Thursday, 22 October 2015

The Krays

What words would you use to describe the atmosphere (environment and setting) in the opening scenes?
Within the opening scenes of The Krays there is a  idea of a very closely bound community as everyone seems to know everyone and knowing what everyone is doing. Also, within the opening scenes of The Krays it shows how the Ronnie and Reggie Kray (Gary and Martain Kemp)  have been brought up being 'mollycoddled'  by the most prominent female characters in their lives, the most prominent female character is their mother, Violet Kray (Billie Whitelaw) this is because during the film there is a scene where the entire community is in a tube station during a air raid, during this scene a bomb is dropped and the twins run to Violet for protection, she tells the boys that no one is going to hurt them, they wouldn't dare whilst she is around. Another way the main female  character the 'mollycoddles' the boys is their Aunt Rose (Susan Fleetwood) , this is because she cares for the boys as if they were her own, she does this so much that she and her sister Violet is leading the boys onto the path of invulnerability and believing that they were untouchable so no could hurt them, this leads into the ideology that this was one of  reasons the boys turned to crime as they thought no one would touch cross them, so they were able to get away with anything.

 How is a sense of community represented in the East End of London?
The sense of community shown in The Krays is represented in the  East End of London the very first opening scene where Violet Kray is in labour and all her family and friends are around her during this time. Also, the community in the East End is shown when the woman from across the street is cleaning her front door step, everybody seems shocked and makes a comment about it. The sense of community is also shown when everybody is down in the tube station during an air raid, it is shown when a large group of people are sat crowded around Cannonball Lee (Jimmy Jewel) whilst listening to him tell stories of Jack the Ripper. Also, the sense of community within The Krays  is represented in East London when  the twins and their friends are at the fair, this is because during the boxing match the entire community is their to watch and show suppourt towards the contestants.

 How have the Kray twins personalities been shaped by events/ circumstances. Consider:
  • Their closeness to each other.
  • Their attitude towards weak and vulnerable people. 
  • Their feelings of strength and invulnerability.
The Kray twins personalities have been shaped by the events and circumstances that  happen in the opening scenes of the film. The twins ever since they were young boys have always been very close to each other, this helped shape their personalities because within the film it is shown that they are like two halves of a whole and need each other to be able to function, this is shown within the film during the hospital scene when Ronnie Kray is in hospital and Violet comes to take him home,  she states that it isn't the hospitals medicine Ronnie needs to get better, it's Reggie. As the twins get older it is shown that they believe they are strong together and  have invulnerability, this is because the women in  their lives, mainly their mum and aunts, have  protected them and made them feel as if no one can touch them, this is shown in two scenes, the scene within the tube where Violet tells the twins  that no one would dare touch them, not whilst she's around and also in the scene after the boxing match where she tells the boys that the family don't fight each other, they fight the people outside. Also, the twins have a very protective attitude towards their mum, this is shown in the scene when Violet is fighting with their father Charlie Kray (Alfred Lynch), the boys stand up to protect Violet when Charlie goes the hit her.  
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2 comments:

  1. A Bateman8 November 2015 at 04:40

    Really excellent responses Rowan, fantastic detail and excellent knowledge and understanding of the film is in evidence. Well done.

    WWW- Excellent referencing (correctly referring to the actors) and great detail in the answers, especially how you have explained how the twins are lead towards their feeling of invulnerability by their early experiences.

    EBI- you had explained in a little more detail the physical representations of the setting which have contributed to the sense of community, e.g the actual street and how everyone from the same family seems to live in the same street. Also, some quotes from Violet to show how they had been made to feel special (such as during the air raid and after the boxing match.

    Show me- Reply to this post and explain the physical aspects of the setting which contribute towards the sense of community and also some specific quotes and examples from the film which help to shape the twins' personalities.

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    Replies
    1. Rowan10 November 2015 at 12:48

      The physical aspects of the setting within the film The Krays, that contributes towards the sense of community is the fact that a mother and her three daughters and their families all live on the same street in terraced houses in London's East End. Also, a physical aspect that contributes towards the sense of community shown in the film is the fact the twins are able to sit and play happily in the street whilst their mother cleans her door step, also the twins are also able to run in between their own home and their Aunt Rose's home. This sense of community helped to shape the twins personalities throughout the film as the treatment they received from their mother and Aunt Rose lead them to feel invulnerable, this is shown during the air raid scene when Violet tells the twins that no one would dare touch them, not whilst she's around. Another way the sense of community has shaped he twins personalities is just after the boxing match when Violet tells the twins that they don't fight each other, they fight the rest of the world, together.

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