lupin

• Lupin Introduction


  "Lupin" is a French mystery thriller TV series produced by Gaumont Television and starring Omar Sy. It premiered on Netflix on the 8th of January 2021. "Lupin" blends elements of mystery, crime, and heist genres, offering a modern take on the Gentleman Thief Arsène Lupin. It explores themes of justice, revenge, identity, and the disparity between social classes in contemporary France.
• brief summary of the plot

  1. Assane meets with ex-wife.

  2. Assane conjures up a plan to steal the necklace.

  3. necklace is auctioned.

  4. Assane bids for the necklace and is successful

  5. criminal men who assisted him betray him.

  6. Assane retrieves the real necklace. Detective links Arsene Lupin to the crime of the stolen necklace.

  7. flashback to Assane's dad committing suicide

  8. Assane gives his son the same book his father gave him 'The Gentleman Burglar
• what genre/sub-genre is Lupin?

  Drama and crime - sub-genres of heist, con and action.
• How is Lupin in the heist genre?

  developing and formation of a plan, violence, fighting, guns, disguise, necklace being stolen, high level security being breached.
• how does Barthes theory of myths about power relate to Lupin?

  an image or police-officer-character may have historically meant protection, now the meaning could link more towards corruption and a lack of trust in authority.

  
  

  Assane may therefore be more of an unlikely hero - like a Robin Hood fighting for the injustices of society and the persecution placed on the poor and vulnerable.
• what is marxism?


  political and economic theory that suggests that there's a hierarchy in society and there's different groups of people.
• how does marxism relate to Lupin?

  in Marxism, the view is that eventually the proletarians will become frustrated with being treated badly and will rebel - this is Assane who is fighting for his father's legacy and the underdogs in society
• who are the bourgeoise in Lupin?

  the bourgeoise who are rich and powerful, are like the Pellegrinis, they control most things such as the government, the police, the media, etc.
• who are the proletarians in Lupin?

  the proletariats who are people like Babakar Diop and Assane Diop. the proletarians are controlled and manipulated by the bourgeoise - they often work for them, so money is a motivation. Pellegrini manipulates the police and frames Babakar for the stolen Queen's necklace.
• what social issues does Lupin comment on?

  - Divide between rich and poor, including economic imbalance - e.g. Assane respected wearing a suit but seen as ignorant wearing janitors' outfit.

  - Discrimination of ethnic minorities - systemic racism - e.g. black people judged for having money when Assanes invitation is more closely examined / Babakar accused of theft when white man is guilty.

  - Capitalism, money, greed.

  - Corruption at the top or corruption in trusted groups of people.

  - Mental health - e.g. graphic depiction of Babakar taking their own life.

  - Lack of control in society if you don't have the wealth.
• what is Gaumont television?


  a French production company with a long history of producing French films and television. Produced Lupin.
• what is the cultural significance of french cinema?

  - French television is often considered a secondary media due to the cultural importance of French cinema.

  - France has earned the most Academy Award nominations and has the highest density of cinemas.

  - Cannes film festival - founded in 1946 - won 12 wins at top prize and 12 wins for the best foreign language academy award.
• what was the French new wave?

  started in the late 1990s - most influential movements in cinematic history in terms of editing and cinematography, emphasising moving and handheld shots.
• what was Lupin's success on Netflix like?

  - released across 190 countries.

  - watched by 70 million households during its first month.

  - Netflix's most-watched non-English series.

  - 2nd most watched series over-all to date.
• prop analysis


  the book 'Gentleman Thief' by Arsene Lupin is used by Assane as a methodology to avenge his father. He must embody different characters to extract his vengeance.

  
  

  Marie Antoinette's necklace shapes the narrative.
• costume analysis


  costumes allow Assane to can slip into a place unnoticed, or to assume a disguise that prevents witnesses from providing an accurate description of him to the police. As the actor is 6"3, anonymity should not be possible — even allowing for racial bias in a majority-white country - and lupin is aware of this.

  Assane wears a long coat which hints at Lupin's iconic cape.
• what narrative techniques are used in Lupin?

  - in media res - opens with action and suspense - starts with a heist at the Louvre, immediately grabbing the audience's attention.

  - non-linear structure/fractured narrative - follows Assane through the heist, with flashbacks to 1995 depicting his relationship with his father and the Pelligrini's - subplots about Assane's ex-wife Claire and often-neglected teenage son Raoul.

  - POV - narrative seen through Assane's eyes and his memories.

  - foreshadowing - Babakar and Mrs Pellegrini and the necklace are shown in the same place at the same time.

  - expectations - Assane pays close attention to the necklace and camera lingers on it.
• themes in Lupin


  justice, revenge, class, inequality, morality, ethics, and loyalty.
• how is the first flashback used in Lupin?

  the first flashback connects Assane's fixation on the necklace to his intentions
• colour palette analysis


  the colour palette in the flashbacks is warmer compared to the present day.
• Barthes - narrative theory

  - Enigma - Assane's real identity is not made clear. Who is his real identity? What are his intentions? Why does he want the necklace?

  - Action - his eyes and camera linger over the necklace - infers the attention surrounding this piece. Accomplices are initially hostile towards Assane in the apartment. Assane winces/flinches when the Pellegrini name is said.

  - Semantic - rich vs poor Paris, warm vs cold colours and lighting. Rich people are in the spotlight whereas the poor are hidden behind the scenes in the janitor's department.

