Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Friday, 29 April 2011
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Better camera work & editing was achieved with The Steps particularly in comparison to the preliminary task. This time instead of being hand held, a tripod was used to help keep the shot steady. A completely new tape was bought which made the film outcome from tape of a much higher quality than the original tape that was borrowed, and with much practice using iMovie HD how to use different editing techniques was learned.
There was much better organisation and time-keeping for the shoot of The Steps, having learnt from the last time. In finding time in our often conflicting schedules within the group, a solution was found by using Excel to create a table of when our free periods within school would correspond which helped us to meet up in our free time to work on our film together.
A film schedule was drawn out by the organiser to ensure that the day of the shoot would run smoothly as planned along with a risk assessment, so that we knew what to film when and wouldn’t waste time later deciding that.
Location shots were taken beforehand of different locations to decide which would be the best place to shoot rather than just choosing one at random. The group also learned to arrive before the cast and scope out the location of the shoot, and preparing the set before the cast arrived to save time and have a quicker shoot.
Another thing learnt from the preliminary task which was practiced in the post production of The Steps opening was valuing screen time and learning to cut out anything which was unnecessary for the story e.g. Extended footage of stock such as the sky and the foliage shots of the group from the killer – we learned to make every minute of the film count and add to our story.
6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
During the production of our film opening The Steps, we found that Slideshare was not sufficient to keep copies of our work as we went along as it took too long to upload videos. Also, it was more efficient if we could have the same place that we’d all upload to – Photobucket was the option we settled upon. There we could upload newly edited clips, original footage from both cameras as well as the stills from the shoot.
We used the program iMovie HD for editing, as it was more convenient to the software of the Mac computers we were using and it had a wide variety of different editing effects; also it was much simpler and easier for beginners like us to use, which saved time as we were working to our coursework deadlines and may not have had time to spend figuring out how to use a more complex program e.g. Final Cut Pro.
The steps titling
View more presentations from hma1.
New line cinema
View more presentations from hma1
Adobe Photobucket CS5 was used to edit the colouring of the New Line Cinema introduction, and then Adobe ImageReady to save it as a QuickTime movie that could be imported straight into iMovie HD after discovering that gifs wouldn’t work in that program. (This is explained further in other tutorial presentations). The same two programs were used, Photoshop to create the titles The Steps along with its effect and ImageReady so it could be saved as a QuickTime Movie.
Our film used media products of two different kinds of camera: we filmed part of our footage on tape, on a MiniDV 250 camera. The other half of our footage was filmed on another, digital camcorder (SANYO Xacti 12MP Waterproof Digital Camcorder). This second camera helped contrast the two different styles of film as they were cut between in editing constantly. The second camera looked a little off key, seeing Kelly the soon to be victim from a Dutch angle – the camerawork was amateurish and very shaky, heightening the realism of the character Krissy filming them all like in a video diary and the ominous blue offsetting a dark tone, overall contrasting it highly to the better quality footage from the tape. This challenges the conventional use of one type of camera for filming, developing it so as to use both types of camera’s qualities as strengths and playing up against each other.
5. How did you attract/address your audience?
We tried to engage with our audiences by linking to narrative theory. Horror movies often use concealed identity as a part of Barthes’ enigma code to keep the audience guessing until the end who the killer could be. Concealed identity as a part of Barthes’ enigma code is used in The Steps to keep the audience interested in the film so they’ll get answers to their question – just who exactly is targeting these girls? Why? What just cut Kelly? Who is going to be next to get hurt?
Todorov: The girls began in a state of equilibrium, normally just having a camping trip all together in the woods. This is disrupted by Kelly getting cut, then the first death and the bloody game which they are all forced to play. They’re all camping more or less peacefully, when something or someone starts killing them off when they fail the steps of a dangerous game. The killer is dealt with in a fight to the death, and everyone who has survived is now safe and able to go back to life as best as they can.
Strauss: the innocent peaceful schoolgirls versus the depraved vengeful killer, the vulnerable young women versus the strong and predatory murderer – we see whether the innocent shall manage to persevere and win out over the evil of Johnny Angel, or whether his game will defeat them showing and vice is stronger.
The soundtrack was all instrumental music and so although none of the tracks used were popular songs that would be recognized by the audience, the style of the music was very typical of horror film score and therefore its familiarity helped to build up the audience’s expectations that something was about to go terribly wrong, and helped in getting across that meaning to the viewer.
