Research: Inglourious Basterds

In Nazi occupied France, young Jewish refugee Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the slaughter of her family by Colonel Hans Landa. Narrowly escaping with her life, she plots her revenge several years later when German war hero Fredrick Zoller takes a rapid interest in her and arranges an illustrious movie premiere at the theater she now runs. With the promise of every major Nazi officer in attendance, the event catches the attention of the "Basterds", a group of Jewish-American guerilla soldiers led by the ruthless Lt. Aldo Raine. As the relentless executioners advance and the conspiring young girl's plans are set in motion, their paths will cross for a fateful evening that will shake the very annals of history.

This film relates to my radio play because it shows revenge towards the Germans. The group of Jews also could represent Helena's brother: Jonathon- in my play because he is determined to fight the Nazi's and has a rough attitude towards them. It also shows the violence and the reality of the atmosphere of the war.

Character Research

Character research: Rory

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Rupert Friend: Lieutenant Kotler

This character is first introduced as one of Ralf's(Bruno's Father) soldiers. He is very respectable and appears to be a Proud German soldier as he follows orders and appears as a 'scary' character towards Bruno. He is a horrific character who clearly shows the real attitude of a stereotypical Nazi German soldier at that time.

This character could relate to Rory as he is seen as a true German soldier- even though he appears to obey orders he still is embarrassed of his fathers status which is very similar to Rory.

Interview with Rupert Friend on his role: http://movies.glam.com/articles/detail/qa_with_ruper_friend_the_boy_in_the_striped_pyjamas/

Interview with David Thewlis and Rupert Friend: http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas-david-thewlis-and-rupert-friend-interview

             

                                                               Character research: Rory

Mercutio: Romeo + Juilet.

 

He is a relative of the Prince and Paris, and is a close friend of Romeo, and Romeo's cousin Benvolio. He is neither a Montague nor a Capulet, but his friends are Montagues, likely because he cannot stand Tybalt of the Capulets.  Mercutio is apt to make long, drawn out speeches , and is generally thought to be reckless, a jokester, and a free spirit. Due to his quick wit and flamboyant, affable personality. Though one of Romeo's best friends, Mercutio's facetious attitude tends to try Romeo's occasion; conversely, Mercutio is frustrated with Romeo's depression that comes from Rosaline's denial of Romeo's love. After Romeo has fallen for Juliet, Mercutio is pleased to see Romeo back to his normal, congenial state, though he is unaware of Romeo's relationship with Juliet.

This is very similar to Rory because even though Rory is a more serious character he is still Billy's best friend and appears to be like a family member to Billy's mother and Father. He also sometimes appears to joke with Billy's ambitions to be a reader which is similar to Mercutio joking around with Romeo about Rosaline. Rory also tells Billy to stop dreaming and to start living in reality which is what Mercutio tells Romeo.

Character research: Rory



West Side Story: Riff: Riff is a young adult who is a leader of New York gang called 'The Jets'. He is comical but is a good leader who stands his ground against 'The Sharks'. Riff has a harder time getting his best friend Tony to re-join the gang. Riff convinces Tony to join the Jets at the neighborhood dance where the Riff's plan will be put into motion. Tony agrees out of a sense of loyalty to Riff, but expresses his unhappiness with his current life. He feels himself growing away from the gang and envisions a different and better future. He is close with his best friend and reveals that he is like Tony's brother as he lives with Tony and his mother.

This is similar to Rory because Riff is a joker but is serious about his status in the gang which is similar to Rory and his position as a Nazi soldier. Riff is also like a member of Tony's family which is the same as Rory with Billy's family.

Character research: Rory



Harry Waters: Ralph Fiennes: In Bruges: Harry is the leader of a hitmen gang . He is very caring towards his family especially his three children. However his violent can be seen when he does not get his own way. However when challenged his anger can be shown along with his violent side.

This relates to Rory because like Harry , Rory cares very much for Billy and to impress Billy's family. However he can be violent when given orders and can be very frightening towards other people when his temper is challenged.

Tony's death scene: West Side Story

Similarities:

- Male dies

- Female has to live on without him

- The hatred and fighting stop and they come together- Peace finally comes into the picture

how this can help me:

- shows a similarity to my final scene and can give me ideas of the tragedy of the death of Billy

Man's search for meaning

Viktor Frankl's 1946 book Man's Search for Meaning chronicles his experiences as a concentration camp inmate and describes his psychotherapeutic method of finding a reason to live. According to Frankl, the book intends to answer the question "How was everyday life in a concentration camp reflected in the mind of the average prisoner?" Part One constitutes Frankl's analysis of his experiences in the concentration camps, while Part Two introduces his ideas of meaning and his theory of logotherapy. It is the second-most widely read Holocaust book in the bookstore of Washington's Holocaust Museum.
"We can discover this meaning in life in three different ways: (1) by creating a work or doing a deed; (2) by experiencing something or encountering someone; and (3) by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering."

