Disability In TV and Film - A Touch Of Frost

In lesson we have been looking at how disability is presented in film and TV and how this may effect how people with a disability are viewed in day today life. We looked at a clip from the hit TV Drama 'A Touch Of Frost' staring David Jason.

We made some notes on the clips and then corrected each others in Green pen, here are a copy of my notes:

A Touch of Frost: Ability and Disability

The representation of ability and disability is shown through the way in which the police treat Billy throughout the clip. At the beginning when the cut away from the long shot, being when the police are chasing him, to the close up shot, of the Billy being caught by the police, shows the police hesitate when they realise he is disabled and they drop him lower because of his disability because it’s not the usual suspect to commit a crime. This can also be shown by the fact that Billy looks scared and disorientated when the police start chasing him, making the audience emphasize with him instead of viewing him as a villain/ guilty.

Also when Billy is about to be questioned, outside the room the inspector is speaking to the Billy’s dad, he mentions him being “mentally sub-normal” and his dad cuts in with “handicapped” it appears almost like the inspector feels uncomfortable in speaking about Billy as disabled in front of his dad but when Billy’s mother asks to clean him up the detective seems to regain control over the situation. This may be showing that the mother is more understanding of Billy’s condition than the dad.  

The way in which Billy is presented as a small child and needs looking after is shown also through the way that Billy’s mother asks to clean him up and is holding a bowl of soapy water in her arm. This is showing that he is unable to look after himself and he struggles with small tasks which most people would take for granted and needs constant supervision. Also further on in the clip we see Billy’s dad stood behind him when he is being questioned, showing once again Billy is incapable of understanding some stuff and needs help or needs to be prompted by his father. His father’s body language compels the idea that he is wanting to interrupt and say something all the time, like he’s trying to protect Billy.

When being questioned, Billy is shot with the lighting making a dark shadow over his shoulder. This interprets him as sinister and evil to the audience and it give a sense of guilt or that Billy knows something. Furthermore, interpreting that people with disabilities often have a dark side and are a cause for concern, it could make people who have disabilities look dangerous and it gives the audience an anxious feel towards Billy. It stereotypically presents disabled people as dangerous but also incapable of knowing right from wrong. 

The fact that Billy is interviewed in the comfort of his own home and there’s no interrogation with lighting. This shows that the police see Billy as a vulnerable person and don’t want to startle him with putting him in a dark room where he can’t get out. It also shows that the police have considered Billy’s condition and how it may be affected if he was to be put in an actual police station. However they could have made it worse for Billy because we see a medium shot of the front of the house and his neighbours are stood outside looking in wanting to know what’s happened so it’s creating aggravation on Billy’s Street where he has to live. 

From the notes we can see that people who suffer from a disability seem to be discriminated against because people are too careful around them and can make kindness look like discrimination when it is not meant to. This may make disabled people look weak and vulnerable without even meaning to.