Mini Analysis: True Romance

Written by the always entertaining Quintin Tarantino (but directed by Tony Scott) this is easily one of the most strangest yet perfectly made films of the past generation, True Romance is about the exact words you can find in the title. The film is about revenge and the high risks one must go through for love. The risk does not always involve murder and drugs, but in this case it does. The quote on the cover of the film should be noted: "Lying, Cheating, Stealing...who said romance is dead?" The film does involve the previously mentioned, but there is a classic

Classic Narrative:

The film is a classic narrative structure, with clear identification of who are good and bad characters. Christian Slater plays Clarence Worley, somewhat of a deadbeat who works at a comic shop and adores kung-fu movies. When he falls in love for Alabama, he has the urge to go murder her "pimp" and former boss. When he succeeds, the object at the narrative center of the film is introduced: the briefcase full of drugs. This was supposed to be Alabama's clothes. Now, the couple must hide from the criminals who are after their stolen goods. Even if the couple are on the run and stole the briefcase, they didn't mean to do it. They are good people just trying to find a normal life.

Narrative voice over:

The film begins and ends with a narrative voice-over, conducted by one half of the films main characters, Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette). The film also ends with the same voice-over, which proves a story is being told and is already completed when we hear Alabama for the first time.

Music:

Hans Zimmer composes a beautiful jingle which almost becomes of a leitmotif for love rather than the film's scene. Whenever we hear the instrumental piece "You're So Cool", it always comes up in a scene where romance is involved (either between partners or even family). The song is played at the beginning and end of the film, included in the narrative voice-over. It is also involved whenever Alabama and Clarence share their love together through out the film. Other than that, we hear sunny-day California style pop songs as the soundtrack.

Functions of Sound:

Keeping on the same page with the music, there is a fight scene where Clarence must either murder Alabama's pimp, Drexel Spivey, or find peace and let Alabama free. As Clarence enters the house, we hear very loud techno music. As Clarence and Drexel speak, the music remains loud, but becomes louder when there are breaks of silence in their conversation. Drexel attacks Clarence, and the music is now blasting through out the scene. This is done to emphasize, and set the pace of the action as this is a important fight scene in the film. It also facilitates the level of the diagesis (character subjectivity) as Alabama does not want to be a "call girl" any longer. The scene is also the first to create an ambience, atmosphere and environment between scenes. This is the first scene with a violent nature, and creates a violent ambience. Yet the violence is always attached as something one would do for love.

Paradox:

A clever paradox scene is almost at the end, when Clarence is strolling around town, proclaiming his love for his new wife. He gets supper at a fast food joint and is really humble. Meanwhile, we jump to another scene where Alabama is found in a hotel by gangster Virgil, who is trying to kill her. This scene is violent and vicious, as Virgil is beating the bloodied woman all over the hotel room. Both acting for love, these are two very different scenarios the main characters are it.

Resemblance:

The film does have a couple on the run, but all for the right reasons. Perhaps the total opposite, but films such as Bonnie & Clyde and Natural Born Killers remind us of the couples that are on the run for their own reasons, but ultimately for love. It is not a strange scenario to see a couple so in love but have to deal with violent situations.

What makes the film so strange is the whole plot is given away to the bad guys by Brad Pitt's character Floyd, a couch potato stoner who lives with Clarence's long time friend. When criminals come look for the couple, it doesn't dawn on Floyd that the criminals want their drugs and money back. Floyd, rarely speaking through the whole movie, comes off as a amicable hippie who just wants to hang out, watch re-runs and smoke a bowl with someone. Also, Gary Oldman plays Drexel Spivey, a rastafarian gigolo. Even though his character is very sinister, he is quite hilarious with his accent and his ways of acting.