Unit 10 assignment 1
- 1. Jordan Scott Analysis of Narrative and Stylistic Codes and Conventions of Different Films Sci-Fi Section One – Genre: Sci-Fi films are without question one of the most recognizable yet distinct genres in the film industry, providing a perfect opportunity to analyse the stylistic codes and conventions that make the genre what it is. By looking at two very different yet very alike films - Donnie Darko (2001) and Jurassic World (2015), it can be seen how the generic conventions and characteristics of the Sci-Fi genre are present, helping the audience recognize and interact with what they see on screen in a multitude of ways. A theory by Steve Neale suggests that genre cinema is constructed using a very particular amount of repetition and difference. While audiences think they desire fresh and new content from films, in the back of their minds they still require that hint of what they already know and love. Recognisable characters are a method of reassuring the audience and play a large role in the audience’s response to the film in general. An Iconic scene from Donnie Darko takes place at the beginning of the film when the main character Donnie is awoken by a mysterious voice which proceeds to lead him outside. The atmosphere and overall construction of this scene makes the film feel like a genre-hybrid of Sci-Fi and Horror. In particular, the camera and editing techniques, which includes excessive darkness, slow panning and fading effects, as well as the gloomy and empty music that plays, which all builds suspense. In fact, Donnie Darko is a particularly difficult film to classify due to its obscurity and mind-bending nature; elements of different genres can be picked out from the film such as Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Drama and fantasy to name a few. The scene then progresses to introduce Frank, who upon inspection is more of an anti-hero than a main antagonist. As can be seen in Ref. 1, the character appears first in a long shot, shrouded in darkness – this also acts as a metaphor that he himself is a mysterious character (what is hidden in darkness cannot be seen, neither can the true identity and purpose of this character) whose identity will go on to be revealed over the course of the film. Ref. 1 – Frank eerily observers Donnie while taunting himto come closer.
- 2. Jordan Scott The costume that Frank wears also has connotations of horror as it is akin to most horror films featuring serial killers disguised behind a disturbing mask, this piece of analysis comes under the category of prop symbolism, with the strange and frightening costume of Frank serving to scare the audience, as well as intrigue them due to its bizarre and unique design. The sound that accompanies Frank’s appearance is non-diegetic and adds to the suspense of what the presumed antagonist is going to do next – hooking the audience. Despite having a horror-esque appearance, Frank’s strange static actions and modified voice suggest something other than a horror film antagonist and more Sci-Fi. The scene that is being referred to in this paragraph can be seen above entitled “Ref. 1”. Donnie Darko is one of the few films that does not exactly fit “The Character Theory”, mostly due to the antagonist not being entirely clear and the protagonist having elements of an anti-hero, however still remains likable to an extent and is relatable to some audiences. Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World follows a more generic take on the Sci-Fi genre compared to the unique style of Donnie Darko, although they are different in many ways a large amount of similarity can be drawn between them. Jurassic World is the fourth installation in the Jurassic Park franchise, it successfully continues the already established timeline whilst simultaneously acting as a reboot for a new generation. Because of this, the film’s formula is practically the same as the first installation of Jurassic Park in 1993. This ties in once again to Steve Neale’s theory that audiences desire repetition, which certainly applies to all of the films in the Jurassic Park series – with the same plot being tweaked and essentially reskinned with different actors, sets, props, improved special effects etc. Whereas the supposed antagonist of Donnie Darko is shrouded in darkness and mystery, the dinosaurs of Jurassic World are not - with some scenes showing them in broad daylight. This is due to them being the main focus of the film – people were originally inspired by Jurassic Park due to its spectacular special effects which were ahead of its time. Now that time has moved on even further, audiences are eager to see what realism can be brought to the screen via special effects now – primarily through use of CGI. This appears to be a continuing trend, with each major film being superior in quality to its predecessor as technology develops. As well as being primarily a Sci-Fi film, Jurassic World is also a Thriller – involving many scenes of anticipation and the action that follows. This results in many characters’ deaths which are shown