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Set the Thames on Fire

Name: Set the Thames on Fire
Director: Ben Charles Edwards
Released: 2015
Duration: 83 min

Representation Score

3.3/10

Limited

2015

Director

Ben Charles Edwards

Runtime

83 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Set the Thames on Fire is a highly stylized, surrealist short film that prioritizes aesthetic immersion and postmodern fragmentation. It functions as a visual fever dream, using a grotesque, psychedelic London as a backdrop for a journey of obsession and ritual. While the film excels in avant-garde visual storytelling, its narrative architecture focuses on individualistic, dream-like experiences. It does not prioritize systemic social commentary or demographic-driven character arcs. Ultimately, the creative direction prioritizes the spectacle of the grotesque over the representation of diverse human experiences. The film remains traditional in its demographic focus, choosing to disrupt perception rather than social hierarchies.

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Category Breakdown

Does Set the Thames on Fire have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not explicitly depict LGBTQ+ identities or dynamics related to sexual orientation. The narrative centers around a male-driven quest without any subtext related to sexual orientation.

How does Set the Thames on Fire portray gender?

Limited

The story primarily revolves around a male protagonist. While it avoids traditional submissive femininity clichés, it does not actively challenge existing gender hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Set the Thames on Fire?

Limited

The film presents a hyper-stylized version of London without a diverse or non-Anglo-Saxon majority cast. It lacks race-bending or multi-layered casting to challenge historical norms.

How does Set the Thames on Fire represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film explores secular, mystical, or idiosyncratic spirituality through occultism and ritualism. However, it functions as an escapist exploration rather than a socio-political or anti-Western critique.

Does Set the Thames on Fire include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not portray characters with visible or invisible disabilities with ability to act. The grotesque imagery serves a surrealist aesthetic rather than a representational purpose.

Present on Screen

High artistic intentionality regarding visual language and postmodern surrealism.
Effective use of psychedelic, grotesque imagery to create a unique aesthetic immersion.

Limited or Absent

Lack of engagement with progressive representational frameworks or diverse casting.
Minimal focus on diverse human experiences or the disruption of conventional social hierarchies.

Official Synopsis

Two boys fall through a grotesque, nightmare London, endeavouring to survive and escape, and perhaps find hope together in this dark comedy.

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