History and Memory Essay
Stephen Frears 2006 Film The Queen and Tanka Luckins novel The Gates of Memory consciously represent aspects of history and memory to give the responder a deeper understanding of the events in the texts. The events being the death of Princess Diana in 1997 and the 75th anniversary of the end of the Great War in 1993. Both composers had a purpose of their texts in which they wanted to portray to their audiences. Stephen Frears being to give audiences an insight into the private life of the Royal Family, whilst Luckins wanted to explore the concept of memory and loss in the Great War.
Stephen Frears' attempt to portray into a behind the scenes look into the royal family related to the interplay of both personal and public life. We are immediately introduced to the Queen through a tilt shot go her being painted, note that the camera angle when on the Queen is almost all of the time above her head, this is symbolic into two representations, one, the Queen is viewed as the figure head of the nation 2 we gain a god like perspective of the Queen reflecting the natural hierarchy. This shot of the Queen shows her very traditionally dressed as a reflection of her traditional values and the monarchy, a long shot of the Queen with the cape draped around her reflects her private nature however Frears is giving us an inside into this hidden aspect, at the same time Tony Blair is being interviewed on T.V. about becoming Prime Minister, note that the two modes being used juxtaposed the traditional values of the Queen that of the modern government. The music used us often always classical reflecting the reserved nature of the Queen.
Frears has viewed a mixture of archival footage, created archival footage and filmed moments to enhance the realistic nature of the event in the aim of the Audience believing it. The use of archival footage, news and interviews allows the viewer to view the public aspect and public reaction to