‘What are the messages of Post-apocalyptic/sci-fi films? Paying Particular attention to Children of Men (2006)’
‘No Children, No Future, No Hope’[1], does this idea reflect the unconscious thinking of the audience, and are the audience’s morals/attitudes affected through the reflection of this in films?
Post-apocalyptic science fiction is perhaps one of the most versatile and imaginative of genres. Children of Men (2006) directed by Alfonso Cuarón presents the fear of the population dying out through the idea that women no longer gain the ability to become pregnant. Cuarón has acted in the way of reflecting the zeitgeist of genetically modified pregnancies through science, whilst also reflecting the ideas of pollution and contamination, as well as poor international relations, ultimately reflecting the ‘what if’ situation, such as what if we didn’t have science to counteract infertility? The term apocalypse is ‘used to refer to the end of the world’.[2] Uses and Gratifications is the idea that ‘people use the media to get specific gratifications, so audiences use media to fulfil their various needs. These needs serve as motivations for using media.’[3] According to Steve Neale (2002) the ‘typical repertoire of elements’ or ‘recurring themes/elements in an individual genre.’[4] This is the key basis in which sci-fi/apocalyptic films engage with their audience, by giving them what they want to watch.
Sci-Fi asks the ultimate question of ‘what if?’ However, sci-fi is almost always based upon the reality of creatures, technology and the events that may actually happen to us. The fears of infertility, pollution and contamination, as well as poor international relations are reflected throughout Children of Men (2006), Children of Men is a dystopian (a creation of a nightmare world) sci-fi film, the film is set in the future of 2027 in the united kingdom, the film explores a grim world in which two decades of global human infertility have left humanity with less than a century to survive. In many ways this is reflecting the issues that occur in today’s world, as it is so often reflected in the media. ‘Infertility affects at least one in six couples and currently success rates for IVF treatments are about one in four’.[5] Where as in The War of the Worlds (1953) directed by Byron Haskin, the fears of being invaded by beings of another kind, or aliens, were reflected. However in both texts the theme of apocalypse is brought to the audience’s attention. On one hand we are presented with the idea of women no longer being able to give birth, representing a dying population, on the other hand we have beings from another planet attacking the human civilisation
Telotte describes science fiction as an on-going trend of ‘[rendering] the artificial as ever more human.’[6] The lengthy shots combined with the detailed mise-en-scene add to the distinctive and recognisable genre of science fiction. This can be linked with the film Blade Runner (1982) and its very futuristic mise-en-scene, for example it’s hovering cars and digital adverts on the side of buildings, etc. Cuarón’s use of low key lighting help to manipulate the audience’s perception of hope, they add to depression and grim events that occur. Calhoun supports this, by stating ‘it’s the film’s nervous and energetic vèritè style...that makes it so involving.’[7]
Perhaps the most memorable scene in the film comes at the end, a six minute-long single shot sequence in which Theo, the protagonist of the film, struggles through a gun battle between the ‘Fishes’ and the British Army. Cuarón intentionally shoots the scene in a cinema vèritè style. The camera follows Theo in a way reminiscent of a tracking shot and as a result the audience are put in a position where they feel they are part of the action on screen.
‘Many critics argue science fiction...uses its tales of alien invasion, science and technology gone wrong, and vision of the future worlds to explore the issues of contemporary significance.'[8] The zeitgeist of pollution has been massively distributed around today’s media, with the threat of global warming ending the world, there has been a moral panic throughout the media altogether, as seen in the sci-fi drama on BBC, Doctor Who, in which pollutant cars threaten the end of the world, along with invading aliens. The threat of pollution and global warming is also reflected in the film The Day after Tomorrow (2004), in which an outbreak of deadly storms threatens mankind’s existence. Schatz’s proposition that a ‘genre film...involves familiar, essentially one-dimensional characters acting out a predictable story pattern within a familiar setting’ (Schatz 1981). The narrative components of a non-genre film – the characters, setting, plot, techniques, etc, assume their significance as elements as they are integrated into the individual film itself. In a genre film, however, these components have prior significance as elements of some generic formula’ (1981), this formula is established by repetition.[9]
However the sci-fi film that links to Children of Men brought forth the idea that one being creating another being is an unnatural and tabooed process, this film being Frankenstein (1931) directed by James Whale. Social realism can be seen through the representation of the character Frankenstein himself, his birth is seen to have been a negative thing, reflecting how this has changed as we still are being presented with the argument that genetically modified births are wrong, however they are still being carried out. This can in addition be linked with the film I am Legend (2007), in which a scientist that is immune to a virus tries to cure cancerous diseases with science, yet again reflecting the zeitgeist, through the unnatural overcoming of these natural processes, with science. The term social realism is the representation of characters and issues in film and television drama in such a way as to raise serious underlying social and political issues.[10]
The films are usually shot in a naturalistic way, which is the case in Children of Men, for example in the opening sequence we see that the lighting is very dark, or low key, presenting the idea that the scenery or cinematography has not been altered, to give a realistic approach. Despite its realistic approach Children of Men grossed $69,612,678 worldwide, with $35,552,383 of its revenue generated in the United States.[11] Children of Men was nominated for 2007 academy awards for best achievement in cinematography, best achievement in editing and best writing, as well as adapted screenplay. The film is distributed by Universal Pictures; Universal Pictures are a subsidiary of NBC Universal, which is one of the six worldwide major American film studios.
The cinema vèritè style cinematography and lengthy shot sequences, which Alfonso Cuarón is recognised for, linking the idea to Alfred Hitchcock’s career, ‘Macguffin’, this being a plot device that motivates the characters or advances the story,[12] the argument that can be derived from this is that Alfonso Cuarón uses typical generic conventions in order to keep the audiences appealed and interested, whilst indirectly progressing the idea that he can influence the audiences beliefs/attitudes, even through the techniques that make the film what it is. Cuarón uses sound and music to bring the fictional world of social unrest and infertility to life, by using a creative yet restrained combination of rock, pop, hip-hop and classical music, as well as the mundane sounds of traffic, barking dogs, and advertisements. The film makes use of silence and sound effects such as the firing of automatic weapons, and loudspeakers directing the movement of “fugees”.[13] Cuarón’s technique of using an anti-hero (Clive Owen) helps to alienate the audience, creating the connotation that everyone is affected, through the use of identity and not having one, however this can be contradicted to the lifestyles of the audience, as they can relate or identify themselves with the day-to-day working lives that they have to live out.
Roger Ebert from the Chicago Sun Times said ‘the film serves as a cautionary warning. The only thing we will have to fear in the future, we learn, is the past itself. Our past. Ourselves.’[14] This quote serves as reiterating the idea that most apocalyptic films work in the way as to make audiences dwell on the idea that they are destroying the world, this film therefore gives hope in the form of contextual factors, more than textual ones, influence the way the spectator views the film or television program.[15] So ultimately the audience are relating themselves with the text as a means of getting some form of relationship. In many ways this is the preferred Reading that the director has intended, the preferred reading being the meaning of a text as intended by the author, linked to the work of Stuart Hall and David Morley.[16]
Peter Bradshaw from the guardian said, ‘Cuarón has created the thinking person’s action movie’[17], this gives the impression that the audience is therefore active rather than passive, which can be linked with Uses and Gratifications theory, audiences were made up of individuals who actively consumed texts for different reasons and in different ways. In 1948 Lasswell suggested that media texts had the following functions for individuals and society,[18] the theorists Blumer and Katz theorised the idea that audiences watching different texts gain certain aspects from watching these texts, with relation to Children of Men the audience are acquiring the uses and gratifications of personal identification or rather surveillance. However the idea that apocalyptic/sci-fi films being entertaining through the idea that it targets your deepest fears comes into play as well.
‘From the earliest studies of film audiences it is clear that the routine methods of social science could tell us a great deal. In these audience studies and in many others like them since the 1910s, what we have are deductions made from the collection of quantifiable information – information about, for example, frequence of visits to the cinema and genre preferences.’[19] The quotation simply repeats the idea that studies dating back since 1910 have developed the idea on what audiences look for in a film and determine whether it is worth watching, as well as watching movies of the same genre.
Manohla Dargis in the New York Times observes that Cuarón’s film ‘is a gratifying sign that big studios are still occasionally in the business of making ambitious, intelligent work that speaks to adults.’ [20] The idea that the ambiguity of the themes that are presented in the film have a purpose of interacting with the audience, in some ways this can be seen to be that the director has purposefully raised the level of ambiguity in order for a certain interaction to be made with the audience, this is also known as the preferred reading.
