Embedded Files
Remember the Titans
Opening scene – arriving at Gary’s funeral. The Titans theme music is playing as they walk up the hill to Gary’s grave site.
Verbal Technique of narration by voice-over
Sheryl: “In Virginia highschool football is a way of life. It’s bigger than Xmas day. My daddy coached in Alexandria. He worked so hard my momma left him. But I stayed with coach, he needed me on that field.
Up until 1971 in Alexandria there was no race mixing. Then the school board forced us to integrate. They combined the black school and the white school into one called TC Williams High School.
Visual technique – the title of the movie Remember the Titans is splashed across the screen. Just as they are reaching the top of the hill like they are a team walking into battle.
This is combined with a sound technique that is used throughout the movie: the sound of military drums beating whenever there is the potential for conflict.
This leads into scene two which is a scene where there is a lot of conflict over the forced integration of the schools to come.
Scene Two
There are visuals of placards and both blacks and whites protesting. It is July 1971.
Verbal technique of narration by voice-over by Sheryl Yoast continues. “That summer a black teenager was killed by a white store-owner. And the city was on the verge of exploding.
The action changes to coach Yoast coaching the white boys. Gary is worried about the white boys’ starting positions seeing the school is integrating.
Yoast stops them from joining in a riot. It shows that they listen to him. “Get in the truck. Gary. Alan. Ray. If you ever want to play for me again then get in the truck, now.”
The action shifts back to the highschool gym office.
Yoast: “You boys are gonna cool off, come to my office and help me finish packing my things.”
Tyrell: “Gary I know your hearts in the right place but you oughta know better’n embarrass the coach like that.”
Gary: “Hell why don’t you just kick ‘em all off the team. I don’t wanna play with any of them black animals. I seen ‘em.”
Tyrell: “Who are you?”
Boone: “I’m Herman Boone. I’m the new assistant coach.”
Tyrell: “Well the way I see it we got all the help we need around here. Why aren’t you outside hollerin’ like all your little friends?”
Boone: “This was a time that was arranged for me to meet with Coach Yoast. I never miss an appointment.”
Tyrell: “Well you just better re-schedule.”
Yoast: “Coach Boone the school board made the decision to put you on my staff. I did not hire you.”
Boone: “Well I come up here to coach at GW. I didn’t ask to be assigned to your district. I didn’t ask to be assigned to your staff. So I suppose we are both in a situation that we didn’t ask to be in. But I can guarantee this coach. I come to win.”
Tyrell: “Win! Coach Yoast here has been nominated to the Virginia High School hall of fame. 15 winning seasons.”
Boone: “Well I won a couple of titles down in North Carolina..”
Tyrell: “That’s AA ball. This here’s Virginia. We play AAA.”
Boone: “Well what an opportunity for me then. To learn from the best.”
Sound technique of music “I heard it through the grapevine” begins playing which introduces scene three where the neighbours are all being nosy about watching Herman Boone and his family move into their neighbourhood.
It backs the verbal technique of narration by voice-over. This time from a nosy neighbour who is obviously racist.
Voice 1: “Are those people the movers?”
Voice 2: “No. It looks like they’re movin’ in here.” “Look how many there are there!”
Voice 1: “It only takes one and soon we’ll be over run by ‘em.”
Voice 3: “Look there. Here comes some more of ‘em.”
Voice 2: “That’s doctor Dave. That negro from the school. What’s he doin’ here?”
The scene changes to a football official speaking to Yoast at his farm.
Football official: “The school board has decided that that negro Herman Boone is going to be the Head Coach at TC.”
Sheryl: “That’s not fair. That’s my daddy’s job. …You can’t just walk in here and take my daddy’s job away.” She boots the guy.
Football official: “It’s alright. I feel the same way. It’s those agitators and race mixers that I feel like taking a swot at….Every head coach in the system is white. We had to give ‘em something. It’s the world we live in God help us all!”
Yoast is devasted. He is too proud to be an assistant.
Scene Change to Boone talking to another black man, Dr Dave on his back porch.
His dialogue tells an opposite story to Yoasts.
