Task 3 - Researching into Genres

Christian Metz explored the development of genre in his book 'Language and Cinema' (1974) and suggested that genres pass through four phrases of exisatnce.

• The experimental
• The classic
• The parody
• The deconstruction

By experimental we mean the phrase of early fims which explored and experimented with horror films in it's narratives.

Some examples of these type of genre phase include; 'Cabinet of Dr Caligari' and 'Nosferatu'.

 

By classic we mean the phase of films which established the narrative conventions of the horror genre in it's most successful and defining period.

Some examples of these types of genre phase include; 'Frankenstein' and 'Dracula'

By parody we mean films that have mimicked the horror genre in some comical way.

Some examples of these type of genre phase include; 'Abott and Costello meet Frankenstein', 'Carry On Screaming' and 'Scary Movie'

 

By deconstruction we mean films which have taken the generic elements of the horror genre and blended them into sub genres.

Some examples of this type of genre phase include; 'The sixth sense', 'Se7en', 'Blair with Project' and 'Scream'

Some British horror icons from the British Hammor Horror films are Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. They are well known for being in the horror film 'Dracula'.

Analysing the opening of a Romantic Comedy

Comparing two Romantic Comedies

How to lose a guy in 10 days

MES
In the opening scene there are two women who are portrayed as friends and co-workers. The protagonist is a journalist which is portrayed as a glamourised job for many people. This can be shown when she gets free tickets for the NBA final. The protagonist is a journalist for a women's magazine despite her wanting to work on political stories. This shows that she is quite interlectual.
In a later scene a man turns up on a motorbike. He is wearing a leather jacket. This gives the audience the impression that he is rebellious. From this we get the impression his character is hard to handle. As the man gets of his motorbike he talks to a couple of women in formal clothes. This shows the contrast between the men and the women in terms of what they wear in the journalism industry.

Editing
The titles and opening credits fly in which set the mood of the film as a happy and quite energetic film. The titles fade out too. Some of the scenes in the opening section of the film dissolve out too. This is a good way of showing the characters involved in the opening of a romantic comedy.

Sound
To set the scene there is a recognized song which is also more of a feminine song. While this song is playing the main character is introduced. If there is a familar song playing in the background then the audience is more likely to engage with the film.

Camera Angles
Some of the camera angles that are used illustrate who the main and major character is from the beggining of the film. For example the juxtaposition of the characters illustrates who is the main character. A lower angle shot shows the power and dominace of some of the characters and that is what is used to show the power of the women at the beggining, as she has a well paid job which is represented by the fact she is wearing a suit and looks professional.

Just Like Heaven - Mark Waters

MES
At the start of the scene there is a woman shown dreaming. This is a stereo-type symbolizing that women fantasise a lot. This character is a doctor. This is a well payed job and also an aspiring job. From the opening scene we can tell that she is commited to her job and she is very hard working. Her work is her life as she has no boyyfriend or husband. She lives a different life to her colleagues as she is the only one of her co-workers who's life evolves around work. This is a very different life from her sister, who is married and has kids and lives a typical life. This shows the contrast between the lives the sisters live. The protagonist, Elizabeth, is on her way to a date when she gets hit by a truck and she ends up in a bad condition.
The male, David, is introduced to the film. He is a divorced man who is about to go on a date with Elizabeth before she has a crash, although he doesnt know that he is about to go on a date with Elizabeth. David is seen as lazy and ignorant. He wears casual clothes and is quite wealthy, hence why he is buying a big house onlooking San Francisco. 

Editing
The titles carry on into the film and the director is always last on the caption. The film is based on a book. There is also use of seemless editing. This is used to keep scenes flowing without the audience seeing the cuts between scenes.

Sound
The opening song is a recognized song and is more of a feminine song. This gives the film a sense of recognition among the audience and it helps support the characters personality and appearence. There are some background noises which make each scene look natural and therefore makes the film look more professional. The fact that there is little dialogue while the titles appear shows the fact that the producer of the film wants you to concentrate on the titles of the film.

Camera Angles
To start off with there is evidence of tracking shots. In this case it is reverse tracking and it shows the speed of the movement of the women moving with the trolley and the clipboard. This shows the urgency within the characters. There is also a shot reverse shot. This shows the presence of dialogue between the two characters. There is an extreme close up that is used to show the facial expressions of the woman in the opening and it shows her emosion as she looks on at the man who turns out to be her lover.

Analysis of 'Red Dragon'

'Red Dragon' was directed by Brett Ratner in 2003.

 Scene 1 - Opera House

MES
Hannibal who is in audiences tilts his head which shows he is preying on the man playing out of tune, almost like a predator. This character could have little patience and believes in perfection, hense why he is wincing. Hannibal is important because he is in a juxtaposition. Everyone in the audience is wearing posh clothes such as suits which shows they are spohisticated and well off. It also gives us an idication they are the upper class.


