Close Textual Analysis

The scene that I have chosen to analyse is the final fight between The Chelsea and Milwall firms.

Staight away, the long shots of the crowd indicate the large number of men that are there, reiterating the fact that you stay together. Again this is continued when the Milwall firm come out from the tunnel; out of the darkness and into the light, connoting the idea of walking into the light, foreshadowing the death or near death of the protagonist, Tommy Johnson. Throughout this opening to the scene, there is an incesant repitition of derogatory terms and hand gestures, indicating the male ego, and how barbaric their nature can be.

The camera zooms out to show how great the number of people that are there, shocking the audience, yet this is Love's portrayal of a real fight, and that these would be the equivalent amount of people in a real fight.

Both firms wait for a bit and psyche each other out by swearing, gesticulating etc all contributing to the representation of football hooligans being inhuman, and building up tension and suspense for the audience. This is emphasised moreso when both firms charge at one another and begin to fight.

During the fight there are many close ups on the blood stained faces and the expressions, where Love educates the audience on the damage that is done, where it reiterates the idea of the hooligans inhuman behaviour, and how their anger for one another can lead to such disastrous effects. Also, the camera movement shifts to a hand held style, contributing to the realism, making it cinematically seem more like a documentary therfore making it more believable. On the other hand, the sound when the punches or kicks hit a body have been emphasised reducing this reality factor, yet the audience are so engrossed in the extreme violence that they do not pay attention to it, and that it enhances their voyeuristic needs and aids the sense of escapism.

The aerial shot in actuality is rather high budget for an arthouse film but proves to be really effective in this scene. It again, emphasises the number of grown men that are fighting shocking the audience. Also as it is from a low angle, where we the audience are looking down upon them, indicaates their derogatory/colloquial manner and that we have more intellect then them, representing them as mindless beasts that are not neede by society. It alsoemphasises the fact that we are watched where ever we go.

Amongst the faces it can be seen that there is a mixture of black and white faces, showing how both ethnicities are drawn into the violence of football hooligansim, in a way representing a multi-cultural society within the football hooligan world.

As we progress in the scene the protagonist is finally caught out from the rival where the disequilibrium from before has been restored resulting in equilibrium. The close up on his face and the number of people attacking one man, shows how they have no mercy where the audience are shocked as well as entrigued as their sadistic pleasures are also being fulfilled.

The police finally come, where the van comes straight into the static shot, filling up the frame. This could symbolise that police are everywhere in society, therfore you are inevitably going to get caught if you commit a crime.