The costume was typical of the age group of the characters which was also close to the age of the target audience, striking a chord in them as they recognize the kind of clothes that they and their peers wear: skinny jeans, boots, wellingtons, denim jackets, pea coats, leggings with blazers. The costumes in this way also helped the audience to understand what each character was like as they could guess that by looking at what they were wearing, as the costumes were suited to each particular character.
Shy Anna hid in her hair, headphones, and pea coat where the more flamboyant Kelly showed she wasn’t afraid to be noticed in a colourful blazer and form fitting tank top and leggings.
The scenario choice was a mixture of keeping true to the story as well as pulling into traditional fairytale and folklore; the set up is well known, a lonely girl in the middle of the woods who’s in danger. Since Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel & Gretel, the woods have always held a sense of danger especially for the young so the setting would play on a common childhood fear of the woods and what could be in them which is often developed in children from an early age.
Isolation is a common theme in horror films and often one of the reasons why people become victims – they are cut off from other people, which also cuts them off from help. Being in the woods you may not necessarily get a good signal on a mobile phone so it’s not so easy as to just call an ambulance or the police when you’re in the middle of them – there is an obvious lack of technological devices so it’s harder to get a hold of anybody to help. Nowadays, people fear even their phone dying without any battery let alone being without any technology at all. The stark natural setting highlights their complete cut off from anybody else, and any help that they could have gotten.
We used different camera angles to further engage with our audience. For example, in The Steps a long shot from a low angle is taken with foliage obscuring the viewfinder as the killer watches the group from a hidden point. None of them look in the camera’s direction and are all completely unaware that they are being watched – in addition to this, the foliage is covering them, creeping and looming over them almost as if it is entrapping them just as the killer is preparing to do.
4. Who would be the audience for your media product?
The target audience for The Steps would be teenagers and young adults – a target group of approximately 15 to 24 year olds. Research shows that they go to the cinema the most out of the population, with 40% of 15 to 24 year olds year olds going to the cinema at least once a month and 25% of them making up the audience of all top 20 films within the UK in 2009. This age group also have a lot more disposable income than other age groups, as they usually have money from student loans and jobs without the responsibility of looking after and paying for the expenses of mortgages and having children. The majority of this age group being students, this also means that as they aren’t necessarily working they have a lot of free time to spend on going to the cinema and paying to watch films there.
This age group also make a very commercial target group as they can be easily pleased provided you follow a popular film formula. This can best be seen with the success of romcoms e.g. 10 Things I Hate About You, Bridget Jones's Diary or simple romance films e.g. the Nicholas Sparks novel to film adaptations such as Letters to Juliet and Dear John.
An example of a common film formula for romantic films would be: ‘boy meets girl; they fall in love; there is an obstacle to their love making them both miserable and breaking them up; boy does something amazing to help them get past it/the run for love – they live happily ever after’. The ‘run for love’ phenomenon is something which can be seen in many films e.g. Wicker Park, Bridget Jones's Diary, What Happens In Vegas etc.
Source (click to read more about cinematic formulas) @ http://www.bmoviecentral.com/bmc/bmc-articles/142-cinematic-formulas.html
This age group also make a very commercial target group as they can be easily pleased provided you follow a popular film formula. This can best be seen with the success of romcoms e.g. 10 Things I Hate About You, Bridget Jones's Diary or simple romance films e.g. the Nicholas Sparks novel to film adaptations such as Letters to Juliet and Dear John.
An example of a common film formula for romantic films would be: ‘boy meets girl; they fall in love; there is an obstacle to their love making them both miserable and breaking them up; boy does something amazing to help them get past it/the run for love – they live happily ever after’. The ‘run for love’ phenomenon is something which can be seen in many films e.g. Wicker Park, Bridget Jones's Diary, What Happens In Vegas etc.
Source (click to read more about cinematic formulas) @ http://www.bmoviecentral.com/bmc/bmc-articles/142-cinematic-formulas.html
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
A very commercial company who’s looking for a new franchise, especially with the re-emergence and popularity of the slasher genre seen within recent years, is likely to fund and take on The Steps project - particularly those with an established history of horror films that has done well in the box office. After researching the different kind of production companies in existence as well as the type of films which they usually distribute, New Line Cinema would be the top choice of distributor for The Steps.
A nightmare on elm street 1984 opening
View more presentations from hma1.
