Release date: 18/01/13 | Directed by: Quentin Tarantino | Sony Pictures
In a way a love story, a slight comedy, lots of action.
Django, a freed slave, becomes a bounty hunter constantly on a mission to save his lost wife.
The structure of the film is addressed through the German folk tale told by Dr. King Schultz [Christoph Waltz] in which he tells Django [Jamie Foxx] why his wife would have got her name from her owners.
The folk tale tells how the name Broomhilda was basically punished by her father and put on top of a mountain, but is saved by her love. This reflects Django's determination to find his wife Broomhilda [Kerry Washington].
Django has flashbacks of his wife being whipped and him trying to save her, which gives the audience a feeling of empathy for Django, wanting to get his love away from this horrible way of life.
Slavery is an intense and upsetting subject, which is what this film is based around. I believe Tarantino shows the horror of it well, so if you are light hearted maybe don't see this film.
As Tarantino says in his Channel 4 News interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy [watch here], slavery is a subject which people are afraid of speaking of. Some of the scenes are terrifying and you could almost say gory, but this film is making people speak of it.
Personally, I'm not really into violent movies, but this isn't pointless violence. The intensity of the actual violence really shows the pain the slaves went through. In the final scene it also shows the pent up anger with Django against the white supremacists.
A character who I think is interesting is Stephen [Samuel L. Jackson]. He is a black slave who is freed, still giving grief to other slaves and treating them unfairly. It shows the harshness of this time, there's no sympathy. I thought if someone was freed they would stick up for their race, but Stephen shows this isn't the case, it's a fight for your life and a fight for power.
When Django turns up at the house that Stephen lives in with Calvin Candie [Leonardo DiCaprio], Stephen knows Django is a freed slave but still finds it absurd that he will be sleeping in the 'big house.'
Even as a freed slave, Django shows there is no freedom, he is still laughed at by slave traders and the other white supremacists who work for Candie, even though he should be seen as equal.
Although Candie comes across as a character with so much power, Stephen is behind this. Towards the end of the film Stephen is the one who realises Django's scheme, whereas Candie does not. This is strange considering Candie is so controlling over anyone else not of his race, taking no nonsense from slaves, showing himself being racist and violent but he still listens to Stephen.
I love even though there is so much violence there are still comedic aspects to this film. For example being given the name 'Django Freeman' is something so subtle, but a clever way to make the film a little less intense.
At the beginning of the film Django is first shown in his slave ways, long hair and ripped clothing. Once he is allowed to choose his outfit when going out bounty hunting with Dr. Schultz, we are shown some comedy, Django riding a horse in a bright blue outfit.
Another little touch I like is Quentin Tarantino featuring in this film, if I was a director I would definitely do the same thing!
Five stars, every part of this film is amazing.
Although Candie comes across as a character with so much power, Stephen is behind this. Towards the end of the film Stephen is the one who realises Django's scheme, whereas Candie does not. This is strange considering Candie is so controlling over anyone else not of his race, taking no nonsense from slaves, showing himself being racist and violent but he still listens to Stephen.
I love even though there is so much violence there are still comedic aspects to this film. For example being given the name 'Django Freeman' is something so subtle, but a clever way to make the film a little less intense.
At the beginning of the film Django is first shown in his slave ways, long hair and ripped clothing. Once he is allowed to choose his outfit when going out bounty hunting with Dr. Schultz, we are shown some comedy, Django riding a horse in a bright blue outfit.
