Worksheet : Film Study of Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party
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The Birthday Party
The Birthday Party” is a play written in three acts by Harold Pinter and known as second full lengths play written in 1957 by him. Harold Pinter’s first full-length play established his trademark “Comedy of menace” in which character is suddenly threatened by the vague horrors at large in the outside world.
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The plot revolves around the life of Stanley Webber who lives in boarding house and showcases how his life is being disturbed by the unexpected arrival of two mysterious and sinister stranger called Goldberg and McCann, who terrorize him and eventually take him away. Besides being a play, “The Birthday Party” is a 1968 British drama film directed by William Fiendkin based on the 1957 play “The Birthday Party” by Harold Pinter. The screenplay of the film was also done by Harold Pinter himself as well. At the same time it’s impossible to imagine a better film of Pinter’s play than this sensitive, disturbing version directed by William Fiendkin.
The play, and the film “The Birthday Party” both are
considered greatest examples of “comedy of menace”, a
genre
associated with Harold Pinter.
Why are two scenes of Lulu omitted from the movie?
In the play we there are scene of Lulu in which a kind of sexual attack happen on her, it happen twice with her. But these scenes are omitted from the movie. As a part of audience we may interpret it in different ways but its become difficult to know the intention of director behind omitting these scenes from movie. Rather in the movie we can see that Lulu is willingly flirting with Goldberg. Here if we try to read it through feminist lens it can be interpreted as director did not want to portray female character-Lulu as being victim of this act. It also seems that director tries to justify the act by doing this as well.
Is movie successful in giving us the effect of menace? Where you able to feel it while reading the text?
A comedy of menace is a term used to describe the plays of David Campton and Harold Pinter by drama critic Irving Wardle. A comedy of menace, what we mean by this term is that, it is a tragedy with number of comic elements. While watching the movie I certainly felt the effect of menace. It can be felt in use of pauses and dialogues of characters as well. There is a scene in which Goldberg and MacCann asked a torrent of questions to Stanley, at that time use of pauses and expressions of Stanley give effects of menace. The use of unnecessary or rather seems stupid questions gives comic and threating effects at the same time. This effect is conveyed stronger in the movie which may not possible in reading of the play. A visualization always gives strong effects than only reading. In reference to this the use of pause and silence may not give that effect in reading which we can get while watching the movie.
Do you feel the effect of lurking danger while viewing the movie? Where you able to feel the same while reading the text?
Yes, while watching the movie I feel the effect of lurking at
certain scenes. At the very first place when Stanley was beating a drum very harshly and we almost feel that its going to be broken because of heavy beaten. This sound of beating drum gives a sign that something dangerous may happen. Along with it a game of blind man’s buff gives a terror feeling and it is followed by the screaming of Lulu which pinpoints that something terror would have to be happen. The scene when Stanley hide in kitchen also gives a terror feeling while watching the movie.
How does viewing movie help in better understanding of the play ‘The Birthday Party’ with its typical characteristics (like painteresque, pause, silence, menace, lurking danger)?
As the audio visual format gives a great impact rather than to only reading. In the same way the movie, “The Birthday Party” helps in better understanding of the play with its typical characteristics such as painteresque, pause, silence, menace, lurking danger and so on. These all are the characteristics not able to create such effects in reading which we can feel in watching the movie. As a general characteristic of Pinter’s play here we find a use of two pauses; one when no word is spoken and the other when perhaps a torrent of language is being employed. This could only be felt in viewing movie, its not possible to feel while reading the play. So we can say that complete satisfaction of all characteristics are possible while viewing the movie only not only by reading it.
With which of the following observations you agree:
“It probably wasn't possible to make a satisfactory film of "The Birthday Party."
“It's impossible to imagine a better film of Pinter's play than this sensitive, disturbing version directed by William Friedkin”[3]. (Ebert)
I am agree with the second observation that,
“It's impossible to imagine a better film of Pinter's play than this sensitive, disturbing version directed by William Friedkin”[3]. (Ebert)
If you were director or screenplay writer, what sort of difference would you make in the making of movie?
If I am director or screenplay writer I would like to do several changes in the movie. First of all I would like to add some more tension in the plot and i will also show the struggle of Lulu while she is being sexually abused , because in the movie only the voice of Lulu resisting is heard nothing else.
Who would be your choice of actors to play the role of characters?
The following mentioned Bollywood actors should be my choice if I have to choose actors for “The Birthday Party” play…
Stanley : Viki Kaushal
Goldberg: Pankaj Tripathi
MacCann: Navazuddin Siddiqui
Lulu: Rasika Duggal
Meg: Divya Datta
Petey: Ronit Roy
THANK YOU....
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