How does Peter Medak create sympathy for Derek Bentley in his 1991 film “let him have it”.
The first point of how he creates sympathy would be the music and the sounds because right at the beginning before any visual except from the credits there is slow quiet daunting music in the background which slowly gets louder with only one instrument, the piano. This informs us that there is going to be something sad about to happen. Which is true and it starts with sirens and screams and shouting which also lets us know that there is a scary or frightening issue happening and gains our sympathy as we are now aware people are in danger. This piece of music that appeared at the beginning is replayed throughout the film at the most important parts like when he is hung. There is also another point about the music as during the gun fight on top of the roof there is no music so as the viewers can focus on the actions and thoughts of Derek Bentley. The silence to me resembles the fact that he is confused and has no idea what he is doing.
The next important point would be the camera shots these are used right from the beginning of the film right up until the end where the clock is zoomed onto. In the opening scene the first camera shot is a panning view of a town that has been destroyed by what looks like bombs which the viewers would link to war, there is then a mix of close ups on people who have been injured and the fire which has just started in the street. These shots have been building up the sympathy by showing how scared the people are and building the viewers up for the end of the scene where we see very close up a young boy unknown to the viewers yet but is Derek Bentley trapped under fallen bricks and parts of buildings we also see that he has blood down the side of his face. This situation is key in the film as it is when we first see Derek and makes us feel sorry because of the problem he has had at such a young age, then he has an epileptic fit when the torch...