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'Andrew'Melendez'P.'Lisignoli'MA'2105001'4/21/15'' '' '

Battle&Royale:'Before'the'Kids'Start'Killing'Each'Other''

While'franchises'like'The&Hunger&Games&and'The&Maze&Runner'have'been'successful'

at'capitalizing'on'the'trials'of'children'forced'to'compete'against'each'other'in'dark,'

dystopian'worlds,'Japanese'filmmaker'Kinji'Fukasaku'pushed'the'envelope'with'his'violent'

and'controversial'film'Battle&Royale,&based'on'a'novel'of'the'same'name'by'Koushun'

Takami.&Released'in'2000'to'both'wide'acclaim'and'harsh'criticism,'Battle&Royale&is'set'in'

the'collapsing'nation'of'early'21st'century'Japan.'High'unemployment,'soaring'juvenile'

crime'rates,'and'authoritative'defiance'predicate'the'creation'of'the'Millennium'

Educational'Reform'Act,'also'known'as'the'BR'Act.'The'law'specifies'that'a'secondary'

school'class'be'chosen'every'year'to'fight'to'the'death'in'a'game,'as'a'means'of'terrorizing'

the'public'and'suppressing'juvenile'rebellion.'The'film'follows'9th'grader'Shuya'Nanahara'

and'his'class'as'they'struggle'to'be'the'last'one'standing.'A'sequence'about'twenty'minutes'

into'the'film'highlights'Fukasaku’s'efforts'to'create'tension'and'suspense,'emphasizing'the'

brutality'and'inhumanity'that'the'young'students'are'forced'to'endure.'''

' After'a'disturbingly'animated'woman'through'videotape'informs'the'students'in'

Shuya’s'class'about'the'rules'of'the'game,'they'stand'huddled'in'the'edges'of'the'classroom'

that'they’ve'been'forced'into.'They'are'all'wearing'matching'uniforms:'tan'slacks'or'skirts'

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and'a'tan'blazer'over'a'white'dress'shirt'and'tie.'Some'of'them'stand'clumped'together'and'

others,'like'Shuya,'stand'more'toward'the'center.'Their'matching'uniforms'give'the'

impression'of'sheep—they'are'homogenous,'herded,'and'helpless—they'blend'in'with'each'

other'and'are'married'in'their'terror,'at'the'mercy'their'shepherds'(in'this'case,'a'military'

regiment).'Two'boys'stand'out'from'the'rest'in'blue'slacks'and'blazer,'perched'in'opposite'

corners'of'the'classroom—their'costumes'indicate'they'are'outsiders,'essentially'the'“black'

sheep”'(or'perhaps'“blue'sheep”)'of'the'flock.'We'learn'that'these'boys'have'intentionally'

chosen'to'join'the'game.'The'dark'color'their'costumes'blend'in'more'easily'with'the'

guards'in'the'dark'hallway'outside'the'classroom,'while'the'younger'students,'clad'in'tan,'

are'more'easily'visible,'marking'them'as'vulnerable:'prey.''

Setting'this'sequence'in'a'classroom'also'transforms'our'understanding'of'the'

space:'four'walls'that'are'normally'safe,'meaningless,'even'boring'to'these'students'have'

suddenly'become'threatening'and'violent'with'the'presence'of'the'guards'and'their'dead'

classmates.'Kitano,'their'former'teacher,'was'disrespected'and'even'attacked'at'school,'but'

he'now'stands'in'front'of'them,'an'arbiter'of'their'fates.'The'lighting'in'this'sequence'is'top5

lighting'that'appears'to'come'from'the'fluorescent'lights'hanging'in'the'ceiling,'but'bright'

floodlights'outside'of'the'building'can'also'be'seen'pouring'into'the'room,'acting'as'a'kind'

of'fill'light.'The'high5key'lighting'in'this'sequence'doesn’t'allow'for'any'shadows'in'the'

room'except'at'the'very'back,'where'light'beams'swing'from'part'of'the'ceiling'that'has'

caved'in.'There'is'nowhere'to'hide,'and'the'lighting'in'this'sequence'amplifies'that'sense'of'

exposure'and'vulnerability.'When'the'camera'transitions'into'the'hallway'just'outside'the'

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classroom,'the'lighting'becomes'low5key,'with'sharp,'dark'shadows'that'hide'the'guards'

with'their'guns.'The'lighting'transition'and'the'doorframe'between'the'hallway'and'the'

classroom'act'as'a'literal'portal'into'unknown'territory,'signaling'a'transition'into'more'

danger.''

''While'most'of'the'film'is'experience'through'Shuya’s'eyes,'our'range'of'knowledge'

is'not'restricted'to'his'point'of'view.'In'this'sequence'in'particular,'the'camera'functions'as'

a'third'person,'objective'observer,'and'there'are'not'point5of5view'shots'or'flashbacks'that'

indicate'a'change'in'subjectivity.'When'class'number'informs'the'students'that'they’ll'be'

leaving'the'room,'Fukasaku'chooses'to'film'each'student'leaving'the'room,'one'by'one,'as'

they'are'called.'Some'filmmakers'might'have'chosen'to'use'elliptical'editing'to'shorten'this'

part'of'the'film,'minimizing'the'role'or'importance'of'certain'characters,'but'Fakasaku’s'

