Textual Analysis - Boy in Stripped Pjamas

This film starts with a quote "childhood is measured out by the sounds and smells and sights before the dark hour of reason grows" - John Betjeman. This gives the audience something to think about and to relate the film back to. The opening credits appear on screen on a red background. The colour red signifies passion, danger and blood. As the titles near an end the red colour becomes a part of the Nazi flag. Instantly the audience understands this film is going to be set in world war II. As the shot unravels we are subjected to a panning shot of the city's square. This establishes the setting further. This panning shot becomes a tracking shot as it follows four young boys racing around, playing and having fun. The boys are all fairly skinny, and wearing typical 1940s clothing. In world war II rations were put in place so this could be why they look so small. Each child has their gas mask around their necks too. The four are running about pretending to be planes echoing the fight planes of the war. The camera continuously follows them throughout the opening of the film using a mixture of tracking shots, close ups and two shots to see their cheerful expressions and their close friendships. While we see these cut aways to the four boys the audience is made to focus on a house. We watch as the house is cleaned and tidied and prepared for an important person's arrival. We see men and women cleaning cutlery, rolling up old carpets, dusting mirrors, etc. A well dressed woman drives up to the house and we watch as she enters, big box in hand - present? - and she paces up the stairs high angled shot. At the top of the stair she becomes out of shot. While this is going on on screen the audience can hear an upbeat piano and violin accompaniment playing however the tone is lowered around a corner when we see a group of soldiers rounding up women and children into the back of a car to be evacuated. We witness one solider shoving a woman as if to tell her to hurry up and get in with the others. This makes the audience feel sympathetic towards the people but feel cold towards the soldiers because of their harsh behaviour. Possibly the house being cleaned is for the arrival of an evacuee child however it could also be for the invitation of the leader of the soldiers. This film is similar to many dramas as it is centered around a certain topic - war, and starts with a heart felt quote for the audience to make a judgement on instead of the usual narration. link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EibUdcby8dY