Background on thriller
- 1. • Thrillers simulate the viewers mood by giving a high level of anticipation. • Makes the audience feel suspense, tension and excitement this is done to keep the person on their toes, this creates a rush of emotion. • The plot always builds to the climax. Suspense is one of the main characteristics, which makes it more unpredictable and adds more mystery to it. • Within a thriller there is usually red herrings, plot twists and cliff-hangers. • Themes are usually either ransoms, captivities, heists, revenge and kidnapping. • They are psychological because there are a lot of mind games within this genre, psychological themes are stalking, confinement and obsession. • Conventional characters for a thriller are: protagonist, antagonist, innocent victims, characters with dark pasts, psychotic individuals, terrorist and spies. • involves puzzles or a investigation to add enigma to it. • Violence and crime are usually central in a thriller. • They also reveal the working of police, government and/or the army. • Non diegetic sound is used, usually upbeat music for a fight scene or running. • A lot of low key lighting • Shadows to create an eerie atmosphere, this then makes It more mysterious and exciting. • Close ups, extreme close up, tracking and dolling are used a lot too.
- 2. • Early thrillers, 1920s–1930s Alfred Hitchcock’s was one of the first people to create a thriller, it was called ‘The lodger’ this was a silent movie about Jack the riper, this was in 1926 then in 1929 he made another called ‘Blackmail’. He also did a film call ‘The am who knew too much in 1934 which was a very positive film for this time period. • 1940’s Hitchcock the made a sub genre with the film ‘Foreign Correspondent’ the sub genre was suspense thriller. Many of Hitchcock's films were based on true life events such as ‘The Riper’ and ‘The merry widow murder’. Then director George Cukor’s made a film called ‘Gaslight’ this was a sub genre also it was a psychological thriller. • 1950’s Hitchcock is still going strong and has now started using Technicolor in thrillers in this decade, (Technicolor it is a form of colour process), this was the success of his career with the movie ’Strangers on a train’. The spy films also started in this decade ‘Diplomatic courier’ in 1952 by Henry Hathaway • 1960’s Then director Michael Powell's created ‘Peeping tom’ in 1960 the same year that Hitchcock released the big hit ‘Psycho’. The 007 films inspired the film ‘Harry Palmer’ which was a spy mystery thriller. • 1970’s and 1980’s These time periods were where this genre started to get more violent shown in ‘Frenzy’ in 1972 this film was rated R for a strangulation scene that it contained. Steven Spielberg then came about with a low budget movie called ‘Duel’ in 1971. Then in 1974 the film ‘The Conversation’ created by Francis Ford, this was also a subgenre, this was a study/spy thriller. Sam Peckinpah created the movie ‘The Osterman Weekend in 1983 which was based on a novel by a man called Robert Ludlum. • 1990’S to the present day Rob Reiner started of the decade with the movie ‘Misery’ based on a novel that Stephen King had wrote. David Fincher brought out a crime thriller called ‘seven’ in 1995 about the seven deadly sins. Today people believe that thriller have a lot more in common with horror films than they use to do. They believe that they share similarities due to the gore and he violence and because there are always many bodies left dead within the thrillers and that’s quite similar to horror> however they are easy to identify.
- 3. • Action thriller- this where the action is the main dominance within the movie. Examples of these would be ‘silence of the lamb’. This is probably the most popular of the sub genre because in thrillers there is always a fight or a battle within the movie which could make it fit within this sub genre. • Conspiracy thriller- an example of this would be ‘the da Vinci code’, this type of genre is based on the protagonist going up against a large organisation and these quest are usually done alone. The protagonist is also usually a journalist and accidently come across the information and then go on a quest to discover more. • Crime thriller- the main dominance of this is crime and an example of this sub genre would be, ‘the departed’ or ‘fast and furious’. They are exciting and a bit of a adrenalin ride but are very illegal and they are usually always on the radar of the police. So the police are in these a fair bit. • Disaster thriller- a natural disaster usually happens In these and the people have to save themselves and an example of this would be ‘Poseidon’. Sometime the disaster happens first and then you watch the aftermath and sometimes you see the disaster and then it goes into a flash back f the build up before the disaster. • Legal thriller- this is usually set in a courtroom and the protagonist is usually the lawyer. An example of this would be ‘double jeopardy’. The legal system that’s a big part within this type of sub-genre. Yes it shows lawyers but it also shows their employees and anyone in their life. More than likely to show any threats can apply to not just one person but various people adding more suspense. • Romance thriller- this follows a thriller with the suspense and excitement but the main elements are following two character as there relationship starts to grow. An example of this sub genre would be ‘safe haven’. The person is usually hiding their past and has ran away, then they have to go up again the person they were running away from. • Spy thriller- follows the quest of agents from the likes of MI6 and an example of this would be ‘mission impossible’. Shows how they protect to world everyday but family and friends never get to know, everything is a secret. • Religious thriller- there is an artifact or something historical to be discovered and an example of this sub genre would be ‘Constantine’. Usually a race between a few groups of people to get it first and in some cases they will fight for it or one person will get it and the other will try to steal it from the other.
