Madi Gainsford

3.9 Essay- V for Vendetta

The film V for Vendetta, directed by James McTigue shows the power of ideas utilising the cinematography techniques of symbolism and diegetic sound. Britain has become ethically, socially and sexually cleansed, what is left is a country sleepwalking away from freedom. The symbols of the colour red, V’s mask and the letter V in association with the diegetic sound and dialogue work in conjunction to support the directors intention of showing the power of ideas. The entirety of the film is highly emotive and triggers many responses from a viewer’s perspective with the ideas presented using things that viewers have seen or know about.

The dominoes scene is one of two scenes that presents the directors intention of the film as a whole. The colour red is so dominant as it is involved in many other symbols throughout the film such as the Scarlet Carsons, V symbol and blood. The colour red is symbolic of rebellion against injustice in the dominoes scene. Red is often portrayed with violence, evil and blood shed. In the past, red was often used as a colour for political parties to represent their ideologies. Soviet Russia’s communist party used red, a show for the blood of the workers and the red army that was fighting the war. It is a striking colour that has a lot of passion about it. Historically a symbol for the japanese was the red Rising Sun flag that the military used as it meant strength and self defence. As a viewer we are faced with this colour often and with different meanings and in the film it is ironic how the government uses red to show strength and unity yet V uses red for his ambition for rebellion. V is violent with hatred and anger which fuels his “fire” to blow up parliament.
The act of vandalism is a small but ever increasing sight in V for Vendetta as V uses the inverted anarchy symbol in red. As V’s symbol is very similar it captures some of the same ideas that anarchists believe in such as advocating a self governed society so therefore promoting more freedom. Freedom is a main idea of V’s, he wants the people to fight for freedom as they have become too accustomed to a leaders control and domination. People hold the ability to set themselves free, people are the idea as one they are the movement this is the symbol of the V. The symbol is red for the colour of invasion on the government, his anger and revenge, it is V’s mark of rebellion against the Norsefire party.
Most significantly is the red dominoes in the shape of the V symbol. As a viewer we already feel anxious as V places the dominoes down we are uncertain of what they will do. A montage of Finch explaining his epiphany and scenes of the V symbol. “It was like a perfect pattern laid out in front of me” all in red, the number 5 as a roman numeral, the dominoes, the fireworks from the Old Bailey and on the Chancellor’s poster. As they fall the directors intention to show the power of ideas is conveyed. Each domino representing a member of his rebellion. The sound as they fall is emphasised with the use of riot footage to show the rebellion is making the government fall. It overlaps the noise of people, gunshots and yelling, the piercing sound is louder than words. V’s presence in society is overpowering much like the sound. The power of V’s vendetta against the government is so strong with the flick of a finger all the dominoes fall down.

The dominoes scene has a very influential moment with V’s mask as he distributes the mask and his outfit to the entire city but it is a robust symbol in the final fight scene also. The mask is recognisable as the “Guy Fawkes” mask, a 16th century activist who planned to blow up parliament and failed. V wears this mask to capture Guy Fawkes spirit and 400 years later and Guy Fawkes idea is still powerful in V’s eyes. V continues to carry out his plan with the ideologies of freedom. The difference between V and Guy Fawkes is that he gained the support of the people which helped him. V wanted the totalitarian regime, under the control of Chancellor Sutler to understand that “people shouldn’t be afraid of their governments but that governments should be afraid of their people”. V’s mask is part of the prevailing idea that he himself represents. V is the ignition of the rebellion against the government, the people get on board as they feel they cannot jeopardise their families and future for the mask brings the element of anonymity. This is also why V is does not feel frightened because he embodies the idea and the rebellion rather than an unmasked fighter. In today’s world we see this through the use of technology with the ability to sign a petition or make a post hiding behind a screen; the mask of the internet is what we as viewers can relate to. If our governing body gained too much power or we wanted to take a stand against something with the power of the internet’s mask it is possible to do so.

The masks anonymity is a powerful symbol, together with the dialogue, “beneath this mask there is more than flesh, beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof.” sums up the directors intention of the power of ideas. Even if Creedy had killed V, his idea was indestructable because it lives on with Evey and the rest of the country. As he says this the audience finally understand the “why” behind V’s purpose. Why he caused so many plots, so much terror but equally so much justice for the people. Whilst V may have hidden himself he exposed the government and their undertakings. V takes the governments heads on himself in the final fight scene. Emphasised is the sound of V’s knives as they are thrown, slice and stab the soldiers. The sound is slowed, guns are always heard but never knives. V often uses knives and in this scene their emphasis shows how he has gained more power through his idea. The power of his idea cannot be shot but it can kill. As he is no longer his human self his idea for freedom is strong enough to stop the government. A young girl from sweden named Greta is a lot like V in some ways. She has got so many more people to realise that the governments around the world are not doing anything to help climate change. Her idea has sparked global strikes from school children and others to realise that something needs to be done. The power of her idea has no intention to kill but as an idea it will not die until climate change is fixed. In our society Greta exhibits traits of V as she does not want to stop until a change is made. 

“V for Vendetta” directed by James McTigue, shows the power of ideas utilising various cinematography techniques of diegetic sound, dialogue and symbolism in two key scenes; the dominoes scene and the final fight scene. Ideas can change the world, they can allow people to rethink and transform their lives. V created his own rebellion with ideas also surrounding freedom, justice and the ability to have anonymity to fight against the governing body. In history and today’s society e have seen things that reflect this film with its symbolism and characters. Viewers may feel that their ideas are no longer useless because the energy that made them can never be destroyed, once the ideas are full of their power they continue to be lit. 

“What was done to me created me. It’s a basic principle of the universe that every action will create an equal and opposing reaction… What was done to me was monstrous. And they created a monster.”