Gasman (1998) by Lynne Ramsay

Gasman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6mwS6NVZWc

Gasman by Lynne Ramsay has to be one of my favourite short films. This social realism drama from 1998 is a story told by a little girl called Lynee. What makes this film so special is that the story is told through the eyes of Lynee, giving us a new and unique perspective on how children react to family separations. The film appears confusing and strange at first but this is exactly what emotions Lynee is trying to express. She has no idea who this girl is and her frustration towards her is told through the broken narrative. The cinematography throughout is brilliant. The opening sequence refuses to rev eal the faces of the characters, possibly expressing the POV of a small child.


What is interesting is the juxtaposition Ramsay chooses to explorer. Hollywood films show Christmas as a happy and family orientated holiday, however this drama set in Glasgow shows us the harsh, gritty reality of life for a torn family.


The key scene is on the rail track. The rail track may be imagery of a timeline of Lynne’s life, she meets the unknown girl and boy as the train tracks cross. Is Ramsay expressing a cross road in Lynne’s life? The closing shot of Lynne before she decides not to throw the rock is iconic. She suddenly realises that she shouldn’t blame the girl for her jealousy but she should blame her Dad.

Gasman. (1998). Directed by Lynne Ramsay. United Kingdom, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)