Sweet Sixteen

 Sweet Sixteen (Loach, 2002)

Considering the implications of language politics in social realist films:
- Language can be exclusionary - use of jargon
- Scottish dialect in Sweet Sixteen, clashes with white English
- Sweet Sixteen given an 18 rating for foul language
- Loach accused BBFC for 'class censorship'
- Language reflects dialect of community, with the rating denying those being represented (teenagers) from seeing the film
- Inverclyde council overturned rating and showed it at 15 in local cinemas
- Eye dialect to differentiate people with "different" accents to RP dialects (the intelligent and wealthy one)



PB = Queen, Liam = Oxford


Pinball - One is passing dear Scullion some money

Liam - I must conclude that they are going to receive this delivery. I feel elated because this is is going to create more assets for me. I am aware of the location of these illicit pharmaceuticals - we could obtain it without much exertion.

Pinball - One is unaware of your meaning.

Liam - I know where the illicit pharmaceuticals are!

Pinball - … 

Ideology
- Political - representing those who aren't usually represented, expressing Marxist ideas about society to incite change
- Humanist - reflecting reality as close to possible and portraying people's lives in a way that challenges stereotypes
- Sweet Sixteen came at a time when teenagers were heavily represented by tabloids as delinquent thugs - 11,000 children in care, over 100,000 documented as living with domestic violence, 75% of children in care in Scotland do not leave school with any qualifications, and only 1% attend university

  • Is Sweet Sixteen a Humanist or Political movie?

    For most of its plot, Sweet Sixteen is a humanist movie, displaying Liam's life without judgement and without     sugar-coating, with the cinematography lending to an almost cinema-verite style, despite the film being scripted. However, the open ending of the film, leading the spectator to debate what might and what should happen to Liam, transforms it into a political movie, as it shows the position people like Liam, in the working-class in a disadvantaged area, regularly end up in and illustrates how that can destroy someone's life before they even turn 16.

  • Do you think it’s more important for British Social movies like Sweet Sixteen to reflect reality as closely as possible (Humanist) or use their platforms to incite change (Political)?

    •  
    I think it is important for British Social movies to have a balance between humanism and politicism, reflecting life as closely as possible, representing disadvantaged people and getting spectators to understand them and their stories, but using that as a platform to make a social commentary as these British social issues are a product of capitalism and can, at the very least, be made aware of to people - I think it's hard to watch a film like Sweet Sixteen and not end up seeing it in a somewhat political way, even if it isn't trying to make a big statement about society

    Comments

    1. JCoSS Media DeptMay 27, 2021 at 3:03 AM

      Really wonderful answer and absolutely agree that it's difficult to watch Sweet Sixteen without feeling sympathy for Liam and so considering what could be done to help them.
      Amazing ideas around the sense of realism linking to Humanist movies - 100% yes, all the actors were found at local youth clubs to ensure the acting was as realistic as possible.

      Smashing work all round, glad you're enjoying analysing these ideas in film!

      - Miss Ryder

      ReplyDelete

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