- 4. • There are numerous reasons for people watch thrillers, for me its because I love a good action-thriller movie and I love a good looking protagonist because it makes the movie more interesting if the main character is good looking and mysterious. • However for my dad it’s a different story he likes the story line and the constant action throughout, he like it because there is never a boring moment its action packed throughout, he like it having something happening constantly. • Whereas my friends enjoy it because it keeps them on their toes and they don’t always know what to expect, its mainly always unpredictable and they like not know wants coming. • On the other hand all of the different audience theories could also apply to this. The hypodermic theory could apply because I think these type of movies can influence people in a big way for example the sub genre romance thriller could inject you with theories, beliefs d even change your perspective on the way you look at things. For example the movie ‘Safe haven’ is a romance thriller and in some aspects this could influence people to go for the forbidden person they like or encourage then to stand up to a violent partner or give them the boost to leave them. This theory may get audiences to watch it because afterwards they may feel more confident ad they might enjoy this feeling. • The two step flow theory could also be used because someone gets the information for example my dad get the information. Then on the second step he uses word of mouth to tell people such as me and his girlfriend, because know we really enjoy watching thriller films and then me and her will tell our friends and family, which is then contributing to a mass audience. Audience may watch it because they have been recommended it by someone else. • Movies are defined by things such as our ambitions and dreams in life this is where uses and gratification theory comes in. The four different reasons are entertainment, identity, relationships and information. We use it for entertainment purposes and for me I use it to fil in any free time and it’s a chance to sit back and relax. For identify some people may see the characters as role models and learning about the world and the things that can happen. For relation ship it can you all the different roles of the police and villains and what can happen if you betray and person and what can happen if you stick by a person, it informs you of what is right and wrong. And for information if you have ever had any question about anything it may answer them. Audiences may watch it because they enjoy seeing things that they want. • The reception theory could also be used it just depends o you and where and when you saw the text. Everyone interprets things differently something one person may find violent someone else may not, so audiences watch it for enjoyment but may be affected differently to their friends.
- 5. • On a website a survey was done of people age twelve and up to see which genre they preferred the most and it was also done in 2012. This survey was also based on favourite genre in the cinema. The most popular genre was action/adventure with a total of 61% shown in the photo in the bottom left hand corner. Which is then followed by comedy. The least popular genre was art/indie at the bottom with only 9%. There ae also a few with the same percentage such as re-releases and musicals with 12% and animation and horror with 33%. Thriller is called suspense on this one and it is in fourth place. • However in the bottom right hand corner is of the 1980’s drama movies were the most popular with 30.7%. The least popular genre in the 80’s was documentary with 0.01%. In the 80’s compared to 2012 they were quite different because movies have changed and developed, effects are better. Thriller wasn’t really on any of the charts so I do not think is was very popular in the 80’s. People enjoyed other genres so the directors concentrated on those to appeal to their audiences. • Now in 2014 action and adventure are now two separate genres, however action is the most popular with 46% then followed by adventure with 42%. Thriller has also moved up to third past since 2012 where it was in fourth. However romance Is now the least popular with 15% percent. Drama is no longer very popular either its in fifth place whereas in the 80’s it was the most popular. • Looking through all these different decades I have realised that the genres will always change when it comes to popularity, it depends on the type of movies that have been brought out during that time period they decide what genre is the most favourable, and this is decided by the general public.
