Film Analysis: Multiculturalism in Remember the Titans and Crash
The films Remember the Titans (2000) and Crash (2004) are both heavily weighted in significant social messages. Those messages, combined with filmmaking techniques, result in interesting and, in the case of Remember the Titans, entertaining film watching. This essay explores the relationships between the film making and the social messages in both films by analyzing the messages, and the film making techniques.Crash is an action/thriller crime film with a diverse cast starring Sandra Bullock, as Jean Cabot; Don Cheadle, as Detective Graham Waters; Brendan Fraser, as Bullock's husband, Rick Cabot; Matt Dillion, as Officer John Ryan; and a cast that is well suited to this mean streets film. The cinematography matches the genre, and when it depicts the streets, it is dark, with long shots that allow the viewer to take in the full sense of the scene and city. Even though much of the action and film takes place in the nighttime hours, the cinematography is extremely well done and night and darkness do not overwhelm the shots. Each of the actors is strong, and each renders a strong and believable performance. Matt Dillon, a squad car police officer, establishes the mood for the racial relationships in the film. He begins
Denzel Washinton is an actor who has confidence in his screen ability and in himself as an individual that comes across whenever he stars in a film. Washington is vulnerable with a humbleness that is genuine and real as he experiences on-screen trepidation about taking on this coaching job in the south - just as the man in life would have been. The young football actors surrender themselves to the roles they are in, and the tension is conveyed to the viewer without forcing it. This is not to say that Cheadle does not render an outstanding acting performance, because he does, as do the rest of the cast, but the film loses its momentum. The wide shots do not lose sight of the message of the scene, but still keeps up with the action on the field as story line unfolds. Denzel Washington, as coach Boaz Yakin, is an amazing actor who steps up to the challenge of filling the shoes of the man whose life he steps into in this film. Unfortunately, it does not really get much better as the Hispanic, Black, White and Asian characters in this film fulfill every negative stereotypical image of racism and hate in a big city sewer pot. Officer Hansen (Philippe) does little to rescue the image when he asks for reassignment, instead of reporting the horrible physical abuse he witnessed as Officer Ryan molested a private citizen in front of her husband. Washington overcomes the psychosis of the community and the school when he leads the team to victory - over and again. The convergence in themes is really all that they have in common, because Remember the Titans really conveys the sense that the players, black and white, were not really racist to begin with, but merely unacquainted. To this extent, both films are very successful in conveying their messages, but those messages are conveyed in very different, but equally real ways. early in the film by pulling over a black couple, man and wife, and using his position of authority to abuse and use the couple, leaving the couple emotionally altered as a man and wife when Terrence Howard, as Cameron Thayer, is unable to prevent his wife, Thandie Newton from being physically molested by Officer John Ryan. In the mean time, there is a murder on the loose, and it is up to Detective Waters to find him before he can murder Jean Cabot. While the two films intersect in the message of racial stereotyping and tolerance, they get to that intersection by two very long and lost roads.
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Acceptance Essays