Boone: “I left North Carolina because I was passed over for a job that I had rightfully earned. They gave it to a white coach down there that couldn’t even tie up his own football cleats. You are asking me to do the same thing to this man. [meaning Yoast] I can’t do that.”
Mrs Boone: “Herman!”
Other black man on the porch: “Folks in Carolina says you marched with Dr King. Said you stood toe-to-toe with the Klan. Said you were a race man.”
Boone: “That’s right and I’m also a family man.”
Other black man: “Coach Boone. Black folks have never had anything in this city to call their own. Except humiliation and despair.”
Mrs Boone: “Herman. Excuse me. You better take a look outside.”
There is a huge crowd of black people waiting outside Herman Boone’s door.
They clap and the Titans theme music plays.
Dr Dave: ‘So you see we need you Coach Boone.”
Julius Campbell is introduced to him.
Julius’ father says: “You’re like the answer to our prayers.”
Boone: “No wait. I’m not the answer to your prayers. I’m not a saviour or Jesus Christ or Martin Luther King or the Easter Bunny. I’m just a football coach that’s all.”
Julius’s father says: “You are coach. You are!” and everyone starts clapping.
Scene where Boone goes to visit Yoast at his house. Sheryl is rude to him at the door.
Boone: “Well I can’t even spell diplomacy and I’m sorry about how things went down. But make no mistake I am qualified to be the school’s head coach.”
Yoast: “I’m sure you’re been in what four or five programmes in the past 10 years.”
Boone: “With four or five championships.”
Yoast: “This isn’t about me. I’m worried about my boys.”
Boone: “Well I aint gonna cook ‘em and eat ‘em. The best player will play. Colour wont matter.”
Yoast: “From the looks of our little situation we got us here. Colour is all that does.”
Boone: “Yeah you’re right. We’re in a tough spot coach. You, me the whole city. I think it would go a long way to smooth things over if you would stay. Work on the staff. Be a defensive co-ordinator. Assistant Head Coach.”
Yoast: “Work under you.”
Boone: “If that’s the way you see it.”
Yoast: “Goodnight coach.”
Next scene is where Yoast is addressing the white football community to say goodbye. They are at Hal’s restaurant. He tells them he’ll be taking the year off. The boys start to protest.
Fred: “I say boycott TC Williams. Our boys aren’t playing for some Coach Coon!”
Gary: “Coach. He stole your job. I’m not playin’ for him. I’m starting a petition and I’m sittin this season out.”
Ray: “Coach. I’m out too. I’m not playing for no thief.”
Boone: “Don’t do this. Don’t make this any harder for me than it already is.” The room erupts in protests and they say they wont play if he goes.
Short scene where Yoast is sitting with Sheryl in the paddock. “this is a heck of a time to be abandoning ‘em init?”
He decides to stay.
Gym scene where the blacks are waiting to sign up for football. Pete is introduced as a bragger who loves football.
Pete is standing with his hand up to give Boone a high five or “some skin”. Boone tells him to put his hand down and that football is not going to fun this year. “We leave for camp. Gettysburg College. August 15th…” He insists that they dress well in a jacket and tie. He says that the look raggedy. “This is no democracy. This is a dictatorship. I am the law. If you survive camp, you will be on the team. If you survive…”
We are introduced to the players. Pete Rev. Louis Lastic white boy runs in. He is new to the area and clearly not aware of any race issues. The blacks are all just looking at him.
Then the doors to the gym fly open and there is military drumming [conflict] as the white boys come in behind Coach Yoast.
Boone and Yoast are on the stairs.
Boone: “ You have just disrupted my first team meeting in an unacceptable fashion. This is my team now. Either your with that or you’re not.”
Yoast: “I’m here aint I? Let’s talk football.”
Boone: “Let’s talk football.”
Yoast: “I run the defence..”
Boone: “As a part of my teams strategy.”
Yoast: “I want a job for Coach Tyrell. He’s been with me for 10 years. I don’t want to leave him out in the cold. You don’t get me without him.”