- 6. Lighting is a key aspect of the Thriller Genre. It can be used to create a wide range of moods/emotions in a scene. It can be used to show the weather, casting shadows and building tension and suspense within a scene. There are three main types of lighting that I have noticed within the thriller genre. Under lighting is used a lot as the source of light comes from beneath the subject, which makes the subject look dominating and scary to create suspense. Another key lighting would be top lighting which focuses on feature on the subjects face, this would show the audience their emotions and they will give the audience a hint as to how they should react. Backlighting is a major one because the source of light comes from behind the subject creating shadows and silhouettes, which also creates tension and mystery. In a Thriller, low-key lighting is used to create suspense and to keep the element of surprise. This is so the viewers don’t know exactly what is going on. If High key lighting was used all the time; the suspense would be broken as people relate bright lights with fun/happy times. So shadows and darkness are key to a good thriller film, shadows create an eerie atmosphere. Shadows Under Top lighting lighting
- 7. Many different shot types are used in a such as a birds eye view, this is used to make the subject look vulnerable and powerless this shot would usually happen when the antagonist is attacking innocent victims or if the protagonist has captured and/or killed the antagonist. Also there close up shots which show reactions of the character, shows the most emotions and it is also used to capture detail in the most important scene. Panning is used to show if the character it being followed or watched and also could establish a scene. Reverse can be used as it shows the consequences of actions before they happen, then it shows the character realising what they have done and giving them a chance to change their actions and the suspense that has been built up along the way. A tilted shot is a good way to scare people and create tension as it makes you unaware because you don’t know what is about to happen. Extreme long shots are used because for a typical thriller it is set in a busy city and this shot shows the main scene or the city which is about the be destroyed, it hints at what needs saving or will be ruined. Low angle shot are used on the antagonist when they are at their most powerful because it empathises their power and makes them look more intimidating. Another shot would be over the shoulder because it adds suspense especially if the person is looking in a mirror which lets the audience see everything with the character. Panning Panning Low angle shot Over the shoulder
- 8. Within a thriller many editing techniques are used such as a pan this is a side to side motion, this would be used when the camera is showing the setting of the movie. Another editing technique would be a jump cuts this is used because there are a lot of things going on at once therefore and sometimes its confusing so they help to fill us in. it allows the audience to guess what is happening or about to happen, it creates mystery. An action match, this editing technique is used when there is a fight going on n a scene. Static transitions is another editing technique which is used maybe when the protagonist is looking or something, the camera watches as the character searches for something. This editing technique also lets the viewers had a view of the area that is being searched whilst the camera stays still you get a clear shot of this. Eye line match also allows the audience to connect with the characters, seeing what a character sees shows a point of concentration. Zoom in Pan shot Jump cut Action shot Static transitions Zoom out
- 9. When the extreme long shot is filmed to shows the city view and when that is shown there will be diegetic sounds, this will be sounds like the traffic, weather and dialogue of conversations in the street. However non diegetic sound would be added when there is a fight scene or to create suspense by using a soundtrack. Pleonastic sound could also be included within a thriller because fighting such as kicking and punching is exaggerated along with gunshots too. Sound is very important have you ever watch a movie without any sound, it is boring and doesn’t make the film worth watching, the sound sets the scene and the mood. The sound is what is added to put you on edge or make you excited it there to make you happy or sad and to hint at what's to come and in some case the music is the complete opposite to what's going on in the scene and makes the scene even more disturbing than it is. For example a torture scene playing happy, joyful music. Make it seem more gruesome and scary because it means that the person associates torture with happiness. This tells us a lot about a character.