They would be highly likely to distribute The Steps considering that they already have a large repertoire of horror films within their lieu such as the previously mentioned A Nightmare on Elm Street , The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Final Destination etc. Horror is a genre that they are comfortable with and well experienced in marketing, and their previous films have done very well in the box office (e.g.Final Destination making an international gross of approximately £67,760,350.02) in addition to being generally well received by critics.
Scream opening
View more presentations from hma1.
The Steps similar to the other horror films that they have previously distributed and in many respects follows the conventions of the genre which will make it easier to market to the masses. For example, it features an adolescent cast with a concealed male killer, many violent scenes that are filled with gore but not so much that it would by necessity have to be rated R – it could still be marketed as a fifteen age rating and therefore not lose money by being forced to a higher age rating.
American pyscho opening analysis finished final
View more presentations from hma1
These conventions are the same as Final Destination, which they marketed to great success, a cult status and then grew it into a franchise and similarly achieved cult status in a film with those horror conventions A Nightmare on Elm Street. New Line being a very commercial company, and The Steps already having a high appeal due to its being easily marketed to its clear target demographic of teenager and young adults, New Line Cinema would have the appropriate experience and marketing know how to be able to distribute The Steps successfully.
1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
TITLING
Horror titles tend to be in block capital letters, in a minimalist design, which makes a stark contrast to the red it’s usually in – signifying the blood that’s to come in the slasher film. Old style titles are often in gothic fonts, and/or with thick scarlet letters that drip on the screen and resemble severed limbs. However more contemporary titles, although they mostly stick to the red and black theme, are used more creatively e.g. many blur out the title of the film or have it shaking, like blinking through blood and having your vision fade (see Researched Film Openings: Scream).
Our film opening uses the conventions of horror film titling – the title of The Steps is in all capitals and in red, dripping down the screen like blood on a glass surface like a window pane or a camera screen. This brings the horror closer to the viewer, uncomfortably close so that it feels only inches away from them just on the other side of the camera.
The product also flashes between black and red for the background colour and font colour, like the New Line Cinema introduction logo in A Nightmare on Elm Street and then ends with an off-white colour for the background similar to American Psycho.
CAMERA MOVEMENT
Tracking shots are popular for use when victims, particularly in groups, are running from danger. A tracking shot is used of Kelly as she walks from the tent and her group of friends away from them, in front of the camera and past it away into the woods.
A similar shot is used of the first blonde girl in Scream’s opening, when she puts down the phone and walks past the camera out of sight and the audience watches her reflection in the window of the door but she doesn’t notice that she can be seen from outside – she is unaware, and the audience has picked up on more than she has and feels voyeuristic because of it.
FRAMING A SHOT
Extreme long shots are used, especially when a victim is running from the killer, to emphasise their isolation and helplessness.
Extreme close up shots, which aren’t normally used in other genre films, are used in slashers to get detailed visuals on the gore and actors’ terrified facial expressions to make the audience even more uncomfortable. An ECU is used of Kelly when she walks off into the distance further into the forest, and it is emphasised how she has now become separate from the group – she is alone, and walking right into the lion’s den although she may not know it.
An extreme long shot is used to see Nancy in A Nightmare On Elm Street as we see her backlit silhouette far away, isolated and vulnerable as she is running towards the camera – making her look very much alone with all the space around her and emphasising how she is all alone.
Another example of ECU is in Psycho, the famous shot of Marion Crane’s dead eye while she lies on the floor after being stabbed in the shower and not only is it a horrifying sight we are as an audience unusually and uncomfortably so put right up close to the action.
CAMERA ANGLE
The perpetrator of the killings is usually shown from a low angle to emphasise their power and superiority over others, whereas victims are seen from a high angle – making them look small, weak, vulnerable. Low level angles add a sense of being watched, of voyeurism particularly when the characters do not look down and are vulnerable as they are completely ignorant and unaware that they are being watched – which puts the observer in a position of power in them as they hold more knowledge.
In The Steps a medium long shot from a low angle is taken with foliage obscuring the viewfinder as the killer watches the group from a hidden point. None of them look in the camera’s direction and are all completely unaware that they are being watched – in addition to this, the foliage is covering them, creeping and looming over them almost as if it is entrapping them just as the killer is preparing to do.
In Psycho, the final time that Norman Bates dresses up as mother and rushes forward to kill Marion Crane’s sister we see him from a low angle – he is at a higher level hanging over her, putting him at a psychological advantage and making him superior over her his intended victim.
