Gangster Genre Study- Scarface- Initial Screening Part 1

Target Audience: use the different ways of defining audiences from your audience profiles to identify who you feel is the target audience.

• Those who enjoy dark gangster films (the gritty side of cinema)
• Gangster films are an acquired  taste due to the harsh and violent content.
• This film is 3hrs long, so the audience would need the right attention span to watch this, to keep their interest in the story.

Genre conventions: identify the genre conventions of 'gangster films' reflected in the film. Is there anything unconventional about the film?

• Our lead character, Tony has a very troubled past to establish his character.
• The film has a relatively dark tone, but has a lot of humorous scenes, which is quite unconventional for gangster films.
• The characters in gangster films are usually well respected, but in this film, the characters are discriminated against (mainly because they're Cuban)

Representation: how do you feel men are portrayed? Identify stereotypical aspects of 'masculinity' that is highlighted.

• Tony, and the other male characters have very violent personalities.
• The male characters force themselves onto women a lot throughout the film.
• Women are degraded in this film, as opposed to the men who are both praised, powerful and are deemed superior.
• Female characters are portrayed as materialistic and sexualised- women are seen as bought objects.

Narrative: identify what you feel are the key conventional narratives of gangster films reflected in this film?

• Tony is a foreign newcomer who wants to build an empire as a feared gangster in America.
• Other characters betray Tony, but he eventually gets his revenge and what he wants.
• Lead character becomes a drug lord.
• Tony is given a 'mentor' (Frank) who teaches him about the gangster life.
• The story of 'Scarface' created the best known conventions and clichés of a gangster film.