- 10. There are numerous characters within thrillers but the main ones would be the hero, villain, helper, false hero, donor, dispatcher, the princess and the princess’ father this is according to the Valdimir Propp narrative. The protagonist is the hero he is the who is to keep justice and peace as much as possible. In some cases he has to prove himself to loved ones for letting them down at some point, or sometimes he is motivated by anger and grief because someone very close to him has be killed by the antagonist. He is the one who takes us on the adventure within the movie. The villain is the opposite to the hero he is the antagonist he wants o destroy everything and take it for himself, he will also do whatever it takes to block the protagonist’s goal. He is also scary looking and so Is his personality. The protagonist and antagonist have the same values just in opposition for example in batman, batman wants to restore law and order whereas the joker wants to destroy it. Something dramatic has to happen to these people in order for them to become good or evil Bruce Wayne (batman) is his parents being murder whereas Harvey Dent from batman is a lot of control and an accident that left him physical and mental scars. The helper is usually the companion that helps the main character giving them guidance and help along the journey. In James Bond Die another day it would be Jinx Johnson played by Halle Berry she helps James Bond on his quests and she is also the princess. No one is in competition for her but she has to be saved and when James Bond just this he is awarded with a night of passion. The donor is usually the person who prepares the main character in James Bond it would be his associate who gives him all the gadgets and cars.
- 11. The thriller titles are usually in black and white however in some cases they are other color, however they are dark colors such as brown or red as red represents blood, anger and rage. The text is written In bold this over emphasizes the title, this makes it stand out more and grab peoples attentions. In the opening titles gives hints as too what’s to come in the movie and it has fast cuts so that the viewer uses their imagination to fill in the blanks however it does n’t give too much away. Music choice is also very important for the opening titles, this also gives clues for as what’s to come. Within the titles many things are included usually what the movie is about, title of the movie, cast, costume designer, producers, director. Title are very important because these are what grips the audience if there are rubbish titles then people are more likely to switch the film of, because they will assume the movie isn't very good just like the titles. They also tell you who is presented in the film which grips you more because if your favorite actor is in the movie you are more likely to want to watch it.
- 12. Within thrillers there are many different types of props that can be used but the most popular such as rope, this can be used to tie up victims rope isn’t very professional whereas handcuffs are so by using these two props you can see who Is professional and who is not. Props are very crucial because they hint a lot at the characters. Knives are used as they represent danger and they also hint at the fact that death and violence is coming. Props are very important as they help hint at things they may not be obvious but they are still very important. When shown a knife within a movie it makes you feel very nervous what are they going to do next, who will get hurt. This gets the audience thinking because all these questions are going round in their heads. When seeing a car within a movie you think fast and upbeat music, and usually when in thrillers they are either classical cars or new state of the ark car. They are usually very expensive too and usually get crashed, blown up or shot at. When seeing a police badge within a thriller this can be both good and bad. Bad because sometimes the police are the bad guys or are working with the bad guys and are not going to protect you. However they are good because they are associated with security and usually make us feel safe to be around.
- 13. In many thrillers black suites are worn this colour presents that this character has a dark side and mystery to them. They sometimes wears white this represents purity and innocents the hero is the one that where's a combination of both white and black. This is because in order to save people they have to do bad things along he way but the white is to show that they still have their humanity and are full control of their action's. which can be both good and bad for them depending on their actions, if their actions are extremely violent then this can disturb the viewers. For example batman's costumes is used to show mystery with his hidden face and the suit is tight which emphasises his masculinity. In Lucy they kind of break the rules because she isn't very masculine looking, she just has masculine traits a sample of this would be here fighting. She is meant to come across very feminine further through the film and sexy to appear to the male audience but then her personality and looks also appears to women because she is a strong independent women, who is very attractive. The characters personality is represented through what they wear for example batman's mystery is clearly shown in this life as Bruce Wayne and as batman through the colour black used in the bat suite and the fact that his face is covered up shows that he wants to protect the identity of batman and himself creating more mystery and making viewer keep watching to see if his identity will ever be revealed.
