Conventions of Gangster Films

• Often a self-made man who makes it to the top but has it taken away from them – this was common after The Great Depression as the audience could relate to these themes.

• They commit very serious offences most the time it involved drugs.

• Gangster is “living the American dream” although only the strongest members with the most power survive

• Has very traditional values for instance family and the members of the mafia are the most important, most tend to be very religious however it’s also very untraditional in ethics which includes killing, smuggling, and any criminal behaviour in general.

Basic Plot Conventions

• Often set in urban locations which are highly populated often found in the “ghetto side” but also move up to the high and more luxurious areas e.g. New York City, Chicago, London etc.

• Members of the crime family are mostly dressed formal (suits & ties) this not only shows that they have much class and respect but it shows that they are superior to any “street thugs” who’d often be dressed in tracksuits

• Weapons such as guns, baseball bats, chains, and crowbars are evident in these movies which they use on their victims. They show no remorse when killing another person and they’ll often do it in very brutal ways.

• The glamorous lifestyle they live shown through their fast cars, expensive cigars, gentlemen’s clubs and gambling. Scarface The Godfather

• The characters are often very charismatic and are seen as attractive by the opposite sex. This is evident in many movies where the main mafia characters are shown talking to good looking females.

Mise en scene

• Mostly scenes with low lighting to portray the darkness and sketchy activity that goes on behind closed doors or to create an atmosphere.

• Many films use particular shades of filters due to the lighting of the scene. For instance a scene might be under laid with a red filter to emphasise the portrayal of the bad guys. This is because red could represent blood or murder.

• Some shots could also involve smoke for a more dramatic effect, this could be often combined with a wide or tracking shot to create more mystery.

Cinematography