Dirty Laundry is a short film based on the Punisher comic by Marvel, but more significantly is a follow-up from the Thomas Jane/John Travolta film which was made a decade ago. The film was produced by Adi Shankar, who had a reputation for producing successful R rated films, and is one of the youngest directors ever to realise an independent film into the box office. His work includes those such as The Grey, Lone Survivor and the Dredd reboot. Dirty Laundry is seen as a "bootleg" follow up to the film, as Marvel Studios still owns the rights to the movie.
However, as quoted by the main actor Thomas Jane: "I wanted to make a fan film for a character I've always loved and believed in – a love letter to Frank Castle & his fans. It was an incredible experience with everyone on the project throwing in their time just for the fun of it. It's been a blast to be a part of from start to finish; we hope the friends of Frank enjoy watching it as much as we did making it.", we can see it was more of a homage to the The Punisher and was not produced for profit.
The serving purposes of this short film are:
- Establish the character of the Punisher. Parallel his current life in comparison to the life he had in the previous film.
- Show his character development. The Punisher himself is shown to have a slightly different personality, erring away from his vigilante life at first.
- Pay as a homage to the fans of the film and comic. It was shown at the San Diego comic con, which implies this - as well as Thomas Jane's statement.
The timpani drum carries on going while the follow up shots post-establishing shot compliment the importance of the van. This is done through close ups, while still retaining the gritty filter. The music itself begins a crescendo and a close up is taken of Thomas Jane's face. There is slight graphic contrast as the filter itself is juxtaposed with the natural light from the window and the darkness inside the van so it looks slightly different - not noticeably however.
While the music reaches a crescendo through a violin and the volume itself increases over the diagetic sound itself, more non-diagetic sound is used from a sounds of a young child saying "Daddy" which is relayed through sound editing systems so it can be played as an echo.
Following this is the non-diagetic sound of a shotgun firing. The sounds themselves sound like they are a part of the soundtrack thus they are non-diagetic. Arguably however we could say because Jane's character Castle is asleep, it could be diagetic sound of his thoughts and dreams. Thus, the establishing shot connotes the superiority of Castle, and his presence in this short film while reminding the audience of the character's past of violence as well as his murdered family. There are numerous quick cuts which lead to a long shot of Castle taking out his laundry (thus "Dirty Laundry").
Juxtaposed with the scene of Castle walking is an image that is similar in composition, except there are cars driving down the road, unlike Castle (Frank) walking down it. Melodic music (non diagetic) is playing in the background all throughout this scene, and it then cuts to the inside of the car. Diagetic rap music is heard along with cuts of the characters. The second shot of this analysis will be focused around the contrast, or antagonism of Frank's character - the face of the gangster.
Similarly Shankar created a polar opposite of Frank in a character, but placed them in the same style of introduction. The gangster is introduced by his car from a long shot, as Frank is introduced by his van in a low shot. The gangster's face is then shown from a high angle shot. This connotes a lack of superiority, hinting that there is another presence that is greater than him. The camera then cuts to an over the shoulder shot of the gangsters driving towards the leader's prostitutes.
This creates a sense of voyeurism and the mise en scene of the characters, along with their acting implies that the gangster is going to do something bad. Dialogue is exchanged between the characters and there is pacy editing to parallel with the pace of the scene itself. Juxtaposed with this scene is a head on medium shot of Frank walking towards the screen. As the audience are aware of his role in the Punisher series as a vigilante the assumption is that he will step in.
There is a cut back to the conflict between the prostitute and gangster, followed by a 180 degree rotation around Frank's head. The music becomes more pacy to connote a sense of urgency, and electric guitar riffs are introduced. The camera cuts back and forth between Frank and the conflict, with an array of close ups, long shots and medium shots.
The music tone begins to diminuendo and pace again. During this Frank walks across the road, the shot is a medium shot with a shallow depth of field. This could connote a foreshadowing of what is to come, as the conflict is in the background of Frank walking across the road which implies to the audience his presence is significant in this situation. The camera follows him with a tracking shot into the laundry.
Similarly Shankar created a polar opposite of Frank in a character, but placed them in the same style of introduction. The gangster is introduced by his car from a long shot, as Frank is introduced by his van in a low shot. The gangster's face is then shown from a high angle shot. This connotes a lack of superiority, hinting that there is another presence that is greater than him. The camera then cuts to an over the shoulder shot of the gangsters driving towards the leader's prostitutes.
This creates a sense of voyeurism and the mise en scene of the characters, along with their acting implies that the gangster is going to do something bad. Dialogue is exchanged between the characters and there is pacy editing to parallel with the pace of the scene itself. Juxtaposed with this scene is a head on medium shot of Frank walking towards the screen. As the audience are aware of his role in the Punisher series as a vigilante the assumption is that he will step in.
There is a cut back to the conflict between the prostitute and gangster, followed by a 180 degree rotation around Frank's head. The music becomes more pacy to connote a sense of urgency, and electric guitar riffs are introduced. The camera cuts back and forth between Frank and the conflict, with an array of close ups, long shots and medium shots.
The music tone begins to diminuendo and pace again. During this Frank walks across the road, the shot is a medium shot with a shallow depth of field. This could connote a foreshadowing of what is to come, as the conflict is in the background of Frank walking across the road which implies to the audience his presence is significant in this situation. The camera follows him with a tracking shot into the laundry.
The following shot reflects on a slightly contrast part in the narrative, which takes place just after the prostitute is viciously beaten and is insinuated to have been raped by the gangster. It represents the normality that Frank is trying to live, which is insinuated by the idea of going to the laundry - a daily task for some people in their everyday lives.
The ordinariness of this is demeaned by the shouts and screams of the prostitute, heard faintly in the background. The next cut is a close up, and while the diagetic sound of the prostitute screaming is being heard Frank's facial expressions do not represent concern nor contempt. This provides the rhetorical question of "What are you still doing there?" which is what the audience is asking, as the vigilante is not performing his job, per se. However the next cut following this is a close up, indicating the importance of it. Frank pulls t-shirt out of the basket to observe, and it contains a bullethole - this answers the rhetorical question that audiene has, and also provides evidence that he still is a viglante.
The camera then cuts to another close up of his face, followed by a medium shot to highlight again the normality of his routine, which translates into him trying to lead a normal life. Following this is a graphic conflict, there is a visual oxymoron. Another conflict is presented outside with a young child and the gangsters. This is accentuated through fast cuts, and quick editing. The Mise-En-Scene is darker, as is the graphic filter used.
The ordinariness of this is demeaned by the shouts and screams of the prostitute, heard faintly in the background. The next cut is a close up, and while the diagetic sound of the prostitute screaming is being heard Frank's facial expressions do not represent concern nor contempt. This provides the rhetorical question of "What are you still doing there?" which is what the audience is asking, as the vigilante is not performing his job, per se. However the next cut following this is a close up, indicating the importance of it. Frank pulls t-shirt out of the basket to observe, and it contains a bullethole - this answers the rhetorical question that audiene has, and also provides evidence that he still is a viglante.
The camera then cuts to another close up of his face, followed by a medium shot to highlight again the normality of his routine, which translates into him trying to lead a normal life. Following this is a graphic conflict, there is a visual oxymoron. Another conflict is presented outside with a young child and the gangsters. This is accentuated through fast cuts, and quick editing. The Mise-En-Scene is darker, as is the graphic filter used.
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