Contemporary Australian Cinema: “Proposition” Analysis

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Table of Contents

Abstract
Introduction
Arguments
Conclusion
Reference List

Abstract

The Proposition is one of the famous films in the contemporary history of Australia. It speaks and depicts various important factors related to the history and the colonialism. It is a marvelous movie for its cinematography, dialogue, screen play and music. This essay includes an analysis on this movie and the relevance of the movie in the contemporary time.

Introduction

“The Preposition” is an Australian movie directed by John Hillcoat and it was released in 2005 which won a dozen of awards for best in the screenplay, cinematography, costume design, original music score, and production design and also it got an award for best movie and best supporting actor. There are four producers for this movie and the screenplay is written by Nick Cave. The presentation and depiction of the indigenous culture of Australia is the main attraction of the film and this is the reason behind the selection of this particular movie for this assignment. Various elements in the movie like dialogues, cinematography, screenplay, music, and historical context take the movie to another realm. Therefore, it is one of the best movies in the contemporary history of Australia.

Arguments

The plot of the movie

The gist of the movie can be summarized as “A lawman apprehends a notorious outlaw and gives him 9 days to kill his older brother, or else they’ll execute his younger brother.” (The proposition, 2010). The background of the movie is in the 1880s which is depicted in the indigenous culture of Australia. The film starts with a fight between the police and a gang following the incident of a horrific rape and murder of the Hopkins family. Charley and Mikey are the burns brothers who are the leaders of the Burns’ brothers’ gang. In the fight with the police, everyone in the gang except burns brothers was dead. The Captain asked them that they can be free from their punishments if they kill Arthur who is a mercurial psychopath. The police and the aborigines were hesitant and fearful to go near to his residence and the aborigines called him a Dog-man. “In this uncompromising Australian period drama, conscience competes with loyalty and love spurs revenge. Three brothers fight for their place in a beautiful, brutal landscape, but one must be forsaken to save another in the unconscionable “Proposition”. Set in the 1880s, the film opens in the middle of a frenzied gunfight between the police and a gang of outlaws. Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) and his brother Mikey are captured by Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone).” (The proposition (2006), 2009).

Choosing the topic

The reason behind the selection of the topic is that it has won many awards and the presentation of the indigenous culture of Australia. This movie is one of the best movies in Australia. “The Proposition” sets aside the emotion, the guilt, and the judgment associated with contemporary thinking around Indigenous issues, and simply tells it like it is, warts and all.” (Film review: The proposition, 2006).

There was guerilla warfare in the older times in Australia at the time of invasions and the presentation of this movie helped the people to go back to the history and it was an entrance of aboriginal people into the media and movies. Since it depicts the older indigenous picture of Australia, the movie gets an attraction. “The film develops into the themes of screenwriter Nick Cave’s harrowing body of song lyrics — death, loneliness, and betrayal — which play out brilliantly against this desolate Australian landscape. That he contributes a mournful yet insistent score isn’t surprising, but Cave’s ease with story structure, dialogue, and characterization is refreshing indeed for a rock musician.” (Movies: The proposition, 2010). “The film’s creative strategy is simply to go further than anyone has in depicting the horror and degradation of the frontier in the 1880s. White on white or black, black on black or white – all are colored red in The Proposition. The assumption is we’ve been kidding ourselves, unwilling to face the truth. The film is a sort of misanthropic history lesson, with a hectoring tone and a desire to shock. That would not be a problem if it were also dramatically satisfying.” (Byrnes 2005).

Relevance of the movie

The movie gives importance to the colonial time of Australia and it brings so many facts in front of the viewers. Therefore, the movies put a lot of thoughts to ponder over. “This movie reflects very well the very dark side of colonial Australia. The true past of colonial Australia is often forgotten or glossed over, but once you know of the events at Lambing Flats and of the Tasmanian Cannibal Convicts, Alexander Pearce and Robert Greenhill, you realize that this movie does represent a past that many are happy to forget.” (At the movies: The proposition, 2010).

Analysis of the movie

The analysis of the film brings so many factors such as beautiful cinematography, depiction of beautiful landscape in Australia, good soundtracks, marvelous dialogues, presentation of colonial aspects, displaying indigenous culture are the unavoidable factors that can be observed and analyzed in this movie. One important theme presented in this movie is the eradication of two important factors black and white. This is the subject matter of eliminating two concepts good and evil and thereby this movie produces a different notion which is left to our further reflection. “The Proposition” tells something of a national-foundation story, there’s a primal, almost biblical tint to its parts.” (Dargis 2006).

Critical position

One of the critical remarks about this movie is that this is very difficult to understand for a common man since there is a notion of eliminating the two elements of good and evil.

Conclusion

“The Proposition is a visually stunning tale of loyalty, revenge and the quest for justice in a lawless land.” (Hillcoat 2006). The proposition is a thought-provoking movie that poured so many thoughts for the people about philosophical and historical factors. This essay includes an introduction, arguments and conclusion. Arguments are given to point out success and attraction about the movie. The arguments include the reason to choose this movie particularly, the relevance of the movie, the analysis part focusing on cinematography, screenplay, and historical importance such as. Two aspects are visible in this movie are philosophical and historical thoughts. The philosophical concept makes us think about the relationship between good and evil or white and black. This movie erases the marginalization between the good and evil that is white and black. The second thing which takes the attraction is the historical touch in the movie. It leads the people to the colonial time of the country and it gives importance to emotion also. The particularity of the movies is the beauty of screenplay, dialogues, cinematography, direction, and music and it has won a set of awards for these elements in the movie. In short, we can say that this is one of the good movies in the contemporary history of Australia.

Reference List

At the movies: The proposition, 2010. ABC. Web.

Byrnes, P., 2005. The proposition. Web.

Dargis, M., 2006. The proposition (2005). The New York Times. Web.

Film review: The proposition, 2006. Web.

Hillcoat, J., 2006. The proposition. iTunes Movie Trailers. Web.

Movies: The proposition, 2010. Answers.com. Web.

The proposition (2006), 2009. MatchFlick. Web.

The proposition, 2010. IMDb. Web.

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