In many ways Alfonso Cuarón is seen to be an auteur, Auteur theory suggests that a director can use the commercial apparatus of film-making in the same way that a writer uses a pen or a painter uses paint and a paintbrush. It is a medium for the personal artistic expression of the director.[21] Some of Cuarón’s works include Y Tu Mamá También, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, A little Princess and Children of Men. One of Alonso’s personal quotes is ‘the only reason you make a movie is not to make or set out to do a good or a bad movie, it’s just to see what you learn for the next one.’[22]
Alfonso Cuarón makes it clear from the outset of the film that the government across the world has collapsed, with Britain ‘soldering’ on. With reference to a British audience this in many ways is similar to the times in which the British Empire was in rule. This can also be linked with the idea of colonialism. Ashis Nandy says ‘Colonialism transformed Britain culturally by suppressing and declaring tenderness, speculation and introspection as feminine and therefore unworthy of public culture, and by bringing the most brutish and masculine elements of British colonial life to the fore.’[23] Children of Men therefore adapts the idea that Britain has become the most powerful country altogether, giving them the power to mediate what is culturally popular, so to speak. The Matrix (1999) deals with aspects of sci-fi such as the question of ‘what if the world as we know it no longer exists?’ Many other sci-fi films reflect the what if situations that are, what if some unknown, probably unnatural plague came into existence and wiped out most of humanity?
Phillip French from the guardian website says, ‘What the narrative demands, and what Cuarón provides, is moral ambiguity and a testing hopefulness that suggests the possibility of redemption.’[24] This presents Alfonso as a man of great skill, however it also relates to the idea that the audience are able to identify with the text as they feel a need for redemption through the viewing of the movie, ultimately making them think twice before they carry out a normal life. Like reception study, a semantic/syntactic/pragmatic approach refuses determinacy to textual structures from the institutions and social habits that frame them and land the appearance of making meaning on their own.[25] This basically means that with the zeitgeist in mind the audience’s attitudes and beliefs can be affected through the film. This can also be referred to as ‘Value Judgement’, value judgement is a subjective opinion based on an individual’s attitudes, beliefs and values rather than any objective criteria.[26]
The film’s tagline is ‘No Children, No Future, No Hope’[27], this works in reinforcing the fear of apocalypse, however unlike many other taglines, it is repetitive of the word ‘No’ and uses a negative approach, reinforcing the film’s negativity which can also be linked with the idea that the purpose of the text is more to sway your attitudes and beliefs, rather than focusing on the entertainment side of this, even though the audience does get some form of entertainment through the action and suspense that build up to the dramatic events of apocalypse. My view is that Alfonso Cuarón has taken into perspective all the things that are wrong with today’s world and created a film out of it, however he uses it as a means of communicating a warning within mass amounts of viewers, the message being that ‘if we don’t fix up now then there will be no hope at all!’
Referring back to Steve Neale’s work, the ‘typical repertoire of elements’[28] brings forth the conclusion that most Apocalyptic/sci-fi films are successful at creating this too, which is achieved through a process of repetition, many films have reoccurring themes, which make them easier to classify into different genres. However with regards to theories such as reception and uses and gratifications, it can be argued that the film Children of Men allows the progression in change, the change in the audience, if they were to watch this film in a cinema, they would come out with a new perspective of life, they would be more willing to think about the things around them and not take things for granted, a way of redeeming the bad things that they have done to lead up to the bad events that have been predicted in the film.
So with regards to Peter Bradshaw’s review, Children of Men is ‘the thinking person’s movie’, the audience are an active minded audience, they therefore create their own perception of what the film means to them, however with the context of the idea of social realism, the events that are affecting the economy will influence the way in which the perception of the film is derived from, backing up my idea that apocalyptic/sci-fi films affect the morals/attitudes of its audience, regardless of whether this is the preferred or oppositional reading that the director was trying to get across, the dominant reading of the text is that we need to start paying attention to the things that we are doing that are affecting the environment, otherwise bad stuff like what’s in the film will occur.
Word Count: 3063
[1] http://upload.wikipedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a0/Children_Of_Men_3.jpg - Children of men poster
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse - Definition for apocalypse
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - Definition of uses and gratifications theory
[4] Neale, Steve (2002), Genre and Contemporary Hollywood
[5] http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/ivf+breakthrough+could+help+couples/2906587 - news article on IVF treatment for women
[6] Telotte (1995) cited in The Cinema Book
[7] http://www.timeout.com/film/newyork/reviews/83505/Children_of_Men.html, Dave Calhoun
[8] Unit 6 – Critical approaches to genre booklet
[9]
[10]
[11] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Of_Men - information on Children of Men, such as money made, etc.
[12] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin - Definition for Macguffin.
[13] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reception_theory - definition of reception theory
[14] http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071004/REVIEWS/710040307/-1/REVIEWS01 - review given by Chicago sun Times
[15]
[16] Probert, D. (2005) As/A Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (Essential Word Ditionaries). Unkown: Phillip Allan Updates.
[17] http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2006/sep/22/juliannemoore.thriller - review by Peter Bradshaw
[18]
[19] Nelmes, Jill (2003), An Introduction To Film Studies (Third Edition)
[20] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/news?year=2006 - review by Manohla Dargis, New York times, by imdb website.
[21] http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/Screen/Auteur%20Theory.htm - a definition for auteur theory.
[22] http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190859/bio - a biography like/information page on the director Alfonso Cuaron
[23] Booklet on Representations, Introducing Media Studies, Ashis Nandy.
[24] http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/movie/114077/children.of.men - Phillip French Review, the guardian website.
[25] Nelmes, J. (1999). Introduction to Film Studies. London: Taylor & Francis, Inc.
[26] Probert, D. (2005). As/A Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (Essential Word Dictionaries). Unknown: Phillip Allan Updates.
[27] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Of_Men - information on film Children of men, such as money made, etc.
[28] Neale, S. (2007). Genre and Hollywood. Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis.
Wednesday 13 May 2009
Thursday 2 April 2009
Haloween
Iconography:Halloween has many iconic visual images. Firstly one aspect that is very iconic is the fact that it is a bunch of teenagers who the whole film is based upon.Secondly their is a psycho killer who wears a mask so that he is not identified and caarries a big knife around with him, which he uses to kill all his victims with.Thirdly the characters who make out got jilled first.Last of all i thought it was iconic about the psycho killer going after a lonely babysitter.Style:Setting:*The suspicious and murder scenes are always set at night time*The murder scenes always take place in a house where the parents are away and a group of teenagers are together or someone is babysitting the parents kids.Narrative:Characters:*Final Girl*Group of teenage friends*Masked psycho killerThemes:Psycho killer v Final GirlSane v InsaneAudience Response:Audience is frightened yet excited and looks forward to somebody getting killed. They take sadistic and voyeuristic pleasures.
