Stereotypes in Lupin

 

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Assane is the main focus in the shot, him being centered directly front of the foreground, his head the very middle of the frame makes a direct address with the audience, displaying his confidence as his body language is very relaxed and unrushed. His costume is a mix of formal and casual (perhaps displaying his ability to disguise and change his persona). He's stood in front of the Louvre, one of the most famous museums in the world and one of France's most recognisable attractions. The story surrounding him in France subverts stereotypes as France is the city of love and romance, which almost juxtaposes his relationship with Claire, (they are divorced).

Assane is able to play both roles of poor, working class, migrant worker and criminal, rich, wealthy mastermind. This is very important due to the prejudice his father and him experienced due to their colour of skin - Assane weaponizes their prejudice and cleverly uses it against them, almost as revenge. 

Scenes where stereotypes have significance:

The scene in which Babakar (Assane's father) is working for Hubert: no manners are used towards Babakar, when opening the door for Hubert he quite literally gets looked up and down, he is then demanded to open the door for his wife and drive the car into the garage. He is clearly looked down upon as a black working class man (fusion of tension with working class and racial tension)

The swimming pool scene with Assane and Juliet: Juliette sakes him "are you the son of the guy who drives my father?" - her mother has let Assane swim in the pool. During Assane and Juliettes conversation, she seems to carry the conversation with rather tone deaf questions, questioning if its true black men have larger genitals and even going as far to say black people cannot swim. She challenges him to swim to her for a kiss. Assane approaches her with a cross body shot.

Lupin camera shots in episode 1 (opening sequence):

(importance 1-8)

- 1, close up = when he is scanning his ID in the Louvre, foreshadows Assane giving the crooks 3 key cards to help them sneak in.

-2, 2 shot = him and another cleaner talking about the Queens necklace auction, Assane has many questions about stealing it that the man blindly answers, because he isn't expected to actually go through with it.

-3, establishing shot = shows all the art work inside the Louvre highlights its importance in high price in contrast with his low working class- foreshadowing the role he plays as a wealthy auctioner when in reality he is a poor immigrant worker.

-4, over the shoulder shot = shows Claire's perspective when she's talking to Assane, they're still friends regardless of Assane's lack of financial support for their kid.

-5, aerial shot = At the very star, showing the Louvre as a whole, showing setting for action - The Louvre is in a rougher area of France, however is still portrayed as fancy.

-6, birds eye view = pans through all the Louvre workers preparing for work, shows Assane with people like himself, migrant workers.

-7, close up = shows Assane looking at the necklace longingly, plotting his heist, cuts to a close up on the cameras, signifying how people have eyes on him at all times, he has to be cautious and slick.

-8, master shot = shows when Assane enters the Louvre and the guards he later manipulates with his friendliness in order to successfully steal the Necklace. He gains their trust strategically from the very beginning.

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Book which faces massive success in France, originally written in 1905 by Maurice Leblanc. The story follows Arsene Lupin, a gentleman thief who acts similarly to Sherlock Holmes and Robin Hood. Using his knowledge to his advantage to steal from the rich and wealthy. By the end of the series, Lupin had been featured in 17 novels and 34 novellas by Leblanc - as well as appearing in countless books by other writers, with 5 authorized sequels written in 1970 by Boileau-Narcejac. The character has also appeared in a number of TV series and films.