Twilight Los Angeles- The Film

In examining the film version of Twilight Los Angeles, one can first make general statements about what it brings to the overall understanding of the events.  Primarily, the visuals of both the riots themselves and the spoken interviews are incredibly powerful.  They bring a new element of comprehension to what each individual truly felt. The viewer can understand tiny details such as hand gestures or tonal changes as contributions to the overall message being sent.  Next, in the media coverage watched in class, the riots were portrayed as acts of violence by black people that affected nice people just trying to make it in Los Angeles.  But in both the interviews and images, it becomes even more apparent that this is untrue.  Not everyone on the street was a criminal or a black person looking for revenge.  And not everyone affected was identical to the Latino family depicted in the news.  Overall, the film made it possible to grasp these people's stories more completely.  The emotions felt are that much more real, and the intended message is easier to understand.  

To further the discussion, one can compare the interviews read in class to their physical manifestation on the screen.  First, the anonymous man who was on the jury can be looked at.  In the book, one sees that he is trying to hide out.  It is also clear that he is providing a commentary regarding the press and the way they should be doing their job.  Also, he provides a commentary about how everyone seems to be a juror in their own way.  It is necessary to question the sincerity of what he is saying and wonder what his overall message is.  When watching the film, a more complete story emerges.  The man cannot look at the camera and is almost in complete darkness.  His tone of voice is fairly monotonous as he struggles to get the words out.  The on screen portrayal paints him as a much more affected and real man, as he is emotional and clearly pained by what has happened.  While only part of his commentary is provided, his voice and delivery seem less accusatory than they appeared in the book.  In this case, the movie fills in the gaps by providing more concrete evidence.  The audience can understand better where an individual is coming from and what their tone really is.

Next, one can examine the character of the Hollywood Agent.  In the book version, he seems to demonstrate how the white middle class feels about what happened.  His guilt is described as generic, which points to his separation from what is going on (both literal and metaphorical).  He then seems to mock the reactions of the people around him, as they are reacting with a mass hysteria.  The agent includes himself in this through demonstrating an us versus them mentality, a fact that makes his words incredibly poignant.  He understands that so many people reacted to a situation that did not directly affect their lives in any real way.  So many others suffered physical and mental damage.  In the film, his thoughts are enhanced.  He talks about how so many people o not understand what guilt really is or what  is going on.  He admits to his distance from the danger and comes across as quite aware of the magnitude of the situation.  His narrative is an incredibly powerful one, something that came across as surprising.  In reading his thoughts, it was harder for me to grasp exactly what he was talking about and what the overall message was, due to the fact that his tone was hard to decipher.  But in hearing his words, it became clear that he understood the implications of what was happening.  Beyond just noting the immediate effects, the agent called into question the racial and economic inequality that is ever- present in Los Angeles.  

Another example of this lies in the character of Angela King.  In her written account, she talks about the paranoia she experiences and the overall effects of what has happened.  She speaks of past violence in her family, and much like her nephew Rodney King, calls to humanity.  An implication of her speech is that the racist Los Angeles she lives in is so different from what it was like when she was growing up.  Times have changed for the worse.  Angela also provides a commentary on the police and questions what they really stand for.  An essential theme in her narrative is the importance of perspective and positionality.  Where she stands, the story is incredibly different than how it would be for someone else.  In the film adaptation, she seems distracted while talking.  But more importantly,  she comes across as more put together and collected.  Her cynicism towards the system and the situation is also more pronounced.  Her portrayal was one of the more surprising ones, as her tone seemed to shift completely.  In the written word, she comes across as afraid and like she cannot ever escape what happened.  And while her feelings of anger do exist somewhat, in the film, this particular emotion is much more apparent.  She appears only remotely interested in what is being discussed, and, in turn, much less affected than it once seemed.  This particular instance points to the realities of a shift in medium: that what comes across in one form can be overshadowed by another completely different fact when portrayed in a different way.