Boone: “You’re over-cookin’ my grits [porridge] coach. Alright. I will allow Coach Tyrell to coach a special team, but I will have my eye on ‘im. And you.”
Next scene the boys are meeting at the bus to head off to the football camp.
Gary and Ray walk up to Boone.
“I’m Gary Bertier. I’m the only All-America you got on this team. If you want us to play for you, you reserve over half the positions …we don’t need any of your people on defence we’re already set.”
Boone: “Ahah. My people.”
Boone leans into Gary and reminds him who is in charge of picking the team. “…Take a good look at your momma, Gary. Cos when you get on the bus you aint got no momma no more. You got your brothers on the team and you got your daddy. Now you know who’s your daddy don’t you Gary? Gary if you want to play on this football team you answer me when I ask you who your daddy is.Who’s your daddy, Gary. Who is your daddy?”
Gary: “You.”
Boone: “And whose team is this. Is this your team or is this your daddy’s team?”
Gary: “Yours.”
Boone: “Get on the bus.”
The theme of racism and the sense that there is a long way to go to overcome the problems for the team that racism causes shows when they go to get on the bus at camp. There are blacks on one bus and whites on the other. Boone gets them to all reload. Defensive team on one bus and offensive on the other. Blacks and whites must sit together.
Verbal Technique – team talk by Boone.
“listen up. I don’t care if you are black green blue white or orange. …you and you gonna sit together. Get comfortable too. Because the person that I have you sitting next too is the same one that you will be rooming with for the duration of this camp!”
Introduction of the sound technique of using Motown music to show that the team is bonding. Blue starts to sing “Aint no mountain high enough.” To Julius. Julius shuts him up. “I don’t want to see your smiling black and white mistel show singing on this bus.
Gary: “You got that right”
Julius: “You can shut up too.”
The Use of the sound technique of playing 60’s music. This time it is ironic because the song is a religious 60’s pop song “Spirit in the Sky”. Basically about going up to heaven. This music should form the backdrop to a scene when young people are getting along together in peace and harmony. Instead it leads into the scene when the boys are settling into their rooms at camp. There is a huge potential for conflict.
Gary is lying on his bunk and Julius has put up a poster of the black American competitors making the black power fist at the 1968 Olympic Games as they stand on the podium to receive gold, silver and bronze medals together.
Gary: “I aint lookin at that for two weeks so take that down.”
Julius: “You can close your eyes for two weeks for all I care. So why don’t you look at your wall and I’ll look at mine.”
Gary: “I’ll look wherever I want to and I don’t want to be lookin at that for two weeks.”
Julius: “Then you better use your x-ray vision superman and look right through it ‘cos it aint comin down.”
They fight – still to the music of “Spirit in the Sky”.
Boone lines them all up because they all end up scrapping.
The use of the verbal technique of the team talk again.
Boone: “Bunch of tough guys. You look like a bunch of 5th-grade sissies after a cat fight. You got anger that’s good. You’re gonna need it. You got aggression and you gotta need that too. But any two-year-old child can throw a fit. Football is about controlling that anger. Harnessing that aggression into a team effort to achieve perfection.
The use of the visual technique of high angle shot. The camera has the perspective of the boys as they face Boone and his assistant couches. They have to respect these men – particularly Boone who is placed at the centre of the shot of the coaches standing there
Boone: “When you put that Titan uniform on you better come to work. We will be perfect in every aspect of the game…Perfection! Lets go to work.”
Sound technique of the Titans theme music complete with military drums accompanies the boys as they do their drills to work as a uniform team.
Combines with Verbal technique of Boone giving them a team talk at the same time.
Boone: “Everything we gotta do is changing. We gotta change. Change the way we run. We gotta change the way we eat. We gotta change the way we block. We gotta change the way we tackle. We gotta change the way we win.”
Lunch room scene. Shows the continued barrier to forming a team caused by racism. Louis Lastic goes to sit down at Julius’ table.
Julius: “why don’t you go over there and eat with your own people.”
Louis: “I don’t have any people. I’m with everybody Julius.”
Blue: “Eh is the a light-skinned brother?”
Julius: “And I’m a dark skinny cracker.”