method'heightens'the'emotional'aspects'of'this'sequence'as'each'students'reaction'to'their'

name'being'called'is'clear'and'distinct:'for'the'first'time,'we'get'a'sense'of'them'as'

individuals'instead'of'sheep.'Most'of'this'sequence'is'filmed'in'a'medium'long'shot,'making'

all'of'the'students'visible'the'majority'of'the'time.'Their'positions'in'the'room,'spread'out'

along'the'edges'or'clustered'together,'create'several'layers'of'dimension.'When'a'student’s'

name'is'called'and'the'camera'cuts'to'them,'they'usually'are'not'balanced'in'the'center'of'

the'frame.'Their'movement'or'reaction'brings'them'forward'through'layers'of'students'to'

the'forefront'of'the'image.'This'effectively'draws'attention'to'individuals'and'makes'their'

departure'more'visible'to'the'viewer.'The'repetition'contributes'to'the'building'tension'as'

we'(and'the'students)'wonder'who’s'next.'A'quick'panning'shot'follows'characters'as'they'

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leave'the'room,'and'the'blurring'the'people'and'objects'in'the'background'reflect'the'panic'

that'the'students'are'experiencing.'Kiriyama,'one'of'the'older'boys'who'have'chosen'to'

participate'in'the'game,'interrupts'this'pattern.'When'his'name'is'called,'he'strolls'very'

slowly'to'the'front'of'the'room,'and'the'camera'follows'him'with'a'slow'panning'shot'very'

unlike'the'ones'previously,'and'one'of'the'guards'in'the'room'even'yells'“On'the'double!”'

This'contrast'in'form'demonstrates'Kiriyama’s'attitude'and'reflects'his'cold,'calculating'

character.'''

My'favorite'part'of'this'entire'film'is'the'nameless'video'instructor.'She'thematically'

serves'to'increase'the'students’'feelings'of'distance'and'detachment'that'come'with'the'

shock'of'their'situation'and'cinematically,'she'becomes'another'character'inside'the'room.'

Fukasaku'creates'this'character'through'camera'work:'in'the'main'film,'he'cuts'to'a'static'

close5up'shot'of'the'television;'as'we'watch'the'video'as'it’s'playing,'the'video'the'students'

are'watching'employs'varying'medium'shots'of'the'instructor'that'zoom'toward'and'away'

from'her'at'different'rates.'This'has'a'disorienting'effect'on'the'viewer:'the'filming'camera'

itself'doesn’t'move,'but'there'is'still'a'sense'of'movement'and'space.'Although'the'

instructor'is'not'physically'in'the'room'with'her'students,'the'editing'creates'the'

impression'that'she'is'standing'in'front'of'them.'The'position'of'the'camera'also'affects'the'

sound'that'is'coming'out'of'the'television.'Low,'steady'strings'play'underneath'the'

dialogue,'but'this'is'non5diegetic'and'serves'mostly'to'underscore'the'emotional'condition'

of'the'scene.'The'close5up'shots'of'the'TV'have'very'clear,'diegetic'sound:'when'the'video'

instructor'speaks,'we'hear'her'voice'as'if'she'is'standing'next'to'us.'When'the'camera'cuts'

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away'from'the'television,'sound'is'still'coming'from'the'TV'but'the'quality'becomes'muffled'

and'electronic.'“Congratulations,”'she'says,'smiling;'“Listen'carefully,'then'fight'correctly'

and'with'energy!”'The'changes'in'the'quality'of'the'sound'emphasize'that'despite'her'

cheery'demeanor'and'bright'smile,'and'as'much'as'we'want'to'believe'that'she'is'helping,'

she'is'just'another'reminder'that'the'students'are'isolated'and'helpless.''

There'is'something'truly'unsettling'in'watching'children'forced'to'commit'what'is'

essentially'murder.'What'movies'like'The&Hunger&Games&fail'to'explore'are'the'very'

emotional'and'visceral'responses'that'these'children'have'to'their'situation.'Fukasaku’s'

work'draws'attention'to'the'fact'that'the'students'in'this'film'are'not'aware'of'having'been'

chosen'to'kill'each'other'off'until'they'wake'up'on'the'floor'of'a'classroom,'and'suddenly'

everything'is'unfamiliar:'an'institution'of'learning'is'now'a'site'for'the'start'of'a'slaughter.'

At'the'beginning'of'the'sequence,'Shuya’s'class'is'corralled'together'for'control.'As'the'

sequence'progresses,'they'are'picked'off'one'by'one:'the'camera'follows'them'out,'and'

passes'over'the'rest'of'the'students'who'are'slowly'waiting'their'turn'at'the'stake.'

Distinguishing'outsiders'like'Kiriyama'through'costume'and'camera'work'encourages'the'

viewer'to'make'judgments'about'his'character:'he'is'older,'more'experienced,'he'has'an'

advantage,'and'will'be'more'ruthless'than'the'others.''The'lighting'in'the'sequence'shapes'

the'boundaries'between'spaces,'and'passing'from'one'quality'of'light'to'another'signals'

that'the'stakes'have'been'raised.''At'this'early'point'in'the'film,'there'are'no'questions'

about'the'“morality”'of'the'situation;'Fukasaku’s'filmmaking'does'not'flinch'at'violence'but'

objectively'depicts'the'reality'that'the'students'must'face:'kill'or'be'killed.''