Friday 13th
*The film was first released in 1980, with many sequels that followed on from their, ending in the remake of the first one in 2009*The film focused and revolved around the character Jason,who only makes an appearance at the end of the film*The franchise of Friday the 13th was sold to new line cinema, who then came out with the concept of Freddy vs Jason*The directors and producers of the original Friday the 13th had nothing to do and took no part in the rest of the sequels*The film was made into a novel and also comic books
Nightmare On Elm Street
The film was written and directed by Wes Craven, who was also responsible for the film "Scream"*The American Horror franchise consisted of eight slasher films, a television show, novels and lastly comic books.*The series of the sequels of the film were produced by the independent film company, New Line Cinema*Nightmare on Elm Street is the third highest grossing franchise*The film series has been a financial success at the box office*In 1988, a film series was produced and had Freddy as the host*The original film was released in 1984, with sequels that followed in 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994 and finally in 2003*Micheal Bay and his production team are looking to reboot the Nightmare on Elm Street *Franchise, the film is scheduled to be released on 16th April, 2010
Scary Movie
The Scary Movie series is a series of films which mainly specialize in spoofing current, popular horror films, which have collectively grossed over $817 million at the box-office worldwide. The two main recurring actors of the series are Anna Faris and Regina Hall, as Cindy Campbell and Brenda Meeks, respectively. They are joined by new or recurring actors and characters.They were distributed by Dimension Films through two different studios: Miramax Films, as it was originally the studio's genre film label during executive producers Bob Weinstein and Harvey Weinstein's run and produced the first three films, and The Weinstein Company, the brothers' newly formed studio, which currently produces the rest of the series' release after departing from Miramax and taking the Dimension Films label with them. Miramax/Disney retains international distribution rights.Scary Movie (July 7, 2000) is the first film in the series. The film is the only in the series to feature exposed male genitalia. Scary Movie was the highest grossing film of the series, grossing around $278,019,771 worldwide. The movie is based on other scary movies made before but some of the details are made into jokes (Scream)Scary movie Franchise:Scary movie 1Director: Keenen Ivory WayansWriters:Shawn Wayans (written by) &Marlon Wayans(written by) ...Release Date:8 September 2000 (UK)Genre: ComedyA group of teenagers including Cindy Campbell and Bobby Prinze, accidentally hit a man when driving, and dispose of the body, but now they are being stalked by a very recognisable masked killer. The victim count increases, whilst Cindy must survive the carnage that has she has seen in so many films before. Six friends - Cindy Campbell, Bobby Prinze, Buffy Gilmore, Greg Phillipe, Ray Wilkins, and Brenda Meeks - are being stalked by a serial killer. A serial killer that is after them because of an accident that they caused last Halloween. A serial killer that seems to have come out of every other scary movie. The body count has already started with Drew Decker, the local town slut, and it's starting to build up. The friends are going to have to escape from both the killer's clutches and annoying news reporter Gail Hailstorm if they plan on livingScary movie 27 September 2001 (UK)A group of teens including Cindy Campbell and Brenda Meeks are invited to spend a night in Hell House. Professor Oldman has convinced them it for a school project, but the night won't go past quietly. Master Kane is long dead, but still plans on enjoying himself, especially with Alex Monday. When things really start getting bad, the gang must work together to find a way to capture this ghostly menace.Megan Voorhees is possessed and two priests, Father McFeely and Father Harris, must drive the demon out, but the exorcism doesn't go as planned. A year later, survivors Cindy Campbell, Ray Wilkins, and Shorty and Brenda Meeks, are at college, trying to forget the incidents that occurred last Halloween. Cindy is falling for Buddy, who loves to give wedgies, and Ray is still confused about his sexuality. Professor Oldman and his paralyzed assistant, Dwight, have decided to do a research study at Hell House, the house where the bad exorcism took place, and disguise it as a sleep disorder study. Chaos starts as soon as Cindy arrives and meets the creepy caretaker with the funny hand. But the house has some deep dark secrets that the group has to solve, even if they are scary or disgusting.Scary movie 323 January 2004 (UK)A mysterious killer video tape is circulating around. One look at this tape and you have seven days left to live. News Reporter Cindy Campbell (Faris) witnesses this video tape and tries to work out a way to prevent her death. But this is not the only mystery to appear. Crop circles have been appearing in the local farm of Tom (Sheen) and George (Rex). With help from Aunt Shaneequa (Latifah), Cindy suspects that the aliens may be linked with the killer tape and must now work out both mysteries before it's the end of the world.Scary movie 413 April 2006 (UK)Anna Faris and Regina Hall are back as the lovable, dim-witted Cindy Campbell and her self-serving, sex-crazed pal Brenda respectively. They are joined this time around by Craig Bierko as the cute, but utterly clueless, Tom Ryan. Together, they battle to save the world from a ruthless alien invasion. Cindy Campbell moves in next to Tom Ryan because she's taking care of an old lady. She finds out the house is haunted by a little boy and goes on a quest in the village to find out who killed him and why. Also, Alien "Tr-iPods" are invading the world and Cindy has to uncover the secret in order to stop them.Post-modern-Pastiche-A media text made up from other media text pieces or of imitations of other stylesIrony- Irony is when humour is based on using words to suggest the opposite of their literal meaningIntertextuality- The practice of purposely including a reference of one text in the narrative of another, it can generate levels of meaning for the viewer.Parody: A parody is in contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, its subject, or author, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitationSpoof: a composition that imitates or misrepresents some body's style, usually in a humorous wayOther movies in scary movie:ScreamI know what you did last summerThe sixth senseHalloweenThe Blair Witch Project The Usual Suspects Titanic and AmistadThe Matrix
Tcm Comparison
"Compare the two versions of TCM. HOW and WHY are they similar or different, paying close attention to ideas/theories about the ways genres repeat themselves and the wider contextual factors that have influenced any changes."
‘Texas Chainsaw massacre’, belonging to the slasher film genre was first made in 1974, and then remade 2003. Both are remarkably stunning films. The killer in the film, which was based on Ed Gein, otherwise known as leather face brings forth the notion of gore and bloody violence; however he indirectly raises the issues that would be brought up in a typical slasher film.
Both versions contain the typical elements of characters, these being: the final girl, who is typically blonde; the killer, who has a mask, made of others skin/features; along with a group of friends in which they have a couple along with a single, geeky guy. There is a representation of Binary Oppositions within two of the characters, the final girl (sally) and the other girl, who is more slutty and open to a sexual relationship, linking to the idea of the Madonna vs. The whore. However it is arguable that Sally has changed within the second film, she has become more open to a sexual relationship, as she is now seen kissing her boyfriend. The other change from these characters from the old film to the new film is that the geek no longer has a wheelchair, other than that all the characters have been, almost identically reflected. The usual downfall for most of these couples are that they engage in sexual intercourse, a reoccurring theme within many slasher films, for example in scary movie, a parody of the slasher film genre, we hear one of the characters talking about the typical conventions within the characters, one in particular, ‘You may not survive the movie if you have sex.’ This can also be linked with the idea of Eros vs. Thanatos, which is the theme of sex & life vs. Death. In both cases of the two films the audience is able to identify with the final girl as well as the killer, which are the audience’s voyeuristic pleasure as well as the audience’s sadistic pleasure.
Naturally the first film is a reflection of the zeitgeist, as at the time of the release of the first film the Vietnam War was going on, on the other hand the new ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ was reflecting the audience’s sadistic and voyeuristic pleasure in watching slasher genre films. However the second film is more a film that reflects our pleasures in watching slasher films, however these issues may be because of censorship, that is why the first film was able to show more gruesome and horrific scene’s, where as the second film was introduced with the censorship, disallowing the showing of many such scenes. Both of the films are set within the times of the industrial revolution, as machinery was taking over most of the industries there was less need for human workers, in particularly for the slaughter industry, which is one of the motives for the killings of all leather face’s victims. Another reflection of the zeitgeist would be the medium shot of the van pulling up into the gas station, the group of friends had to wait for the gasoline because of a decline in industry, and people were no longer getting oil, because of recession and worries over international affairs. Another issue that is raised through leather-face is the Oedipus theory, which his relationship with his psychotic is symbolised through the apron he is wearing.
‘Texas Chainsaw massacre’, belonging to the slasher film genre was first made in 1974, and then remade 2003. Both are remarkably stunning films. The killer in the film, which was based on Ed Gein, otherwise known as leather face brings forth the notion of gore and bloody violence; however he indirectly raises the issues that would be brought up in a typical slasher film.
Both versions contain the typical elements of characters, these being: the final girl, who is typically blonde; the killer, who has a mask, made of others skin/features; along with a group of friends in which they have a couple along with a single, geeky guy. There is a representation of Binary Oppositions within two of the characters, the final girl (sally) and the other girl, who is more slutty and open to a sexual relationship, linking to the idea of the Madonna vs. The whore. However it is arguable that Sally has changed within the second film, she has become more open to a sexual relationship, as she is now seen kissing her boyfriend. The other change from these characters from the old film to the new film is that the geek no longer has a wheelchair, other than that all the characters have been, almost identically reflected. The usual downfall for most of these couples are that they engage in sexual intercourse, a reoccurring theme within many slasher films, for example in scary movie, a parody of the slasher film genre, we hear one of the characters talking about the typical conventions within the characters, one in particular, ‘You may not survive the movie if you have sex.’ This can also be linked with the idea of Eros vs. Thanatos, which is the theme of sex & life vs. Death. In both cases of the two films the audience is able to identify with the final girl as well as the killer, which are the audience’s voyeuristic pleasure as well as the audience’s sadistic pleasure.
Naturally the first film is a reflection of the zeitgeist, as at the time of the release of the first film the Vietnam War was going on, on the other hand the new ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ was reflecting the audience’s sadistic and voyeuristic pleasure in watching slasher genre films. However the second film is more a film that reflects our pleasures in watching slasher films, however these issues may be because of censorship, that is why the first film was able to show more gruesome and horrific scene’s, where as the second film was introduced with the censorship, disallowing the showing of many such scenes. Both of the films are set within the times of the industrial revolution, as machinery was taking over most of the industries there was less need for human workers, in particularly for the slaughter industry, which is one of the motives for the killings of all leather face’s victims. Another reflection of the zeitgeist would be the medium shot of the van pulling up into the gas station, the group of friends had to wait for the gasoline because of a decline in industry, and people were no longer getting oil, because of recession and worries over international affairs. Another issue that is raised through leather-face is the Oedipus theory, which his relationship with his psychotic is symbolised through the apron he is wearing.
