FM4 – WORLD CINEMAUrban Stories

Thematic Comparison

Themes to Compare• Context of time and place

– Production– Film

• Representation of the city– The city as a character in itself– The influence of the urban environment on the characters

• Representation of Power– Physical / Authority / Power / Gender / Social Class / Money / Family

• Representation of Poverty– Material / Emotional / Education / Opportunity

• Representation of Conflict– Physical / Psychological (of the mind!) / Emotional / Material / Social &

Cultural / Family & relationships

Context of Time & Place

• Production – where and when it was made– Head On• 2004, Germany / Turkey – European Union & Turkish

Immigration

Context of Time & Place• Film’s setting – where and

when it is set– Head On• 2004 – Hamburg, Germany &

Istanbul, Turkey• Begins with life in Hamburg

and then grows and develops to show life in Istanbul

Representation of the City

• The city as a character in itself– Head On• Graffiti / late night bars & night

clubs / empty dark streets / rundown apartment / blocks of flats / dark• Wide open spaces / mostly light

Representation of the City• The influence of the urban environment on the

characters– Head On• Sense of entrapment & addiction to the environment &

the escapism from reality that it can offer• They are able to escape at the end as they use the urban

environment for their own personal means, rather than it using them

Representation of PowerPhysical – Head On• Anger & aggression – physical

harm offers a release• Sexual power & use of sex to

gain a feeling of power

Authority – Head On• Psychiatrist / Law (prison)

Representation of Power• Gender – Head On• Male family members appear to hold

power• Women actually hold power – Sibel ,

her mum & cousin are all powerful in their own way & are able to manipulate the men & different situations to their own advantage – it isn’t without some compromise though

Representation of power

• Social class– Head On• More about ethnicity than social status• Cahit’s social status is unclear but he chooses to live &

look like he’s part of the underclass & he doesn’t want the power associated with being middle class

Representation of Power• Family– Head On• The traditional Turkish family

exert power but Sibel (and Cahit) feel repressed by this. Sibel’s instinct is to rebel. Cahit is respectful but opposing.

Representation of Power

• Relationships– Head On• The love affair between Cahit and Sibel

is powerful, destructive and addictive. The film is centred around their relationship, it’s development and how each character is changed by it.

Representation of Poverty

• Material – Head On• There is a sense of material

impoverishment with Cahit. His apartment is a wreck – but this is something he chooses , he prefers to spend his money on drugs and alcohol.

Representation of poverty• Emotional – Head On• Cahit is emotionally

impoverished. His need for drink, drugs and his sense of destruction can all be seen to be a reaction to his inability to express his emotional pain.

Representation of Poverty• Education– Head On• They appear to be educated and knowledgeable but

Sibel seeks other experiences and Cahit is too depressed to care. We know that he is educated about music though.• Education isn’t important to Cahit – when asked why

his Turkish is so bad he replies he “threw it away”.

Representation of Poverty

• Opportunity– Head On• Sibel is denied opportunity to express herself by her

family and Cahit denies himself opportunity to feel alive / have fun. Through meeting they are able to create new opportunities that help each other.

Representation of Conflict

• Physical – Head On• Conflict between Cahit & man at bar, Marienne, Nico

and himself.

• Psychological– Head On• Cahit wants to hate the world & die but ends up loving

Sibel & wants to live

Representation of Conflict• Emotional– Head On

• Sibel wants to lead her own life and encounter new experiences but doesn’t want to bring shame on her mother or family for fear they will kill her.

• Cahit wants to help Sibel but he doesn’t want a relationship, although he finds himself falling in love with Sibel, she is oblivious to this for a while and this emotional conflict is a source of pain for Cahit.

Representation of conflict• Material– Head On• Cahit shuns all material

possessions and Sibel just wants experiences. Neither of them have material conflict – the conflict they experience is physical and emotional.

Representation of Conflict• Social / Cultural–Head On• Cultural conflict is evident – Sibel

wants to live a western life but her parents practice Turkish traditions.• Cahit “threw his Turkish away”

but ironically finds peace at the end when he goes back to his roots.

Representation of Conflict• Relationships– Head On• Sibel & Cahit’s relationship is a source

of conflict – they are in flux of wanting each other but not being able to be together at different stages of the film. The film is driven by their desire to be together but it ironically ends with them being apart.

– .

Representation of Conflict• Family – Head On• Sibel’s conflict with her family is what drives her –

without the conflict (and fear) with her father and brother, she wouldn’t have asked Cahit to marry her and their relationship would never have happened.