- 14. The settings for thrillers are mainly in big busy cities such as New York City or somewhere isolated such as an abandoned factory. Big cities are usually where the chase or the fight takes place because in thrillers there is innocent people who get hurt along the way and this shows this. They usually chase each other or fight along a busy pathway or in a building. When the setting is somewhere isolated this is usually when the antagonist and protagonist are looking for each other usually with guns. There will be lots of shadows at this point and phallic symbols to represent their masculinity within the scene and make them look brave. The setting can also tell you a lot about a person for example, if the villain picks hide out or a to commit his crime, there is always a reason behind it. Sometimes the setting can hint at why they are doing this or want they want. Court rooms are popular places because this is usually the turning point for the villain if they don’t get justice or the result that they wanted. Bridges are usually used as well mainly when there is a high speed chase. Busy city Isolated area Isolated area House in the middle of no-where Bridges Court room
- 15. • May narratives can apply to thrillers, however the narrative always depends on the story line that is followed. For some thrillers such as take go in the category of Tsyvetan Todorov. This is because life starts as usual working and celebrating his daughters birthday. Then the problem arises she is taken, now he seeks his friends help to figure out how he is going to save her. When he goes looking for her Is him trying to resolve the issue, once he gets her back life goes back to normal. Thrillers such as batman are classed a Vladimir Propp the hero is batman played by Christian Bale, the villain is the joker who is played by Heath Ledger as he is always trying to cause the todorov in the story. The helper would be Alfred who is played by Michael Caine, Bruce Wayne's servant and Lucius Fox who is played by Morgan Freeman who helps create batman's weapons and cars. Both of these films could also be Le’vi – Strauss because there is good and evil, sane and insane. Also the construction of the movie is usually dominated by the protagonists point of view.
- 16. Demographics • Class- Thrillers are for a wide variety of people and have a widespread audience who work in a large variety of different careers for example teaching, artist and a dog walker. They can have all sorts of jobs so its difficult to put them in a particular class. • Age- Some thrillers are rated PG meaning parental guidance is needed and the for the movie violence movies it goes to 12 and then 15, depending on the content of the movie. The BBFC rating varies depending on the content of the movie. • Gender- both men and women watch thrillers, however they are mainly aimed at men as men stereotypical interests are fast cars, women, guns. Also many men would love to live the life of a secret agent so they can relate through interests. • Ethnicity- thrillers can be watched by any ethnicity unless there is something insulting to social culture. Then this is usually highlighted to inform viewers at the start of the movie, then its their choice if they watch it or not. Psychographics • Attitudes- they are usually explosive and can not contain themselves which usually results in a fight. However both the protagonist and antagonist are very clever and know how to push each others buttons. The protagonist is a very caring character and his quest is usually to help or save someone else. Whereas the antagonist is selfish and out for themselves. • Personality traits- the protagonist is usually a quick learner because he has protect himself by all means necessary in order to achieve his ultimate goal, whereas the antagonist is usually always angry and mad at everyone. However they are both programmes by their ultimate goal. • Values and beliefs- both the protagonist and antagonist value family and loyalty. The protagonists beliefs are usually to keep law and order in tacked whereas the antagonists Is to destroy this. • Interest and lifestyle- before the turning moment the protagonist probably lead a typical life such as working spending time with friends and family. Whereas the antagonist has lead a horrible life to make him or her the way they are or they have been planning it for years a revenge. They probably live in a nice house or a hotel or they live in old run down places.
- 17. • The themes within the movie are people are seduced by evil. Shown when Harvey Dent is consider as good, referred to as the ‘white knight’ at first but he eventually becomes evil towards the end of the movie due to Batman's decisions. • The city also thinks that batman is the root cause of all of the problems in Gotham city so he could be classed as the false hero due to narrative of vladimir propp theories. • The legend of batman is at risk of being associated with bad and evil the jokers aim is to tarnish batman representation and have him associated with bad. • The big city of Gotham is presented as weak, they also present a lot of corruption within the law and amongst the people, this shows that everything isn't as it seems behind closed doors. • Violence is also presented a lot through the movie, this is one of the factors that makes it a thriller.. • Warner bros. held the premier for ‘The Dark Knight’. • Directed by Christopher Nolan. • Based on character in comic books by DC comics. • This film was also the last in the trilogy. • Human error is a theme within this film, this is the factor that causes many of the accidents and disasters within the movie. • The movie earned millions of pounds at box office because it was so capturing.. • The movie was also offered for rent on Facebook, making it the first movie to be released by digital distribution on a social networking site. Warner bros. gave permission for this to be allowed. • In the movie is shows Bruce Wayne as a man can easily be killed, corrupt and defeated, but as Batman me is far more, he almost has powers, like strength, he goes undefeated and he isn't corrupt. However as batman he takes the law into his own hands. • The joker is the antagonist in the movie whereas Batman is the protagonist, they are constantly at each other in battles. • The joker is defined by his conflict with the police, Batman and the city in some ways you could say he was misjudged because he his judged by his violence. Thriller
