Django Unchained 2012- Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino highlights issues around racism in many of his films and Django Unchained is one of these films.

Set in 1858 America, Django Unchained follows the story of a slave; Django, who teams up with Dr. King Schultz to find his wife and escape slavery. In America in the late 1800’s, slavery was beginning to be recognised as wrong and anti-slavery acts were beginning to appear. Dr. Schultz could be interpreted as the free states in the North. When he stops the group of slaves, he seems trusting of the slaves. He trusts one of them with a rifle. This simple act of trust can unfold a part of his personality for the audience and show that he views black people different to the slave owners, he sees them as people no different to him. He could be representative of the freedom states in America as he gives the protagonist a sense of freedom, he lets him ride alongside him and wear good quality clothes. Despite “owning” Django, he makes fair deals with him, allows him to get his revenge and allows him his freedom.

Tarantino represents the effects of oppression on the slaves. When Dr. Schultz stops the group of slaves, the slaves do not say anything. Despite showing them kindness and killing their owners, the slaves look like they almost don’t trust him. This can be representation of the effects of slavery had on the slaves, how it took away any confidence or trust. Later on in the film the audience can see the type of treatment that the slaves would get, helping the audience to understand why the slaves didn't say anything. Therefore, showing not only the treatment of slaves, but the effects it can have on someone thats been through slavery. 

Django was the only slave that talked at the beginning of the film. This was an effective way of showing the audience who the protagonist is. The instant connection that Dr. Schultz and Django have also foreshadows the fact that they stick together for the rest of the film. The theme of friendship runs through the film, represented through Django and Dr. Shultz. The friendship between the two is unusual in the time the film was set in. Representing the theme of friendship through these two characters, shows the audience the struggle of being accepted as a free black man during the late 1800's. It also shows the contrast between people who can't accept black people and people who can. 

Christoph Waltz stars in this film, a common trait in many of Tarantino films. Tarantino keeps up his typical traits in Django Unchained, such as over the top gore and light humour in a film about a serious topic. The mix of the over the top gore and the light humour coincide to effectively shock the audience, making them more involved in violent scenes, but flip it around and make it more lighthearted and less shocking by involving the light humour.