The very best films, indubitably, are those which entice our intellectual capacities, enrich our understanding as to the inexplicable depths of the human condition, and broaden our comprehension of the ideas which underpin society. The 1981 film, Gallipoli, is a stunning example of such a possibility with its authentic and compelling portrayal of warfare and propaganda. Through the employment of a myriad of visual and verbal techniques, Peter Weir (the director) is able to develop the film’s key ideas - the waste of life and potential through warfare and the potency of war propaganda - in order to convey messages of great value to the audience.
Contextually speaking, Gallipoli is set in 1915 amidst the First World War. The ideals which were …show more content…
As aforementioned, a great number of talented and capable individuals like the protagonist, Archy, fought and perished during the Gallipoli campaign. The film places a key emphasis on this particular idea, as it is relevant to society today in that it enables us, as the audience, to discern the true, destructive nature of war; a situation where the lives of adept individuals are constantly being lost. With the aid of visual and verbal techniques and through the protagonist, Archy, Peter Weir is able to expose the true nature of war and develop the film’s key theme. For the entire duration of the film, Archy’s potential is constantly highlighted by Peter Weir in order to develop this theme. This is especially evident in the opening and closing sequences of the film, where techniques are repeated to instill to the audience Archy’s athletic ability. Tracking shots are deliberately used by Weir in order to follow Archy’s movements as he runs (as he is known for being a sprinter). The fact that Archy is tracked and the fact that the shot moves so swiftly along the sequence hints that he is athletically gifted. In addition, repetitions of close-ups are also utilised by Weir to highlight Archy’s potential. Close-ups of Archy’s medal and stopwatch (received from his Uncle Jack) serve as visual illustrations of Archy’s prowess. It is also, symbolically, representative of what he has …show more content…
The effectiveness of propaganda back then and in today’s society is strikingly similar and its power and influence over a population of individuals cannot be undermined. Again, the film puts a key emphasis on this idea as it is something that is relatable to society today and is an aspect of society which we are not well-versed in. Subsequently, Weir through the character of, once again, Archy is able to enlighten us about the nature of propaganda as a means of psychologically controlling our decisions and thoughts. In the case of Archy, the potency of war propaganda was shown through the opening sequence of the film. Initially, an over-the-shoulders-shot is used to show Archy reading an article on the Gallipoli campaign; a close-up of the article shows the various headlines imprinted in bold: ‘Splendid gallantry’, ‘Baptism of Fire’. These visual techniques used in conjunction with each other show how propaganda was used to draw people to enlist in the war. Living in the countryside, Archy led a very simplistic and mundane lifestyle. Hence, these statements on the war had a profound effect on his view to enlist and join in the war effort. Later in the film, Archy goes to the Kimberley Gift Fair (a sprinting competition in Western Australia). It is during this scene that we can clearly see how propaganda is manipulated in order to draw men to enlist. After Archy’s victory, we hear a
Contextually speaking, Gallipoli is set in 1915 amidst the First World War. The ideals which were …show more content…
As aforementioned, a great number of talented and capable individuals like the protagonist, Archy, fought and perished during the Gallipoli campaign. The film places a key emphasis on this particular idea, as it is relevant to society today in that it enables us, as the audience, to discern the true, destructive nature of war; a situation where the lives of adept individuals are constantly being lost. With the aid of visual and verbal techniques and through the protagonist, Archy, Peter Weir is able to expose the true nature of war and develop the film’s key theme. For the entire duration of the film, Archy’s potential is constantly highlighted by Peter Weir in order to develop this theme. This is especially evident in the opening and closing sequences of the film, where techniques are repeated to instill to the audience Archy’s athletic ability. Tracking shots are deliberately used by Weir in order to follow Archy’s movements as he runs (as he is known for being a sprinter). The fact that Archy is tracked and the fact that the shot moves so swiftly along the sequence hints that he is athletically gifted. In addition, repetitions of close-ups are also utilised by Weir to highlight Archy’s potential. Close-ups of Archy’s medal and stopwatch (received from his Uncle Jack) serve as visual illustrations of Archy’s prowess. It is also, symbolically, representative of what he has …show more content…
The effectiveness of propaganda back then and in today’s society is strikingly similar and its power and influence over a population of individuals cannot be undermined. Again, the film puts a key emphasis on this idea as it is something that is relatable to society today and is an aspect of society which we are not well-versed in. Subsequently, Weir through the character of, once again, Archy is able to enlighten us about the nature of propaganda as a means of psychologically controlling our decisions and thoughts. In the case of Archy, the potency of war propaganda was shown through the opening sequence of the film. Initially, an over-the-shoulders-shot is used to show Archy reading an article on the Gallipoli campaign; a close-up of the article shows the various headlines imprinted in bold: ‘Splendid gallantry’, ‘Baptism of Fire’. These visual techniques used in conjunction with each other show how propaganda was used to draw people to enlist in the war. Living in the countryside, Archy led a very simplistic and mundane lifestyle. Hence, these statements on the war had a profound effect on his view to enlist and join in the war effort. Later in the film, Archy goes to the Kimberley Gift Fair (a sprinting competition in Western Australia). It is during this scene that we can clearly see how propaganda is manipulated in order to draw men to enlist. After Archy’s victory, we hear a