In today’s class, we talked about Tony’s attempted escape from the police, and how funny it was. At the same time, it was terrible because Billy watches his own brother get beaten down by the police. Since this movie is all about making tributes to older films, perhaps that scene was a tribute to “A Clockwork Orange“. The creepiest scene of this movie is when the protagonist smashes a meter long, phallic-shaped statue into a woman’s face for no reason whatsoever (she dies). This is horrid, but presented in a hilarious manner that forces you to laugh [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAB0WzTnMl4] . It leaves you feelings messed up because you’re laughing at people getting kicked in the face, raped, and killed. So, possibly that’s what Tony’s scene was aiming for in Billy Elliot, but a more innocent version of it.
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I couldn’t help but notice the “work of art” in the scene you aboved. It is forced to get a laugh out, because of the music and the women’s attitude.
It’s interesting that you brought up “A Clockwork Orange”. I’m not sure if it’s a nod towards the Kubrick film, but they are both films based in Britain. There are parallels of between the scene where Alex picks up a penis-shaped artifact to the scene where Billy’s brother gets beat. Both of them do use the contrast between the music to the actions that happen on screen. Both scenes have a type of cheery music accompanied with almost unrealistic violence. We’ve mentioned the surreal elements in Billy Elliot, perhaps maybe when all the guards line up to meet Billy’s brother could also be seen as surreal?