Genre

Crime/Gangster                                  

The Conventions

• Often highlights the life of a crime lord/victim
• Often set in big cities and portrays the gritty crime underworld in contrast to the glitz and glamour of the city like the nightclubs, fast cars and sophisticated women
• Glorifies the rise and success of a crime lord or highlights the downfall of someone who is a victim of crime
• A series of small crimes occur before an eventual big crime which is usually the main crime in the film e.g bank robbery, murder, kidnapping etc.
• Sometimes separate stories in the film eventually intertwine with each other to conclude the film
• Usually a power struggle occurs or someone tries to takeover the kingpin in the movie 
• Sometimes two enemies or rival gangs must work together in order to take down the "bad guy"
• Usually concludes with a big shootout in which the main character either dies or survives and gets away before any police arrive with a substantial amount of money  

"Scarface"

"Scarface" depicts the rise and fall of a Cuban immigrant living in Miami, FL. Tony Montana arrives as an immigrant with nothing to his name but uses crime to make money and eventually build an empire. This film stereotypes the "Gangster/Crime" particularly well because it follows the life of someone who has nothing but uses crime to acquire money, women and wealth but is eventually caught up with by the life of crime. The film shows the rise and fall of a crime lord which is usually a convetion for a crime/gangster movie.

"Cartlio's Way"

Carlito's Way is a film about a former gangster (Carlito Brigante) who escapes 30 years in prison thanks to his corrupt lawyer, David Kleinfeld. The film is about how Brigante wants to escape his past and turn his life around but the glamour of the life of crime continues to pull him back in. This again depicts the genre well because it shows how no matter how hard someone tries to escape their past, the benefits of a life of crime are just too much to resist. The film portrays his life as very glamorous as Brigante is usually in expensive night clubs, dressed in expensive suits and accompanied by sophisticated women, all stereotypical conventions of a crime film.

"Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels"


"Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels" is a film about 4 friends who find themselves in debt to a crime lord over a game of card. They must find £500,000 within a week or they could be facing the worse. Although the film has a comedic side it still represents the genre well by showing how sometimes crime is sometimes the only answer when you need money fast. The film portrays many violent (although, lighthearted) scenes which is stereotypical for a movie of this genre.