To begin with, realism, by definition, is the tendency to view or represent things as they really are. (Dictionary.com, 2017) Realism can be represented in different forms of art such as paintings, films and sculptures. In cinema, realism is referred to as cinematic realism, and is represented through techniques such as cinematography, editing, plots, even setting. André Bazin, John Grierson, Julia Hallam and Margaret Marshment’s theories about cinematic realism relate to the film Sweet Sixteen (dir. Ken Loach, 2002).
French film critic, André Bazin who was colloquial with montage and realism, explains his theory about montage aiding the idea of realism in film in his writings. He argues against any kind of device that is used to manipulate the spectator’s thoughts and interpretation, as it goes against his ideas of cinematic realism (Blakeney, 2009). According to authors Julia Hallam and Margaret Marshment, Bazin was insistent on two different kinds of montage: one of them is part of the Soviet cinema, and the second is the techniques that are associated with long takes and continuity editing as he considered such techniques demanded realistic movements. Hence, they write that ‘such a treatment confronts our normal psychological processing of events, therefore making us aware of a reality we often fail to recognize’ (Hallam and Marshment, 2009: 14-15). In other words, Bazin believes that a film must use specific techniques to be recognized as cinematic or realistic. He believes that by doing so, he is allowing the viewer to use his own imagination and interpretation on a specific character, object or situation (Hallam and Marshment, 2009: 15). To back this up, Bazin writes ‘it is no longer the editing that we see, the mind of the spectator is forced to discern the dramatic spectrum that is proper to the scene’ (Bazin, 2009: 28). For instance, Bazin proposes that, in order to represent the spectator with pure objective realism, it is better to take the camera outside into the real world and film reality rather than use a studio or green screen to deceive the spectator, as he believes that film is about capturing reality rather than recreating it. Bazin’s ideas about cinematic realism relate to the film Sweet Sixteen which is about a 15-year-old boy called Liam (Martin Compston). It shows his struggles to make money for his imprisoned mother and surviving his stepfather and grandfather’s abuse. Sweet Sixteen highlights the difficult choices and situations that the characters encounter in the film and how most of the time, they come across limited possibilities at changing their life course. Additionally, in his films, Ken Loach represents hard drugs to associate with the lives of the working class (Hallam and Marshment, 2009: 15). In Sweet Sixteen, ‘the primary emphasis of the film is less on “the needle and the damage done” than the role that drugs play within the “local economy”’ (Hill, 2011: 186). Which means that his representation of hard drugs is for the sake of criticizing social conditions and highlighting their issues. Because in Sweet Sixteen, the main purpose was to show that the world of the main character is surrounded by the evilness of hard drugs, dealers, thieves and gangs. Loach, was ‘committed [, as Bazin would say,] to an aesthetic in which the image is evaluated not according to what it adds to reality but what it reveals of it.’ (Leigh, 2002: 116) His manipulation of film is originated from his hope and desire to be able to document common people, therefore showing what they encounter in life.
Scottish documentary filmmaker and realist John Grierson, prefers to portray the real world and how it ‘expresses a basic tendency of documentary film’. The reason I chose Grierson is because Loach relates to him since he is known to use similar techniques of documentaries in his films even if they were fiction. (Leigh, 2002: 116) Grierson created three basic principles about documentary film movement. “First, he believes that the cinemas capacity for getting around, for observing and selecting from life itself, can be exploited in a new and vital art form.” (Williams, 1980: 17) For instance, in regular films, the studios choose to recreate opening scenes while in documentaries, they would use natural sceneries and show the real world as it is. For example, the opening scene of The Forrest Gump (dir. Robert Zemeckis, 1994) includes a feather flying through the city as the camera follows it to the main character. The whole scene was mostly created out of CGI. The scenery was shot first, while the feather was created through CGI along with the shadows it creates. “Second, he believes that the original (or native) actor, and the original (or native) scene, are better guides to a screen interpretation of the modern world.” (Williams, 1980: 17) In other words, it is better to show real people or sceneries rather than imaginary creatures with unnatural locations to better guide the spectators’ minds to a realistic interpretation of the world and what surrounds them. “Third, he believes that the materials and the stories thus taken from the raw can be final (more real in the philosophic sense) than the acted article.” (Williams, 1980: 17) Sometimes when a scene is entirely planned, allowing for little or no improvisation, it might not look as good as raw and spontaneous scenes that could have an entirely different mood, as the actor would be devoted to the scene by improvising his own lines. In my opinion, I think it would depend on specific film styles, such as Sweet Sixteen where Loach uses hand-held cameras to aid the viewers with the sense of existence within the plot. For instance, the scene when Liam and his friend are in the middle of the street has the camera positioned away from the actors while using a rack focus to emphasis someone looking at them, therefore, it creates a sense of realism and existence within the film. He also cast unprofessional actors with strong accents, as it helps the
viewers relate and focus on the plot and the characters rather than stereotypical celebrities. In addition, it allows the viewer to relate to the atmosphere of the characters in the film especially if they are from the same origin. He filmed on on-shot locations as well, which helps enhance the realism in the film as it provides the viewer with an accurate land with imaginable sceneries. Moreover, Loach creates an ordinary environment with the use of additional lighting equipment which allows for natural lighting. Figures 1 to 3 show how Loach depended on naturalistic lighting and
how it enhances the realism in the film. Both characters are lit in the same way as the source of light in both shots is coming from the shops around them which is evident in the windshield.
Grierson believes that to show the ‘real world’ is just as essential as the purpose of art, which is to ‘reconstruct, to reflect reality’ (Hallam and Marshment, 2008: 21). This is true in many types of arts, however, in film, it depends on not just the type of genre being created but also on the purpose of the film. If a filmmaker was to decide to create an experimental film (avant-garde), he would be reluctant to use realistic means in his film and therefore, would not reconstruct reality. Hence, it depends on the director and what type of film he decides to choose. Sweet Sixteen, for instance, has a sense of realism that is evident not only in Loach’s techniques but also in his message. According to John Hill, there is a ‘pursuit of “authenticity”’ that Hill believes is understood to ‘stand in opposition to melodrama’ in Loach’s films. However, Sweet Sixteen could be considered melodramatic as it contains aspects of melodrama such as tragic endings. Nonetheless, Hill also mentions that since Loach criticizes social conditions and how its impact on the main characters, his films are then considered melodramatic as it allows them to be defined as melodramatic. (Hill, 2011: 182) The main point of this claim, is that Loach’s films often criticize social conditions, which is evident in Sweet Sixteen, as he shows how the working class are most of the time stuck between a world of danger, drugs and gangs. For instance, when Liam is invited to join a drug gang, he is put to the test by given the task to murder a man, Liam hesitates for a moment, but does as he is told. This shows that because of the social conditions, even children are forced to live in danger and against the law.
Sweet Sixteen has elements of realism that are shared by Bazin, Grierson, Hallam and Marshment. It reflects the real world and shows the hardships that the characters go through. The film is represented in a way that reflects reality, mostly in the techniques Loach uses, the cast members and their accents, the lighting as well.