Layer Cake And The Business

[eellsy]

Do directors and producers of films such as Layer Cake and The Business have a social responsibility to avoid the glamorisation of drugs to protect vulnerable audiences?

[ollie]

(eellsy @ Mar 2 2006, 08:56 AM) Do directors and producers of films such as Layer Cake and The Business have a social responsibility to avoid the glamorisation of drugs to protect vulnerable audiences?

cheers Ollie.

[sanndevil]

Sounds like an AS Film Studies question!

The rule is you tell us what you think first!

[Ambrosia]

(eellsy @ Mar 2 2006, 08:56 AM) Do directors and producers of films such as Layer Cake and The Business have a social responsibility to avoid the glamorisation of drugs to protect vulnerable audiences?

Im thinking on this one before I reply.

[eellsy]

(eellsy @ Mar 2 2006, 08:56 AM) Do directors and producers of films such as Layer Cake and The Business have a social responsibility to avoid the glamorisation of drugs to protect vulnerable audiences?

It isn't a media studies question but a discussion topic,

Layer cake and the Business both portray the high side of the drug business eg money and power, should the Directors hold responsibility over the interpretations of the film? i think that because of the material of the film the directors are deffinatly involved with the result of the film by the audience, there should be measure that ensure influencing material is limited on the screen, dont get me wrong these are two really good pieces of British Cinema i enjoyed watching however the implications of showing this high life style from such a illegal business is wrong for the younger audiences. For example in Layer cake the character believes himself to be a legitimate businessman.

Definition of Legitimate:

lawful: authorized, sanctioned by, or in accordance with law
in accordance with recognized or accepted standards or principles;

So therefore realeasing the wrong impression possibly??

[Cerbeh]

Yea i think its the whole

Making $$££$$'s Vs Social responsibility.

If you look at some areas of worldwide film they are designed for pure art purposes, others (Such as the most known Hollywood) are designed for Money and Money and a side order of Money.

To get back to your question about whether makers of films such as Layer Cake or The Buisness having social responsbility to avoid glamorisation of drug industry, if we look at the films there are a few things we can look at. in Layer Cake 'xxx' dies after all the hassle and so do a lot of other characters involved in the industry, so i think there is some extent of them not glamorising the industry. Whether this is for audience needs (A want to see death and murder?) or to protect the audience well i guess only they know.

An interesting point i think to look at is a ruling of days gone past called The Hays Code. This was a set of rules on what films could and could not involve. One of which was along the lines of 'Crime cannot win' (Or something like that).. just an interesting thought to put out there..

[Ambrosia]

(Cerbeh @ Mar 2 2006, 06:34 PM) Yea i think its the whole Making $$££$$'s Vs Social responsibility. If you look at some areas of worldwide film they are designed for pure art purposes, others (Such as the most known Hollywood) are designed for Money and Money and a side order of Money. To get back to your question about whether makers of films such as Layer Cake or The Buisness having social responsbility to avoid glamorisation of drug industry, if we look at the films there are a few things we can look at. in Layer Cake 'xxx' dies after all the hassle and so do a lot of other characters involved in the industry, so i think there is some extent of them not glamorising the industry. Whether this is for audience needs (A want to see death and murder?) or to protect the audience well i guess only they know. An interesting point i think to look at is a ruling of days gone past called The Hays Code. This was a set of rules on what films could and could not involve. One of which was along the lines of 'Crime cannot win' (Or something like that).. just an interesting thought to put out there..

To what extent does crime not win? Buster glamorised the exploits of low level criminals trying to make big. Buster was seen as a comic jack the lad criminal, however in reality he was a calculating career criminal who was caught and punished. having served his time he was portrayed as a rehabilitated person. How does this image of a criminal getting away with the crime and ending up on a moral point turing himself in to see that his family is taken care of, I see no difference in this film than in Get Carter in which violent crime is so called glorified by dipicting the brutal truth of an under strata of society.

Making $$££$$'s Vs Social responsibility, is a cop out question, from the time of the Roman Empire to give an example has not the vices of mankind been displayed and exploited in some way for entertinment, politic's and profit, what makes this soceity any different?

[theuofc]

(eellsy @ Mar 2 2006, 06:18 PM) It isn't a media studies question but a discussion topic, Layer cake and the Business both portray the high side of the drug business eg money and power, should the Directors hold responsibility over the interpretations of the film? ....the implications of showing this high life style from such a illegal business is wrong for the younger audiences. For example in Layer cake the character believes himself to be a legitimate businessman.....

