Gran torino film analysis

Gran torino was a compelling drama with many cultural conflicts, stereotypes and an abundance of racial slurs. I discussed examples of popular culture in the film and alternative methods of resolving cultural conflicts besides the ending presented in the film. He was in the korean war and he is a bit racist and he has got prejudices against asian and. Many people say that old people fear change as they have grown so accustomed to their old ways but in clint eastwoods film gran torino we can clearly see that this anyone is capable of change. This movie highlights the modern conditions surrounding many aspects of intercultural communications. In the clint eastwood film gran torino, ford retiree walt kowalskis cherished muscle car represents a time that has passed him by. Kowalski is a grumpy, toughminded, unhappy an old man, who cant get along with either his kids or his neighbors, a korean war veteran whose prize possession is a. Critical analysis essay on a movie gran torino by clint eastwood. Gran torino stars eastwood as an american icon once again this time as a cantankerous, racist, beerchugging retired detroit autoworker who keeps his shotgun ready to lock and load. It was the fastest growing city in the 1920s and 1930s.

But gran torino includes a few too many dramatic coincidences to be truly satisfying, and the film s dramatic tone and tenor means that those who come to it looking for a straightforward action drama may be bored by the talky parts and those who come to it looking for a highminded drama may be put off by the gritty violence and blunt language. The main character is walt kowalski and he has a polish background but now he lives in detroit. Asia and latin america immigrants have come to occupy the vacant neighbourhoods. His housing area has become populated with poor, immigrant families and gang violence has become. This movie has several cultural conflicts and demonstration of.

Come browse our large digital warehouse of free sample essays. Pdf analysis of the film gran torino directed by clint. Gran torino, directed by and starring clint eastwood, is a dramatic film touching the subjects of racism, gangs, friendship, and death. In his film gran torino, clint eastwood tells the story of an unlikely relationship between korean war veteran walt kowalski and his hmong neighbours thao and sue.

Feb 05, 2017 this is a comprehensive analysis of the finger gun scene from clint eastwoods gran torino, one of his biggest hits. Feb 19, 2009 t he ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a ketchupred 75 model with a white racing stripe was featured every week in the tv cop show starsky and hutch. Programming suggestions this discussion guide is designed to facilitate educational programs after viewing the film gran torino. Gran torino was directed and produced by clint eastwood, who also played the role of the main character known as walt kowalski. To support this view, we show that the subject of the movie is the mechanical logic of. The film gran torino although clint eastwoods film gran torino 2008 focuses predominately on masculinity, the women serve important roles as catalysts that motivate the actions of the male characters. Aug 04, 2009 walt kowalski is a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his michigan neighborhood and the world around him. This article presents a thematic analysis of the latest movie that clint eastwood has directed and participated in as an actor, gran torino. Gran torino directed and starred in by clint eastwood has a lot to say about society, and not all of it is good. Gran torino is a lazy, lazy movie because it is preoccupied with external racism.

Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Movie summary gran torino essay example for students. Social theories in movie gran torino 1939 words essay. Gran torino is a great movie with an important message and filled with inspiration. The purpose of this analysis is to thoroughly critique the film gran torino revealing personal associations and social myths through multiple theoretical lenses.

Gran torino, directed by clint eastwood, is a very moving and captivating drama. Casting calls were held in fresno, california, detroit, michigan, and saint paul, minnesota, from which eastwood selected ten hmong. Gran torino introduction gran torino is a powerful drama film that portrays a mans journey in a crimeridden neighbourhood. Gran torino is a recent melodrama directed and starring clint eastwood about a man befriending a hmong family and saving them from the gang life ahead of the teenage hmong boy. Here suggests that the black and white logo shown links to the story of walt kowalski stuck in his mind of the 1950s and creates a instant mood of concealment for the film which slowly gives you the ide. Not only does gran torino illustrate the importance of helping others, but it also talks about overcoming prejudice.

Eastwood plays walt, a bitter old man with an ominous voice who is mourning the death of his wife. Cultural conflict occurs when different cultural values and beliefs clash. Gran torino opens with a shot of the protagonist clint eastwood, who also directed standing by his wifes coffin, looking more pissed than mournful. The film costars christopher carley, bee vang and ahney her. In the following text i will describe the main character of the film gran torino.

