"La Haine" Movie Analysis
At first glance 1995 film “La Haine” does not strike as belonging to the french new wave genre. The stereotype of a typical movie within nouvelle vague would probably be something slow, pompous and rather meditative. La Haine with its aggressive and sharp narrative seems to not fit under such description, but yet utilises several techniques that are characteristic of french new wave films.
Through the main characters - three rebellious and extremely anti-authoritative young men- the film explores aggression between marginalised youth and the more privileged classes. The general atmosphere of the movie is rather bitter, as the heroes struggle through their day realising their inability to escape the misery of urban life. The dialogues are lively and at times seem to be improvised right on the spot. New Wave movies are known for their inclination to remind the viewers that they are watching a film, by making actors to speak directly to the camera. The scene where Vinz is impersonating Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver in front of the mirror makes an impression of Vinz talking directly to the audience. The movie is shot in a realistic style with plenty of long shots following the main characters. It is almost entirely filmed on location with the use of available light and direct sound.
To sum up it can be said that La Haine, although not an example of a classic new wave film, extensively utilises New Wave’s stylistic …