Tuesday 24 March 2009
coverwork - scream franchise
Scream
directed by the same person who did nightmare on elm street, Wes Craven. The film was released in 1996, it was a revitalisation of the slasher film genre, a sub-genre of horror. Scream was the highest grossing film in the year 1996, it made a total domestic gross of $103,046,663, followed by its success it brought out scream 2, 3 and 4.
The most significant part of the film would be when the character randy describes the rules for a slasher/horror film:
directed by the same person who did nightmare on elm street, Wes Craven. The film was released in 1996, it was a revitalisation of the slasher film genre, a sub-genre of horror. Scream was the highest grossing film in the year 1996, it made a total domestic gross of $103,046,663, followed by its success it brought out scream 2, 3 and 4.
The most significant part of the film would be when the character randy describes the rules for a slasher/horror film:
- You may not survive the movie if you have sex.
- You may not survive the movie if you drink or do drugs.
- You may not survive the movie if you say "I'll be right back","Hello?" or "Who's there?"
A similar set of "rules" was used for the movie's trailer: - Don't answer the phone
- Don't open the door
- Don't try to hide
- But most of all don't scream
Synopsis
Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) answers the phone, the man who has called saying he has the wrong number. He calls again, and from there the scene turns into the ultimate trivia contest. If Casey answers the horror based trivia questions right, she and her boyfriend, Steve (Kevin Patrick Walls) get to live. Answer wrong and she dies. She gets a trick question though, "Who is the killer in Friday the 13th?" The man on the other end doesn't say if it is the series or the first film. She answers Jason; in the original film it is his mother. The caller reveals Casey's boyfriend Steve is tied up outside. He is murdered before her eyes.
references to other films that scream has are the following:
- A nightmare on elm street
- Halloween
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Postmodernism literally means 'after the modernist movement'. so in the terms of the characters they have become aware of the events that surround them, as in the case of randy, making the film more interesting to watch as the audience are curious to see if they survive knowing how things work.
Pastiche is a work of art that mixes styles or copies the style of another artist, this could be linked with the director, Wes Craven, as he links this film with his other film 'A nightmare on elm Street', one of the characters (tatum) wears a jumper which is similar to that of freddy krugger, this could also be seen as a possible link between the two films.
Irony is a mode of expression that calls attention to the character's knowledge and that of the audience.
Vipesh & Noura
booklet - coverwork
Unit 1:Introducing Genre
Genre is actually a French word for "Type" or "Category"
It's a concept that allows and helps scholars to study films, film making and the audiences response for these films
Genres are not fixed, they are used to help us understand films
Unit 2:Genre Classification
Genres are not fixed, they are actually dynamic, the definition of any particular genres is Fluid
Iconography can be both visual image and sound image
Most genres offer a narrative of "Reassurance"
Some characters are so"tightly" associated with the genre that they then become "Generic types"
Unit 3:Hollywood and Genre
"Hollywood is a generic cinema, which is not quite the same as saying it is a cinema of genres" Richard Maltby, 1995
Genre began to decline because genre theorist argued that "genres began as fairly loose groupings that gradually evolved towards a "mature" or "classic" period."
"B" films and genres, like genre fiction, were seen as "low status" by critics and commentators
Unit 4:Audiences and Genres
There are many pleasures that audiences get from film genres. These pleasures are the following:
Emotional Pleasures-Some genres are generically designed to make the audience feel emotional in different ways
Visceral Pleasures- This is how the film is style to have a physical effect on audiences
Intellectual Puzzles- This allows the audience to interact and allows them to try and unravel the mystery of "whodunnit"
Counter-Culture Attraction- Where the audience can unravel the genre from the conventions of the the films or in other words, the "Repertoire of Elements"
There are hybrid films that mix the conventions of more than one or two genres together, therefore reinterpreting them.
The strongest elements of genre is the emotional response that they are designed to get from the audience
Unit 5: Stars and Genres
Theorist "Ellis" stated that "Stars hold a "promise" to audiences"
Film theorist "Dyer" stated that Stars are seen as "Commodity", which is an important asset or element of making and selling a film
The relationship between stars and genre or even generic elements are fluid
Genre is actually a French word for "Type" or "Category"
It's a concept that allows and helps scholars to study films, film making and the audiences response for these films
Genres are not fixed, they are used to help us understand films
Unit 2:Genre Classification
Genres are not fixed, they are actually dynamic, the definition of any particular genres is Fluid
Iconography can be both visual image and sound image
Most genres offer a narrative of "Reassurance"
Some characters are so"tightly" associated with the genre that they then become "Generic types"
Unit 3:Hollywood and Genre
"Hollywood is a generic cinema, which is not quite the same as saying it is a cinema of genres" Richard Maltby, 1995
Genre began to decline because genre theorist argued that "genres began as fairly loose groupings that gradually evolved towards a "mature" or "classic" period."
"B" films and genres, like genre fiction, were seen as "low status" by critics and commentators
Unit 4:Audiences and Genres
There are many pleasures that audiences get from film genres. These pleasures are the following:
Emotional Pleasures-Some genres are generically designed to make the audience feel emotional in different ways
Visceral Pleasures- This is how the film is style to have a physical effect on audiences
Intellectual Puzzles- This allows the audience to interact and allows them to try and unravel the mystery of "whodunnit"
Counter-Culture Attraction- Where the audience can unravel the genre from the conventions of the the films or in other words, the "Repertoire of Elements"
There are hybrid films that mix the conventions of more than one or two genres together, therefore reinterpreting them.
The strongest elements of genre is the emotional response that they are designed to get from the audience
Unit 5: Stars and Genres
Theorist "Ellis" stated that "Stars hold a "promise" to audiences"
Film theorist "Dyer" stated that Stars are seen as "Commodity", which is an important asset or element of making and selling a film
The relationship between stars and genre or even generic elements are fluid
Essay Homewok Task
Targets:
- more quotes from beter and more reliable sources
- better use of key concepts
Next Step
- bibliography - more books, alphabetise it, add moving images section as well as works cited and works consulted.
- get better references, other than wikipedia
- include more key concepts, such as Narrative, Representations, Audience and Ideologies
- Wider Contextual issues, economical, political and historical
- use a couple more theorists
Tuesday 10 February 2009
Asian Articles
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/feb/08/vitamin-d-skin-evolution - The pigment found in darker people, science used to exploit sun rays for paler or white people.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/feb/05/shivanova-secret-chants-denselow - The art works of Indians, music and theatre work.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/04/india-women - article into a pub brawl incident, leading to tensions between the community, with links to wider issues in the Indian community. Gives Indians the representation of being the victim.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2009/feb/03/ethnic-minority-access - a Sikh editor talks about the education, universities, whilst linking it to his Asian background.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/feb/01/paul-stephenson-police-race-relations - talks about the new police cheif commisioner, and his campaign to have more ethnic origions in the police force.
The article that most striked me is the police chief article, this is because it presents Paul Stevenson to be an infamous figure within the police and race relations community, through the use of quotes of what he says. It then ends on a negative note present his career as chief of police to be short and unsuccessful.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/feb/05/shivanova-secret-chants-denselow - The art works of Indians, music and theatre work.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/04/india-women - article into a pub brawl incident, leading to tensions between the community, with links to wider issues in the Indian community. Gives Indians the representation of being the victim.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2009/feb/03/ethnic-minority-access - a Sikh editor talks about the education, universities, whilst linking it to his Asian background.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/feb/01/paul-stephenson-police-race-relations - talks about the new police cheif commisioner, and his campaign to have more ethnic origions in the police force.
The article that most striked me is the police chief article, this is because it presents Paul Stevenson to be an infamous figure within the police and race relations community, through the use of quotes of what he says. It then ends on a negative note present his career as chief of police to be short and unsuccessful.
- southern asians are more likely to have a vitamin D defiency when coming to britain, due to there high pigment levels, attitudes towards asians have changed, possibly less racist.
- Asians are being recognised for there art and musical influences, Yoga is very popular within a white community, combing the two ethnicities.
- Within asians the ideologies that women should not been 'westernised' still exsists, (seen through pub article) 'women should not drink or be seen in bars'.
- the idea that white people and asians are still unequal is still being reflected today, (education article) 'as an ethnic minority there was no such thing as a level playing field, especially not in 70s Britain. To succeed, you didn't just have to outshine your white colleagues, you had to dazzle them.'