Walt was an american man and a korean war veteran who resided in a neighborhood that became inhabited by hmong families gran torino, 2008. Scene analysis of last scene in american soldier by rainer werner fassbinder. He was in the korean war and he is a bit racist and he has got prejudices against asian and black people. A former auto worker at ford, walt kowalski has just had to put his longtime wife to rest when the story opens. Summaries disgruntled korean war veteran walt kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, thao lor, a hmong teenager who tried to steal kowalskis prized possession. When his neighbor thao lor bee vang, a young hmong teenager under pressure from his gang member cousin, tries to steal his gran torino, kowalski sets out to reform the youth. Gran torino is a 2008 film that clint eastwood produced and starred in. Its purpose is to generate discussion based on social issues found.

Mar 20, 2018 gran torino, directed by and starring clint eastwood, is a dramatic film touching the subjects of racism, gangs, friendship, and death. To support this view, we show that the subject of the movie is the mechanical logic of violence, its evolution and the possible ways of stopping it. The film features a large hmong american cast, as well as one of eastwoods younger sons, scott. Although, some may say that gran torino may not be the greatest work by clint eastwood, i believe the film did a splendid job in terms of race issues. Stereotyping and gang violence are problemsbig problems, and they must be dealt with, but i find it very immature to think that a movie that slams stereotypes down your throat in an attempt to invalidate them is actually fighting against racism in any way. Gran torino film analysis the film, gran torino, crosses so many lines in mans inhumanity to man. This was eastwoods first starring role since 2004s million dollar baby. Walt has problems at first understanding the hmong culture, but as he gets to know his neighbors he understands that in a way they are no. Gran torino film opening analysis slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising.

Disgruntled korean war veteran walt kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, thao lor, a hmong teenager who tried to steal kowalskis prized possession. Gran torino 2008 analysis part 1 wace year 12 english. Detroit was the car capital of the usa in the 20th century. He is a korean war veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 gran torino he keeps in mint condition. He resides in a neighborhood that was once allwhite, but has since been populated by asian families. Gran torino 2008 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Film analysisgran torino essay to give a bit of an overview, the movie gran torino was directed and produced by clint eastwood who also starred in the movie. Analysis of the film gran torino directed by clint eastwood. Angry and sullen korean war veteran, walt kowalski, has to learn to live with his korean neighbors and accept that his neighborhood is in drastic need of change and cultural acceptance. Jun 10, 2012 in the movie, gran torino, the actual gran torino in the film serves two popular culturesrepresenting walts 1972 culture, and the current hmong gang culture. Gran torino is a brilliant movie from start to finish, i cant believe i waited so long to watch it, its completely different to what i expected, two thirds of the film had a very light tone at. An essay exploring how the beginning and end showed a change in a character for gran torino by clint eastwood. The film categorizes women as either materialistic and selfserving or as caring and strongwilled. Gran torino is a 2008 american drama film directed and produced by clint eastwood, who also starred in the film.

Sue, gran torino deftly addresses the issues of racism, life and death, the meaning of family, and redemption in a riveting manner. Youths have come to the city suburbs, leaving their aging parents behind. Clint eastwood tells of a korean war veteran whos the only american left living on the street while other families and people from different cultures move in around him. We described two religious conflicts and two conflicts based in age and race. Articles about the film gran torino found through the. December 1, 2012 in the movie gran torino, there are a number of identifiable cultural conflicts. Negative representation heavily uses older racist terms that may be better off in the past instead of being reinforced reinforces some asian stereotypes, e. Dec 01, 2012 gran torino film analysis donna crawford com40164 december 1, 2012.

Fans of him like these other characters in entertainment. One of the most obvious is during the scene where walt was invited to his neighbors house for a dinner. This report will analyze the movie, the gran torino, from an intercultural communication aspect. Gran torino gran torino is a film full of symbols of hope and redemption. They are a reflection of our traditions and our myths. Critical analysis essay on a movie gran torino by clint. Here is a spiritual drama that charts the transformation of a bigoted, lonely, and caustic old man into a neighbor with heart and a new mission to take care of sue and thao. The following is a list of significant characters who feature in the 2008 film gran torino, directed by clint eastwood casting calls were held in fresno, california, detroit, michigan, and saint paul, minnesota, from which eastwood selected ten hmong american lead actors and supporting actors. Get the knowledge you need in order to pass your classes and more. Articles about the film gran torino found through the academic search.

