Crime drama is one of the most popular genres of commercial cinema. It can be assumed that such films are created only for those who like to "tickle" the nerves and try to solve the riddle underlying the intricate plot. Nevertheless, among the crime dramas, you can see many recognized masterpieces that have managed not only to win the love of several generations of viewers, but also to bring their creators worldwide fame and many professional awards.
Instructions
Step 1
Stanley Kubrick's dystopia "A Clockwork Orange" is devoted to reflections on the essence of human aggression, which originates in adolescence. Its protagonist, the charming young man Alex (this role was one of the first for Malcolm McDowell), leads a youth gang dedicated to robbery and violence. After being sent to prison after committing a brutal murder, Alex agrees to undergo treatment aimed at suppressing the desire for violence. However, the collision of the "healed" teenager with the realities of the world around him shows the entire inconsistency of the experiment carried out on him.
Step 2
Perhaps the best example of crime drama is Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather. The history of the Corleone mafia clan is striking not so much with scenes of murder and violence, as with the depiction of the evolution of the character of the youngest member of the family - Michael (an amazing acting work of thirty-two-year-old Al Pacino). Throughout the film, Michael Corleone goes from a kind and intelligent young man who does not want to come into contact with the "family business" to a cruel and merciless head of the clan. The success of the film prompted its creators to continue working on the epic. As a result, "The Godfather, Part II", which tells the backstory of the founder of the clan Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro), and "The Godfather 3" ("he Godfather, Part III), which ends with a picture of terrible retribution. for Michael's crimes.
Step 3
The cult film Once Upon a Time in America by the Italian director Sergio Leone with Robert De Niro in the title role also echoes the Godfather trilogy in many ways. True, here it is not the mafia that appears before the audience, but a gang of street gangsters, whose path to wealth and prosperity ends in inevitable collapse.
Step 4
Among the criminal dramas of the 70s - 80s of the 20th century, it is impossible not to mention the film of the Soviet director Stanislav Govorukhin "The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed". First appearing on television in November 1979, he is still loved by millions of Russian viewers, thanks in large part to his brilliant acting ensemble. Two paths to the "era of mercy" (this is the original title of the Weiner brothers' novel, which is the basis of the film) are shown through the images of the captain of the criminal investigation department Gleb Zheglov (a brilliant work of Vladimir Vysotsky) and his young partner Vladimir Sharapov (Vladimir Konkin).
Step 5
The 90s gave birth to a different type of criminal drama. Their creators either reinforce the psychologism of films, then highlight the existential theme of freedom, or even allow themselves irony about the chosen genre. Oscar-winning film The Silence of the Lambs, directed by Jonathan Demme, is based on a sophisticated psychological duel between cannibal maniac Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) and young FBI employee Clarissa Starling (Jodie Foster). Clarissa is investigating a series of murders committed by another insane maniac, and expects Lecter to help her understand the psychology of the criminal. It is interesting that the character of Anthony Hopkins turns out to be so clever and charming that inevitably he attracts sympathy both from the audience and from Clarissa herself.
Step 6
Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction has a completely different atmosphere. The story of the adventures of two gay bandits Vincent (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) is intertwined with the story of the boxer Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), who refused to surrender a contractual fight. The result is a bizarre combination of violence and irony. The film was awarded the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Step 7
And finally, the film "The Shawshank Redemption" directed by Frank Darabont, who tops almost all the ratings of crime dramas. The story, which begins as a traditional tale of terrible prison conditions, unexpectedly turns into a philosophical parable of freedom, the dreams of which are realized by the unjustly convicted Andy Dufrein (Tim Robbins) and his friend and cellmate Ellis Boyd (Morgan Freeman).
