City of God is The movie took place in slums constructed by Rio to isolate the poor people from the city center. They have grown into places teeming with life, color, music and excitement–and also with danger, for the law is absent and violent gangs rule the streets. Film was directed by Fernando Merelles who was born in a middle class family in São Paulo City, Brazil. He studied architecture at the university of São Paulo. At the same time he developed an interest in filmmaking. With a group of friends he started producing experimental videos. They won a huge number of awards in Brazilian film festivals, he was born – 1955. The movie was also directed by Kátia Lund (born 1966) is a Brazilian film director and Screen-writer. Her most notable work was as co-director of the film City of God.
Initially the movie was released at 2003 with a production budget of 3.3million dollars and achieving a total of box office figures – 34million dollars.
The movie takes place in slums constructed by Rio to isolate the poor people from the city center. They have grown into places teeming with life, color, music and excitement–and also with danger, for the law is absent and violent gangs rule the streets. In the virtuoso sequence opening the picture, a gang is holding a picnic for its members when a chicken escapes. Among those chasing it is Rocket (A.Rodrigues), the narrator. He suddenly finds himself between two armed lines: the gang on one side, the cops on the other.
As the camera whirls around him, the background changes and Rocket shrinks from a teenager into a small boy, playing soccer in a housing development outside Rio. To understand his story, he says, we have to go back to the beginning, when he and his friends formed the Tender Trio and began their lives of what some would call crime and others would call survival.
The technique of that shot–the whirling camera, the flashback, the change in colors from the dark brightness of the slum to the dusty sunny browns of the soccer field–alert us to a movie that is visually alive and inventive as few films are.
In the bene’s club farewell scene there was few mis en scene aspects that caught my eye. One of it was graffiti on the walls, therefore it tells me that in the city of God there is some hint of poverty, roughness, hard life. Nevertheless there is broken glass which once again highlights poverty and gives some hint of violence. Speaking of violence the character Blacky has a gun, therefore he also has power, as gun can take life. Cinematography used in the movie also creates great affects for the audience, for example wide angle lens, portrays outsiders view on Lil Ze terrorising Knockout Ned and Close ups on Ned, shows his inferiority. Also When Rocket is shoved to the ground, there is use of a high angle, this shows how he is being looked down on. He is inferior to Lil Ze, a close up also used to emphasise his facial expressions. And editing in the scene contains fast cuts of shots, which are used to build tension. Also it used disorientated camera pans, which builds suspense, as we occasionally see Blacky hidden within crowds of the club – used to create binary of poor and powerful.
In my second chosen scene (Rape Scene) the Mis end scenes shown through low key lighting which creates a mood of horror, danger. The setting of the scene is dark, with all gang members dressed in dark clothing – antagonists. Moreover Lil Ze stands out as he is shown in brighter lighting. The cinematography used in the scene through close ups on Ned’s face which emphasises his powerlessness and helplessness. Low angles of Ned, shows that he is of little power, increases his vulnerability. And lastly the birds eye camera, looking down on the gang builds the dramatic tension. There is a diegetic sound used in the rape scene in order to increase the verisimilitude of the scene. Ned’s girlfriend is crying out, reinforces her weakness and powerlessness to Ze’s controlling nature. And lastly Ze’s laughing sounds create harsh reality of the suffering which Ned’s girlfriend is having to endure. The editing I picked out from the scene was the black outs in between scenes, which reinforces the disorientation and chaos.
In conclusion I think that film is super successful as it made insanely huge profit, starting with 3.3 million dollars and finishing with over 30million. Therefore the film has superior narrative and is one of the best movies in the century.
Augustinas Zibuda 