanson, Curtis. L.A. Confidential Secondary Sources. - Bordwell, David. Thompson, Kristin. Film Art: An Introduction. McGraw-Hill: The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008 - http://www.moviefone.com/movie/l-a-confidential/4759/synopsis - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_noir - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-noir - http://www.thecinemalaser.com/brd_2008/la-confidential-brd.htm - http://www.filmreference.com/Films-Kr-Le/L-A-Confidential.html#b