12 Years A Slave; Film Review
12 Years a Slave, based on the 1853 autobiography of Solomon Northup, tells the violently tragic, but ultimately redemptive, tale of one such kidnapping victim. It was released january 10th, 2014 and directed by Steve McQueen, who has directed many other famous titles such as ‘Shame’ (2011), ‘Hunger’ (2008) and ‘Deadpan’ (1997). 12 Years A Slave had a cast of phenomenal actors such as Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti and Sarah Paulson. The film has been rewarded 26 awards to date including the ‘Academy Award For Best Picture’.
The film is based in 1841, and is about an African American Solomon Northup, who was a free man, but then was kidnapped and forced into slavery under the name 'Platt' for 12 years. Solomon Northup kissed his wife, Anne, and two children, Margaret and Alonzo, goodbye for what they thought would be a three-week separation. The well-educated violin player, whom lived in Saratoga, New York, was then introduced to two men bearing a lucrative offer. Hamilton and Brown worked with a circus in Washington, D.C., whose performers were in need of a violin player. The pair offered to pay Solomon handsomely for two weeks of work, and Solomon agreed. But after they payed him, they drugged and abducted him. One minute he was enjoying dinner with Hamilton and Brown. The next, he came about in shackles, where he received the first of many beatings. Soon after he was dumped into a paddleboat and was sent headed south… away from freedom. Away from dignity. Away from his family. Towards 12 years of slavery.
The film is extremely emotional, a complete rollercoaster of many different emotions. With it being based on a real historical event that actually happened it can be very heart breaking to the audience as it makes them consider how much pain and torture these people were put in by other human beings and in some cases still happens in current times, this day and age, in certain areas of the country and certainly in other parts of the world. Historical and modern day slavery are equally as unsettling to watch a film or documentary about as they highlight the disgusting extent as to just how nasty the slave owners were and still are. Due to the amount of violence, immodesty, nudity and language the film is rated 15 meaning it is not suitable to be viewed by any person below fifteen years of age. I think this is an appropriate age guide as at fifteen years old a person is old enough to understand the extent to the misery that a film such as ‘12 Years A Slave’ displays and they are at an age where this is taught in school in a history lesson as part of the curriculum.
Film directors have loads different ways they can deliver different emotions to the audience such as through narrative, sound, camera angles, characters and scenes. Steve McQueen thought about this thoroughly as right throughout the film there are various different signals showing upset and depression with the characters through things like camera angles and the actors body language. Slow moving, low camera angles can seem very down and sad whereas fast moving, higher up can be seen as happy and or dramatic, depending on how its proposed as an action. The actors shown their emotions with their body language with actions such as crouching, flinching, crying, begging and slouching. These are all very negative motions and can portray a lot about the characters feelings.
Every so often, a film arrives that aspires to be much more than just mere entertainment, meaning stories that utterly transfix our attention as they force us to confront some of the most brutal, yet most important, moments in our human history.
Steven Spielberg's films ‘Schindler's List’ and ‘Saving Private Ryan’ accomplished that. So did Mel Gibson's ‘The Passion of the Christ’ and Lee Daniels' ‘Precious’. To which Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave joins this list too.
It delivers a riveting, shocking and heartbreaking glimpse into the practices of slavery in pre-Civil War America, giving viewers a documentary-like perspective while gazing unblinkingly at scenes of unthinkable brutality and inhumanity one moment, desperate hope and incredible tenderness the next. Entertainment Weekly's Owen Glieberman writes, "12 Years a Slave lets us stare at the primal sin of America with open eyes, and at moments it is hard to watch, yet it's a movie of such humanity and grace that at every moment, you feel you're seeing something essential."
There's no question that this is one of the most searingly intense portraits of slavery ever committed to film, and that it exercises the brutality seen onscreen to bludgeon slavery's grim, cruel and conscience-less degradation. It's certainly worthy of the critical rewards it's receiving.
But in my opinion I'd strongly suggest that this film, as important as its subject matter is, is equally worthy of careful and critical consideration regarding whether or not exposure to such violent and sexual images of degradation is necessary (or profitable) to understand how horrific such things were … and still are even in our modern world.
The film is based in 1841, and is about an African American Solomon Northup, who was a free man, but then was kidnapped and forced into slavery under the name 'Platt' for 12 years. Solomon Northup kissed his wife, Anne, and two children, Margaret and Alonzo, goodbye for what they thought would be a three-week separation. The well-educated violin player, whom lived in Saratoga, New York, was then introduced to two men bearing a lucrative offer. Hamilton and Brown worked with a circus in Washington, D.C., whose performers were in need of a violin player. The pair offered to pay Solomon handsomely for two weeks of work, and Solomon agreed. But after they payed him, they drugged and abducted him. One minute he was enjoying dinner with Hamilton and Brown. The next, he came about in shackles, where he received the first of many beatings. Soon after he was dumped into a paddleboat and was sent headed south… away from freedom. Away from dignity. Away from his family. Towards 12 years of slavery.
The film is extremely emotional, a complete rollercoaster of many different emotions. With it being based on a real historical event that actually happened it can be very heart breaking to the audience as it makes them consider how much pain and torture these people were put in by other human beings and in some cases still happens in current times, this day and age, in certain areas of the country and certainly in other parts of the world. Historical and modern day slavery are equally as unsettling to watch a film or documentary about as they highlight the disgusting extent as to just how nasty the slave owners were and still are. Due to the amount of violence, immodesty, nudity and language the film is rated 15 meaning it is not suitable to be viewed by any person below fifteen years of age. I think this is an appropriate age guide as at fifteen years old a person is old enough to understand the extent to the misery that a film such as ‘12 Years A Slave’ displays and they are at an age where this is taught in school in a history lesson as part of the curriculum.
