HSC English Prescribed Text Analysis

Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom

Area of Study: Belonging

An Analysis for HSC English (Standard) and HSC English (Advanced)

Anthony Bosco

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Close Analysis of Strictly Ballroom

00:00:20 – The soundtrack choice of the “Blue Danube”, the most recognisable of all

traditional waltz tunes, begins playing against a black screen. Immediately, the

responder is immersed in a world of glamour and romanticism. The exclusive nature

of this community is symbolised by the red theatrical curtain which slowly appears as

a fade-in (approx. 25secs).

00:00:45 – The red theatrical curtain parts and the responder is invited in, is asked to

belong, to the community of ballroom dancing.

00:00:52 – 00:01:22– A slow upward tilt reveals a full shot of silhouetted dancers.

The silhouetting is a technique used to show their congruency with the surroundings

and is a potent symbol of how deeply they belong to this community. The dancers

move elegantly in slow motion, conveying their grace and confidence. Costuming is

used to symbolise their belonging and sense of solidarity; the men are dressed in

identical suits – a uniform – and the women are dressed in similar, although different

coloured, gowns of great extravagance. The body language of the men and the

physical exchanges of hand-slapping are also employed as symbolic actions denoting

solidarity, acceptance, recognition and friendship. As the soundtrack changes to a

more enlivened tune at 1min, 22secs the power relationships and hierarchy between

the four dancers is revealed. Scott Hastings uses a single hand-gesture to control the

actions of the remaining three, getting them all into line, and he is the first to move

towards camera. All these actions communicate the characters enthusiasm to

conform to prescribed actions, rituals and an established power hierarchy in

exchange for acceptance and adulation within the community of ballroom dancing.

00:01:30 – A freeze frame mid-shot of Scott and Liz in the foreground, with Wayne

and Vanessa in the background, shows their happiness upon entering the dancing

arena; a joy which epitomises their sense of belonging at this point in the film.

00:01:31 – The slow-motion montage, containing many identical shots of different

dancers, evinces an even deeper sense of belonging to the community. The dancers

dance identical steps, the costuming are of a highly similar nature, and the

expression of each dancer’s face is one of forced and disingenuous happiness. The

women wear make-up of an exaggeratedly feminine and cartoonish nature, which is

a symbol of the suppression of their individuality beneath a literal and metaphorical

“mask”. The men, too, wear make up to conceal their uniqueness. The lighting of the

scene is gaudy, conveying a sense of the scene’s artificiality and the falseness of

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those participating in it. A close-up of Shirley Hastings shows the responder that

even those who are non-competitors must uphold the appearance of hyperbolic

femininity, through costume and make-up, if they wish to remain an accepted

member of the group. Of great significance is Shirley exclamation: “Come on, a

hundred!” The reduction of an individual’s uniqueness and individuality to a number

is a potent symbol of the need to suppress any semblance of self-expression in order

to achieve acceptance within the community of ballroom dancing.

00:02:30 – At this point the film changes to a docu-drama style. It is an interior mid-

shot. The use of props and colour choices conveys the dominance of Shirley within

the family, which is reinforced the body language of Shirley and Doug on the couch.

Shirley’s direct-to-camera monologue rapidly informs the responder of vital

information regarding Scott’s background, which is necessary to understand the

significance of his upcoming rebellion against the established order. Shirley’s

hyperbolic sadness over her son’s rebellion clearly defines the values and attitudes

of the community as being ruthlessly competitive. Luhrmann uses a series of cross-

cuts, back and forth from the dance arena to the interior of the Hastings home.

00:03:00 – The low angle close-up of “Federation President Barry Fife” establishes

his important and power at the pinnacle of the ballroom dancing community’s

power hierarchy.

00:03:08 – The extreme eye-level close-up of the announcer promoting Barry Fife’s

video “Dance to Win”, which is also shown is the frame, further emphasises the

ruthlessly competitive vales and attitudes of the community.

00:05:00 – The cross-cut montage now includes a direct-to-camera interview with

Les Kendall, Scott’s coach. Luhrmann extends the range of achronological interviews

in order to explain to the responder the significance of what they are seeing; as

newly inducted members of the ballroom dancing community we, the responders,

must be initiated by having the values and attitudes of the community clearly

defined for us and the established order of authority explicated. Les Kendall explains

the “boxed-in” scenario that affected Scott and Liz, and then goes on to pass

judgement upon Scott’s reaction in accordance with the establishment’s values and

attitudes, ie. Conformity, uniformity and obedience. It also quite clearly illustrates

how thin the veneer of solidarity and friendship between community members is,

especially in the pejorative exchange between Liz and Pam: “Piss off!”

00:05:41 – The addition of a high angle full shot of Liz Holt to the ongoing cross-cut

montage establishes further the values and attitudes of the male-dominated