Black Detective Films

THESIS: In Hollywood detective film, the black detective is successful when they are isolated, deprived of action, and denied any romance or sexuality.

Detective Lt. William Somerset (Seven)
Alonzo Harris (Training Day)

Agency:
Extremely experienced and efficient homicide detective. He is a cerebral man, and as such, he is methodical in his methods.
Agency with the police department and Mills.
Agency over the other cops
Library scene

Authority:
Somerset has been in the police force for years, so he holds authority over the younger cop, Mills

Skills:
Deduction, overly observant
Figuring out the painting was upside down
Considerably experienced as a detective from his mere 50 years in the force
Somerset also carries a switch blade that he doesnt use all that often.
Speaks the the old-fashioned style of Somerset
Solution:

Scene #1:

Scene #2

Agency:
Alonzo seemingly has a foot hold in every corner of the city
He mentions his dealing with the Russians, gangsters, and police authority, Jake.
He looks down upon the other people in his community when driving through the neighbourhood
Alonzo has so much confidence in himself he carries himself as untouchable and inevitable

Authority:
Alonzo holds authority over Jake Hoyt. Alonzo poses as his superior, testing him throughout the day
The crime-riddled streets. Alonzo talks to various gang members
Holds authority of the petty criminals working around the streets
Do you want to go to jail? Or do you want to go home?
Skills:
Master of deception and manipulation
Empathpic towards new faces and familiar people
Threating and always chastiszing
Thorough understanding of Jake, and many other characters, motives and world views.
Extreme confidence and certainty in his actions
Lack of remorse or fear
Greedy: Cheats on his wife with a mistress, dons excessive amounts jewellery

Solution:

Scene #1:

Scene #2:

How each film addresses the core themes of the genre
How each detective solves the case
How these films represent a specific trend in the genre
How each film connects to a broader context (industrial, social, political, economic)

Training Day
Alonzo
Self-employed
My way or the high way
Common Arictype seen in Police Detective films
Wearing all black clothing and jewelry, guns attached at the hip with two holsters
Always challenging Ethan Hawke, attempting to one-up him every chance he gets
Condensing, physiological warfare
Ideas of Justice
Alonzo uses fear, intimidation, and deception to bring justice
When he intimidates the college students in the car
Slow corruption of Alonzo over the years
Beat a Russian to death and now owes them 1 million
Alonzo is unhinged and angry
Alonzo was just like Jake when he started
Alonzo perceives himself as untouchable
He looks down upon the other people in his community when driving through the neighbourhood
Alonzo has so much confidence in himself he carries himself as untouchable and inevitable

Traits
Master manipulation and deception
Gets to understand Jake, develops a greater understanding of how Jake sees the world just to manipulate him to do what he wants
In tune with the minds of others, bringing them to do what he wants
Threats, chastisement
Extreme confidence in his abilities exudes confidence and power.
Do you want to go to jail? Or do you want to go home?
Pushing them into doing exactly what he wants
Lack of remorse and lack of fear in the face of danger
Has no guilt
Greed
Nice cars, jewellery, cheating on his wife

Somerset
Calm, cool, calculated, meticulous
Wears sharp white button-up and clean black ties
Plays chess in his perfectly organized and neat home
Never talking to much, keeps to himself
Leaning on the idea of retirement
Convinced he’s going to retire, feels pushed back by his superior
Been through it all these years, a veteran of his craft
Worn down from the day to day
I don’t want to live in a place that embraces and nurtures apathy as if it was some virtue
Lost costs, it takes effort and work
The problem with people is that they dont care
Repulsed by the city just like the Killer, john Doe

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