- 19. • Straight away you are thrown into the evil of that occurs in Gotham City and it shows that they also all hide their identify. • Also hints that a protagonist with save the innocent people of Gotham city. • In the opening scene we are informed that warner bros, legendary pictures and DC comics were involved in the creation of this film. • We also see a big blue fire ball which is associated with the bat signal, which again hints Batman is aware and will be along to save the city from destruction. • They also use a motif in the opening sequence when they have the loud booming sound, this is more than likely used to make it more distinctive. • Batman theme sound from the first movie is also used within the opening sequence, this could be to emphasis that it is a follow on or another hint that Batman is coming back. • The scene also follows the antagonist around this is shown because they use a follow shot to do so. • Also when you’re watching the man stand with the mask in his hand it’s a focus shot, however this is frustrating because everyone around Can see his face because the focus shot does a focus in of the mask in his hand. This shows he's no afraid to show his identify. • They use editing techniques such as jump cuts to go to another scene, this makes it less obvious, however it makes you watch more carefully so You can ensure you do not miss anything because hints are being given out. • Also the Zooming in on the clown mask is also a large hint to who the antagonist is in the movie, it is also a description to the way the antagonist make their face look within the movie, to hid his identify although he wants people to know who he is that’s why he has the mask of. • In the opening scene they are robbing a bank straight away we witness violence this will be done to show that the crime rate is growing face and they need a hero to save it which fits in with the narrative vladimir propp. • lots of phallic symbols are used when people are betrayal others because they are being greedy. To the audience now any phallic symbol they will be seen as bad and maybe that is why batman doesn’t use them. • Someone also tries to save the bank and get shot but all the robbers kill each other because they are greedy then the antagonist reveals himself to the man who tried to save the bank. This shows the audience who he is through a point of view shot, it also show he wants people to know who he is because he doesn’t kill this man he just gases him.
- 20. Action thriller • Clothing within the movie shows innocents for example on ‘Kim’ she is wearing bright colours such as pink and has flowers on her clothes. This represents her innocents and reminds the audience that she is still a child. • The men wear black which indicates that they are dangerous and are bad. It also hints to the audience that they have a dark side, that’s why Liam Neeson is also wearing black and white, black to show he has a dark side and white to show that he has caring and innocent side to. • Bryan Mills is the protagonist and the men who kidnap his daughter are the antagonists. • The film shows a lot of violence throughout. • The subplot shows the innocents of women and how they are manipulated into drugs and into the sex slavery. • The themes are sex, drugs, drug trafficking and political corruption, these are all presented within the movie. • Directed by Pierre Morel. • Lots of phallic symbols are also used within the movie this is to represent masculinity. • Bad effects lead to the climax of the movie which means that the narrative of the movie is tsyvetan todorov. • Protagonist (Bryan) is at the mercy of the antagonists (kidnappers) because he wants his daughter to come back safely, until he switches and goes on a killing spree and torturing people for information for the whereabouts of his daughter. • Another narrative that could be considered is Vladimir propp; the princess’ father who is also the hero , villain, and the princess. • There is a fine line between Levi-Strauss its quite difficult to know who is good and evil because they all do bad things but the hero does them for a good reason.
- 22. • Red and black are used throughout the opening titles these colours are associated with death and fear, this is informing the audience there is death and destruction to come. Black is associated with negativity and being unsuccessful which could influence the audience with the hypodermic needle model that many bad things are to come, black can also be associated with evilness. Red however can mean strength and power but can also mean desire and love it just depends how its interpreted by the audience. • They also spit the colour red in the air which I think is to represent someone being shot, this will make the audience feel disturbed but also make them want to find out why thus is happening and make then to continue to watch it. • They use a dolly shot to show the extreme long shot and a establishing shot as the camera shows the audience large building this is done to set the scene to the audience, it makes them feel connected because they see what the camera does which in some cases may feel like it is them looking at this themselves and helping. • They use parallel music within the opening sequence, the music sounds mysterious with fits in with what's going on because black is used a lot which is also used to create mystery because we don’t know what in the darkness. This would also make the audience wonder what is to come or who is. • The upbeat sound goes with the spluttering of blood at the screen, when the blood jumps up so does the beat of the music making it more exciting because your wondering who's blood it is and why its happening. • With there being lots of black and red we as the audience can only think that there is going to be a big body count and that someone is looing for someone or something and will do anything in order to get it, they do not care for the law if they do this, which means their will be someone kind of force within it like the police or military. Which then makes you wonder are they good or are they corrupt which makes you want to watch it even more to find out. • The question is still left existing who or what will all this darkness and blood shed be for and is it for the better of good or for something evil, this keeps us gripped because you have to find out now.