to be very brutal via CGI, similarities can be drawn from this to a scene in Donnie Darko in which the aforementioned character Frank removes his mask to reveal that he was shot through the eye. However, practical effects were used for this sequence unlike Jurassic World – this clearly shows the development in technology from 2001 to 2015, as film creators are confident enough in CGI that they do not require the same quantity of practical effects. One scene from Jurassic World features the main antagonist – Vic Hoskins, attempting to negotiate with a Velociraptor before meeting his fitting end as his throat is torn out by the prehistoric predator (see Ref. 2). When this takes place however, the camera pans away and shows only the back end of the Velociraptoralong with some convincing almost horror-
- 3. Jordan Scott esque diegetic sound, before the camera cuts swiftly to blood splashing onto the nearby glass. Showing this scene in front of the camera would likely not have kept the film at its 12 rating and a large quantity of potential audiences would be lost. The camera technique used also allows for the audiences’ imagination to fill in the gaps. Ref. 2 – Hoskins meets his demise at the mercy of Delta the Velociraptor. In the first three films of the Jurassic Park franchise, animatronics were specially constructed and used prominently in order to authentically portray the dinosaurs; however, in Jurassic World only one relatively short scene uses this technique. This did not sit well with the fans of the franchise however, as they preferred the animatronic method and claimed that using CGI as a replacement was a step backwards. This even further supports Steve Neale’s theory of repetition in films, something previously established was changed and fans were not happy. It would appear that the audiences’ response has since been taken on board, with the next instalment of the franchise entitled Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom set to release in 2018 being confirmed to heavily feature animatronics as practical effects. The main character of Jurassic World is Owen Grady; in this scene (see Ref. 3), he is shown to run into the raptor paddock, putting himself in imminent danger in order to save a worker who has fallen into the enclosure. This scene in particular fits the Thriller genre as well as having the obvious elements of Science Fiction which are ever-present throughout this scene and movie as a whole. It works well in gripping the audience due to being incredibly fast paced, having 23 cuts in just the first 30 seconds, this is to show how quickly things escalate from the worker falling in and everyone’s reactions – including that of Owen, the worker, security and of course the raptors themselves.
- 4. Jordan Scott Ref. 3 – Owen barely manages to keep the raptors at bay. A notable prop in this scene is the gate that appears behind Owen as he confronts the raptors, this could be interpreted as mise en scène due to its later prominence as Owen slowly backs off and narrowly escapes the raptors by sliding under it as it closes. This portion of the scenein particular creates a large build-up of tension for the audience, a notable filming techniquethat aids this responsebeing that the camera is situated insideof theraptor enclosure with Owen, not leaving until the second he does – which is an evidently effective way of throwing the audience into the predicament and making them feel as though they are in that particular scene. Focusing techniques are also used that single out Owen from the background – emphasising his vulnerability to the raptors and how open the ground is. In the background two other characters can be seen – Barry, as well as the worker who remains latched onto the floor in fear, although relatively safe compared to where Owen is stood, the gate is still open making these characters also vulnerable. All of these elements add up to create a large amount of possibilities for outcomes, remaining in the back of the audiences’ minds whilst they focus on Owen. Donnie Darko is left with an inescapably closed ending, as the main character dies preventing everything that has happened in the film previously from happening the way it did and almost comes full circle, with the same scene happening at the end that happens at the beginning – however with an altered outcome. This is all due to the prominent theme of time travel and many other Sci-Fi elements throughout the film, making it an incredibly unique film and in the eyes of some, “a masterpiece that can never truly be defined”. The ending of Jurassic World leaves all of its main characters alive, while resolving the main threat of the movie. However, there are still many more possibilities left open, some of which will be explored in the upcoming fifth instalment of the Jurassic Park franchise – Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
