PR4: How do we
analyse film?
When analysing films there are a number of techniques that
can be used, two of these ways are the analysis of genre and application of
Auteur Theory. To analyse genre we can use Lacey’s Repertoire of elements to
determine what codes and conventions the film uses to establish genre. We can
also use Auteur Theory to determine whether a film is the work of an auteur
director and to find out why or how they are an auteur.
Film analysts can use the Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements to
establish genre of films. For example, in the film Cowboys and Aliens the film
is recognized as a western because within the mise en scene there is iconic
conventional western costumes worn and also an iconic conventional setting,
being set in a desert town surrounded by sand. These conventions help establish
the genre of the film being a western.
Auteur theory can be applied to the 2010 film Inception,
directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page.
Christopher Nolan is a very well known auteur director; his work has a very
distinctive, non-linear narrative throughout his films including Inception.
This is exactly what makes him an auteur.
Walk Among the
Tombstones
Film analysts can analyse a films genre by using
Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements. When applying Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements we
look at 5 aspects of the film; Narrative, iconography, setting, technical &
audio codes and character. All of these elements are used to establish the
genre of the film. It can show us what codes and conventions have been used in
the film to help establish the genre also.
We can apply Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements to the
film A Walk Among the Tombstones that was released in 2014, directed by Scott
Frank and stars Liam Neeson. The film is set in New York City, which is very
conventional location for action thriller films, which straight away is an
indication to the idea the film is an Action Thriller. The film features a
protagonist and an antagonist; a common convention of action thriller films is
they most always include a protagonist and one or more antagonist. The
characters used in the film also shows it is an action thriller for example, in
the film we see Liam Neeson staring as the protagonist, this actor is an
extremely well known action thriller film star, and is very well known for his
role in Taken, and Taken 2. Because he is so well known for these previous
films, it already suggests he is the protagonist in this film as he has been
with the others.
Iconography is also used in the film, for example the
film shows the skyline of New York City which is very well known and
recognizable, again establishing the film is an action thriller. In the scene
where the young girl who is being watched by the antagonists, is wearing a
bright red coat, this could be a reference to the childhood tale of ‘little red
riding hood’ signifying her innocence. The use of the girl wearing the red coat
is a pastiche of a very classic fairy tale Red Riding Hood.
The style of the technical and audio follows the codes
and conventions of typical action thriller films. The use of fast paced editing
with short cut clips, along with the loud, non diegetic sounds which builds up
suspense to intrigue the audience is a common convention with action thriller
films, this film follows that convention.
Leon and
James Bond
Auteur theory also can be used when analysing films or
the directors to find if the film is a piece by an Auteur director. There are
five ways we can see if a director is an auteur, these are; The principal
creator of a film, a filmmaker who demonstrates a particular style, a filmmaker
who demonstrates innovation, a filmmaker who values artistic merit over
commercial success and finally, a filmmaker who makes films with similar
themes.
The film Leon: The Professional, was released in 1994,
directed by Luc Besson and stars Jean Reno, Natalie Portman and Gary Oldman. Leon
is very well known for being so distinctly different from other action thriller
films. The director Luc Besson can definitely be classed as an auteur director,
he is a filmmaker who demonstrates he cared more for artistic merit over the
commercial value of the film.
The film is distinctively different from other action
thriller films, for example James Bond films. James bond films are very typical
and follow almost every code and convention of a typical action thriller film.
The protagonist (James Bond) will always be very fit in physique, typically
good looking and will also have a female companion who is very sexualised who
we see James Bond form a sexual relationship with. However, in the film Leon
that is also an action thriller, the protagonist (Leon) is very odd looking, of
regular build and features a young child as his companion, who is not
sexualised or perused by Leon. The two form a father-daughter like relationship,
instead of the typical sexual relationship like we see in Bond films. From this
we can tell that Luc Besson can be classified as an auteur director because,
the usual relationship in action thrillers are very popular along with the
typical protagonist. However, Luc Besson used a very different relationship and
different type of protagonist, which do not follow the codes and conventions of
action thrillers. This shows, Luc Besson did not care for commercial success
and instead cared more for the artistic merit this film shows through the
choice of characters.
Another way Luc Besson shows his appreciation and use
of artistic merit is through the technical and audio codes used in the film.
The fast paced editing used is conventional, however the film also features
(especially within the beginning of the film), extreme close ups of characters
faces, this is very unconventional for action thriller films. This also helps
show the filmmaker cared far more for artistic merit than he did of the commercial
value and success.
Mean Girls
The film Mean Girls is a comedy film directed by Mark
Waters and released in 2004. Mean girls follows a linear narrative as Cady
Heron a 16 year old girl who had been home-schooled in Africa all her life as
she adapts to modern western schooling of America, this is the exposition of
the film. The rising action occurs when Cady makes friends with fellow outcasts
Janis and Damien and they make a plan for Cady to falsely befriend the ‘popular
girls’ as a plan of revenge, or commonly known as ‘The Plastics’ once they show
an interest in Cady. The plastics, led by queen bee, Regina George followed by
Gretchen Wieners and Karen Smith. After agreeing to take part in Janis’ plan,
we see Cady slowly becoming more and more part of the Plastics, and the
friendship seems less fake and more like Cady truly wants to be a member of the
Plastics. The climax of the film occurs when conflict breaks the friendship of
Janis and Cady, this is where the falling action of the film occurs as
everything starts to go wrong for Cady. She gets grounded, the boy she likes
doesn’t seem interested anymore and Regina George gets ran over by a bus while
in the middle of a feud with Cady. The final denouement happens when Cady
finally starts to sort everything out, she wins Prom Queen and a math
competition, her broken friendships and we see the characters move on with the
lives and how they have all changed and everything is finally at peace.
Mean girls is set in a typical high school
environment, with an American football pitch, prom, a mall, house parties and
class rooms are where the film is set for the majority of time. From the
setting alone within the first few scenes the film has already established the
genre of a typical teen comedy film by using these typical settings.
The genre is also established when the main characters
are shown, we see Cady as the new innocent girl who just moved from Africa who
can be seen as an outcast as she doesn't fit in with the typical western American
school life. Then we meet Regina George, the ‘queen bee’, she is the typical
popular girl who surrounds herself with everything girly who always gets what
she wants. She has the good looking popular boyfriend, the huge house, quite
obviously very well off when it comes to money and the majority of the school
looks up to her, wishing to be as popular and pretty as her. Then on the other
hand we meet Janis Iain, who plays the typical outcast who’s different, edgy
and stands out from the crowd for being so different. Janis is always dressed
different to everyone else, mostly in black, whereas Regina George is always in
pink and white and dressed very girly and stylish. From these characters we can
already tell the film is a teen comedy as the characters show typical high
school stereotypes.