Documentary realism or stylised set-ups?

Combos return (33mins into film)

Combos return is a huge turning point in the film, and it is also signified in the camerawork. This scene is the first where the camera breaks away from 'realistic' shots typical of the social realism genre.

This is the scene where the racist themes enter the film with Combo telling stories of prison often using racial slurs. This makes the characters uncomfortable and even offended. This is shown by the shot reverse shot of some of the characters and the close medium shots which are too close for the documentary style of camerawork that social realism films normally take on. This scene also breaks out of its realism chains with the audio, Combos voice is drowned out by slow paced piano music as the characters look down ashamed or disgusted. This is one of the first things too remind the viewer they are watching a fiction film.


Tunnel Scene (9mins into film)

This scene is a good example of how the camera work in the majority of the movie is documentary like and promotes realism throughout the film. There are no 'stylistic' shots or techniques like shot reverse shot and speech comes from off camera at some points which would suggest that this particular scene was improvised which makes everything seem realistic. The audio in this scene is also completely diagetic. There are some medium shots in this scene but they never seem too close for comfort and the camera work still seems as if the viewer could actually be there watching.