This document discusses how the films Super 8 and Attack the Block represent youth through their use of genre conventions and themes. It analyzes how each film portrays youth differently - Super 8 shows a group of youth focused on filmmaking, while Attack the Block depicts a teenage gang that causes trouble. The document also examines key themes in the films, like friendship in Super 8 and the perception of class in England in Attack the Block. It concludes by selecting 3-4 scenes it will compare and contrast between the two films.

1. Text analysis: Attack the
Block vs. Super 8:
Representation of Youth
By Cara Alexandrou

2. What will I be discussing?
In this presentation I will be discussing how the
typical youth conventions nowadays are used
in these two films: Super 8 and Attack the
Block.
Super 8 was directed by J.J. Abrams, Attack the
Block was directed by Joe Cornish, both these
films are Sci-Fi/thrillers/horrors. Both films
represent youth by using two groups of young
people who are adventurous and willing to
almost risk their life's.

3. Brief Overview
Attack the block: Somewhere on a Super 8: This film is about a small
council estate in South London, group of friends who live in a small
hostile aliens have fallen from the sky. Ohio Town who witness a
A local teenage gang take it upon disastrous train crash whilst making
themselves to fight off the unwanted a Super 8 movie and soon suspect
visitors, but quickly discover they are that the whole train crash wasn’t an
outnumbered by the pitch-black, accident. Shortly after, you begin to
bear-like creatures with glowing, see a lot of unusual disappearances
razor sharp teeth. Set to a and inexplicable events beginning to
distinctively British electronic unfold and take place in the town
soundtrack, courtesy of Basement that they live in, and the local
Jaxx, Attack the Block is a fast-paced deputy tries to uncover the truth.
and inventive action/science-fiction The truth which was far more
film with an unconventional set of terrifying than any of them could
heroes. ever imagine.

4. How they use genre conventions?
If were to look at both of these films and look at how both of them
represent youth, we see a massive difference.
Nowadays the media and our general society see us youths as
being dangerous individuals, who go around causing trouble.
When we look at these films we notice two different types of
youth. For example, Super 8 is completely the opposite to what
we youths are thought of today. None of the children in the
small group ever inflicted pain on anyone, when they did it was
in their circle of friends. Instead of going out and causing
havoc, they spent their time writing scripts and filming for
their own super 8 film and it’s not everyday you see youths
doing this.
However, when you go to look at Attack the Block, the gang of
youths act exactly how society expect us to act. They cause
trouble, inflict pain on others, all through mugging etc.

5. Themes and Messages
Super 8:The themes and messages that are evident in
this film are themes such as friendship, no matter
what, that one group that were there from the
beginning, remained strong and kept together,
searched for one another whenever something bad
happened or there was a disappearance. Each
member of that group had shared the same love for
filming or being a part of their own film.
Forgiveness too. With all of this, still, the underlying
message is soon forgotten as the drama builds and
the youngsters are put face to face with their
greatest fear.
All of these main themes and messages all link to the
representation of youth because without friendship,
love and forgiveness, what would we be today?

6. Attack the block: This film has plenty to say
about the different perceptions and
attitudes towards class in England, but the
main message is contained within the chase
and fight scenes. This film gets the message
across that there are some thugs around
nowadays, who love to cause havoc and grief
to people and that we should be careful of
what society we live in and what we say to
others, as it can all lead to bad things.

7. 3-4 Scenes that I have chosen that I
will compare and contrast