Rev: “Come on Julius. He’s just another blessed child of God in God’s loving family.”
The use of the sound technique of gospel music. Blue starts to sing ‘Amazing Grace” while the Rev speaks to the table as though he is a preacher in a church. Pete joins in the singing.
Rev: “Lord we’re coming for you today and asking you to soften big Julius Campbell’s heart.”
The use of the verbal technique of close personal interchange Ray calls Louis a traitor.
The plot advances because we learn that Ray isn’t blocking for the black guys and so leaving the left side of the football team weak.
Gary: “Ray if you don’t start blocking you’re not going to start [make the team]”
Boone makes Lastic tell the team something about his room mate. He tells everyone that Blue wears leopard style underwears ‘Bikini styles, Sir!”
Appearance of the use of the sound technique of using Motown music to develop a bond between the black and white team players. Motown is music that was predominantly sung by black singers in the 60’s and 70’s. It crossed races and became very popular. We notice that whenever the team is enjoying team spirit and bonding, Motown is either playing in the background or they are all singing along to it. Blacks and whites.
Lastic: “Me and Rev both dig on the Temptations.” He and Rev start to sing.
We are introduced to the small sub-plot of Lastic not feeling academically confident to pass [year 13] and go to University. He feels as though he is “white trash.”
The use of the verbal technique of the team talk to help bring about team bonding by cutting through racism.
Boone: “Each one of you will spend time together with another team mate of a different race. You will learn about him and his family. His likes and dislikes. You’ll report back to me until you meet everyone of your teammates. Until that time we’ll go to three-a-day practises. You continue to ignore each other we’ll go to four-a-day practises.”
The use of a long shot visual technique to show the “face-off” between the black and white players on the team. Alan is on the left and Pete is on the right. They are sitting down opposite eachother. Between them disappearing into the background, is a long pathway heading towards the very traditional college building of Gettysburg College. It is a visual metaphor for the split between the races over America’s historical past. They are adversaries facing off with a tradition of mistrust behind them. This is put together with the verbal technique of interviewing. Their questions and responses show mistrust and preconceived ideas about the blacks being unemployed and not knowing who their fathers were.
Alan: “Let’s see. What’s your daddy’s name. You do have a daddy right?”
Pete: “Look. I have a father and his name is Eric.”
Alan: “What’s he do? Wait. He does have a job, right?’
Remember the Titans Sound Techniques/devices
Music was used to provide atmosphere and emotion.
Motown Music – This has black origins and crossed the culture boundaries in the 1960’s to become mainstream and popular. At the time though, for many of the white Titans players, it was like listening to “gansta” music. It would have been like listening to black popular music and appearing to be a “wigger” in today’s terms.
The Motown music, epitomised by “Aint no Mountain High Enough” and the songs by the Temptations, was used as a backdrop to scenes where the Titans were all getting along well. Fore example, in the lunchroom and the locker rooms at the camp.
The effect on the film was that it gave the film a relaxed atmosphere. This was to portray that the team members were relaxed in each others company. That they had successfully set-aside their racial and cultural prejudices and been able to build friendships and develop respect for the other cultures in their team.
60’s Pop Music – this music formed the backdrop to scenes where the Titans were succeeding on the football field and with being accepted into the community as a result of the success of their football season.
The effect is that the music added excitement to the scene and reflected the community’s and the game crowds pride in their team. In one scene the Titans start to beat a side and “Kiss em goodbye” is playing. It’s like the titans are saying “eat my dust” to their opponents. This is the same song they are singing when they are coming home from camp in the bus. Everyone is singing “La na na na. La na na na. Hey hey hey. Goodbye.” It’s like they are saying ‘goodbye’ to all of the pressures that kept them apart: All the prejudice that their respective backgrounds squashed into their bubbles of perception.
On this occasion black gospel music is used by Rev as he is heard to call out above them all like a church minister “I can hear you. I can hear you, brother!” This mixture of black gospel and white pop reflects the unity of the black and white players – now galvanised into one community of team players.
Chanting and Movement in Unison – line dancing. – This white country line dancing mixed with chanting which has its roots in black slave culture = a sound and visual metaphor for the galvanised unity of the team.
We see the chanting and line dancing when they enter the football field for their warm-up. It is their “own unique style” as the football commentator says to the crowd.
The effect oh the team is to galvanise them into one machine. The effect on the viewer is that they feel the warmth of the team’s unity and the personal strength that I has brought to the young players.
There is chanting on the field at the end of camp too. They are all standing in a circle. This is also backed with “gospel” or “soul” music. Gary asks Julius what kind of power do you have?” “Soul power!” comes the reply. By getting in a huddle and chanting together they are forming that visual and sound metaphor which reflects the team’s unity.
Gospel Music – this is black music and was used to appeal to the team players to lift their thoughts “Up to the Lord” to help them get over the blocks to their unity caused by the racial prejudice in their upbringing and communities.
We see this when Blue calls a meeting in the gym and tries to get the players to see that the tam has fallen apart under the pressure coming at them from their friends and families. Louis Lastic reminds them of what Rev always says when things get hard. He starts to sing gospel “Even youths grow wary, even young men stumble and fall. But if you trust in the Lord…” This brings the team together by reminding them of what they had up at camp. It has the effect on the audience that there is hope that the team will succeed in putting aside their differences to over-come racism and play well together: To be “stronger for” having to get over racism in the formation of their team, as Boone had pointed out to them.
This is backed up by chanting together. Gary calls out about “wanting victory” and everyone joins in. The shot of them huddled together in the gym creates that visual and sound metaphor reflecting that the team has rebuilt or regalvanised as a unit.
Remember the Titans themes
Over-coming racism
Friendship
Team bonding
Over-coming adversity.
Main Message
That we can successfully set aside our differences in culture and race to work together as a team.
The significance or importance or interest point of this theme/main idea/ message for society or a section of society is:
For a section of society – teenagers –
That teenagers can learn from this message and can set aside their differences and build a successful community. These communities can be within their schools, sports teams, clubs or neighbourhoods.
This message/theme/idea shows that teenagers can learn not to “react” negatively to somebody just because they like different music, clothing or styles or have a different religion, colour or culture. Teenagers can be like the Titans and learn to respect difference.
For World Society or the human race
That humans can all learn what the Titans learnt to do: develop respect for difference and set aside our problems with them – and get on with the business of working together.
As a result mankind could move forward to create a more peaceful and successful society, rather than “reacting” negatively to the racial, religious and cultural differences we have amongst us in our “human community”.
Year 12 Visual Text: Remember the Titans for Achievement Standard and Unit Standard
Director: Boaz Yakin
Screenwriter: Gregory Allen Howard
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer, Chad Oman
Composer: Trevor Rabin
Director Boaz Yakin's REMEMBER THE TITANS captures the heart of high school football while tackling the sins of its fathers, chronicling the true story of the undefeated 1971 T.C. Williams team of Alexandria, Virginia, which was the first integrated high school team in the state.
The players represent a hotbed of racial tension, but as the team struggle towards unity and gridiron glory, Remember the Titans builds on several subplots and character dynamics to become an inspirational drama.
It tackles the issues of race and bigotry, and does so in a typically blunt and head-on fashion.
The year is 1971, and Alexandria, Virginia is under federal mandate to integrate its schools. This means that the football team--the Titans--will also have to be integrated. In a nod to what I suppose passed for political correctness back then, African-American coach Herman Boone (Washington) is brought in as the new head coach, replacing the popular Coach Yoast (Patton), who is white. Naturally, the white community is outraged by the move, while the black community views Boone as a symbolic leader. Boone himself shares no such illusions; as he tells the adoring crowd, “I’m just a football coach.”
Background to the Film
In the late 1960’s and 70’s, many Americans began to question the ongoing war in Vietnam. Among other things, young people could not understand the unnecessary killing of Vietnamese. In 1970 students at Kent State University protested against the war.
Meanwhile the African-American students were still trying to find ways to bring about equal education opportunities. A case filed by Dr Swann was making its way to the United States Supreme Court.