- 5. Jordan Scott Sci-Fi Section Two – Narrative Theory: Alongside stylistic codes and conventions, it is also possible to view both Jurassic World and Donnie Darko in terms of their narrative code, convention and structure. Theorist Tsetzvan Todorov suggests that narratives will have a beginning, a middle and an end through five stages of development: Equilibrium, disruption of equilibrium due to a particular event, this is then followed by recognition that the disruption has taken place, an attempt to amend the disruption followed by usual success - therefore returning to equilibrium. There is a credible argument that most films of the Sci-Fi genre follow a similar pattern to that of the theory, there is evidence to suggest that both Jurassic World and Donnie Darko adapt to this in certain scenes of the film. Both have disruption to the equilibrium due to a disaster that takes place relatively early on in the film, in the case of Donnie Darko this is the jet engine crashing into Donnie’s house, whereas in Jurassic World it is the escape of the Indominus Rex from its paddock, both of which cause their fair share of chaos. The aforementioned Todorov Theory can certainly be applied to Jurassic World, the film begins with the park functioning normally (along with hints of abnormality along the way), this is referred to as the equilibrium. This then progresses to the Indominus Rex escaping, which acts as a disruption to that previously established equilibrium. The film then ends with a resolution and the previously mentioned equilibrium is restored to at least vague normality. This theory can even be applied to Donnie Darko in a sense, as although there is only equilibrium for a short amount of time at the start of the film, it is still present. This is then followed by the disruption of the equilibrium in the form of the jet engine crashing into Donnie’s bedroom (see Ref. 4). Following this event, through the intrusion of Frank – Donnie slowly discovers throughout the course of the film that something is not right and he himself has to correct it. Donnie successfully restores equilibrium (to an extent) at the end of the film, travelling back in time and reverting the course of history to how it should always have been. Ref. 4 – The jet engine is retrieved from Donnie’s house following the tragedy.
- 6. Jordan Scott Exploring the narrative theory in more depth and focusing on the character aspect of Jurassic World and the previously analysed scene in particular, Vladimir Propp’s Character Theory fits relatively well – with Owen acting as the main ‘hero’ whilst he is watched from a distance by the previously mentioned Vic Hoskins; who has malicious intent involving inappropriate and dangerous use of the Velociraptors, which are the main focus of the scene. The way that Owen confronts the raptors with apparent confidence and seemingly being in control of the situation can be related to the character of Donnie in the aforementioned 2001 film Donnie Darko. In a particular scene where he willingly confronts Frank (a six-foot-tall black rabbit) in his house, it is shown that he is not afraid (or at least seemingly not) of what could potentially be a horrific outcome. However, like Owen, approaches the situation with a mixture of curiosity and fear – yet his glazed and almost malicious expression would suggest otherwise to the opponent. Many codes and conventions of the Sci-Fi genre are present throughout both of these examples, such as romantic sub-plots which are present in both films. The pair also fit under the category of the common 12/15 age rating rule, with Jurassic World being a 12 and Donnie Darko a higher 15. Hybridisation is another common element within the codes and conventions of Sci-Fi, it is ever-prominent throughout both films once again with aspects of genres such as action and thriller in each. These elements are obviously popular amongst the audience, which would appear to be why they have been retained within the genre and are now almost always used as codes and conventions when creating a Science Fiction film. Ref. 5 – The Tyrannosaurs Rex makes an entrance before battling its opponent. In Jurassic World, a dramatic battle occurs towards the film’s end (see Ref. 5), in which the main threat of the film (the Indominus Rex) faces off against the original Tyrannosaurus Rex from the first Jurassic Park movie back in 1993. The battle goes through many stages before the Indominus Rex is finally killed due to the coincidental and unexpected assistance of the native Mosasaurus. The purpose of this scene is to not only provoke nostalgia but to
