SKAM SYMBOLISM & META REFERENCES MASTER LIST
Thank you to all the gifset geniuses and thoughtful people on tumblr you all are amazing <3 (List compiled mostly for my own ref since I want to write a paper on Skam!!)
Will keep updating this fyi!
MOVIE REFERENCES
Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet
Visual Parallels:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Music Parallels:
Talk Show Host by Radiohead
I’m Kissing You by De’sree
Meta references to Romeo and Juliet: 1. Even referencing Baz Luhrmann as his favorite director during his school interview (here is the interview web page link)
Key line: “He makes epic love stories man! The lead has to die otherwise it’s not an epic love story”
(also: Interesting interpretation on foreshadowing for Even’s stop-motion movie)
2. Isak watching Romeo and Juliet (Skam full clip)
Key takeaway: He cries! (bonus: good post on male crying)
Also it shows 3 scenes from R&J: water kiss scene, morning in bed scene and tomb scene
3. Sleeping pills? (hopefully not!!)
4. Even during manic episode referencing R&J -> Pretty Woman balcony scene (see below)
5. The Christmas concert scene
Similar set design and tracking shot of Isak entering church as in R+J
Isak’s flashback: he remembers Isak’s comments about death/epic love stories during his school interview, he sees the image from the movie of Juliet in her tomb and connects the dots to Even’s comments about depression/loneliness
gifset of flashback in b+w
good analysis use of flashback
Isak leaves the church instead of staying like Romeo: 1. 2. 3.
6. The importance of a happy ending and “You are Not Alone”
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
7. Isak’s last line of the season -> ties in the fact that he thought Even was in danger or hurting himself on the night of the concert and shows how he has grown as a person to be comfortable in his sexuality and also more accepting of people’s diverse religious beliefs (see below in religion section)
I was fake before that. I mean, I was just lying at home watching Narcos and gaming. I’m done with that and I want my life to be real. And even though sometimes it’s totally fucked up, it’s better than it being completely fake and boring. It’s a bit cliche to say, but you never know who could die tomorrow. And if you believe in Allah or Jesus or the evolution theory or in parallel universes, it’s just one thing we know for sure.. that life is now.
Pretty Woman
Even’s meta references: 1. Kitchen scene: 1. 2.
2. Balcony Scene: 1. 2. 3.
Interpretation of Even’s shift from directing his life/love story from Romeo and Juliet to Pretty Woman.
Another interpretation of the movie references.
Other Movie/TV References
Dutch movies Even mentions to the hotel concierge: Antichrist, Brothers, Stars without Brains
Seinfeld memes
MUSIC REFERENCES
Lyrics Even has sent to Isak
NY State of Mind - NAS (on 1st drawing he gives Isak) I never sleep, ‘cause sleep is the cousin of death
Bliss - John Legend (text message) So tempt me to jetset away in London To sip on some tea, you surprise me with gifts from Tiffany
Hits from the Bong - Cypress Hill (text message) Pick it, pack it, fire it up, come along And take hits from the bong Put the blunt down just for a second Don’t get me wrong it’s not a new method Inhale, exhale
Cherry Wine - NAS (text message) The noise in my head, the curse of the talented Strong communicator, vagabond, I gallivant around the equator And that would get me off the radar It's so intense, I'm on my Lilo and Stitch Pour my Pino Grigio and Cris with some lime what is this? An immaculate version of Me and My Bitch by Biggie With all respect cause you the only one that gets me And I'm alone, and I realize that when I get home I wanna go through my red and my cherry Yes I'm alone, and I realize when I get home I wanna go through my red and my cherry Yeah, yeah, let's pour some cherry wine Everything's good, everything's fine Yeah, yeah we bring it every time Yeah, pour a little cherry wine Yeah, ayo Salaam, yeah, I think they know the time Everything's good, everything's fine Yeah, pour a little cherry wine, yeah
Life is good, no matter what Life is good, life is good
Skam Soundtrack Meta References
Romeo and Juliet movie sound track (see above)
The Brain is Alone
The Message – NAS – (on the Skam website header drawings and plays during window sill scene) Fake thug, no love, you get the slug CB4 Gusto Your luck low, I didn’t know ‘til I was drunk though You freak niggas played out, get fucked and ate out Prostitute turned bitch, I got the gauge out Ninety-six ways I made out, Montana way The Good-F-E-L-L-A, verbal AK spray
Gabrielle – 5 Fine Frokner/Hashtag ref
RELIGIOUS/BIBLICAL REFERENCES
Significance of 21:21 – Book of Genesis/pool scene/Isak’s sexuality and character development:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Isak’s Mom’s Biblical Passage Text Messages
Visual parallel Isak reading Mom’s texts and Even’s texts
Sana helping Isak break down stigma about religion and Islam: 1. 2. 3.
The Jesus tshirt
O Holy Night plays during Christmas concert scene - important!
ISAK’S LOCKER SYMBOLISM
Locker and closet are the same word in Norwegian. Isak’s locker progression:
1. 2. 3. 4.
all the locker gifs together (also this gifset)
good post about the way skam deals with isak being in the closet
EVEN AND ISAK’S WARDROBE/COSTUMES
God/Julius Caesar (see above in religion section) - Even references their costumes during his manic episode
Even Isak outfit parallels throughout season
1. 2. 3. 4. Wearing the same clothes 1. 2. --> they are parallels of each other