- the detection rate for racist crime rose from 23.5% to 40% last year. "The commissioner has a publicly commended track record, in terms of the personal importance he has placed on race and equality issues in policing,"
Friday 6 February 2009
Bibliography
Bibliography
Books:
Altman, R. (1999). Film/Genre. London: British Film Institute.
Neale, S. (2002). Genre and Contemporary Hollywood. London: British Film Institute.
Neale, S. (2007). Genre and Hollywood. Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis.
Nelmes, J. (1999). Introduction to Film Studies. London: Taylor & Francis, Inc..
Probert, D. (2005). As/A Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (Essential Word Dictionaries). Unknown: Philip Allan Updates.
Unit 6 – Critical approaches to genre booklet
7. Booklet on representations, Ashis Nandy
Websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - descriptions and definitions on the theory of uses and gratifications.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/ivf+breakthrough+could+help+couples/2906587 - news article on IVF treatmen for women
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071004/REVIEWS/710040307/-1/REVIEWS01 - review given by Chicago sun Times
http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Independent-Film-Road-Movies/Reception-Theory.html - defintion of reception theory
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2006/sep/22/juliannemoore.thriller - review by Peter Bradshaw
http://www.mediaknowall.com/alevkeyconcepts/audience.html - website giving defintions on media theories, with Uses and Gratifications used.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/news?year=2006 - review by Manohla Dargis, new york times, by imdb website
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190859/bio - a biography like/information page on the director Alfonso Cuaron
http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/Screen/Auteur%20Theory.htm - a defintion for auteur theory
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190859/bio
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/movie/114077/children.of.men - Phillip French Review, the guardian website
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Of_Men
Books:
Altman, R. (1999). Film/Genre. London: British Film Institute.
Neale, S. (2002). Genre and Contemporary Hollywood. London: British Film Institute.
Neale, S. (2007). Genre and Hollywood. Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis.
Nelmes, J. (1999). Introduction to Film Studies. London: Taylor & Francis, Inc..
Probert, D. (2005). As/A Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (Essential Word Dictionaries). Unknown: Philip Allan Updates.
Unit 6 – Critical approaches to genre booklet
7. Booklet on representations, Ashis Nandy
Websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - descriptions and definitions on the theory of uses and gratifications.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/ivf+breakthrough+could+help+couples/2906587 - news article on IVF treatmen for women
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071004/REVIEWS/710040307/-1/REVIEWS01 - review given by Chicago sun Times
http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Independent-Film-Road-Movies/Reception-Theory.html - defintion of reception theory
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2006/sep/22/juliannemoore.thriller - review by Peter Bradshaw
http://www.mediaknowall.com/alevkeyconcepts/audience.html - website giving defintions on media theories, with Uses and Gratifications used.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/news?year=2006 - review by Manohla Dargis, new york times, by imdb website
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190859/bio - a biography like/information page on the director Alfonso Cuaron
http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/Screen/Auteur%20Theory.htm - a defintion for auteur theory
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190859/bio
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/movie/114077/children.of.men - Phillip French Review, the guardian website
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Of_Men
Tuesday 3 February 2009
First Draft :(
'What are the messages of post-apocalyptic/sci-fi films? Paying particular attention to Children of Men (2006)
‘No Children, No Future, No Hope’ [1], Does this idea reflect the unconscious mind thinking of the audience, and are the audiences morals/attitudes affected through the reflection of this in films?
Children Of Men directed by Alfonso Cuarón presents the fear of the population dying out through the idea that women no longer gain the ability to become pregnant. Cuarón has acted in the way of reflecting the zeitgeists of genetically modified pregnancies through science, whilst also reflecting the idea's of pollution and contamination, as well as poor international relations, ultimately reflecting the 'what if' situation, such as what if we didn't have science to counteract [1]infertility. the term apocalypse is 'used to refer to the end of the world'.[2] Uses and Gratifications is the idea that people use the media to get specific gratifications, so audiences use media to fulfil their various needs. These needs serve as motivations for using media [3]. According to Steve Neale the 'typical repertoire of elements’ or ‘recurring themes/elements in an individual genre’. [4]
The fears of infertility, pollution and contamination, as well as poor international relations are reflected throughout Children Of Men (2006), Children Of Men is a dystopian (a creation of a nightmare world) sci-fi film, the film is set in the future (2027) of the united kingdom the film explores a grim world in which two decades of global human infertility have left humanity with less than a century to survive. In many ways this can be seen to be the zeitgeist, as we know see reflected in today’s media, 'Infertility affects at least one in six couples and currently success rates for IVF treatment are about one in four'[5]. Where as in The War of the Worlds (1953) Directed by Byron Haskin, the zeitgeist of being invaded by aliens was reflected. However in both texts the theme of Apocalypse is brought to the audience’s attention, on the one hand we have women no longer being able to give birth, so the population is dying out, whereas on the other hand we have beings from another planet attacking the human race, ultimately killing of most of the population.
‘Many critics argue science fiction…uses its tales of alien invasion, science and technology gone wrong, and visions of the future worlds to explore the issues of contemporary significance.’[6] The zeitgeist of pollution has been massively distributed around today’s media, with the threat of global warming ending the world, there has been a moral panic throughout the media altogether, as seen in the sci-fi drama on the BBC, Doctor Who, in which pollutant cars threaten the end of the world, along with invading aliens. The threat of pollution and global warming is also reflected in the film The Day after Tomorrow (2004), in which an outbreak of deadly storms threatens mankind’s existence. Schatz’s proposition that a ‘genre film...involves familiar, essentially one-dimensional characters acting out a predictable story pattern within a familiar setting’ (Schatz 1981:6). The narrative components of a non-genre film – the characters, setting, plot, techniques, etc. – assume their significance as elements as they are integrated into the individual film itself. In a genre film, however, these components have prior significance as elements of some generic formula’ (1981:10). This formula is established by repetition. [7]
However the sci-fi film that links to Children Of Men brought forth the idea that one being creating another being is an unnatural and tabooed process, this film being Frankenstein (1931) directed by James Whale. Social realism can be seen through the representation of the character Frankenstein himself, his birth is seen to have been a negative thing, reflecting how this has changed as we still are being presented with the argument that Genetically Modified births are wrong, however they are being carried out. This can in addition be linked with the film I am Legend (2007), in which a scientist that is immune to a virus tries to cure cancerous diseases with science, yet again reflecting the zeitgeist, through the unnatural overcoming of these natural processes, with science. The term social realism is the representation of characters and issues in film and television drama in such a way as to raise serious underlying social and political issues [8]. The films are usually shot in a naturalistic way, which is the case in Children For Men, for example in the opening sequence we see that the lighting is very dark, or low key, presenting the idea that the scener[2]y or cinematography has not been altered, to give a realistic approach.
Children of Men grossed $69,612,678 worldwide, with $35,552,383 of the revenue generated in the United States. [9] Children of Men is nominated for 2007 Academy Awards for Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Editing, and Best Writing, Adapted screenplay. The film is distributed by Universal Pictures, Universal pictures are a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is one of the six Worldwide major American film studios.
The cinèma vèritè style cinematography and lengthy single shot sequences, which Alfonso Cuaron is recognised for, linking the idea to Alfred Hitchcock’s career, ‘Macguffin’, this being a plot device that motivates the characters or advances the story [10], the argument that can be derived from this is that Alfonso Cuaron uses typical generic conventions in order to keep the audience’s appealed and interested, whilst indirectly progressing the idea that he can influence the audiences beliefs/attitudes, even through the techniques that make the film what it is. Cuarón uses sound and music to bring the fictional world of social unrest and infertility to life, by using a creative yet restrained combination of rock, pop, hip-hop and classical music, as well as the mundane sounds of traffic, barking dogs, and advertisements. The film makes use of silence and sound effects such as the firing of automatic weapons, and loudspeakers directing the movement of "fugees". [11] Cuaron’s technique of using an anit-hero (Clive Owen), helps to alienate the audience, creating the connotation that everyone is effected, through the use of identity and not having one, however this can be contradicted to the lifestyles of the audience, as they can relate or identify themselves with the day-to-day working lives that they have to live out.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times - 'the film serves as a cautionary warning. The only thing we will have to fear in the future, we learn, is the past itself. Our past. Ourselves.'[12], this quote serves as reiterating the idea that most apocalyptic films work in the way as to make audiences dwell on the idea that they are destroying the world, this film therefore gives hope in the form of a warning. This can be linked with the theory of Reception, Reception theory argues that contextual factors, more than textual ones, influence the way the spectator views the film or television program. [13] So ultimately the audience are relating themselves with the text as a means of getting some form of relationship. In many ways this is the 'Preferred Reading' that the director has intended, the preferred reading being the meaning of a text as intended by the author, linked to the work of Stuart Hall and David Morley. [14]
Peter Bradshaw, the guardian said 'Cuarón has created the thinking person's action movie'[15], this gives the impression that the audience is therefore an active rather than passive audience, which can be linked with Uses and Gratifications theory, audiences were made up of individuals who actively consumed texts for different reasons and in different ways. In 1948 Lasswell suggested that media texts had the following functions for individuals and society [16], the theorists Bulmer and Katz theorised the idea that audiences watching different texts gain certain aspects from watching these texts, with relation to Children of Men the audience are acquiring the uses and gratifications of personal identification or rather surveillance. However the idea that apocalyptic/sci-fi films being entertaining through the idea that it targets your deepest fears comes into play as well, From the earliest studies of film audiences it is clear that the routine methods of social science could tell us a great deal. In these audience studies and in many others like them since the 1910s, what we have are deductions made from the collection of quantifiable information - information about, for example, frequence of visits to the cinema and genre preferences. [17] The Quotation simply repeats the idea that studiesdating back since 1910 have developed the idea on what audiences look for in a film and determine whether it is worth watching, as well as watching movies of the same genre.
