English Feature Film Essay

By Nathanael Foo
Discuss the representations of experiences and issues in a feature film studied in class.
In Australia today, we live in a society that appears to deem everyone equal, free of discrimination
and applying equal opportunities to the rights, liberties and freedom to all its citizens. Social and
gender equality are seen to be less evident, however there are still inclinations towards the
dominance of men, and social inequalities based on wealth, race and class have been naturalized
into our culture. The film Shame directed by Steve Jodrell is a social realist commentary on the
effects of societal disparity left unchecked. The neglect and ignorance towards the presence of
inequality in wealth, class and gender within the fictional town within the film has pervaded and
saturated its society, where physical harassment and the travesty of justice is left unchecked. The
feature film displays representations of rape culture and gender stereotypes, both of which are still
prevalent in our society today. These issues are reinforced with the notion of otherness. The use of
film language, including camera techniques, audio codes, mise en scene and framing further
supports the issues. The protagonist Asta challenges gender stereotypes and she is ultimately the
catalyst of the conflicts within the film, encouraging social change.
The film both challenges and reinforces gender stereotypes. The restriction of what a male or female
can and cannot do restrains the ability for us to perform. The protagonist within the film, Asta, does
not conform to gender typecasts in the period that the film was set in. In many of the scenes
throughout the film she is wearing a leather jacket and a helmet. This symbolic juxtaposition of the
traditional male bikie attire to Astas feminine body represent the power that she holds, and the
protection against the pack of men in the town. Her untidy hair further challenges the female based
stereotype that women are good looking and powerless during the time that the film was set. In the
introduction scene of the film with Asta going into the bar filled with men drinking during midday,
we can see how a tracking mid-level shot is used to establish Astas power. She walks into the bar,
and appears unfazed by the lustful gazing of all the men. She is also the only prominent character in
the scene, as the camera moves towards her, with the depth of field being focused on her. This links
in with the male gender stereotype during the period at which the film was set, which is reinforced
in the film. It is clear that the males are the hegemony within the fictional town of the film. Their
physical features; sideburns, mullets, further display their masculinity and strength. In the
introduction bar scene, they are displayed like a pack, circling around Asta. The film displays how the
men freely assault women in the town, and we can see the effects being manifested in the young
men, as they attempt to surround Asta and rape her. Although I disagree with the flat portrayal of
men being mostly drunk and violent, the symbolic representation of the personalities embodied by
the characters is an accurate description. The film encourages my negative attitudes towards the
stereotyping and confinements that our society imposes upon genders and classes, they restrict our
progress, and should be abolished.
The existence of rape culture within our society is a very contentious issue that has not yet been
solved in several countries around the world. The film displays the existence of rape culture within
Ginboorak, the small town that the text is set in. Rape culture links sexual violence to the
fundamental roots of society and can be considered a power crime. Women are objectified and do
not possess any power to retaliate or confront men. In the film, the men are shown to exhibit
immoral behaviours towards Asta. Many scenes in the movie display the men gazing at Asta, with
the camera angle being from Astas perspective. Even the sheriff is shown to be leering towards Asta

in several scenes. This displays the complete integration of rape culture into a society, where the law
enforcements adapt to the sexual and horrendous activities that the hegemony conducts towards
the rest of the population. In the scene where one of the men get on Astas bike, where she
promptly drops him off with a wheelie, we can see the use of contrast in lighting displaying the
prominence of rape culture within the film. The men are mostly in the front, in the sunlight, with the
women hidden in the shadow. They are crowded around Asta, showing how rapes are initiated by
groups of men. The clothes that the men are wearing are extremely dirty, this could be symbolic of
Asta bringing the filth, the shame, into the light. As a male, I cannot truly understand the nature of
sexual harassment in our society, but the film has provided a fine example of rape culture. People in
towns affected by rape culture arent taught not to rape, they are taught not to be raped.
The notion of otherness is used to reinforce the controversial issues within the film. Through an
other, we can see how contrasting values and attitudes can bring about change in a society
wreaked with social havoc. Asta is a prominent example of an other within the film. From
analysing the storyline, we can conclude that the film can be categorized as a contemporary
Western. A typical Western movie has a heroic male lead, coming to an isolated town, where there
is a conflict that the lead solves. This is exhibited in Shame, except with a female lead. Asta
contradicts the traditional gender stereotypes, and it is shown how an outsider with a different
perspective is needed to break the societal norms. The first scene, a long shot of an anonymous rider
in full motorcycle gear, roaring down a country road, is a clich opening to a Western film. Astas
character is defined already at the start, a lone rider, emerging from the barren landscape. She is
isolated, and has not been desensitized and naturalised to the actions of the men within the film.
This is displayed in one of the scenes where she is walking with _____ and some boys approach
them in a car, constantly shouting out inappropriate insults. While ___ does not attempt to do
anything, and simply tries to walk away, Asta turns around and confronts the boys. This displays how
she is not acclimatised to the actions of the hegemony within the town, and this ultimately lead to
social change within the town.