Red Riding: 1983 (Anand Tucker, 2009): UK

Viewed by Lava Farmer.  Viewed at Santa Barbara Film Festival.

Red Riding: 1983 is the final chapter of the brutally disturbing Red Riding Trilogy.  The extremely dishonest police force of West Yorkshire see themselves as gods and run more like a mafia, than a protection unit.  Over the years, several young girls are murdered and the investigations around it seem oddly suspicious.  However, the people of Yorkshire know it’s dangerous for your health to ask a copper a question.

When we are introduced to the commanding officers and leaders of the force they are toasting in victory because they are now supreme.  Bright yellow light from outside shines in from the windows and illuminates the cheerful fiends in such a way as to give them a sickening glow.  Through this simple use of lighting, director Anand Tucker sets us up to feel as though these men are untouchable.

However, one copper named Maurice Jobson(David Morissey) can no longer stand the guilt.  He wears glasses which always seem to be reflecting something as the camera close-ups on his face, perhaps to symbolize the reflecting he doing within himself.  Meanwhile, seemingly good for nothing lawyer named John Pigget(Mark Addy) is determined to try and help free an innocent man who was used by the police as a cover-up.  However, it is an impossible task to take on the police alone and both men knew it.

Symbolism through architecture appeared to be very important to the story.  The square red brick houses where Pigget’s mum and the Priest and his family live are blood red to reflect the death that surrounds that neighborhood.  Behind the houses is a slightly taller hill that looks like a wall protecting a fortress of secrets.  When entering the town of Morley the horizon is obstructed by large ominous smokestacks which give you the impression that this place probably doesn’t have much to offer. Most importantly of all though is the house of John Dawson (Sean Bean), which resembles the wing of a swan when looked at from the outside.  This realization is most disturbing, considering the last little girl found dead had swan’s wings sewn to her back!

Those who have been watching since the beginning of the trilogy know that true justice deserved to be served and can do nothing, but hope for some form of closure.  And that is exactly what we’re given.  It goes beyond straightforward reassurance and instead uses imagery to help us accept and have hope.  A key element throughout the trilogy has been lighting and in the final sequence as the gold light shining in hits the white goose feathers that are floating around the room, you just can’t help but feel relieved.  And boy has it been a long time coming.