The Concept of Belonging

The Concept of Belonging and acceptance is a major part of our modern society. Many films clearly portray this concept of belonging or alienation in one way or another. It is though various film and langueage techniques that Baz Luhrmann displays the concept of acceptance and rejecton in "Stictly Ballroom" aswell as Hans Christian Andersons theUgly Duckiling.

In this theatrical film Luhrmann uses a variety of techniques to construct the key theme of belonging through the glitzy, glamorous, competition of romance of federation dancing. Luhrmann uses colour, teeth, flamnboyant costumes and synchronised dance movements as metaphors for the materialistic world, being attractive but lacking real substance. Within the opening scene of the film we see Luhrmann's establishment of the conventional, elegant atmosphere of the ballroom dancing world through classical music, he creates a silhouette and highly illuminated shots of the dancers waltzing dressed in extravigant costumes with big "cheesy" grins as they dance elegantly around the dance floor. It is through this Luhrmann demonstrates belonging as everyone has a partner aswell as shown through comparison compared to Fran who is clearly an ousider via her plain frumpy attire and make-up less face compared to Liz. Liz is very comfortable in this world and her outburst to Scott "I'm not dancing with you until you dance like you're suppose to", sums up how restrictive the rules of competitive dance is and how powerful the disire to win is for those immeresed within this world.

This equal feeling quickly disappears as the audience is shown a close up of Scott's mother shirley screaming in ecouragment"Come on couple 100", the scene then is changed to a mockumentary style- a close up of Shrirley crying as though something "tragic" has happened but tells the audience her failings as a mother conveying just how serious the conseqences