MISE-EN-SCENE
The set is or appears to be in a remote location, to show that the victim/s will not be able to receive outside help and are alone in fending off the killer. Sometimes the identity of the killer is not revealed straightaway, concealed identity being a common theme. We used this in The Steps as the girls on a camping trip are far out in the woods, away from any adult help. The use of the second camera in the shaky handheld view with all the foliage gave a very voyeuristic feel, and as it is a POV shot we cannot see who the killer is but only see what he sees – which makes us feel what he feels, quite disturbed.
Freddy’s glove and crazed laugh is the first we see of him but not his face in A Nightmare On Elm Street. Ghostface in Scream wears a mask and we do not find out who he is until the end of the film.
EDITING
When a kill or something else bad is about to happen, the cutting rhythm becomes faster with erratic jump cuts – then slow downs dramatically when it is revealed to be a fake scare.
A motivated cut is often used, where the scene is cut just before you see what is about to happen and focuses on the actor’s reaction, heightening anticipation and the build up of tension for when the audience is finally allowed to see what has them so scared.
These conventions have been used after Kelly’s scream when the girls run into the clearing to find her, when instead of immediately focusing on the action we make a motivated cut and switch perspectives to the POV of the killer.
A motivated cut is used just as Patrick Bateman swings down the axe on Paul Allen in American Psycho so we are left to imagine in suspense from the insane expression on Bateman’s face, the hacking sounds and sounds of Allan dying what his body must look like as it’s being cut at for long moments – and because you don’t know, it’s more frightening as all humans by nature tend to be afraid of the unknown and the sight is left to the audience’s own imaginations. When they do show the body, they don't show the face - suggesting perhaps it has been mutilated now beyond recognition, further playing on the fear of the unknown.
SOUND
The music has been planned, timed and slotted into place as befits the moment in the film. It’s discordant, erratic and disturbing as is conventional horror film music and helps give a frightening feel when the film begins to build up to something about to happen e.g. when Kelly walks off.
(Quinn's Song: First Night plays when Kelly senses that something is watching her. It's brought in subtle and quiet and then slowly begins to get louder and escalate until she starts to walk away)
(Redletter plays in conjunction with Quinn's song, heightening the sense that something is off and about to happen)
Typical horror music style is used; when Kelly stares off to one side and begins to feel that something is watching her, the music changes – more drawn out, disturbed. When she walks off into a corner of the trees to call her boyfriend, the music changes again and escalates and becomes yet more unsettling, hinting to the audience that something is going to happen to her.
This happens with the music building up as Nancy is running away from the killer Freddy, escalating as she only manages to run ever nearer towards him in the beginning of the film in A Nightmare On Elm Street.
NARRATIVE THEORY
Horror movies often use concealed identity as a part of Barthes’ enigma code to keep the audience guessing until the end who the killer could be.
Todorov: The story begins in a state of equilibrium, which is then disrupted and then the film is resolved by finding a new or a different kind of equilibrium.
Strauss’ binary oppositions shows how in films thematic opposites are explored with their impact on each other, and seeing which one will triumph over the other e.g. good versus evil, rich versus poor and so on.
How narrative theory is used to convey meaning in the opening two minutes of The Steps
Concealed identity as a part of Barthes’ enigma code is used in The Steps to keep the audience interested in the film so they’ll get answers to their question – just who exactly is targeting these girls? Why? What just cut Kelly? Who is going to be next to get hurt?
Todorov: The girls began in a state of equilibrium, normally just having a camping trip all together in the woods. This is disrupted by Kelly getting cut, then the first death and the bloody game which they are all forced to play.
1) They’re all camping more or less peacefully
2) Something or someone starts killing them off when they fail the steps of a dangerous game
3) The killer is dealt with in a fight to the death, and everyone who has survived is now safe and able to go back to life as best as they can.
Strauss: the innocent peaceful schoolgirls versus the depraved vengeful killer, the vulnerable young women versus the strong and predatory murderer – we see whether the innocent shall manage to persevere and win out over the evil of Johnny Angel, or whether his game will defeat them showing and vice is stronger.
Comparisons to other existing products
Barthes’ enigma code: In Scream the killer always appears in a ghost face mask, and part of what keeps the story going apart from trying not to be the next one to die is the police investigation in trying to catch and find out who Ghostface really is.