This can help me for my research because it tells a real story about the hallocaust - it explains the treatment of the Jews and the conditions they had to live with inside the camps. It is told through the eyes of the prisoner and adds to the idea of hope that the Jews had.

Teenage and Young adult research

Trainspotting:

Mark Renton, a young man with few prospects and fewer ambitions, lives in economically depressed Edinburgh. Like most of his friends, Renton is a heroin addict who loves the drug's blissful nothingness; financing his habit also provides excitement and challenges that his life otherwise lacks. Renton's two best friends are also junkies: Sick Boy, a snappy dresser obsessed with James Bond, and Spud, a guileless nerd who suggests Pee Wee Herman's debauched cousin. Renton and his pals also hang out with Begbie, a borderline psychotic who loathes junkies even though he drinks like a fish. After one too many brushes with the law, Renton kicks heroin and moves to London, where he finds a job, a flat, and something close to peace of mind. However, Sick Boy, Begbie, and Spud all arrive at his doorstep on the trail of a big score, leading Renton back into drugs and crime.

This can be useful towards my final piece because it shows young adults with troubles. Even though my Radio play is not about drugs it still has the facts of 'hanging around with the wrong crowd' - which is similar to Billy being friends with Rory and Helena falling in love with Billy, it also has the idea of ambitions, rebellion, living and danger. Narrative shifts also are used in this film, at the start of Trainspotting Renton narrates as certain scenes are shown which is the same as Billy and the shifts in narration in my Radio play.

Cemetery Junction:

It's 1973 in Cemetery Junction, a Reading suburb. Three working class lads, best friends, are coming of age. Freddie wants to rise above his station, taking a job selling life insurance, wearing a suit and tie. Snork works at the railway station and wants a girlfriend some day. Bruce talks of leaving but seems on track to work at a factory, drink and fight, and become like his dad, in front of the telly with beer on hand; and he's trying the patience of the police officer who gets him out of jams. Freddie's job leads the lads toward a few small changes. He runs across a childhood friend, Julie, his boss's daughter who's engaged to the firm's top seller. Can the lads break out?

Trailer: http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?nid=26879

Cemetery Junction could be similar to my play because it is a coming of age film which shows the issues of growing up in a working class family. This could relate to Helena and how she has to grow up in the camp knowing that she may not have a future which is similar to Bruce, snork and Freddie in this film. Father's expectations are also used in this film- The character of Freddie is very similar to Billy as they both have Father's who expect them to have the same job as they did /do ( Freddie's father wants him to carry on working in a Factory and Billy's Father wants him to be in the army.) Status and class is also discussed in this film- Freddie soon gets somewhere when he finally gets a job with Mr Kendrick however the issue of class and status is clearly seen as Kendrick describes Cemetery Junction as a 'dump'. This relates to the Germans behaviour towards the Jews

Similar Themes :

- Rebeliion

-Relationships

- Ideas of Hope and Freedom

-Class

-Coming of age

-Restricted relationships

West Side Story

 

West side story is the award winning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. The feuding families become two warring New York City gangs- the american Jets led by Riff and the Puerto Rican Sharks, led by Bernardo. Their hatred escalates to a point where neither can coexist with any form of understanding. But when Riff's best friend (and former Jet) Tony and Bernardo's younger sister Maria meet at a dance, no one can do anything to stop their love. Maria and Tony begin meeting in secret, planning to run away. Then the Sharks and Jets plan a rumble under the highway - whoever wins gains control of the streets. Maria sends Tony to stop it, hoping it can end the violence. It goes terribly wrong, and before the lovers know what's happened, tragedy strikes and doesn't stop until the climactic and heartbreaking ending. 


West Side Story could help me for my ideas in my radio play mainly because it takes the whole story of Romeo and Juliet and modernizes it for the audience. There is also a certain sense of gangs instead of feuding families which is similar to the Jews and Germans in the radio play. The lovers in this film also have a doomed love affair which the audience know will not end happily. Finally there also seems to be the whole issue of taking control of something by fighting for instance the Jets and the Sharks have a rumble in order to get possession of the streets which is the same as the Germans fighting in WW2. 
At the end of this tale the male also dies and the war between the gangs stops - which is similar to Billy and Helena at the end of the story and the war stopping

Cat Stevens: Father and son lyrics

Father
It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.

Son
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It's always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.

Father
It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
if you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

Son
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them you know not me.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.

This could help me in terms of research for my radio play because I think the song is saying your parents will try and tell you what to do and how to live your life and it is your job to listen, but that it should be your decision where you go and the dreams you follow and no one can tell you that but yourself- which is exactly the same as Billy's relationship with his parents and how his father feels about him