- 23. • There are many phallic symbols used within the to show masculinity. • Halle berry is shown to be more masculine as she uses many phallic symbols for example a gun. Also the short hair emphasises that she is in touch with her masculine side, however they dedicate a section to her exiting the see this shows her feminine side and that appeals to men which keeps them gripped. • The narrative of this movie could be tsyvetan todorov, vladimir propp and a levi- strauss. This is because it follow the five stages the equilibrium but it also has a hero and villain, and it also has good and evil within it so its difficult to suggest which one it fits perfectly because it could fit in them all. • Halle berry and Piers Broson also have a sexual relationship with the movie which then goes on to them helping each other because they both have a similar quest to complete. • This also a sub genre of thriller this was titles as a spy- thriller, because it is based on a fictional MI6 agent. • The military are also involve because James Bond enters north Koreans military base in the film. • He spends fourteen mouths in captivity and he is also tortured in order to get information from him, which he refuses to give after all he is trained not to leak secrets. • Halle berry who plays ‘jinx’ is an agent from the NSA agency. • The movie is also set in many different places such as Cuba and Iceland when the pair james bond and jinx our on their quests. • They also both have to same enemy and the enemy also wants to get revenge on James Bond for when they last saw each other. • The enemy is the person MI6 did a trade with for James when he was being tortured and that is his motivation to catch him. • James wants to prove himself so they know he is still sane and to keep his job, because they don’t want to keep him in case the fourteen months made him weak. And the enemy wants revenge and to peruse with his previous plan which James also want to prevent from happening.
- 24. Spy thriller
- 25. • There is almost like a spot light on james bond, everything is black accept for a circle which James Bond is in this is do to show that he is the dominance and it also makes the audience think. Who is this? Are they good or evil? Protagonist or antagonist. • You also get close ups of a mans face in watch, the camera shot is below and it looks like it is in water which is a low angle shot, making the person above look threating but also very weak. • They use the song die another die by Madonna in the back ground which is contrapuntal sound because its quite upbeat music and the violence fits with the beat of the music. • There is a lot of female representation of naked women which hints that women are going to have dominance through sexual encounters, by seducing him into bed and one female that does this also betrays him. Women are a bit of a weak spot for him which sometimes almost gets him defeated. Women are also shown as a flame which is red and red is associated with danger. She helps his get up but then almost laughs at him. This shows they are not the stereotypical women they can fend for themselves and are strong enough to trick a man into thinking they are helping them, when they aren't. • Then there is an arc shot which goes into a medium shot of two women one is flames and red and the other is sliver and has a little red suggest them both have a dark side but one of them is completely evil whereas the other one is only a little. Hinting to the audience to watch out because their will be an evil female and a good one. There is also a hint that there will be a lot of female dominance within the movie. • You are also shown that James Bond is very strong and masculine because you are shown him being tortured in jump cuts, this is done because it is more surprising because you cannot predict the next shot. The fact he has been through that for fourteen months shows that he is a very strong male, which fits in with stereotypes he is a stereotypical, whereas the women break the boundaries and do not follow stereotypes. • When his hands are tied up it is a point of view shot because the audience are forced to watch from the torturers perspective which is gripping and disturbing, its gripping because as the audience we want to know if he will survive or if he will retaliate. It is disturbing because you feel a connect to the torturer, you feel like you are doing and you cant stop yourself and you see a low angle shot of James Bond emphasising his importance to you, informing you that they wont kill him until they have what they need from him, which doesn’t make you feel as disturbed but it makes you want to find out what it is more than ever.