Todorov: in Final Destination, the equilibrium is disturbed when Alex has a precognitive vision of the plane crashing and going up in flames, and he stops his classmates getting on the ship thereby saving their lives. But now death is chasing them, and picking them off one by one instead. The visions, and death hunting the classmates have disrupted equilibrium. The film is resolved by their finding or at least believing that they have found a way to cheat death at its own game.
Strauss: similar to The Steps, in Black Christmas a killer is stalking a sorority house full of a group of girls on Christmas Eve. The binary oppositions here depends on how the film is interpreted by the viewer: male power versus women’s, strength vs. vulnerability, innocence vs. immorality etc.
Horror titles tend to be in block capital letters, in a minimalist design, which makes a stark contrast to the red it’s usually in – signifying the blood that’s to come in the slasher film. Old style titles are often in gothic fonts, and/or with thick scarlet letters that drip on the screen and resemble severed limbs. However more contemporary titles, although they mostly stick to the red and black theme, are used more creatively e.g. many blur out the title of the film or have it shaking, like blinking through blood and having your vision fade (see Researched Film Openings: Scream).
Our film opening uses the conventions of horror film titling – the title of The Steps is in all capitals and in red, dripping down the screen like blood on a glass surface like a window pane or a camera screen. This brings the horror closer to the viewer, uncomfortably close so that it feels only inches away from them just on the other side of the camera.
The product also flashes between black and red for the background colour and font colour, like the New Line Cinema introduction logo in A Nightmare on Elm Street and then ends with an off-white colour for the background similar to American Psycho.
CAMERA MOVEMENT
Tracking shots are popular for use when victims, particularly in groups, are running from danger. A tracking shot is used of Kelly as she walks from the tent and her group of friends away from them, in front of the camera and past it away into the woods.
A similar shot is used of the first blonde girl in Scream’s opening, when she puts down the phone and walks past the camera out of sight and the audience watches her reflection in the window of the door but she doesn’t notice that she can be seen from outside – she is unaware, and the audience has picked up on more than she has and feels voyeuristic because of it.
FRAMING A SHOT
Extreme long shots are used, especially when a victim is running from the killer, to emphasise their isolation and helplessness.
Extreme close up shots, which aren’t normally used in other genre films, are used in slashers to get detailed visuals on the gore and actors’ terrified facial expressions to make the audience even more uncomfortable. An ECU is used of Kelly when she walks off into the distance further into the forest, and it is emphasised how she has now become separate from the group – she is alone, and walking right into the lion’s den although she may not know it.
An extreme long shot is used to see Nancy in A Nightmare On Elm Street as we see her backlit silhouette far away, isolated and vulnerable as she is running towards the camera – making her look very much alone with all the space around her and emphasising how she is all alone.
Another example of ECU is in Psycho, the famous shot of Marion Crane’s dead eye while she lies on the floor after being stabbed in the shower and not only is it a horrifying sight we are as an audience unusually and uncomfortably so put right up close to the action.
CAMERA ANGLE
The perpetrator of the killings is usually shown from a low angle to emphasise their power and superiority over others, whereas victims are seen from a high angle – making them look small, weak, vulnerable. Low level angles add a sense of being watched, of voyeurism particularly when the characters do not look down and are vulnerable as they are completely ignorant and unaware that they are being watched – which puts the observer in a position of power in them as they hold more knowledge.
In The Steps a medium long shot from a low angle is taken with foliage obscuring the viewfinder as the killer watches the group from a hidden point. None of them look in the camera’s direction and are all completely unaware that they are being watched – in addition to this, the foliage is covering them, creeping and looming over them almost as if it is entrapping them just as the killer is preparing to do.
In Psycho, the final time that Norman Bates dresses up as mother and rushes forward to kill Marion Crane’s sister we see him from a low angle – he is at a higher level hanging over her, putting him at a psychological advantage and making him superior over her his intended victim.
MISE-EN-SCENE
The set is or appears to be in a remote location, to show that the victim/s will not be able to receive outside help and are alone in fending off the killer. Sometimes the identity of the killer is not revealed straightaway, concealed identity being a common theme. We used this in The Steps as the girls on a camping trip are far out in the woods, away from any adult help. The use of the second camera in the shaky handheld view with all the foliage gave a very voyeuristic feel, and as it is a POV shot we cannot see who the killer is but only see what he sees – which makes us feel what he feels, quite disturbed.