By April 1971, 11 months after the Kent State shootings, the High Court delivered its judgment to the country. In Swann v’s Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, the now famous case that permitted the bussing of students to achieve racial integration, the High Court sent a message to the country. ALL SCHOOLS HAD TO BECOME INTEGRATED IMMEDIATELY. That included schools in Alexandria, Virginia, a place where football was king.
SHOT TYPES
The type of shots that the director chooses to use shows:
EMOTIONS = close-up
OVER THE SHOULDER CLOSE UP = emotions of characters. Eg. Gary and Julius confronting each other in their room at football camp. What can we see? How does this help viewers to understand the movie’s themes? Explain.
THE AMOUNT OF MOVEMENT OR ACTION OF THE CHARACTERS = mid shot
Mid shot of the boy who liked country and western music standing in the doorway to their room to see them fighting.
Another example of an over the shoulder mid-shot is when Pete and Sunshine have their backs to the camera and the restaurant owner is facing them at the centre of the shot. We can see the expression on the restaurant owners face telling the “hippy boy” and the black to go “round the back to the kitchen” if they want some food. We have the black race and the hippy on either side, having to face the racist restaurant owner. The shot is angled very slightly as a low shot. With the angle looking up slightly at the restaurant owner – to give him the dominant position in the action. The camera is taken from the perspective of another member of the team – a black team member – standing behind Pete and Sunshine to see what would happen. Someone who is hanging-back to stay out of trouble.
THE DETAIL OF SURROUNDINGS = Long shot.
These can be ESTABLISHING SHOTS eg of the football camp traditional school buildings….What do establishing shots do for viewers?
Another example of a long shot was when Ray or Alan? Was talking to one of the black guys at the beginning of the movie. They are posed on opposite sides of a long traditional walkway. They are trying to find out details of each other’s families. ..”You do have a daddy?...” What does this long pathway represent to the viewer? The long pathway to integration through American tradition?.........What can you think of? How does this long shot with its representation of the opposing sides of the black and white student football-players, help a viewer to understand the directors main ideas or themes?
Camera Angles
Camera angles are used to manipulate perspective. (how the viewer sees things). As an audience we receive messages about shots or scenes by the angles that are used.
High Angle – is often used to make a character look smaller, vulnerable, diminished. (looking down)
Low Angle – is often used to make a character look dominant and over-powering. (looking up).
Example of a Low Angled mid Shot is of Boone and the other coaches standing in the diningroom of the football camp demanding that every footballer will get to know another member of the team from another race. Boone is placed at the centre with Yoast and the assistant coaches placed either side of him. The camera is looking up slightly. This gives the impression that the coaches have “clout” or authority over the boys that are listening to them. The camera’s perspective is taken from that of the boys seated at their dining tables. Why do you think that Boone is at the centre of this mid shot? What is the message to the viewer: about Boone? About the coaches relationship with the boys?
Example of a High Angle shot looking down on the boys after they have re-established their team’s spirit and significant and unique quality. This is in the gym when the team players called a special meeting. They were feeling the pressure of being back in the “real world” of segregation and racism and were finding it all too hard to maintain the team spirit and confidence. Louis Lastic and the Rev call upon the team to remember to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to rise above all these barriers. They start singing gospel music. This is an example of when the directors combine the visual techniques of shot, angles with sound and verbal to bring about a strong message to the viewer. The message being: to Think high…elevate…to a higher force than they are, to overcome the barriers to their success as a racially integrated football team. Gospel and “SOUL POWER” is used to reunite the team while the High Angle shot down on the boys chanting their Titans Chant in a circle in the gym emphasizes this moment.
Verbal Techniques – things that are said and the way that are said.
Close personal interchanges and team talks.
“Now I may be a mean cuss, but I am the same mean cuss to everyone on the football field” Boone talking to Yoast about not going too easy on the black boys because it will only “cripple them”. They need all the strength to stand up to the world that they can.
“Coach, I’m hurt… I aint dead” Gary responding to Yoast saying that he didn’t need to worry himself about what sport he would be able to play in the future. This shows Gary’s perseverance and attitude to life.
