America's Changing "Enemies" - Michael O'Neill

OPENING: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bls1KKDwmo - “Jaguar – Good to be bad”]

PRESENTER: After watching the clip is it possible that, perhaps through the teaching of history in schools, Americans have a brooding resentment of the lordly way we used to rule our colonies there, and the 'taxation without representation' that led to the Boston Tea Party and the American War of Independence?  Some would consider the previous quote “far fetched”? However by simply watching the film Braveheart it is clear that the people of Scotland are still angry at the “English” due to the events that happened at the war of Scottish independence in 1296 - 1328

(INSERT IMAGE OF KING EDWARD OF ENGLAND FROM BRAVEHEART)

PRESENTER: As you can see from the image King Edward is represented as a stereotypical king: he is old looking; his crown is clearly “paraded”. However the crown itself is bare, this is because is most films crowns are often decorated with many extravagant jewels, this is done to show power and wealth. The fact that Edward’s crown is bare suggests that (in the eyes of the director – the controversial Mel Gibson) Edward possesses the least amount of power in the film. To emphasis that the “English” are the enemy in the film Mel Gibson ensured that the English looked weak. This was done through the usage of costume: king Edward is dressed in high amounts of armor and chainmail, in the image you can also see that Edward has a fighter (whom is also very well “protected”) standing behind him wielding a large weapon.

(INSERT IMAGE OF WILLIAM WALLACE)

PRESENTER: Now we have William Wallace, the hero of the movie. The first thing I noticed is that the films director Mel Gibson cast himself as the lead, the sheer fact that Gibson portrayed Wallace backs up my original point that from a young age the American children are taught that the English are the enemy and the deniers of their freedom and independence. Unlike King Edward, William Wallace is shown using little to no forms of armor (to suggest to the audience Gibson’s belief that ones love for their country is stronger than all forms of armor). Gibson also ensures that in several scenes Wallace’s face is painted in the colours of the Scottish flag (blue and white).