Film directors have loads different ways they can deliver different emotions to the audience such as through narrative, sound, camera angles, characters and scenes. Steve McQueen thought about this thoroughly as right throughout the film there are various different signals showing upset and depression with the characters through things like camera angles and the actors body language. Slow moving, low camera angles can seem very down and sad whereas fast moving, higher up can be seen as happy and or dramatic, depending on how its proposed as an action. The actors shown their emotions with their body language with actions such as crouching, flinching, crying, begging and slouching. These are all very negative motions and can portray a lot about the characters feelings.
Every so often, a film arrives that aspires to be much more than just mere entertainment, meaning stories that utterly transfix our attention as they force us to confront some of the most brutal, yet most important, moments in our human history.
Steven Spielberg's films ‘Schindler's List’ and ‘Saving Private Ryan’ accomplished that. So did Mel Gibson's ‘The Passion of the Christ’ and Lee Daniels' ‘Precious’. To which Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave joins this list too.
It delivers a riveting, shocking and heartbreaking glimpse into the practices of slavery in pre-Civil War America, giving viewers a documentary-like perspective while gazing unblinkingly at scenes of unthinkable brutality and inhumanity one moment, desperate hope and incredible tenderness the next. Entertainment Weekly's Owen Glieberman writes, "12 Years a Slave lets us stare at the primal sin of America with open eyes, and at moments it is hard to watch, yet it's a movie of such humanity and grace that at every moment, you feel you're seeing something essential."
There's no question that this is one of the most searingly intense portraits of slavery ever committed to film, and that it exercises the brutality seen onscreen to bludgeon slavery's grim, cruel and conscience-less degradation. It's certainly worthy of the critical rewards it's receiving.
But in my opinion I'd strongly suggest that this film, as important as its subject matter is, is equally worthy of careful and critical consideration regarding whether or not exposure to such violent and sexual images of degradation is necessary (or profitable) to understand how horrific such things were … and still are even in our modern world.
UCAS Personal Statement Draft
I am currently finishing my second and final year at Plymouth College Of Art doing a level 3 extended diploma course in art & design. The course has been an amazing experience and has enabled me to expand my creative knowledge and and learn a new variety of artistic techniques with different mediums and equipment. One of our projects, ‘’Design to sell’’, helped me understand more about the art industry as it helped me to develop a concept into a final piece of work which i mass produced to then be exhibited and sold to the public via a pop up shop.
I have a passion for realism drawing and aspire to be a tattoo artist, which i am currently studying as a tattoo apprentice whilst doing my college course. In the studio i draw up intricate designs for clients whilst being able to build my visual portfolio with the work. I enjoy it greatly and look forward to being in the studio full time. Drawing is a crucial skill for being a tattoo artist which is one of my strengths and is developing massively with currently being on such an open course at college. Courses that could help me get even more qualifications to go into the industry with include ‘fine art’, ‘illustration’ and ‘painting, drawing & printmaking’. All of these courses are useful because they all specialise in drawing in one way or another. I am not comfortable with drawing on computers and tablets but would be extremely interested in learning how to.
By doing my apprenticeship in a tattoo studio i am not only building my portfolio up but i am also expanding my knowledge in the industry. This can contribute to university courses like illustration or fine art as my drawing skills are permanently in use and improve daily. I have other work experience that are not directly relevant to art but help me to develop in the industry. These include waitress work in a busy restaurant and b&b in Saltash, ‘The crooked inn’ and voluntary work at the Endsleigh garden centre working in the rodent, reptile and aquatic department so although not directly anything to do with art or the tattoo industry can be useful in terms of practice with dealing with customers, good communication skills and working with other people. I have also previously had a cleaning job cleaning and maintaining caravans in a holiday park in Looe, Cornwall, which is extremely relevant to the tattoo industry as hygiene and a clean studio is crucial due to risk of infection as well as good clientele and studio representation.
I have a passion for realism drawing and aspire to be a tattoo artist, which i am currently studying as a tattoo apprentice whilst doing my college course. In the studio i draw up intricate designs for clients whilst being able to build my visual portfolio with the work. I enjoy it greatly and look forward to being in the studio full time. Drawing is a crucial skill for being a tattoo artist which is one of my strengths and is developing massively with currently being on such an open course at college. Courses that could help me get even more qualifications to go into the industry with include ‘fine art’, ‘illustration’ and ‘painting, drawing & printmaking’. All of these courses are useful because they all specialise in drawing in one way or another. I am not comfortable with drawing on computers and tablets but would be extremely interested in learning how to.
By doing my apprenticeship in a tattoo studio i am not only building my portfolio up but i am also expanding my knowledge in the industry. This can contribute to university courses like illustration or fine art as my drawing skills are permanently in use and improve daily. I have other work experience that are not directly relevant to art but help me to develop in the industry. These include waitress work in a busy restaurant and b&b in Saltash, ‘The crooked inn’ and voluntary work at the Endsleigh garden centre working in the rodent, reptile and aquatic department so although not directly anything to do with art or the tattoo industry can be useful in terms of practice with dealing with customers, good communication skills and working with other people. I have also previously had a cleaning job cleaning and maintaining caravans in a holiday park in Looe, Cornwall, which is extremely relevant to the tattoo industry as hygiene and a clean studio is crucial due to risk of infection as well as good clientele and studio representation.