Analysis Of The Opening Scene In La Haine

Film Analysis of the Opening Sequence in La Haine

Throughout the opening scene of La Haine Mathieu Kassovitz using a combination of zooming in, music selection, and tracking shots to illustrate the binary between the youth and the police as an important theme in the narrative.

One of the first techniques that produces meaning is the use of music. Bob Marley’s “Burnin’ and Lootin’” plays over a montage of newsreel clips of rioters and policemen as well as in the background when Saïd watches the police. This song as both a political message and a relaxing feel to it. The lyrics include words about being prisoners, uniforms of brutality, the ghetto, and of course burning and looting which seem to mirror the actions in the news clips of the police riots. The song is still heard softly in the background during the scene with Saïd and the policemen, suggesting continuity between the riot footage and Saïd’s story. We can expect that Saïd will be placed in similar situations as the rioters before him. The choice of Bob Marley helps underscore the tension between the youth and the police and sets up conflict.

Another technique used is the zoom.

After the riot footage and timestamp, mid-shot of Saïd standing with his eyes closed. We are able to see that he is in a run-down complex of apartments that is dark and full of graffiti. The place does not seem very welcoming and illustrates what kind of background Saïd is from while setting up a divide between the police and ordinary people. Then camera then slowly zooms in to his face in shallow focus as he opens his eyes. The slow movement builds tension and by zooming in this depicts him as one of the film’s main characters and invites viewers to empathize with him. It also shows that we will be viewing actions through his perspective. Starting with Saïd in his environment and then zooming in on his face showcases his feelings and reactions to his surroundings and links him up with the

viewer.
Lastly, Kassovitz also uses the tracking shot. What follows the shot of Saïd’s face is a slow tracking shot along the side of the police vans. The policemen are framed in the mid-shot so that the viewer noticed their harsh expressions. The camera then swoops around behind one of the vans to reveal Saïd vandalizing it. This is somewhat startling as we previously saw his face far off on the opposite side, facing the police. This both imparts characterization of Saïd and sets up a central conflict in the film. It implies that Saïd is both cunning and a delinquent, as he was able to in some way sneak past the policemen and spray-paint their car. It also paints the police and the youth as separate and opposing and the rest of the film will likely focus on their confrontations. By using this tracking shot Kassovitz develops both the conflict and characters.
A tracking shot of policemen, zooming in on Saïd’s face, and the choice of music all play an important role in La Haine as they help set up the conflict with authority and impart subtle characterization of Saïd.