10 Things I Hate About You
DIRECTED BY Gil Junger
Describe a strong relationship or conflict in the text.
Explain how visual and/or verbal features were used to help you understand this relationship or conflict.
An important conflict in the film "10 Things I Hate About You", directed by Gil Junger, is the conflict raised between the two Stratford sisters, Katarina and Bianca. Katarina is the older sibling; she believes firmly in being true to herself and despises those who follow the crowd. Bianca, on the other hand, loves being the center of attention and takes great care in her appearance and maintaining other people's perception of her. The differences between the two are highlighted in the film through the use of contrasting music and lighting, while the high and low camera angles help the viewer to understand where the power lies in their relationship. Because Bianca and Kat are so different, conflict is sure to arise. In "10 Things I Hate About You", the camerawork, music, and lighting work together to help us understand these differences and thus understand their conflicting natures.
The music in this film plays an important part in providing insight into the characters. In the opening scene, where we first meet Kat, the lyrics of the music blaring out of her car stereo are saying, "I don't give a damn about my reputation". This is sharply contrasted with the music generally associated with Bianca. This music is much more positive and feminine. Another example is when the viewer first sees the Stratford home. As the camera pans across, the lyrics of the song playing are, "Sunshine on the window makes me happy". However, as it zooms in on Kat sitting by the window, the music changes and becomes much louder and adopts an 'angry' tone. Thus the music clearly demonstrates the difference between the two sisters, helping the viewer to understand their conflict.
Similarly, the lighting within the film further develops...