Editing
Title is red and white which symbolizes danger/blood and purity, so therefore you could say danger has dominance over the purity and innocence of the characters.


Sound
Diagetic sound from the orchestra. There is no dialogue in the opening scene. All dialogue expresses is through facial expressions.
Camera Angles
Establishing shot to set the scene. It is also an extreme long shot to look like a point of view

Scene 2 - Dinner


MES

Large house, the host is the man in the audience, Hannibal. The interior suggest that the resident is posh. Has the iconography of a typical victorian dining room. They are drinking red whine which could symbolize blood. Hannibal is also circling his guests like a predator. One of the guests is mocking the fact that there is a missing musician. This shows how the upper class feel towards the middle class. Upper class ignorant people eat the missing musician without knowing

Editing
Seemless editing

Sound
There is a non-diagetic sound that is used throughout this scene which creates tension and suspense. This ultimately adds to the plot and makes the audience feel uneasy. Couple this with the P.O.V camera shot that is used, it makes the scene more realistic.


Camera Angles
 Low angle shot of Hannibal to show he has dominance over his guests. This gives a warning out to the audiecnce that he is powerful and will use his power to menatally dominate the characters.


Scene 3 - Special Agent Graham

MES
Agent Graham wears a gun belt, stereo-typical cop. Hannibal wants Agent Graham in a vunerable position. Agent Graham knows Hannibal would not make any mistakes so Hannibal becomes a suspect. Agent Graham can not be 100% certain though. This is because Hannibal acts as a fatherly figure to him. Hannibal works in a formal environment (his office). Agent Graham caught Hannibal of guard by his that he is the Cannibal. Agent Graham stabs Hannibal with arrows - links back to predator. Hannibal shows persistance despite being stabbed with arrows just like a monster would.
Editing
Seemless editing. The titles fade in and fade out - almost like Cannibals life did in scene 3

Sound
A heart beat as the frequency and tempo increases to create tension and suspense
Dialogue is used but in this scene it focusses on the action.

Camera Angles
Horizontal tracking to show the possessions that Hannibal owns and that shows his personality and how he kills people to eat. Shot reverse shot between the book and Agent Graham to add tension. There is a zoom on the writing in the book to show his understanding of the true personality of Hannibal is becoming clearer

Scene 4 - Titles - Scrapbook


MES
Tiltle scene informs the audience about what has happened to Hannibal over a period of time. The pictures of people are quite disturbing. Hanniabls identity is shown to the public and the history that surrounds him is unearthed. Light passes over scrapbook which shows the day is passing over it which symbolizes time passing through Hannibal. The book is in the basement which could symbolize that the past was tried to be kept a secret. Someones eyes are ripped out as it could show fear of what someone has become from an innocent child. 12.3, Armageddon and red dragon - the end of the world. This is what he wants to happen.

Editing
Anthony Hopkin's name is first up as he is the most famous and won an oscar. The editing is syncronised
Fade in and fade out.
Sound
Non-diagetic sound as the titles appear.

Camera Angles
Panning and tilts shows the quantity of headlines on Hannibal and Agent Graham. Close up of the articles by using zoom in and zoom out. The juxtaposition of the titles are around the outside of the book.

Task 2: Research into existing product - The Horror Genre - Halloween (1978)

Halloween is a 1978 American independent horror film set in the fictional suburban town of Haddonfield, Illinois, USA on Halloween.
Halloween was produced on a budget of $320,000 and grossed $47 million at the box office in the United States, equivalent to over $150 million as of 2008, becoming one of the most profitable independent films of all time.
Many critics credit the film as the first in a long line of slasher films inspired by Alfred Hitchcok's Phscho (1960). The movie originated many cliches found in low-budget horror films of the 1980's and 1990's. However, the film contains little graphic violence or gore.



MES

•  Set at night - Adds tension and fear not just to the characters but also the audience. Also because the sky is black it symoblizes darkness which reflects on Michael Myers' character that he is portraying.
• Some of the props include a knife, a mask and a pumpkin. All of these props have some kind of relation to Halloween which is the title of the film.
• The costume of Michael Myers is only shown at the end. He is wearing a sterotypical kids Halloween outfit. This shows his innocence and reiterates the fact that he is only a child.

Editing

• Fade in titles
• Fade out titles
• The pumpkin dissolves at the start of the scene

Camera Angles

• Zoom in on pumpkin - Slowly dissolves
• Horizontal tracking
• Subjective point of view - This shows the murder through Michael Myers perspective. When he grabs the knife out of the kitchen draw he is perceived as an older character.
• Reverse Crane shot
• Hand held - Shows a sense of uneasiness and realism.
• There is an establishing shot which sets the scene as the place of the murder

Sound

• Footsteps - Add suspense
• Clock ringing - Add tension
• Ambient Sounds - Owl and clock ringing. This adds tension to the scene and also creates more fear.
• The tempo and frequency of the incidental music increases as the tension and suspense builds.