What other figure in the history of the cinema has been an actor for 53 years, a director for 37, won two oscars for direction, two more for best picture, plus the thalberg award, and at 78 can direct himself in his own film. To walt, the ford beauty represents what was, what was great, and the culture of both his and the cars heyday. From the epic hero to the antihero and post modern hero in literature, this libguide links to relevant resources for this course. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. While walking through the house with sue, he asked her why all of. The studies of jacques derrida, michael foucault, and jacques lacan inspire this critical analysis and its interpretations. An analysis of clint eastwoods films 2049 words bartleby. Its a simple story about tolerance and cultural differences, but also one of hope, selfsacrifice, and unlikely friendships. Gran torino gran torino is an american drama film, released in 2008 film directed and produced by and also starring clint eastwood. Film analysisgran torino essay example graduateway.

The film was chosen because it told a story about ones struggle with traditional practice, cultural diversity, gender roles, and the acceptance of others. Jul 16, 2018 part 1 of our analysis of gran torino, part of our how to pass year 12 english video series by serofox tutoring, based in perth, wa this video mostly goes through the main themes in the movie. This is a comprehensive analysis of the finger gun scene from clint eastwoods gran torino, one of his biggest hits. Gran torino analysis a reflection on cultural conflict and redemption introduction the 2008 movie gran torino starring clint eastwood is filled with an abundance of cultural diversity, which is met with much resistance, stereotype, and prejudice by the movies main character, walt kowalski. Investigating the selfrepresentation and the hegemonic portrayal of asian americans in film. Walt kowalski, an ironwilled and inflexible korean war veteran living in a changing world, is forced by his immigrant neighbors to confront his longheld prejudices. Film analysis en 4394 american hero and antihero blume. The following is a list of significant characters who feature in the 2008 film gran torino, directed by clint eastwood. Gran torino is directed by clint eastwood from a screenplay by nick schenk. Kowalski is a grumpy, toughminded, unhappy an old man, who cant get along with either his kids or his neighbors, a korean war veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 gran torino he. Clint eastwoods gran torino critical analysis essay example. Gran torino is a good example of a film that takes an unbiased look at race issues.

The studies of jacques derrida, michael foucault, and jacques lacan inspire this critical analysis. Angry and sullen korean war veteran, walt kowalski, has to learn to live with his korean neighbors and accept that his neighborhood is in drastic need of change and. The movie depicts realities for a variety of people and brings out truths that we are still faced with and forced to find ways to reconcile peacefully, or continue to experience worse consequences. Fords gran torino relives musclecar heyday wardsauto. Gran torino is not eastwoods best film as director or actor but it perfectly encapsulates his onscreen persona and his brilliant directorial career. This scene sets the stage for a series of events that begin to gradually chip away at an old mans hard exterior. Clint eastwoods grand torino 8 symbolic interactionism, functional analysis and conflict theory in gran torino symbolic interactionism with respect to symbolic interactionism, people build meaning to life through social interaction. Nov 22, 2010 gran torino film analysis posted on november 22, 2010 by nevnewton gran torino usa 2008. Gran torino starring clint eastwood was about a mans struggle in adapting to the changes in his environment when confronted by unfamiliar exposure to cultural differences.

Walt kowalski clint eastwood is a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his michigan neighborhood and the world around him. Symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and conflict theory in the film, gran torino 1773 words 7 pages. The movie, gran torino reflects a city in the middle of reducing autoindustrial activities. Gran torino transcultural analysis free essays, term papers. The movie is probably meant to take place in the outskirts of detroit for several reasons. Set in detroit, michigan it was the first mainstream u. Movie discussion guide connected teaching and learning. A group of hmong gang members rape and assaults thaos sister, then shoots up his home in retaliation of walters attack on one of the gang members. Film analysis gran torino sitting on the porch drinking beer, walt kowalski is seen taking care of a most prized possession, a 1972 ford gran torino. This scene takes an optimistic view of handling social issues, eastwood style.

T he ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a ketchupred 75 model with a white racing stripe was featured every week in the tv cop show starsky and hutch. Dirty harry on a pension, were thinking, until we realize that only the autoworker retired. Abstract films are an integral part of our visual culture. His doughy middleaged sons use japanese suvs to tote around disrespectful grandchildren who wear bellybaring shirts to their grandmothers funeral, then textmessage their way through the service. The protagonist, walt kowalski, a racist korean war veteran lived in a neighbourhood where the majority of the residences were of asian descent.