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Directed by: Adam Ripp Starring: Trivell, Darontay McClendon, Darris Love, Don Campbell Adam Ripp's Gang Tapes is probably the first film to not only use a handheld DV camcorder, but to incorporate its use into the plot of the movie. The film opens with the father of a typical white, suburban family filming their vacation in L.A. We see everything from his perspective. When the family takes a wrong turn into an inner city neighboorhood, their car is stolen, along with their camcorder. Thus, the perspective changes from "middle class vacation" to "inner city life." The viewer gets a glimpse of this life from varying perspectives, but the main character of the film is clearly Kris (Trivell). The handheld DV camcorder takes us from his initiation into the gang, to the first time he fires a gun, and to his first experience with sex. His mentor, Alonzo (Love), slowly immerses him into gang culture. The events of the film unfold in chronological order, as the characters experience them. The result is a film that feels more like a documentary than a drama. The performances are strong all around. Ripp alleges that he pulled several of the actors straight from real L.A. gangs, and some of the performances display such a high level of authenticity as to actually fully immerse you in the graphic events captured by the camera's lens. The film's ethos is built by Ripp's willingness to depict graphic violence exactly as it would appear on camera. There is no cutting away from it, no censoring the things that take place on screen. Although quite authentic, and brutal to watch, Gang Tapes is far from perfect. Kris' rise from gang initiate to full fledged gang member seems too sudden. Quite simply, the film is too short, constantly leaving the viewer wanting more. It's also difficult to identify with the internal conflicts of many of the characters because you have no backstory. All the information the viewer gets about each character comes from their words and actions. Ripp's clever use of DV format cannot be overlooked, but the film is not without its problems. Many of them can be attributed to Ripp's desire for an authentic, documentary-style film. While he succeeds for the most part, it is at the sacrifice of character depth, most prominently with the character of Kris. PROS: The use of CONS: Kris' character arc spirals downward a little too fast ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: If you liked Boyz N the Hood, you should buy this film in a heartbeat. Rabid Koala fucked around with this message at 05:25 on May 4, 2004 |
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May 4, 2004 03:56
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| # ? Apr 27, 2024 13:53 |
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