Freddy’s glove and crazed laugh is the first we see of him but not his face in A Nightmare On Elm Street. Ghostface in Scream wears a mask and we do not find out who he is until the end of the film.
EDITING
When a kill or something else bad is about to happen, the cutting rhythm becomes faster with erratic jump cuts – then slow downs dramatically when it is revealed to be a fake scare.
A motivated cut is often used, where the scene is cut just before you see what is about to happen and focuses on the actor’s reaction, heightening anticipation and the build up of tension for when the audience is finally allowed to see what has them so scared.
These conventions have been used after Kelly’s scream when the girls run into the clearing to find her, when instead of immediately focusing on the action we make a motivated cut and switch perspectives to the POV of the killer.
A motivated cut is used just as Patrick Bateman swings down the axe on Paul Allen in American Psycho so we are left to imagine in suspense from the insane expression on Bateman’s face, the hacking sounds and sounds of Allan dying what his body must look like as it’s being cut at for long moments – and because you don’t know, it’s more frightening as all humans by nature tend to be afraid of the unknown and the sight is left to the audience’s own imaginations. When they do show the body, they don't show the face - suggesting perhaps it has been mutilated now beyond recognition, further playing on the fear of the unknown.
SOUND
The music has been planned, timed and slotted into place as befits the moment in the film. It’s discordant, erratic and disturbing as is conventional horror film music and helps give a frightening feel when the film begins to build up to something about to happen e.g. when Kelly walks off.
(Quinn's Song: First Night plays when Kelly senses that something is watching her. It's brought in subtle and quiet and then slowly begins to get louder and escalate until she starts to walk away)
(Redletter plays in conjunction with Quinn's song, heightening the sense that something is off and about to happen)
Typical horror music style is used; when Kelly stares off to one side and begins to feel that something is watching her, the music changes – more drawn out, disturbed. When she walks off into a corner of the trees to call her boyfriend, the music changes again and escalates and becomes yet more unsettling, hinting to the audience that something is going to happen to her.
This happens with the music building up as Nancy is running away from the killer Freddy, escalating as she only manages to run ever nearer towards him in the beginning of the film in A Nightmare On Elm Street.
NARRATIVE THEORY
Horror movies often use concealed identity as a part of Barthes’ enigma code to keep the audience guessing until the end who the killer could be.
Todorov: The story begins in a state of equilibrium, which is then disrupted and then the film is resolved by finding a new or a different kind of equilibrium.
Strauss’ binary oppositions shows how in films thematic opposites are explored with their impact on each other, and seeing which one will triumph over the other e.g. good versus evil, rich versus poor and so on.
How narrative theory is used to convey meaning in the opening two minutes of The Steps
Concealed identity as a part of Barthes’ enigma code is used in The Steps to keep the audience interested in the film so they’ll get answers to their question – just who exactly is targeting these girls? Why? What just cut Kelly? Who is going to be next to get hurt?
Todorov: The girls began in a state of equilibrium, normally just having a camping trip all together in the woods. This is disrupted by Kelly getting cut, then the first death and the bloody game which they are all forced to play.
1) They’re all camping more or less peacefully
2) Something or someone starts killing them off when they fail the steps of a dangerous game
3) The killer is dealt with in a fight to the death, and everyone who has survived is now safe and able to go back to life as best as they can.
Strauss: the innocent peaceful schoolgirls versus the depraved vengeful killer, the vulnerable young women versus the strong and predatory murderer – we see whether the innocent shall manage to persevere and win out over the evil of Johnny Angel, or whether his game will defeat them showing and vice is stronger.
Comparisons to other existing products
Barthes’ enigma code: In Scream the killer always appears in a ghost face mask, and part of what keeps the story going apart from trying not to be the next one to die is the police investigation in trying to catch and find out who Ghostface really is.
Todorov: in Final Destination, the equilibrium is disturbed when Alex has a precognitive vision of the plane crashing and going up in flames, and he stops his classmates getting on the ship thereby saving their lives. But now death is chasing them, and picking them off one by one instead. The visions, and death hunting the classmates have disrupted equilibrium. The film is resolved by their finding or at least believing that they have found a way to cheat death at its own game.
Strauss: similar to The Steps, in Black Christmas a killer is stalking a sorority house full of a group of girls on Christmas Eve. The binary oppositions here depends on how the film is interpreted by the viewer: male power versus women’s, strength vs. vulnerability, innocence vs. immorality etc.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)