La Haine

How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques? (35)

La Haine (Hate) directed/written by Mathieu Kassovitz is a film depicting the way society is falling, and how the conflicts that arise are circular unless the human race, as a whole changes. This concept is shown through the main protagonists: Said, Vinz and Hubert. The three are struggling to live their lives trapped in a system that results in a life where they are seen as the lowest of the low, and ultimately resort to crime just to gain a leg up in the world. They are also a limited representation of the sixty nationalities that are suffering from discrimination within the same area.

In La Haine, Kassovitz continuously presents the idea that the violence/racism in this world is circular – “hate begets hate” – it will continue to be so long as we allow it continue by society turning its back to the problem.

This idea of circles is shown frequently throughout La Haine, one such example being the 360 shots that Kassovitz uses. When Hubert, Said and Vinz are arrested, they are taken to a police station at which point, Kassovitz uses the 360 shot; this shows the grim faced police and how apart they are from Vinz and Hubert. The use of this 360 shot clearly shows how these problems in society (e.g. racism) are going to keep circling around until we fix them.

Another way Kassovitz impacts the idea of racism being a circular problem is the clock. The clock is shown to display certain times, we do not see it move until the end, but the audience can always hear it ticking. This can be taken as another way to show the idea of circular problems, but I personally see as time running out; there is only so long we, as a community, can let these problems remain before we create our own apocalypse.  (Rwanda, Nazi Germany)

“It’s about a society on its way down. And as it falls, it keeps telling itself: ‘So far so good… So far so good… So far so good.’ It’s not how you fall that matters. It’s how you land.”

The quote above is from the end of the film, overlaying the seconds after Vinz’s death; the most obvious part about it is that it is a parallel to the exposition quote. The next is that it essentially sums up the purpose of this film; a very prevalent society, one that is considered amongst the wealthiest of countries, is failing in a way that no one is willing to stop. It will just keep failing as it has yet to fail.

The ending quote one way in which La Haine makes an impact upon the audience without the need for a series of images; in my opinion, it is powerful enough on its own. However, this quote is made even more powerful by a series of techniques that surround it.

After Vinz is accidently shot, the clock is introduced once again, but this time the audience sees it change, referring to the idea that the cycle has begun again, but also to the possibility that time is running out before society “lands”.  This idea of an immediate circular problem is the siren on the police car, that, as the camera zooms onto Said shutting his eyes, coincides with the sound of a gunshot and lights the side of Said’s face. This creates the illusion that someone may have been shot, but we are unsure as to whom considering the credits have appeared; immediately you have the concept of Schrodinger’s cat – we are unsure of what will happen, the only thing we are certain of is that conflict is going to emerge from this.

Once again, this reinforces the idea, and the impact, that the quote (see above) brings forth: society is failing due to circular problems resulting in circular conflict. This impact is created from a variety of film techniques collectively.

While I may have dwelt upon the end of La Haine a lot, I believe it delivers a huge impact upon the audience who have grown to know the characters that the film focuses on. Said, Vinz and Hubert have arrived back at the Les Banlieues which have been decorated by famous images (Sistine Chapel Ceiling on one), the image that is set in the background of this scene is the face of Charles Baudelaire – a famous philosopher.

Charles Baudelaire once said, “The world only goes round by misunderstanding”, this quote ties in very well to the theme of La Haine, and even more so with the accidental shooting that it concludes with.

Personally, I believe that La Haine does rely upon film techniques frequently to impact upon the audience and convey its message about a society that is falling, and how it is not as distant as we might believe.