LA HAINE
France, 1995, 103 minutes, Black and white.
Vincent Cassel, Hubert Kounde, Said Taghmaoui.
Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz.
La Haine is a striking and confronting French film of the mid-90s. We are taken into a Paris suburb, an estate for many who have come from other countries, for twenty-four hours: police and racial disturbances, young men of Arab, Jewish and black African backgrounds, unemployment, petty crime and drugs, anger and violence. Filmed in black and white, this is a docu-drama of current urban problems and the often vicious enmity that grows between have and have-nots (both in terms of wealth and of power). It asks the striking question, how can countries cope with such grave problems? By facing them for a start.
Since La Haine, Vincent Cassel has become an international star (Elizabeth, Blueberry, Irreversible), as has Said Taghmaoui (Hideous Kinky, Three Kings). The director Mathieu Kassovitz has moved on to an international career in direction (Crimson Rivers, Gothika) as well as an actor (Birthday Girl, Amelie).
1. The film as both fiction and documentary? The black and white photography, the documentary realism of the photography of the estate, the behaviour of the young men?
2. Mathieu Kassovitz and his career, the cast? Unknowns at this time, the powerful impact of performance?
3. The black and white photography, light, dark, the estate, interiors, exteriors? Day and night?
4. The musical score, the ethnic backgrounds, the French? The rap music and the lyrics? The Edith Piaf songs?
5. The structure of the film: the precise noting of times, the passing of the twenty-four hours? From morning to morning?
6. The title, the focus on hate, hatred in France, racial hatred, suspicions of the poor, the unemployed, those dealing in drugs, petty criminals? The young men and their hate? Of the rich, the bourgeoisie? The hatred of the police? The public hatred of petty criminals and those judged as riff-raff?
7. The opening with the riots, the television reports, the indication of injuries? The reasons for the riots, the bashings, the gun, the fire? The aftermath? The death of the young man in hospital – and the information given by television again? The motivation for revenge?
8. The morning, the quiet estate, Said and his noise, the black man in the apartment window complaining? Said and his visit, Vinz and his waking up, his family, the two men talking? The police, the gun? Their preparing for the day, idle, lack of motivation? Said and his ethnic background, his drug dealing, his sayings, his jokes and their repetition? Vinz, the leader, his intelligence, morose?
9. The going to visit Hubert, the boxing club, Hubert and his sparring, the destruction of the place? His attitude of conciliation and wanting peace?
10. The three of them, filling in the day, their talk, the music? Walking, sitting and yarning, the issue of the gun and Vinz having it, the drug deals?
11. The night, the clubs and their behaviour, going to the man who had the debt, drawing the gun, the violent crash? Gatecrashing the party, the wealthy? The young women and their doing a line, being rejected, Vinz becoming abusive? Their attempts to steal the car? The man helping them, getting rid of the police?
12. The police, arresting Hubert and Said, Vinz getting away? The long interrogation, the brutality, the humiliation, the embarrassed trainee and his observing? In the cells? The condescending attitudes of the police? Freeing the men, just late for the train, not being able to get home, meeting Vinz again?
13. Sitting in the mall, the television news? The encounter with the skinheads? The fight, the brutality, the gun?
14. The effect of the day, their being tired, the morning, planning to go home, the policeman and the confrontation, the accidental shooting, Vinz’s death, Said and his going, Hubert and the gun – and his return, the sound of shooting?
15. How well did the film delineate each of the characters, seeing them for one day, understanding them, empathy, their social situation, personal situation, moral situation? The critique of French society? World society?
