How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques?

Matieu Kassovitz' 1996 'La Haine' is a film based upon 3 young males and their struggles living in an underclass society. Kassovitz uses a narrative of time which we are able to see through a number of different techniques. The main technique used to show time passing is the non diegetic sound and the digital clock on screen showing the time in between scenes. Through the use of the time we are able to conclude that these characters possibly have a lot of time and they aren't doing anything with it. This may also connote the idea of a countdown to the end of the film and ultimately the end of the characters' lives. We see many shots of the characters sitting around doing nothing as the time passes them by.

Another way in which we see the time passing is through the use of camera work. When the 3 main characters are in the estate, they stop and listen to the sound of 'Mohammed's' motorbike, as this is happening the camera tracks at 360 degrees around them which connotes the idea of time passing and a cyclical nature.
The distinct use of frequent distorted camera angles suggest many hyper-realist notions within the film. For example when we see the television crew filming the three, they are physically at a higher point than the three which connotes the idea of their power. The idea of hyper realism comes into effect with the shots where we can see through the camera lens of the television crew. When this is happening three are seen being aggressive which ultimately is how society sees the people within the estate. The film was filmed in colour but produced in black and white. The use of black and white connotes the idea of that the world and its issues are not just black and white- there are grey areas; just as black and white filming is visually - there are grey areas. The use of this focuses primarily upon race and class issues. Hubert and Said in particular have issues with racism due to the fact some African countries were colonised by France, resulting in the estate in which they live inhabiting sixty different nationalities.

In the final scene we see a shot of a building with French philosopher Charles Baudelaire's portrait painted on it. Baudelaire said "the world only goes round by misunderstanding". This quote supports the semantic field of the film as it is directly referencing time and its passing.
The many different uses of key mise-en-scene suggests and supports many different aspects of the characters' lives. We see things such as marijuana merchandise plotted around Vinz' room strongly suggests he has involvement in drugs, marijuana in particular.