Quadrophenia (1979)

Representation of Jimmy, Steph and Kevin using textual examples:

Jimmy's is a Mod because he feels that it makes him individual and his primary goal is to 'be somebody'. "That's why I'm a Mod, see? I mean, you gotta be somebody, ain't ya, or you might as well jump in the sea and drown". He is very taken by the Mod culture; wearing suits, riding a scooter, going to clubs and being part of a gang. He is so obsessed with the culture and the idea of becoming a 'somebody', that he doesn't seem to care about his future. This is evident when his mother kicks him out of the house and he quits his job. The reason for this could also be rebellion which is very stereotypical of teenagers.

Steph is portrayed very differently to the other female Mods as she is very feminine while the others appear very androgynous. This could be symbolic of the fact she is very promiscuous and doesn't take relationships seriously, as we see when she has sex with Jimmy. This promiscuity could relate to the fact women at the time had just received more freedom with the introduction of the pill.

Kevin is a Rocker who used to be in the army. He joined the army looking for individuality but left after not finding what he was looking for. We quickly learn that he isn't really interested in stereotypes and wants to be friends with Jimmy, regardless of their conflicting subcultures. Jimmy however, doesn't want to be seen with him in fear of what his friends will think. When Kevin is being beaten up by the Mods, Jimmy flees and we can see he has very conflicting emotions.

Examples of mise en scene reinforce the idea of youth culture:

Ideologies present within the film:

• Mods vs Rockers - This is the main conflict throughout the film, climaxing in Brighton with the riot. This feud restricts Jimmy as he feels that he can't be friends with Kevin.
• The Youth are represented as delinquents - Jimmy is kicked out of the house because his Mother saw about the riots in the paper and assumed he'd been a part of it. This is a very 'Them and Us' situation with a teenager being stereotyped by an older generation.
• Living for the 'here and now'
• Friends before Family
• Rebellion
• Gang Culture - "Got to be part of a gang, haven't you got a mind of your own"
• Mob Mentality - This is very evident in Brighton during the riot as everyone chants "We are the Mods"

Stanley Cohens ideas applied: