Harry Brown Opening Scene Analysis

This is the opening scene of Harry Brown; this film clip is relevant to my research as it is of a similar genre and style. The film opens with footage shot from a camera phone of some boys in the underpass of an estate, forcing another younger looking boy to undertake a gang initiation, which involves smoking drugs and holding a gun. This instantly gives the viewer information about the characters and types of people that will get involved with Harry Brown, whom we already know is an elderly, peaceful old man, thus setting the tone in a foreboding style.

After beginning the clip in this way, the truly criminal and chaotic nature of the estate is revealed when the same boy who was smoking drugs in the first scene is shown riding on the back of a moped whilst a friend steers it, both are quite obviously still under the influence of drugs. The camera is close up and wobbling right in front of the boys faces and cuts between them as the moped journey through the estate continues, these blurry wobbly close-ups show their insane expressions, which are mix between ecstatic laughter and great anger. After they come down from the apartments of the estate, the boy on the back gets a gun out and whilst still going at speed starts firing it across a park. The camera shots are still shaky and blurry, almost as if one the culprits are holding it whilst on the moped. The most shocking part of this clip is at the end when the two boys notice a woman walking her baby in a pram, they begin shooting in her direction despite the presence of the baby, and after a short burst of fire the boy on the back shoots her in the head which kills her. The boys on the moped then attempt a getaway across a busy London road, but are run over by an oncoming a lorry.

The setting within this clip is used very effectively, as it shows the reality of the surroundings we presume the main character will inhabit. The unsafe, un-predictable environment creates tension for the viewer immediately, causing us as audience to instantly empathize with the dead woman, and any other innocent residents of the estate. The camera phone footage adds a juvenile element to the scene, and shows how casual these men/boys are towards crime, violence, and drug use. This is an attitude that would shock and disgust most viewers, as the violently provocative image of the mother being shot in the park is a result of this attitude.

The costume is typical of the type of area it depicts. At the start of the scene all the characters wear black hooded tracksuits, and some cover their faces with bandanas and hat, this style also carries on to the moped scene. This is typically representative of the street gangster, all extrovert and loud attempting to intimidate and pressurize. The way that the first scene is lit also adds to the intimidating atmosphere the characters in shot create. The lighting is dark, and shadow like, but suitable to the scene, because these street thugs would be looking to conceal their criminal activities and identities.

Finally there is minimal sound used in the clip, as the only noise heard is dialogue from the characters, nearby traffic noise or sound from the moped.