- 7. Jordan Scott alsoremove the main threat of the film, reassuring the audience that this is so in the process. The scenes following this wrap up the characters’ arcs and show the progression of some characters from the start through to the end of the movie, this ties up any loose ends and presents everything clearly in front of the audience. This all reinforces the fact that Jurassic World has a closed ending, as it deals with all major plotlines within the single movie. Another structural theorist that can be applied to help explore the narratives of the two films is Vladimir Propp. In his work Morphology of the Folk Tale, Propp suggested that all stories consist of a limited selection of characters, also occurring within limited spheres of action. He suggested that the character types are: 1. The villain: Locked in a constant struggle with the hero, often trying to harm princess. 2. The donor: Gives the hero an object or a piece of information that helps them prepare for what is to come. 3. The helper: Assists the hero with their quest, often referred to as their 'sidekick'. 4. The princess: Needs assistance from the hero, usually because they are in some form of danger, typically the princess is the victim within the narrative. 5. The dispatcher: Is the character who sends that hero on their mission or quest. 6. Hero: Reacts to the donor and saves the princess, often resulting in them falling in love with the princess. 7. False hero: May appear good but has an ulterior motive, or attempts to take credit for the hero's actions. In Jurassic World, Hoskins acts as the central villain – he has many disagreements with the main hero Owen and plans to use the dinosaurs for something that could potentially be disastrous and harm many people. The donor is not present within the film, as well as the princess and dispatcher which are all absent from the narrative also. The hero is the aforementioned character Owen, he clashes with the villain and tries throughout the film to correct what is wrong. The hero is also seen to develop a relationship throughout the film with the character of Claire, however rather than being the “princess in distress”, she is a more serious character that becomes much more likable throughout the film due to the positive influence of Owen. As for the false hero. Hoskins could be interpreted as this also due to his delusional intent only becoming apparent as the film progresses later on. Dr Henry Wu is also a character that could be given this role, due to being an already established character from the first Jurassic Park movie, who’s concern in this film appears to shift more to his work, (being the out of control cloning of dinosaurs through the usage of embryos) rather than the safety of the attractions’ visitors and general ethical correctness. In Donnie Darko, there isn’t a clear villain character as such, however the jet engine and the course of history itself could be seen as villainous elements – the whole plotline is basically a twisted tragedy. The donor would be the character of Grandma Death, who cryptically gives Donnie mysterious clues throughout the film, on top of the information given by Frank. Donnie does not have a helper as such, however his girlfriend Gretchen acts as assistance to him as well as previously being the princess who Donnie “saved” from aggressive individuals at his school. The dispatcher would actually be Frank, although portrayed in a villainous way
- 8. Jordan Scott along with his misleading costume and voice, Frank has actually set out to assist Donnie in saving the universe – even if that does mean Donnie meeting his demise in the process. Frank provides Donnie with previously unknown information at the beginning of the film which sets him on his journey, this is essentially sending the hero of the film on a mission – even if the result of that ending is rather bleak. The character of Jim Cunningacts as a false hero after being first presented as a beloved school lecturer, he is then debunked by the actions of Donnie to actually sexually abuse children. The reverse of this character type could also be applied to Frank, due to his unpleasant appearance contrasting from his true intentions – this is a device to shock the audience by creating unexpected narrative. Fantasy Section One – Genre: The fantasy genre of filmsbears many similarities to Sci-Fi, although tend to be more individual, unique and even “strange” to an extent. I will be analysing the films Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) and Doctor Strange (2016) in order to observe how the stylistic codes and conventions of the fantasy genre are present within them. The presence of these elements helps the audience respond to the film in a positive way due their hidden desire of repetition. A scene of iconography from Harry Potter occurs when Harry first receives his wand from Ollivander. Just before entering the store, it is first introduced to both Harry and the audience by Hagrid, the camera then proceeds to pan across the store’s name to reveal the title – this acts as an establishing shot. Initially, there is no music in the scene at all – adding to the suspense of who are what resides within the store, it is not until later on that some magical themed non-diegetic sound accompanies the speech of Ollivander. The initial entrance of Ollivander himself (this can be seen in Ref. 6) is edited smoothly and swiftly in order to surprise both Harry and the audience once again, as he slides from around the corner on his set of ladders. There appears to also be a gloomy and mysterious tint visible in this scene in particular, this perhaps represents the mystery which will later go on to be uncovered in the film. Ref. 6 – Mr Ollivander carefully selects Harry’s wand.
