The Last Samurai and Flames and Dangling Wire Free Essay Example

Composers have explored the challenges and obstacles faced by characters and the society. In the film ‘The Last Samurai’, directed by Edward Zwick and the poem ‘Flames and Dangling Wire’ by Robert Gray the composers have used techniques to make meaning, and have explored the challenges and obstacles faced by characters/society who change: firstly, through the past and the present; secondly; by the effect of external forces. Both composers have used techniques to convey that in order to move on from the past many challenges and obstacles may be faced.

In ‘The Last Samurai’ Algren’s past leads to him facing many challenges and obstacles.

For example: At the start of the film Algren in an alcoholic and depressed man who drinks to forget his past. He gets a lot of withdrawal symptoms and screams out for “saki”. Algren has a lot of trouble overcoming his past and this is shown through his facial expressions and attitude. The dark lightening, close-up shots of his face and the stance create the depressed atmosphere, which show how he is having trouble moving from the past.

The idea that the past moving on from the past involves many obstacles and challenges is also evident in ‘Flames and Dangling Wire’.

The composer (Robert Gray) shows how the past lead to a more modern/materialistic society. Robert Gray compares the old fashioned radio with its dangling wire and its voices still traveling around in the space, no longer being heard. “I notice an old radio, that spills?its dangling wire –?and I realize that somewhere the voices it received?are still travelling.

Dark imagery has been used in this quote, showing a future challenge that our world is headed to be nothing but a wasteland of things that no longer work.

In both “The Last Samurai” and in “Flames and dangling wire” it is shown that moving on from the past may involve many challenges and obstacles leading to change. Another way composers have explored the challenges and obstacles faced by the characters that change is through the effect of external influences. The Samurai village plays a vital role in the character change in Algren. Once Algren arrives at the Samurai village he has a lot of trouble forgetting the western way of life and accepting the Samurai way of life.

For example when he walks into the house without taking his shoes off, he doesn’t honor or respect their culture. Accepting the samurai way of life and forgetting the western is a obstacle for Algren which is shown through the cuts from shot to shot and dialogue. The dialogue highlights the anguish that Algren holds. Effect of external forces and the challenges/obstacles this may lead to is also shown in “Flames and Dangling Wire”. In “Flames and Dangling Wire” the society acts as an external force. Robert Gray talks about how we dump rubbish and the effect it has on the environment.

Robert Gray is trying to show the future challenges and obstacles we may face as a consequence of this. “Forking over rubbish on the dampened fires”. This is symbolism showing that we may one day pick at the remnants our long lost culture. In “The Last Samurai” and in “Flames and Dangling Wire” the society is an external force through which the obstacles and challenges are presented. Moving from the past to the present and the effect of external forces plays a vital role in exploring the challenges and obstacles faced by the characters/society that changes.

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