Boyle Assignment

How is social class represented in Shallow Grave?

Boyle uses mise-en-scene costume to represent certain characters in Shallow Grave. For example, when all of the three characters are sat around the table the audience can clearly see what each of them is wearing. David is wearing a shirt and tie, Alex is wearing a scruffy t-shirt and Juliet is wearing a jumper. This suggest to the audience that David and Juliet are more upper class because they are wearing more fancy clothes around the house whereas Alex is wearing just regular clothes. Furthermore this suggests that David and Juliet have had a better upbringing because they regard their clothes to be normal every day wear and Alex regards his clothes as normal but their interpretations of normal clothes are very different. Also mise-en-scene location is also used to represent the characters in Shallow Grave. For example, when the characters have discovered the suitcase full of money it cuts away to a pan showing a tidy room in the flat. This suggests to the audience that they are very house proud and like to have a tidy front room. This also suggest that they have a high social class because most lower social class people wouldn’t have a tidy room compared to theirs and they also would have as nice furniture as they do.

Boyle also uses sound to represent a characters social class. For example, the soundtrack played throughout the scene when the body is decomposing, it is very lively and is the sort of music played in a fancy restaurant. This music suggests to the audience that they have intellectual taste and only expect the best of things possess. This further suggests that they have a high social class because you would only expect live music to be played in fancy, high charging restaurants. This makes the audience think they are posh and you would only assume posh people listening to fancy music like that.

Cinematography is also used to represent social class in Shallow Grave. For example, when all of the characters are sat at the table they are all shown in mid-shots to emphasise there different opinions but when Alex finally decides to not take the money they are shown all together which emphasises the fact that they are all agreeing. This suggests to the audience that Alex is easily manipulated, because the money is there in front of him he can’t resist it, but he doesn’t understand how complicated it all really is. David and Juliet are on the same sort of side but Juliet is more undecided. This suggests that David is more sensible and more realistic about the situation. This further suggests that David and Juliet have a similar social class because they aren’t changed by the money; it gives the sense to the audience that they might have already been in wealth or privilege before. Alex on the other hand is completely changed by the money, it suggest to the audience that he has a lower social class than David and Juliet because he’s acting all excited over it. This behaviour makes the audience think that he is less privileged that the other two and hasn’t had wealth before. 

Editing has also been used to represent social class in Shallow Grave. For example, the audience can see a montage of all of the character at work and then it cuts back to the body decomposing in the bedroom. This suggests that the director is trying to compare the task of disposing the body with their everyday jobs. This further suggests that their social classes are different because of the places that they work in. The audience first see Alex in an office, on the telephone in a busy office. This suggests that he has a middle/high social class because it gives the impression that he’s hardworking and a good education to get in the position he is in now. Then the camera cuts away to Juliet working in a hospital.  This suggest to the audience that she has a middle social class because she is seen in an average paying job and also its not anywhere that the audience would call special. Finally David works in a quiet chartered accountant’s office where everyone is wearing a smart clothes, this suggest that he has a high social class because everyone around him is very focussed and there is a sense of intellectuality about the place, also there is a sense of wealth because of the books and the decoration of the room.

Boyle has used a variation of mise-en-scene costume and location, sound, cinematography and editing to represent social class in Shallow Grave. Overall I think Boyle represents the middle social class characters by the way they dress and act throughout the film. The middle social class character in Shallow Grave I think is Alex, he doesn’t dress particularly fancy but just regular, and this why most people in the audience could probably relate to him because he’s very similar to them. Also this is why they find funny because he’s so much like them that it’s just the sort of think the audience would do. Boyle then represents the higher social class characters based on their clothes and appearance. The higher social class characters in Shallow Grave is David, he keeps himself look presentable at all times, like when the audience see him at this work place. I think that the audience find it harder to relate to David because he seen as being boring, but I think he could relate to a few members of the audience but not as many compared to Alex.