Thesis

 thesis: hollywood films tend to glorify the theme of criminality, compared to independent films that subvert the hollywood and theme of crime in order to challenge the audience.

Savages: based in mexico, 2 small time drug dealers, ben a shon share a lover, ophelia. They reject a deal to liasie with the bahar cartel in order to boost income. This results in the kidknapping of ophelia. After offering 10 million for the girl back, ben a shon take matters into their own hands, using shons military experience, they wind up in a fued with the cartel, resulting in death, theft and a shit load of drugs.

The wolf of wall street:

A millionaire stockbroker from long island with a horrendous drug problem. Based on a true story of an aspiring money crazed entrepenuer, who went a step to far on his way to the top, encountering many examples of drug use, money laudering, investment and the gift of the gab. Jordan Belfort starts as a senior broker at L.S wrothschild, but eventually was made redundant. After being recruited for an investment centre who deal with pink sheet penny stocks, he begins to become very succesfull, and decides to go alone by starting his own brokerage firm named stratton oakmont. Being the criminal that he is, he sells dicey stocks to poor people for his pwn greed. His 40 million pound yacht, pent house and lambprgini spider present his wealth and happiness through money. But after being investgated by the FBI, launders his money to Switzerland

The film 'savages' is an independent and 'the wolf of Wall Street' is hollywood with some Hollywood conventions in both. Both films contradict eachothers perception of crime. Hollywood  films tend to glamorise the theme of criminality, and independent films tend strip back the reprocessions and the severity of crime in a realistic way. Both can be related to real life situations and scenarios that occur in the world now, being the credit a result of greedy bankers, and violent gang battles, as shown in savages.

Point one: the wolf of Wall Street present Jordan Belfort as a loveable vouge. He has been given this role as it is similar to the one in catch me if you can. In this scene, Jordan illudes to the fact that everything that they have been doing in the brokerage firm is well and truely illegal. This film has the same director as the film 'goodfellas'. So Jordan has characteristics or trates of an Italian gangster.

Micro analysis: the director has also used direct adress in the way that is has been filmed in this scene. This is to make the film look almost Documentry like, giving it a sense of realism that independent films tend to possess . in comparison, the film 'savages' present the stock characters of 'heroes' in ben and shon, but they both possess characteristics of criminals as they are drug dealers. this subverts the typical hollywood narrative in a sense that they are not directly heroes. independent films are looked at as a piece of art work, and should be made to make the audience think, this is the challenge that comes with savages.
micro analysis: ben and shon are put in mexican tribal masks when trying to rescue their girlfriend, so the masks actually represent your typical 'heroes' very well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8bPss8zGDw: 1.10.53- 1.14.16 (hour and minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpkV_eXRlKE : the wolf of wall street


point two: the wolf of wall street tries to glorify the theme of criminality, which tends to be common in Hollywood films. especially ones where there is no identifiable criminal, but the film exaggerates money laundering to make it look like a good thing that will make you a wealthy man. This tends to attract a wider audience and is called 'mass marketing to attract all audiences'. this method is used in Hollywood films as they are strictly there to make a profit.
micro analysis: the aspects of mise en scene plays a big part in the way criminality is presented. there is a mass use of bright colours, in order to keep the film in a positive light, and sets the mood.
also suits tend to be the main costume, and people commonly assosiate suits with the hero and good characters (James bond, mission impossible, men in black). This is where the wolf of wall street subverts the typical Hollywood narrative. in contrast, 'savages' has a wider sense of realism, with a true reflection on gun crime, drug crime and murder. this is where independent films are in place in order to challenge the audience, and are commonly made for specific audiences to enjoy as a peice of art with a message rather than a profit.

micro: again, the heroes are put in mask s when trying to save their lover. this is a very Hollywood way of doing things. I believe the director done this to wider the audience.





point 3: the wolf of wall street does not use the theme of violence in order to show present criminality, and it also sends a warning which a characteristic of an independent film. this message being that bankers tend to be the reason for financial deficit such as the credit crunch. the film alludes to this fact and is ment to be a warning to the audience. in contrast, savages uses alot of violence in order to present the theme of criminality, and especially torture.
(i could not find any clips for these, but will refer to them in my essay)

conclusion:
to conclude, both films possess the presentation of criminality in different ways. as the wolf of wall street is a Hollywood film, with independent conventions, it tends to exaggerate the themes as well as its message. this is to widen the audience and evidences that theory that Hollywood films are prodominatlty made to make a profit. on the other hand, 'savages' confronts criminality and presents it how it is. this is a common thing within independent films, and also evidences the theory that independent films are designed to challenge the audience, and send out messages rather than making a profit. 'savages' also has hoHollywoodonventions in terms of micro analysis, I believe this is to widen the audience. finally, both films present criminality in different ways, but both give seperate messages.