- 9. Jordan Scott Mr Ollivander’s costume reflects the bizarre and imaginative nature of the fantasy genre, he is well dressed however his clothes appear ill-fitting and his hair appears very “mad professor-esque”. The majority of prop symbolism can be seen upon viewing the surroundings within Ollivander’s store, as the shelves are stacked with wands which are a staple item within the Harry Potter series and a common inclusion throughout fantasy films as a whole. Like the previously analysed Sci-Fi film Jurassic World, Harry Potter also contains elements of a thriller on top of its main genre - which is fantasy. This “genre-hybrid” is also made up of drama and mystery too, the latter of which can be seen prominently not only throughout the film but is emphasised in the previously mentioned scene in particular. 2016’s Doctor Strangecan be related to Harry Potter primarily through the concept of magic which is as previously stated a common theme throughout fantasy films. However, this film is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – therefore it is akin to more action and thriller- esque scenes, rather than the relatively tame first Harry Potter film. In a scene towards the end of the film, Doctor Strange entraps himself and the film’s main antagonist within a time loop, this can be seen in Ref. 7. This scene uses non-diegetic sound to create suspense and tension for the audience, the diegetic sound of energy and the voice of villain Dormammu can be heard throughout this scene also – creating a realistic surround-sound atmosphere. The costume of Doctor Strange has been established by the time this scene plays out, it replicates that seen in the original comic books with iconic elements including his stylish beard, hairstyle and sentient cape. The cape is another common convention of the fantasy genre, featuring heavily in the Harry Potter series of films also – even if it does not play an important role in other films, the prop commonly symbolises magic and the audience can already relate to this. Ref. 7 – Doctor Strange confronts Dormammu.
- 10. Jordan Scott In Doctor Strange, special effects through use of technologically advanced CGI were a main focus of the film. This was used to create all of the magic and abnormal elements that come from the fantasy genre, this can be seen once again in Ref. 7; In which everything except Doctor Strange himself is constructed via CGI. Doctor Strange’s ending is followed by two after credits scenes which play amongst the scrolling credits. These scenes, like almost allother Marvel movies, leave the ending open in order to link over and merge the characters present within that film with others in future instalments of their multiple franchises. This ties in once again with Steve Neale’s theory of repetition due to the audience enjoying and wanting to see more of already established characters. The theme of character reappearances can also be linked with the Harry Potter franchsie, due to many of the characters carrying on through from the first film to the very last. This evidence concludes that both films have an open ending which goes on to be explored further in future instalments of their respective franchise. Fantasy Section Two – Narrative Theory: Once again, the character stereotypes are listed below; there are many examples of each throughout both Harry Potter and Doctor Strange. 1. The villain: Locked in a constant struggle with the hero, often trying to harm princess. 2. The donor: Gives the hero an object or a piece of information that helps them prepare for what is to come. 3. The helper: Assists the hero with their quest, often referred to as their 'sidekick'. 4. The princess: Needs assistance from the hero, usually because they are in some form of danger, typically the princess is the victim within the narrative. 5. The dispatcher: Is the character who sends that hero on their mission or quest. 6. Hero: Reacts to the donor and saves the princess, often resulting in them falling in love with the princess. 7. False hero: May appear good but has an ulterior motive, or attempts to take credit for the hero's actions. Ref. 8 – Lord Voldemort performs a villainous laugh as he mocks the hero.
- 11. Jordan Scott The villains of each movie would be Lord Voldemort for Harry Potter (shown in Ref. 8) and the previously analysed Dormammu for Doctor Strange, both remain hidden throughout most of the film – with Voldemort not appearing fully until later instalments and the future of Dormammu is currently unknown. The donors, dispatchers and helpers of the films would be Hagrid in the case of Harry Potter and The Ancient One for Doctor Strange. In Harry Potter, Hagrid sends the characters off on their journey (whether he is aware of this or not) and is also seen to assist them at various points throughout the adventure. The Ancient One in Doctor Strange is the character that teaches Strange the arts of magic and shapes him into a better person because of it, she dies later on in the film when her mission to guide Strange is complete. There is no princess character in particular across both of these films due to them putting everyone at risk if the villain is not stopped, rather than just one individual. Also, there is no saving of anyone required due to the main focus in the latter half of both films being to stop the villain. False heroes are relatively uncommon throughout films compared to other character stereotypes, this is at least what appears to be true in both Harry Potter and Doctor Strange as no false heroes as such can be seen. Comparing the fantasy genre to the previously analysed Sci-Fi genre, it is evident that many similarities can be drawn between them. Despite this, it appears that the Science Fiction genre follows its codes and conventions more traditionally than fantasy does – as large variations can be seen in this particular genre due to its more imaginative concept as a whole. In conclusion, both films follow the basic codes and conventions of the Fantasy genre, even if they appear to subvert at certain points.