Mark Kermode’s Secrets of Cinema – Episode 2 ‘The Heist’ REVIEW

mark kermode's secrets of cinema

Pulling off the perfect heist is never an easy task. It takes planning, skilled individuals and a smoothness that lets you get out of any situation. Similarly when making a heist film it can be just as tough. In Episode 2 of Mark Kermode’s Secrets of Cinema, he delves deep into the vault to find out how to make the perfect heist film from the mastermind all the way down to the getaway.

Kermode talks deeply on the way in which Hollywood has always been obsessed with crime. The noir genre was at one point one of the most popular in America which saw classics like The Asphalt Jungle (1950). By breaking down this film it’s possible to see the basic template of a heist. From the setup, to the crew assembly, all the way to the getaway, heist films can be predictable. However, by using the genre conventions and adding their own spins to the genre, directors are able to create unique stories that look at morality, issues on race and poverty.

the asphalt jungle

Dead Presidents (1995) is one such film which Kermode looks at in Episode 2. He talks deeply on how the African American leads are forced in to the life of crime after having served in the war. He draws particular attention to a cut that sees a young man running down the street and as he passes by the film cuts to him running in the jungle while serving at war.

With Kermode at the helm, we are treated to a great amount of detail on the heist films of different eras. With so much experience within the industry of Cinema, he is able to perfectly compare the likes of Ocean’s Eleven (2001) with The League of Gentlemen (1960). He looks at the way the masterminds, like Danny Ocean (George Clooney), are able to be both lovable and criminal all at once. Think Robin Hood in a fancy suit.

He even speaks on the sexism that can be found in classic heist films. Women are often relegated to the femme fatale role or as a prize for the male protagonist, given little more than a side role to showcase their talent. But with the likes of Bound (1996), directed by the Wachowskis, we see the roles reversed and shows that with the right people behind the camera it’s possible to give a fresh spin on any character. By playing with our expectations we are given an experience which breaks the rules and can surprise and excite us. Women can star as the leads and show that they are just as capable at pulling off a heist as their male counterparts.

bound Gina Gershon Jennifer Tilly

Kermode breaks down the ever-present tropes of the genre such as the mastermind, the team and the plan – without these you would be hard to even identify it as a heist. He looks at the way that during the planning stage during Inception (2010) Christopher Nolan places the camera at eye level, making us feel a part of the team. We feel like we are a crew member with such a simple camera placement and Kermode explains that to us wonderfully.

He even shows how the big bankers do their plans. We have characters, address the audience directly, breaking the fourth wall and again putting us in to the action. Such a smart way to entice your audience and get them invested by making them feel complicit in the heist. The likes of The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) and The Big Short (2015) are perfect examples of this. Morally, you can hardly agree with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort (or indeed the real-life Belfort), but with the charisma and the way they pitch to us, you almost feel ready to take on the world with them.

With so much detail packed in to these episodes and suggestions on classics and modern hits, Kermode with this show is creating a dream board for directors and film fans alike. You can easily pick any of the films spoken about within the show, but with all the mentions of personal favourites like Sexy Beast (2000) and Good Time (2017), this episode has been right up my alley. With so many new suggestions I can’t wait to increase my own knowledge of the heist film.

Mark Kermode’s Secrets of Cinema is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now. Episode 3 – Coming of Age is available from next Tuesday at 9pm GMT. Check out our reviews of the previous episodes in this series here.

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mark kermode's secrets of cinema
Verdict
Another incredible episode in the series, Kermode has been able to break down the tropes of the heist film in great detail. I would love to hear more from him on films outside of Hollywood as the brief mention of Internal Affairs doesn’t give justice to this great genre.
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