“left Side!”
“Strong Side!” Hugely important moment in the movie which shows that both racism have combined through a team.Gary and Julius high five after their side of the field has finally managed to combine. Ray blocked as he should have done and the opposition couldn’t get through. This is the moment that they united.
“You’re hall of fame in my book, coach” This comes from Boone after he had been turned down by the football board to be included in the hall of fame. This shows that their racial differences have been overcome. Yoast had been asked to allow the all white side to win [by cheating] and then he would be voted in. He didn’t do this. He showed too much honesty and integrity.
“Now you start calling this game fair or I’ll go to the papers” is what Yaost told the referee. This close personal interchange shows that Yoast is completely dedicated to the team even though his career will suffer.
“Those ol red necks’ as Sheryl called them, let him down.
Themes
Over coming racism - teamwork - friendship.
Teamwork key moments–
The challenge of the team being divided by racism and the racist background of their parents and the community.
Overcoming this teamwork challenge – when the team comes together “left side strong side” ; singing on the bus..
Resolution – victory against other teams.
Key moments for over-coming racism
The challenge – the initial racism of getting on the bus. Blacks at the back and whites at the front. Gary’s statement to Boone before they got on the bus.
Overcoming – “left side strong side”
Resolution – “can’t you see that he’s my brother?”
Key moments for friendship
The challenge – Racial issues including the fight at football camp and school.
- Societal issues including Gary’s girlfriend, Emma and his mum’s attitude towards Julius.
Overcoming the barriers to their friendship – “left side strong side”, Mum meeting Julius and being hugged.
Resolution – Emma meeting Julius on the field before the last game. Mum talking firmly to Julius in the waiting room at the hospital. “he only wants to see you, Julius.” “Can’t you see that he’s my brother.”
Plot
The film follows a typical “Emotional Curve” and can be looked at from a “3 Act Structure”.
Most of the time a plot follows this structure:
Act One = setup
Act two = confrontation
Act three = Resolution
The Level of Tension hits the highest point in the middle of Act Three then drops down to the Resolution.
In Remember the Titans the Football Camp has its own Act Three Tension Climax and Resolution.
What is the central moment in the movie?
What happens in the second half of the movie?
Characters Reveal Themes
List the six most important characters.
Some of the character’s stories only make sense if we put them into pairs. What characters “pair-off” most easily?
For each pair write down what we can learn from their story.
Some characters teach the viewer lessons through their own story. Who does this and what is their message?
Denzel Washington is completely convincing as Boone, a proud man thrust into a role he does not want. He has no interest in playing the political race game. As he tells Yoast, “I don’t dance unless I hear music,” and, when he feels that his family is threatened, he does not hesitate to reach for the shotgun. Still, he is nothing if not practical. Though his mission is to make the Titans a winning team (and, in the spirit of true melodrama, the movie makes it clear that if he loses even one game he is out as head coach), he recognizes that in order to do so he must confront the racial tensions present among the players, who are forced to play with members of another race for the first time.
The team travels to football camp, where Boone, with his own brand of tough love, teaches them football as well as racial tolerance. They begin to come together as a team, but must still face the realities of racial politics when they return home.
The movie addresses these realities somewhat gingerly, but at least it does address them. The difference between the movie and real life is that, when the political going gets tough, “Remember the Titans” can always fall back on rooting for the underdog team to win, a strategy that, unfortunately, one can’t use in real life.
There are many effective, and affecting, scenes (in one, a white cop stops one of the black players on the street, and while the kid is understandably worried, it turns out the cop only wants to congratulate him on a good game).
Stalwart character actor Patton does a nice job as Yoast, a hard eyed realist who cannot help but resent the way he was treated.
The ongoing tension between Yoast and Boone provides a subtext throughout the film, mirroring as it does the larger conflicts around them.
The movie is not afraid to portray Boone himself as ambitious and even a little arrogant, thereby avoiding the trap of canonizing him.
Gregory Allen Howard’s solid script frames the issues rather starkly, but then, that may be wholly appropriate for the situation.
