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V For Vendetta (film)

Introduction
Norsefire

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Introduction

Why not let Warner’s publicity department do all the work for a change… Taken from the official website

“Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a mild-mannered young woman named Evey (NATALIE PORTMAN) who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked man (HUGO WEAVING) known only as “V.” Incomparably charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat and deception, V ignites a revolution when he urges his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V’s mysterious background, she also discovers the truth about herself – and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plan to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Virtual Studios, a Silver Pictures production in association with Anarchos Productions Inc., NATALIE PORTMAN in V For Vendetta, starring HUGO WEAVING, STEPHEN REA and JOHN HURT. Directed by JAMES McTEIGUE, the film is produced by JOEL SILVER, THE WACHOWSKI BROTHERS and GRANT HILL from a screenplay by THE WACHOWSKI BROTHERS, based upon characters appearing in magazines published by VERTIGO. The executive producer is BENJAMIN WAISBREN. The director of photography is ADRIAN BIDDLE, B.S.C.; the production designer is OWEN PATERSON; the editor is MARTIN WALSH, A.C.E.; and the music is composed by DARIO MARIANELLI.

V For Vendetta is a United Kingdom-Germany co-production. V For Vendetta will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.”

Jan Merten, 28 March 2006

Anyway: the film was based on the landmark 1982-1988 comic book series of the same name by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, which I just read. The Norsefire party in the comic uses a simple device: a black flag with a capital letter "N." While the original UK edition was B/W, the color DC edition has the N as blue, at least the one time it appears under natural lighting conditions. Interestingly, the Union Jack never appears once in either version of the story (except on a historic contraband anti-Iraq War poster shown in the film, on which it is merged with the US and Nazi flags), intimating that either version's Norsefire flag may simultaneously serve as as both party and national flag, a la the NSDAP situation
Eugene Ipavec, 27 June 2009

Norsefire

by Eugene Ipavec, 28 March 2006

by Eugene Ipavec, 28 March 2006

[Black with red double cross inside silver cogwheel]

by Eugene Ipavec, 28 March 2006

Our point of interest being flags, I’ve selected a quote from an interview – also on the site – with Henning Brehm, Graphic Designer.

NORSEFIRE

Was it fun to go on the riff of security, the eyes, the Fingermen?

Henning: Yes, of course. It was a big challenge to create a whole world that started with a symbol for the Norsefire government and then went to every company that is controlled or run by the government, like police, military, Fingermen, the TV station, and the newspapers.

Was the Norsefire symbol in the graphic novel?

Henning: No, it wasn't. In the comic, there was a symbol on the poster that had a cross and wings on it, but without any color, and Owen came up with the idea of a double cross. We decided on red and black because you connect those colors with those kinds of regimes. Owen did a very quick drawing of the double cross, then I made the details and showed some other proportions, and we found the right thing.

Were you able to see the Norsefire Rally set with the Norsefire flags flying?

Henning: I didn't get to see it at all. That's a big difference from this to other productions - I'm normally at the location first to have a look at it.

Did the Norsefire logo start differently?

Henning: Originally it was just an N in a circle, white on black, and then red on black, and then it went on to this double cross and to the flag. It's used on all the paperwork, from Larkhill to the police station and the special reports for Sutler, there's tons of paperwork. The logo is also on ID cards and signage for the fences in Larkhill, and for the Fingermen."

The state symbol of a totalitarian future Britain, the abovementioned double cross (quite different from Chaplin’s!) within a winged disk can be seen here. Another flag-relevant photos (taken behind the set) can be seen here.
Jan Merten, 28 March 2006

I'd seen a quick flash of this in the TV commercials but assumed it was a St. George's Cross on a black field instead of white. The film is supposed to take place in a future"Greater Britain"; I wonder which of these is supposed to be the actual national flag? The rest being party flags, I suppose.
Eugene Ipavec, 28 March 2006