V for Vendetta
Alex ShaulisGosia Vitale
Intro to Comparative Studies
Outline
IntroductionHistory of Guy FawkesSynopsisTrailerMacro Analysis/ClipsMicro Analysis/ClipsQuestions & Discussion
Introduction Director: James McTeigue Screenplay: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski Producers: Joel Silver, Larry Wachowski, Andy Wachowski,
Grant Hill Released: March 2006 Approach: Political/historical body McTeigue: "I don't think anyone wants to go to the cinema
and get preached at. You have to evolve the ideas, some of them political, some of them personal, into a film. You push it into the village as one thing and it comes out another thing. Hopefully it is something people think about afterward, have discussions about, even vehemently disagree on. I like the idea you can have the entertainment and the political idea in there".
History of Guy Fawkes
After Queen Elisabeth I died in 1603 - successor: James I
A small group took shape, 13 membersOne member of the group got cold feetThe warning letter reached the KingGuy Fawkes was caught by the authorities
tortured and executed Since then, the 5th of November has
become known as Bonfire Night
Set in year 2027, Britain ruled by Fascist government-Norsefire party
V’s message-rise up against government on the 5th of November-plans to destroy House of Parliament
V saves Evey from arrest, claims, Evey must stay in his lair, meanwhile, V commits a series of murders against those associated with Norsefire regime
Police raid a different house Evey is hiding in, take Evey into Norsefire concentration camp, undergoes torture and interrogation
Evey determined not to turn in V-learns the imprisonment wasn’t real but set up by V for the purpose to free her from the fear of the government
Evey leaves V and promises to return before the 5th of November
Norsefire came to power after bioterrorist attacks killed 80000-a Norsefire company found the cure to the virus
Norsefire set up the virus to gain power, experimented on prisoners against the political party-V was one of the prisoners but gained physical abilities and eventually destroyed the Larkhill Detention Centre
As 5th of November comes closer, British population starts to rebel against the government-wear Guy Fawkes mask
4th of November-Evey visits V, he shows her the explosives on a train to destroy Parliament, claiming Evey must make the decision
V leaves to meet a leader of the Norsefire party, who he kills and returns to Evey, claiming he loves her. However, he had been badly wounded and ends up dying
Ultimately, Evey makes the decision to send the train of explosives to Parliament, with V laying in the train surrounded by scarlet roses.
Thousands of people in London march to Parliament dresses as Guy Fawkes
At the end, Evey claims the V was “all of us”
Synopsis
Duty
V-“Voice of London”- duty to fulfill-bomb the House of Parliament. Because he feels he is the voice of the people, he feels he needs to act upon it and take responsibility for the fall of the Norsefire government.
Evey- ends up saving V when he takes over the British Television Network and threatens to bomb Parliament on the 5th November. Because V had previously saved Evey and her split from the government, she feels it is her duty to save V
Before V and Evey send the train loaded with explosives to Parliament, V goes to fight a leader of the Norsefire party. Although Evey begs V to stay, he goes on anyway, saying it is his responsibility. This relates to the conflict of duty vs. personal gain in Ethan Frome; Ethan is torn between his duty to his wife and pursuing a relationship with Mattie. Like Ethan, V loves Evey, but knows he has a larger duty towards his cause.
Evey is left with the ultimate decision to send the train into Parliament. V claims that she should make the decision-become one of the people of London
Macro Analysis
OppressionFascist government created so many strict
rules and regulations-suppressing individuals
Freud’s belief that civilisation causes unhappiness amongst individuals
Eventually, it all builds up and leads to chaos-people of London started to rebel against the government
Freud sees V as being a case of neurosis
Macro Analysis
Humanizing a Terrorist
McTeigue: Why do people become terrorists?
V is a complex character:
Vendetta against all who did wrong.
Advocating a positive social change in Britain.
McTeigue: instead of calling V a terrorist, you have to “look behind the veil” and see what factors create people like that.
Is it right to call Nelson Mandela a terrorist
Interesting approach-asks you to look a little deeper
Macro Analysis
Revenge
Part of V’s plan is to kill those who played a role at Larkhill Detention Centre. V murdered these individuals as payback for the suffering they caused him and hundreds of others against the Norsefire government and Larkhill concentration camp
Might have not turned out the way he did if he wasn’t in the concentration camp
Contributes superhuman qualities
Evey’s personal revenge-her parents had been killed by the government. Because of this, she had her own reason for seeking revenge and taking part in V’s plan.
Macro Analysis
The scene with V and the dominoes incorporates jumps between the dominoes falling and what is supposed to be real footage of the people of London rebelling against the government. The jump between the two scenes represents the idea that the government is falling and V’s plan is in action. This shows the intensity of the scene.
Micro Analysis
Use of Music
1812 Overture written by Russian composer Tchaikovsky
Commemorate Russia’s defense of Moscow against Napoleon's advancing army
Battle of Borodino
Music is played every time a government building is blown up
Hope (and perhaps foreshadowing) that the people are going to win against the government
Macro Analysis
Questions:
• How do you think oppression of the Norsefire government caused V to commit acts of terrorism?
• How does the music that is incorporated in the film relate to the themes?
• Many critics have said that “V for Vendetta” can be compared to the 9/11. Do you agree? Why/why not?