Manohla Dargis in the New York Times observes (IMBD website)- that Cuarón's film "is a gratifying sign that big studios are still occasionally in the business of making ambitious, intelligent work that speaks to adults." [18] The idea that the ambiguity of the themes that are presented in the film have a purpose of interacting with the audience, in some ways this can be seen to be that the director has purposefully raised the level of ambiguity in order for a certain interaction to be made with[3] the audience, this is also known as the preferred reading.
Alfonso Cuarón's mother didn't support that idea of cinema, he started to study philosophy in the morning and in the afternoon he went to the CUEC (Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos) [19], this can also be linked with the idea of deteriorating international relations within the film, as this is also reflected in today’s world, through the war in Iraq as well as the mass genocide in Zimbabwe, also the foreign negations with Russia. However in many ways Alfonso Cuarón is seen to be an auteur, Auteur Theory suggests that a director can use the commercial apparatus of film-making in the same way that a writer uses a pen or a painter uses paint and a paintbrush. It is a medium for the personal artistic expression of the director.[20] Some of his works include Y tu mamá también, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, A Little Princess and Children of Men. One of Alfonso's personal quotes is 'The only reason you make a movie is not to make or set out to do a good or a bad movie, it's just to see what you learn for the next one'. [21]
Alfonso Cuaron makes it clear from the outset of the film that the government across the world has collapsed, with Britain ‘Soldering’ on. With reference to a British audience this in many ways is similar to the times in which the British Empire was in rule. This can also be linked with the idea of colonialism. Ashis Nandy (1937) says ‘Colonialism transformed Britain culturally by suppressing and declaring tenderness, speculation and introspection as feminine and therefore unworthy of public culture, and by bringing the most brutish and masculine elements of british colonial life to the fore.’[22] Children of Men therefore adapts the idea that Britain has become the most powerful country altogether, giving them the power to mediate what culturally popular, so to speak.
Phillip French (the guardian website) - 'What the narrative demands, and what Cuaron provides, is moral ambiguity and a teasing hopefulness that suggests the possibility of redemption.' [23] This presents Alfonso as a man of great skill, however it also relates to the idea that the audience are able to identify with the text as the feel a need for redemption through the viewing of the movie, ultimately making them think twice before they carry out a normal life. Like reception study, a semantic/syntactic/pragmatic approach refuses determinacy to textual structures taken alone, but in addition it acknowledges the difficulty of extracting those textual structures from the institutions and social habits that frame them and lend the appearance of making meaning on their own. [24] This basically means that with zeitgeist in mind the audience’s attitudes and beliefs can be affected through the film. This can also be referred to as 'Value Judgement', value judgement is a subjective opinion based on an individual's attitudes, beliefs and values rather than on any objective criteria. [25]
The films tagline is 'No Children, No Future, No Hope' [26], this works in reinforcing the fear of apocalypse, however unlike many other taglines, it is repetitive of the word 'No' and uses a negative approach, reinforcing the films negativity which can also be linked with the idea that the purpose of the text is more to sway your attitudes and beliefs, rather than focusing on the entertainment side of this, even though the audience does get some form of entertainment through the action and suspense that build up to this dramatic events of apocalypse. My view is that Alfonso Cuaron has taken into perspective all the things that are wrong with today’s world and created a film out of it, however he uses as a means of communicating a warning within mass amounts of viewers, the message being that 'if we don’t fix up now then there will be no hope at all!' Referring back to Steve Neale's work, the ‘typical repertoire of elements’[26]brings forth the conclusion that most[4] Apocalyptic/sci-fi films are successful at creating this too, which is achieved through a process of repetition, many films have reoccurring themes, which make them easier to classify into different genres. However with regards to theories such as reception and uses gratifications, I also believe that the film, Children Of Men allows the progression in change, the change in the audience, if they were to watch this film in a cinema, they would come out with a new perspective of life, they would be more willing to think about the things around them and not take things for granted, a way of redeeming the bad things that they have done to lead up to the bad events that have been predicted in the film.
So with regards to Peter Bradshaw’s review, Children of Men is ‘the thinking person’s movie’, the audience are an active minded audience, they therefore create their own perception of what the film means to them, however with context of the idea of social realism, the events that are effecting the economy will influence the way in which the perception of the film is derived from, backing up my idea that apocalyptic/sci-fi films effect the morals/attitudes of its audiences, regardless of whether this is the preferred or oppositional reading that the director was trying to get across.
Word Count: 2413
[5]
[1] http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a0/Children_Of_Men_3.jpg - children of men poster
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - definitions of uses and gratifications
3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - definitions of uses and gratifications
4 Neale, Steve (2002), Genre and Contemporary Hollywood
5 http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/ivf+breakthrough+could+help+couples/2906587 - news article on IVF treatmen for women
6. Unit 6 – Critical approaches to genre booklet
7. Neale, S. (2007). Genre and Hollywood. Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis.
8. Probert, D. (2005). As/A Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (Essential Word Dictionaries). Unknown: Philip Allan Updates.
9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Of_Men
10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin
11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Of_Men
12. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071004/REVIEWS/710040307/-1/REVIEWS01 - review given by Chicago sun Times
13. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reception_theory
Probert, D. (2005). As/A Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (Essential Word Dictionaries). Unknown: Philip Allan Updates.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2006/sep/22/juliannemoore.thriller - review by Peter Bradshaw
http://www.mediaknowall.com/alevkeyconcepts/audience.html - website giving defintions on media theories, with Uses and Gratifications used.
Nelmes, J. (1999). Introduction to Film Studies. London: Taylor & Francis, Inc..
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/news?year=2006 - review by Manohla Dargis, new york times, by imdb website
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190859/bio - a biography like/information page on the director Alfonso Cuaron
http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/Screen/Auteur%20Theory.htm - a defintion for auteur theory
http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/Screen/Auteur%20Theory.htm - a defintion for auteur theory
22. Booklet on representations, Ashis Nandy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/movie/114077/children.of.men - Phillip French Review, the guardian website
Altman, R. (1999). Film/Genre. London: British Film Institute.
Probert, D. (2005). As/A Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (Essential Word Dictionaries). Unknown: Philip Allan Updates.
Neale, S. (2002). Genre and Contemporary Hollywood. London: British Film Institute.
‘No Children, No Future, No Hope’ [1], Does this idea reflect the unconscious mind thinking of the audience, and are the audiences morals/attitudes affected through the reflection of this in films?
Children Of Men directed by Alfonso Cuarón presents the fear of the population dying out through the idea that women no longer gain the ability to become pregnant. Cuarón has acted in the way of reflecting the zeitgeists of genetically modified pregnancies through science, whilst also reflecting the idea's of pollution and contamination, as well as poor international relations, ultimately reflecting the 'what if' situation, such as what if we didn't have science to counteract [1]infertility. the term apocalypse is 'used to refer to the end of the world'.[2] Uses and Gratifications is the idea that people use the media to get specific gratifications, so audiences use media to fulfil their various needs. These needs serve as motivations for using media [3]. According to Steve Neale the 'typical repertoire of elements’ or ‘recurring themes/elements in an individual genre’. [4]
The fears of infertility, pollution and contamination, as well as poor international relations are reflected throughout Children Of Men (2006), Children Of Men is a dystopian (a creation of a nightmare world) sci-fi film, the film is set in the future (2027) of the united kingdom the film explores a grim world in which two decades of global human infertility have left humanity with less than a century to survive. In many ways this can be seen to be the zeitgeist, as we know see reflected in today’s media, 'Infertility affects at least one in six couples and currently success rates for IVF treatment are about one in four'[5]. Where as in The War of the Worlds (1953) Directed by Byron Haskin, the zeitgeist of being invaded by aliens was reflected. However in both texts the theme of Apocalypse is brought to the audience’s attention, on the one hand we have women no longer being able to give birth, so the population is dying out, whereas on the other hand we have beings from another planet attacking the human race, ultimately killing of most of the population.