Most of the characters are portrayed with a feckless lack of ambiguity; it is pretty easy to identify the good guys and the bad guys (another difference between the movies and real life). But the script does allow for some growth, some change, and some learning, especially among the players. If the real story was half as moving as Howard’s, it must have been quite a time in Alexandria.
As Boone tells the boys, their team has to overcome issues of racism to play well together as a team, a handicap that their opponents do not face. Similarly, “Remember the Titans” has the challenge of confronting its racial issues without being polemical or didactic, while still remaining entertaining . It meets this challenge, and if its tools and techniques for doing so lack subtlety, that’s fine. It is a good, but not great, movie, because it cheats. It has to, I suppose. We accept the young Titans for their sporting abilities, while in truth, it is no more acceptable to judge a person by his athletic talent than by his skin color.
If combating racism were as easy as smacking helmets with your teammate, the world would be a better place.
The film follows the trials and tribulations that each coach goes through in their efforts to peacefully coexist while trying to build a winning football team.
The players on the team come both races-meaning that they also have trouble getting along with each other-but the coaches involve the athletes in activities that end up providing the funny moments in the film.
One of the boys annoys another by playing country music, which the second boy considers pure torture. Another equally funny scene occurs between the two sides and involves a round of jokes about each other’s mothers having sex with them the previous night.
Denzel Washington brings his ever-powerful presence to the role of coach Herman Boone, who is brought in to oversee the transition to integration. Though Boone is eventually successful as a coach, the townspeople disapprove of him because he replaces the popular, entrenched former coach, Bill Yoast (Will Patton). At first, coach Yoast resents being supplanted, while Coach Boone is told that his promotion was just for show--to help the integration--and that he's likely to be lifted if the team loses a game.
Will the coaches and players be able to overcome their adversity and make T.C. Williams a beacon for integration in sports?
REMEMBER THE TITANS portrays the story and delivers the inspirational result with a passion and glory.
"...REMEMBER THE TITANS isn't afraid to handle chunky, powerful issues in a chunky, powerful way..." -- 4 out of 5 stars -- Ceri Thomas, Total Film
"...A shrewd, pulpy crowd-pleaser. Engagingly cast, with a lively soundtrack and glossy cinematography, … Turan, Los Angeles Times
"...There are true and touching moments in the film, on top of its undeniable entertainment value....The movie is heartfelt..." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"...Mr. Washington and Mr. Patton are strong, complex [presences]...You'll [find] a lump in your throat and an overwhelming urge to cheer." -- A. O. Scott, New York Times
"...Admirable, crowd-pleasing....[The film] has brawn, but it also has brains..."--3 out of 4 stars -- Susan Wloszczyna, USA Today
Set in Alexandria, Virginia in 1971, the fact-based story begins with the integration of black and white students at T C Williams High School. The effort to improve race relations is most keenly felt on the school's football team, the Titans, and bigoted tempers flare when a black head coach (Washington) is appointed and his victorious predecessor (Will Patton) reluctantly stays on as his assistant.
It's affirmative action at its most volatile, complicated by the mandate that the coach will be fired if he loses a single game in the Titans' 13-game season.
1. Identify examples of the following production techniques. Comment on their effect / suggest reasons for their use:
a. CU
b. VO (voice over)
c. aural bridge
d. POV shot
e. juxtaposition
f. back lighting
g. contrast
h. parallels
i. PAN
j. TRACKING
k. ELS
l. slow ZOOM
RULE NUMBER ONE -In overcoming racism/differences.
Get to know each member of the team.
Bond.
Help each of the team members to know each other.
Treat everyone the same.
Teach respect.
Teach tolerance.
Model what you want.
RULE NUMBER TWO -In overcoming racism/differences.
Interdependence must be worked at.
Community does not just happen. It is developed.
Teamwork is learned.
Each person is necessary for the whole.
Coach the team.
Discipline the team.
Work the team.
RULE NUMBER THREE -In overcoming racism/differences.
The goal is about winning.
And winning is not about first place.
Winning is about the establishment of a level playing field for all players.
Winning is about achieving effective teamwork -true community.
Google Sites
Report abuse