  - Symbolic - wears a hoodie to hide his identity, immediately suggests he is involved in a crime.

  - Cultural - Mrs Pellegrini locks her car door when a black man (Babakar) comes up to her. She calls Babakar a 'gentleman' - "gentleman burglar" references French culture and literature.
• Todorov - narrative theory

  - Equilibrium - Assane works as a janitor at the Louvre and constantly admires the necklace. Pellegrini's have possession over the necklace.

  - Disruption - equilibrium is disrupted in the first flashback - Assane seeks to get justice for his father's demise. The heist to steal the necklace but Assane's plan falls through as his team betrays him.

  - Resolution - Assane tricked his team with a copy of the necklace, succeeds with the real one.

  - Restored order -Assane returns to his janitor work and retrieves the real necklace from the bin.

  - New Equilibrium - Pellegrinis no longer have possession of the necklace.
• Propp - character theory

  - Hero - Assane Diop

  - Villain - Hubert Pellegrini

  - Princess - Claire

  - Dispatcher - Babakar (gave him inspiration and a sense of justice)

  - Donor - Benjamin Ferel

  - Helper - Officer Guedira

  - False hero - Anne Pellegrini
• Levi Strauss - binary opposites

  - Good and Evil - Assane vs Pellegrini - Criminal actions for a just cause.

  - Rich vs Poor - poor urbanised Paris vs rich luxurious Paris - lives of wealthy elite vs struggles of working class.

  - Past vs present - past influences the present.

  - Power vs Powerless - struggle between the powerful and the oppressed.

  - Deception vs truth - themes of hidden truths and uncovered secrets throughout.
• how is Lupin like a puzzle?

  the series is set out like a puzzle, where the reader must watch on to find answers to the questions that are posed by the enigma. The audience are positioned as active participants in solving the narrative puzzle.
• why are cultural codes used?

  means the audience can connect the fictional narrative to their own personal experiences.
• how does Lupin's narrative contrast the chaos of the crime world?

  - structured format - each episode revolves around a heist or mystery.

  - characters motivations remain predictable - Assane's want for justice provides an anchor
• How can the characters be understood as being a product of genre and narrative?

  - Assane - embodies the archetype of the charismatic and intelligent thief within the crime genre.

  - Assane and law enforcement - incorporates common crime narrative tropes, such as the cat-and-mouse game.
• examples of postmodernism in Lupin


  - Bricolage - Mona Lisa

  - Homage - to the character of Arsene Lupin, from a piece of French literature.

  - Fragmented narrative - flashbacks between storylines and time periods.

  - Self-reflexivity - Assane breaks the 4th wall.

  - Merges genres - crime, heist, and drama.

  - Mix of high and popular culture - merges the Mona Lisa with crime and poverty.
• How does Lupin use intertextuality?

  literary reference to Arsene Lupin the gentleman thief in a series of novels by Maurice Leblanc.
• Saussure - Paradigm & Syntagm


  - Paradigm - Assane is a paradigmatic element within the series as he embodies certain traits and characteristics of a charismatic and cunning thief.

  - Syntagm - various episodes and story arcs are connected and built upon each other to form a larger storyline.
• Saussure - connotation & denotations

  Connotation:

  1. Assane's character symbolises justice and the struggle against a corrupt system.

  2. Setting connotes themes of inequality, power dynamics and secrets.

  3. Assane's heist symbolises his quest for justice.

  4. Show symbolises struggle for identity or the complexity of moral choices.

  Denotations:

  1. Assane's character represents a gentleman thief seeking revenge.

  2. Luxurious mansions and high-end locations denote wealth.

  3. Assane's heist denotes his skilful thievery.

  4. Show denotates challenges face by immigrants or the disparity between social classes.
• opening shot analysis


  - sets the scene in Paris, outside of the Louvre Museum.

  - low-key lighting usually suggests something sinister - in this case makes the louvre stand out.
• symbolic signs in lupin (Pierce)

  necklace as a sign of wealth, power and privilege.

  Paris is a symbol of romance and glamour.
• iconic signs in Lupin (Pierce)


  Assane himself is an iconic sign - appearance and actions symbolise a modern-day version of Arsene Lupin.
• connotations in Lupin


  - city of Paris - connotes luxury and poverty

  - costumes - connotes deception through the use of disguises
• how does Assane subvert/reinforce racial stereotypes?

  subvert:

  - positive representation of black lead character

  - multidimensional - not solely defined by his race

  - addresses racial injustice and discrimination

  reinforce:

  - supporting characters and storylines fit traditional tropes

  - black man involved in crime - Lupin faces up to the realities of racism rather than making a statement.
• how is 'place' represented in Lupin?

  Paris - luxurious areas e.g. the louvre and impoverished areas.

  Assane's childhood home - holds sentimental value and represents his roots and injustices.
• How does Lupin represent Paris in a cultural context?

  features a diverse cast of characters, representing different ethnicities within the population. challenges the stereotype of a white Parisian society and reflects the city's actual diversity.
• how are criminals represented in lupin?

  - Assane - audience feels sympathy as we learn about his past. there is no other way out of poverty besides crime.

  - Mr pellegrini - audience dislikes him as his actions led to an innocent mans death.

  - Benjamin - man of two faces - antique dealer on the surface, also an illegal forger.

  - 3 criminals that Assane enlists - stereotypical - 1 lacks intelligence, 1 the muscle, 1 the boss.