‘Many critics argue science fiction…uses its tales of alien invasion, science and technology gone wrong, and visions of the future worlds to explore the issues of contemporary significance.’[6] The zeitgeist of pollution has been massively distributed around today’s media, with the threat of global warming ending the world, there has been a moral panic throughout the media altogether, as seen in the sci-fi drama on the BBC, Doctor Who, in which pollutant cars threaten the end of the world, along with invading aliens. The threat of pollution and global warming is also reflected in the film The Day after Tomorrow (2004), in which an outbreak of deadly storms threatens mankind’s existence. Schatz’s proposition that a ‘genre film...involves familiar, essentially one-dimensional characters acting out a predictable story pattern within a familiar setting’ (Schatz 1981:6). The narrative components of a non-genre film – the characters, setting, plot, techniques, etc. – assume their significance as elements as they are integrated into the individual film itself. In a genre film, however, these components have prior significance as elements of some generic formula’ (1981:10). This formula is established by repetition. [7]
However the sci-fi film that links to Children Of Men brought forth the idea that one being creating another being is an unnatural and tabooed process, this film being Frankenstein (1931) directed by James Whale. Social realism can be seen through the representation of the character Frankenstein himself, his birth is seen to have been a negative thing, reflecting how this has changed as we still are being presented with the argument that Genetically Modified births are wrong, however they are being carried out. This can in addition be linked with the film I am Legend (2007), in which a scientist that is immune to a virus tries to cure cancerous diseases with science, yet again reflecting the zeitgeist, through the unnatural overcoming of these natural processes, with science. The term social realism is the representation of characters and issues in film and television drama in such a way as to raise serious underlying social and political issues [8]. The films are usually shot in a naturalistic way, which is the case in Children For Men, for example in the opening sequence we see that the lighting is very dark, or low key, presenting the idea that the scener[2]y or cinematography has not been altered, to give a realistic approach.
Children of Men grossed $69,612,678 worldwide, with $35,552,383 of the revenue generated in the United States. [9] Children of Men is nominated for 2007 Academy Awards for Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Editing, and Best Writing, Adapted screenplay. The film is distributed by Universal Pictures, Universal pictures are a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is one of the six Worldwide major American film studios.
The cinèma vèritè style cinematography and lengthy single shot sequences, which Alfonso Cuaron is recognised for, linking the idea to Alfred Hitchcock’s career, ‘Macguffin’, this being a plot device that motivates the characters or advances the story [10], the argument that can be derived from this is that Alfonso Cuaron uses typical generic conventions in order to keep the audience’s appealed and interested, whilst indirectly progressing the idea that he can influence the audiences beliefs/attitudes, even through the techniques that make the film what it is. Cuarón uses sound and music to bring the fictional world of social unrest and infertility to life, by using a creative yet restrained combination of rock, pop, hip-hop and classical music, as well as the mundane sounds of traffic, barking dogs, and advertisements. The film makes use of silence and sound effects such as the firing of automatic weapons, and loudspeakers directing the movement of "fugees". [11] Cuaron’s technique of using an anit-hero (Clive Owen), helps to alienate the audience, creating the connotation that everyone is effected, through the use of identity and not having one, however this can be contradicted to the lifestyles of the audience, as they can relate or identify themselves with the day-to-day working lives that they have to live out.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times - 'the film serves as a cautionary warning. The only thing we will have to fear in the future, we learn, is the past itself. Our past. Ourselves.'[12], this quote serves as reiterating the idea that most apocalyptic films work in the way as to make audiences dwell on the idea that they are destroying the world, this film therefore gives hope in the form of a warning. This can be linked with the theory of Reception, Reception theory argues that contextual factors, more than textual ones, influence the way the spectator views the film or television program. [13] So ultimately the audience are relating themselves with the text as a means of getting some form of relationship. In many ways this is the 'Preferred Reading' that the director has intended, the preferred reading being the meaning of a text as intended by the author, linked to the work of Stuart Hall and David Morley. [14]
Peter Bradshaw, the guardian said 'Cuarón has created the thinking person's action movie'[15], this gives the impression that the audience is therefore an active rather than passive audience, which can be linked with Uses and Gratifications theory, audiences were made up of individuals who actively consumed texts for different reasons and in different ways. In 1948 Lasswell suggested that media texts had the following functions for individuals and society [16], the theorists Bulmer and Katz theorised the idea that audiences watching different texts gain certain aspects from watching these texts, with relation to Children of Men the audience are acquiring the uses and gratifications of personal identification or rather surveillance. However the idea that apocalyptic/sci-fi films being entertaining through the idea that it targets your deepest fears comes into play as well, From the earliest studies of film audiences it is clear that the routine methods of social science could tell us a great deal. In these audience studies and in many others like them since the 1910s, what we have are deductions made from the collection of quantifiable information - information about, for example, frequence of visits to the cinema and genre preferences. [17] The Quotation simply repeats the idea that studiesdating back since 1910 have developed the idea on what audiences look for in a film and determine whether it is worth watching, as well as watching movies of the same genre.
Manohla Dargis in the New York Times observes (IMBD website)- that Cuarón's film "is a gratifying sign that big studios are still occasionally in the business of making ambitious, intelligent work that speaks to adults." [18] The idea that the ambiguity of the themes that are presented in the film have a purpose of interacting with the audience, in some ways this can be seen to be that the director has purposefully raised the level of ambiguity in order for a certain interaction to be made with[3] the audience, this is also known as the preferred reading.
Alfonso Cuarón's mother didn't support that idea of cinema, he started to study philosophy in the morning and in the afternoon he went to the CUEC (Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos) [19], this can also be linked with the idea of deteriorating international relations within the film, as this is also reflected in today’s world, through the war in Iraq as well as the mass genocide in Zimbabwe, also the foreign negations with Russia. However in many ways Alfonso Cuarón is seen to be an auteur, Auteur Theory suggests that a director can use the commercial apparatus of film-making in the same way that a writer uses a pen or a painter uses paint and a paintbrush. It is a medium for the personal artistic expression of the director.[20] Some of his works include Y tu mamá también, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, A Little Princess and Children of Men. One of Alfonso's personal quotes is 'The only reason you make a movie is not to make or set out to do a good or a bad movie, it's just to see what you learn for the next one'. [21]
Alfonso Cuaron makes it clear from the outset of the film that the government across the world has collapsed, with Britain ‘Soldering’ on. With reference to a British audience this in many ways is similar to the times in which the British Empire was in rule. This can also be linked with the idea of colonialism. Ashis Nandy (1937) says ‘Colonialism transformed Britain culturally by suppressing and declaring tenderness, speculation and introspection as feminine and therefore unworthy of public culture, and by bringing the most brutish and masculine elements of british colonial life to the fore.’[22] Children of Men therefore adapts the idea that Britain has become the most powerful country altogether, giving them the power to mediate what culturally popular, so to speak.
