Billy Liar (1963) Case study analysis

Synopsis

(1963) Billy is an undertaker's clerk with an overactive fantasy life, to compensate for his dull provincial life. He has three girlfriends, his favourite of which tries to persuade him to go to London with her and start a new life.

Billy Liar marked the end of the social realist work of the British New Wave and the start of the changes in style and form that marked out a radical shift in British filmmaking in the early years of the 1960s. Director John Schlesinger established his ‘swinging sixties’ credentials with this critically and commercially successful film, credentials that were compounded two years later with Darling, the story of a ‘new’ kind of woman. ( paragraph is from http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415454339/downloads/britain.pdf )

Genre

‘Billy Liar’ follows the stereotypical codes and conventions of a social realism film in terms of the mise-en-scene, narrative, a variety of camera and the use of a male protagonist. The narrative of ‘Billy Liar’ is about a young male protagonist called Billy who escapes into a world of fantasy where he can realise his dreams and ambitions. As pressures to build up Billy gets a offer that will be his one chance to make something of himself and he’ll have to leave the past behind him.

Costume

The costumes that Billy and the rest of the cast worn was very reflective of those who are working/middle class. Billy and his colleagues often wore smart clothing like suits, to show that they are employed and at a mature stage of their life.

Lighting

In this film it is all natural lighting to represent realism. The film was filmed in black and white, the film was recorded during the day as they can use the natural light to full effect. With this type of lighting its somewhat difficult to relate to the mood and narrative of the film.

Location

Location shooting by using locations rather than the studio, it makes the film seem more true to real life for the audience to watch. An example of this is in 'Billy Liar' as it uses an actual council estate within the film. 'Billy Liar' was filmed on actual, real life locations such as parks and council estates and not in made up sets in studios like big Hollywood films use. (the film was shot in Bradford in Yorkshire)

Camera Shots

'Billy Liar' use a range of camera shots but use a lot of wide shots in the film. This is for the audience to get a good understanding of what's going on, or where the setting is. This is an example of a wide shot used in the 'Billy Liar'.

The opening sequences of Billy Liar introduced audiences to a continually panning camera that moved through space and represented the demographics of the UK showing the range of housing from low rise council flats to terraced housing to semi-detached accommodations through to detached houses to mansions, clearly showing the binary oppositions and divisions in society.