Hello eellsy,

But does "Layer Cake" glamourize drugs and the criminal life? I don't think so. The main character deludes himself that he is a legitimate businessman. Driving his slick car, carrying the leather briefcase, yes life is almost perfect. And then the cocaine cake begins to crumble. Our "hero" makes mistake after mistake, doesn't see how his higher ups use him nor does he anticipate the ending they have planned for him. He is so slick that he chooses an accountant who one day disappears with all his money. This is glamour? and look at the ever tilting world of betrayal the higher ups exist in. This is glamour? No. It is a world populated by and run by the morally corrupt in their decaying bodies who plot against one another and manipulate underlings like our "hero" as puppets. No, this is not glamour.

Barbara

[Ambrosia]

(theuofc @ Mar 11 2006, 09:19 AM) Hello eellsy, But does "Layer Cake" glamourize drugs and the criminal life? I don't think so. The main character deludes himself that he is a legitimate businessman. Driving his slick car, carrying the leather briefcase, yes life is almost perfect. And then the cocaine cake begins to crumble. Our "hero" makes mistake after mistake, doesn't see how his higher ups use him nor does he anticipate the ending they have planned for him. He is so slick that he chooses an accountant who one day disappears with all his money. This is glamour? and look at the ever tilting world of betrayal the higher ups exist in. This is glamour? No. It is a world populated by and run by the morally corrupt in their decaying bodies who plot against one another and manipulate underlings like our "hero" as puppets. No, this is not glamour. Barbara

This is nothing less than what I would have expected from you, but dont write the essay, you have given away to much as it is. What is it then that is meant by glamour in the seedy underworld of crime? Is the dipictions of the so called good life that can be mistaken as glamour, surly not.

[Rob Compton]

(Maltman @ Mar 10 2006, 11:01 PM) Making $$££$$'s Vs Social responsibility, is a cop out question, from the time of the Roman Empire to give an example has not the vices of mankind been displayed and exploited in some way for entertinment, politic's and profit, what makes this soceity any different?

You haven't explained why the question of making money versus social responsibility is a "cop out" question. All you've done is to compare the views of society through the ages. In what way is the question not a valid one?

(Maltman @ Mar 11 2006, 04:17 PM) This is nothing less than what I would have expected from you, but dont write the essay, you have given away to much as it is. What is it then that is meant by glamour in the seedy underworld of crime? Is the dipictions of the so called good life that can be mistaken as glamour, surly not.

What point are you making here, beyond trying to be aggressive to another contributor? What is "glamour" to one person, would not be to another - all that proves is that people look at the world differently, depending on their point of view. Hardly world shattering...

rgds
Rob

[theuofc]

(Maltman @ Mar 11 2006, 04:17 PM) This is nothing less than what I would have expected from you, but dont write the essay, you have given away to much as it is. ....

Hello, Charles,

Oops, yes, I should have put "Spoilers." But I was torn in wanting to answer the question posed and to support that answer. If you, or anyone else, haven't yet seen "Layer Cake," be assured that there are still lots of surprises to discover, characters and plot twists I deliberately didn't include, not to mention the music, the cinematography and other effects in store for you.

Best,

Barbara

[theuofc]

(Rob Compton @ Mar 11 2006, 05:55 PM) ...What is "glamour" to one person, would not be to another - all that proves is that people look at the world differently, depending on their point of view.... rgds Rob

Such a good point, Rob. And phrased succinctly, more so, I fear, than I usually manage. Variation in point of view was vividly brought home to me the first time I travelled out of my own country or even from, let's say, North to South within it.

Thanks as always for being such a good person,

Very best,

Barbara

[Ambrosia]

(Rob Compton @ Mar 11 2006, 05:55 PM) You haven't explained why the question of making money versus social responsibility is a "cop out" question. All you've done is to compare the views of society through the ages. In what way is the question not a valid one? What point are you making here, beyond trying to be aggressive to another contributor? What is "glamour" to one person, would not be to another - all that proves is that people look at the world differently, depending on their point of view. Hardly world shattering... rgds Rob

Think you got the wrong end of a very long stick. The trouble with the written form of communication it dose not allow for,

Tone
Context

Think the lady understood what I was going at, however will come back to you later on the other points you have brought up, wait out.

[Ambrosia]

(theuofc @ Mar 12 2006, 02:36 AM) Hello, Charles, Oops, yes, I should have put "Spoilers." But I was torn in wanting to answer the question posed and to support that answer. If you, or anyone else, haven't yet seen "Layer Cake," be assured that there are still lots of surprises to discover, characters and plot twists I deliberately didn't include, not to mention the music, the cinematography and other effects in store for you. Best, Barbara

Dont Worry, my wife made me watch it No seriously I have seen it and loved the film. Looks like Rob needs me to hand in my Phd thesis sooner than I had hoped.

[Rob Compton]

(Maltman @ Mar 12 2006, 02:02 PM) Dont Worry, my wife made me watch it No seriously I have seen it and loved the film. Looks like Rob needs me to hand in my Phd thesis sooner than I had hoped.

No probs, maltman! I'll look forward to the Ph.D - I was just in pedant mode at the time....

Keep smiling

rgds
Rob