Phillip French (the guardian website) - 'What the narrative demands, and what Cuaron provides, is moral ambiguity and a teasing hopefulness that suggests the possibility of redemption.' [23] This presents Alfonso as a man of great skill, however it also relates to the idea that the audience are able to identify with the text as the feel a need for redemption through the viewing of the movie, ultimately making them think twice before they carry out a normal life. Like reception study, a semantic/syntactic/pragmatic approach refuses determinacy to textual structures taken alone, but in addition it acknowledges the difficulty of extracting those textual structures from the institutions and social habits that frame them and lend the appearance of making meaning on their own. [24] This basically means that with zeitgeist in mind the audience’s attitudes and beliefs can be affected through the film. This can also be referred to as 'Value Judgement', value judgement is a subjective opinion based on an individual's attitudes, beliefs and values rather than on any objective criteria. [25]
The films tagline is 'No Children, No Future, No Hope' [26], this works in reinforcing the fear of apocalypse, however unlike many other taglines, it is repetitive of the word 'No' and uses a negative approach, reinforcing the films negativity which can also be linked with the idea that the purpose of the text is more to sway your attitudes and beliefs, rather than focusing on the entertainment side of this, even though the audience does get some form of entertainment through the action and suspense that build up to this dramatic events of apocalypse. My view is that Alfonso Cuaron has taken into perspective all the things that are wrong with today’s world and created a film out of it, however he uses as a means of communicating a warning within mass amounts of viewers, the message being that 'if we don’t fix up now then there will be no hope at all!' Referring back to Steve Neale's work, the ‘typical repertoire of elements’[26]brings forth the conclusion that most[4] Apocalyptic/sci-fi films are successful at creating this too, which is achieved through a process of repetition, many films have reoccurring themes, which make them easier to classify into different genres. However with regards to theories such as reception and uses gratifications, I also believe that the film, Children Of Men allows the progression in change, the change in the audience, if they were to watch this film in a cinema, they would come out with a new perspective of life, they would be more willing to think about the things around them and not take things for granted, a way of redeeming the bad things that they have done to lead up to the bad events that have been predicted in the film.
So with regards to Peter Bradshaw’s review, Children of Men is ‘the thinking person’s movie’, the audience are an active minded audience, they therefore create their own perception of what the film means to them, however with context of the idea of social realism, the events that are effecting the economy will influence the way in which the perception of the film is derived from, backing up my idea that apocalyptic/sci-fi films effect the morals/attitudes of its audiences, regardless of whether this is the preferred or oppositional reading that the director was trying to get across.
Word Count: 2413
[5]
[1] http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a0/Children_Of_Men_3.jpg - children of men poster
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - definitions of uses and gratifications
3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - definitions of uses and gratifications
4 Neale, Steve (2002), Genre and Contemporary Hollywood
5 http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/ivf+breakthrough+could+help+couples/2906587 - news article on IVF treatmen for women
6. Unit 6 – Critical approaches to genre booklet
7. Neale, S. (2007). Genre and Hollywood. Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis.
8. Probert, D. (2005). As/A Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (Essential Word Dictionaries). Unknown: Philip Allan Updates.
9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Of_Men
10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin
11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_Of_Men
12. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071004/REVIEWS/710040307/-1/REVIEWS01 - review given by Chicago sun Times
13. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reception_theory
Probert, D. (2005). As/A Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (Essential Word Dictionaries). Unknown: Philip Allan Updates.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2006/sep/22/juliannemoore.thriller - review by Peter Bradshaw
http://www.mediaknowall.com/alevkeyconcepts/audience.html - website giving defintions on media theories, with Uses and Gratifications used.
Nelmes, J. (1999). Introduction to Film Studies. London: Taylor & Francis, Inc..
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/news?year=2006 - review by Manohla Dargis, new york times, by imdb website
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0190859/bio - a biography like/information page on the director Alfonso Cuaron
http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/Screen/Auteur%20Theory.htm - a defintion for auteur theory
http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/siryan/Screen/Auteur%20Theory.htm - a defintion for auteur theory
22. Booklet on representations, Ashis Nandy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/movie/114077/children.of.men - Phillip French Review, the guardian website
Altman, R. (1999). Film/Genre. London: British Film Institute.
Probert, D. (2005). As/A Level Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (Essential Word Dictionaries). Unknown: Philip Allan Updates.
Neale, S. (2002). Genre and Contemporary Hollywood. London: British Film Institute.
Wednesday 28 January 2009
First Paragraph Rewrite
Children Of Men directed by Alfonso Cuarón presents the fear of the population dying out through the idea that women no longer gain the ability to become pregnant. Cuarón has acted in the way of reflecting the zeitgeists of genetically modified pregnancies through science, whilst also reflecting the idea's of pollution and contamination, as well as poor international relations, ultimately reflecting the 'what if' situation, such as what if we didn't have science to counteract infertility. the term apocalypse is 'used to refer to the end of the world'.[1] Uses and Gratifications is the idea that people use the media to get specific gratifications, so audiences use media to fulfill their various needs. These needs serve as motivations for using media.[2] According to Steve Neale the 'typical repertoire of elements'[3] or recurring theme's/elements in an individual genre.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - descriptions and definitions on the theory of uses and gratifications.
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications
[3] Neale, Steve (2002), Genre and Contemporary Hollywood
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications - descriptions and definitions on the theory of uses and gratifications.
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications
[3] Neale, Steve (2002), Genre and Contemporary Hollywood
Monday 5 January 2009
Historical Text
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds
The War of the Worlds is a 1953 science fiction film starring Gene Barry and Ann Robinson. It was the first on screen depiction of the H. G. Wells classic novel of the same name. Produced by George Pál and directed by Byron Haskin from a script by Barré Lyndon, it was the first of several adaptations of Wells' work to be filmed by Pál, and is considered to be one of the great science fiction films of the 1950s. It won an Oscar for its special effects.
The film was again remade by Steven Speilberg in 2005, the older version is important to my independent study as it allows me to gather up a picture of how people back in the 1950's had fears of being invaded from beings that were not of this world, also to gather up the idea of how the audience found this entertaining back then, relating it to my other text, I would link to how the fears have changed and how certain parts of the film have been adapted and kept the same in order to give off the effect required.
The War of the Worlds is a 1953 science fiction film starring Gene Barry and Ann Robinson. It was the first on screen depiction of the H. G. Wells classic novel of the same name. Produced by George Pál and directed by Byron Haskin from a script by Barré Lyndon, it was the first of several adaptations of Wells' work to be filmed by Pál, and is considered to be one of the great science fiction films of the 1950s. It won an Oscar for its special effects.
The film was again remade by Steven Speilberg in 2005, the older version is important to my independent study as it allows me to gather up a picture of how people back in the 1950's had fears of being invaded from beings that were not of this world, also to gather up the idea of how the audience found this entertaining back then, relating it to my other text, I would link to how the fears have changed and how certain parts of the film have been adapted and kept the same in order to give off the effect required.
First Paragraph
Children Of Men presents the fear of the population dying out through the thought of women not being able to give birth to children anymore. The Director has acted in the way of reflecting the idea of the genetically modified pregnancies that scientists are now creating in order for women who cant get pregnant to actually get pregnant, so the film ultimately reflects the fears of the 'what if' situation, in this case what if we didn't have science to fix the problem. Apocalypse is 'the term applied to the disclosure to certain privileged persons of something hidden from the majority of humankind. Today the term is often used to refer to the end of the world.' applying this to films, it is the idea that the film targets the audiences fears through the idea of the end of the world.
Sunday 4 January 2009
Essay Plan
'What are the messages of post-apocalyptic/sci-fi films? And how do these influence audiences? paying particular attention to Children Of Men'.
my independent study is going to analyse the film Children Of Men and then compare it to an older text, in order to gather an idea of how a film can alter the attitudes of its audiences. I will analyse how the film covers global issues, such as pollution and global warming. I will go on to say that by targeting the fears of its audience post-apocalyptic/sci-fi films have the power to change the beliefs and attitudes of the audience.
Introduction:
my independent study is going to analyse the film Children Of Men and then compare it to an older text, in order to gather an idea of how a film can alter the attitudes of its audiences. I will analyse how the film covers global issues, such as pollution and global warming. I will go on to say that by targeting the fears of its audience post-apocalyptic/sci-fi films have the power to change the beliefs and attitudes of the audience.
Introduction:
- Brief synopsis of the film Children Of Men
- brief talk about the situations affecting the world, that are in the media
- Introduce the question
- Start Off with a quote
1st Paragraph:
- Talk about what fears are presented in Children of men, then link it to what is being presented in the media
- Compare what fears the two films represent (old & New)
- Begin to give a brief definition of what Apocalyptic films are
- Give some facts and figures on the film Children Of Men
2nd Paragraph
- Link the MIGRAIN analysis of scenes in children of men with SHEP
- Begin to introduce more theories and theorists, such as Reception theory
- Begin to link Uses and Gratifications theory
3rd Paragraph
- Apply a review from Roger Ebert (the sun Times)
- Apply the theory Auteur Theory, also give some background on the director
- Apply another review from Phillip French (the Guardian Website)
- Apply quotes from both books, Film Genre and An Introduction To Film Studies
4th Paragraph
- create the argument over whether the film has become more/less entertaining with the element of targeting audiences fears
- I will give my own personal opinion to whether i feel i am a passive or active audience, as well as linking this to the idea of the audience being passive or active
Conclusion
- Summarise all points made above
- come up with a conclusion to the argument, which side I agree with, based on the evidence I've given
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)