Thursday, 5 December 2013
Drive question
The film Drive uses a mix of conventions from both the film noir genre and the action genre. In the first scene there is low key lighting, this is a common convention of a film noir because it suggests danger is ahead and also suggests themes of horror. The mise en scene in the film also suggests themes from film noir. The film is set in an urban environment and on the wall of a building we see neon lighting. Neon lighting and built up, urban environments are both common conventions of Noir films and these themes are shared in Sin City. In the first scene of Sin City we see a long shot of a city, showing the setting of the film and the surrounding buildings. There is also a scene in Drive where 2 people are killed with a gun. The gun is regular iconography from the film noir genre and is common in Sin City as well as drive, it suggests crime and violence, both of which are common in Noir films.
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
District 9 question
Most texts today mix genres. How is this true of District 9?
In the film District 9, the first few scenes are filmed in a documentary style, there are close up shots of people being interviewed and the shots are recorded in a handheld style. There are also clips where the film is shot in the style of a news report, there are tracking shots following people on the ground from the view of a helicopter. These styles of filming combined make the film seem realistic and show elements of a documentary genre.
In the scene where they are in the hospital, there are conventions from both the sci-fi genre and the horror genre. There is a close up of Wikus' arm after he has started to go through his transformation. Transformation is a common convention of sci-fi and this is combined with the use of CGI to make his arm look like an alien. This convention is common and can also be seen in films such as The Fly when he transforms in to a fly, he undergoes transformation from a human and starts to see changes in his appearance that are constructed using CGI.
When people are shot in the film, there are conventions of realism, horror and sci-fi. An example of this is in the scene where the alien is told to stand by the wall and is shot. The alien is shot using a futuristic alien weapon, alien technology and weapons are a convention from the sci-fi genre.
In the film District 9, the first few scenes are filmed in a documentary style, there are close up shots of people being interviewed and the shots are recorded in a handheld style. There are also clips where the film is shot in the style of a news report, there are tracking shots following people on the ground from the view of a helicopter. These styles of filming combined make the film seem realistic and show elements of a documentary genre.
In the scene where they are in the hospital, there are conventions from both the sci-fi genre and the horror genre. There is a close up of Wikus' arm after he has started to go through his transformation. Transformation is a common convention of sci-fi and this is combined with the use of CGI to make his arm look like an alien. This convention is common and can also be seen in films such as The Fly when he transforms in to a fly, he undergoes transformation from a human and starts to see changes in his appearance that are constructed using CGI.
When people are shot in the film, there are conventions of realism, horror and sci-fi. An example of this is in the scene where the alien is told to stand by the wall and is shot. The alien is shot using a futuristic alien weapon, alien technology and weapons are a convention from the sci-fi genre.
Thursday, 28 November 2013
District 9 characters
Wikus ( hero) - A pen usher that is out in a position of power through his father in law. He initially tries to evict the aliens but once he becomes infected he starts to feel empathy towards them. His transformation into an alien follows the tradition of "body horror". He becomes a hero towards the end of the film when he helps the aliens get home.
( princess )- she has no control over her life. She has a dominating father and escapes him to build a happy life with Wikus. As soon as Wikus is out of the picture she comes back under the control of her father. She is a very passive character. 
Obesandjo
( villain ) - a nigerian warlord operating out of district 9.He preys on the aliens and swaps their advanced weaponry for cat food. He believes that if he eats alien body parts then he will gain their power.
Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Research essay
In what ways is masculinity challenged in contemporary action films with particular focus on Fast 5 and Casino Royale?
In this investigation I will be examining how masculinity is represented in the two films Fast 5(1) and Casino Royale(2). Both films are from the action genre with Casino Royale being more of a spy film and Fast 5 focusing more on crime. However both films represent ideas of masculinity and I will be applying theories such as Hard bodies, National identity and the female gaze to specific scenes within the films to analyse whether they challenge masculinity or use it conventionally.
The action film genre started in the 1920s and 1930s, they usually consisted of battles between villains and heroes with swords and weapons. They were known as 'Swashbuckler' films.(5) The genre has changed and evolved over time, spy and western films have become more popular and costumes used in the films have become more "normal and suited to the theme of the film".(5) These changes have made the action film genre more realistic and more appealing to the audience.(5) In any action film there is an action hero, they are usually very masculine and can "achieve what is out of reach for most ordinary people"(6). The hero in the film is often "the ideal we wish ourselves to be".(6)
Masculinity involves being "tough, respected, strong and independent"(4) according to theorist Jackson Katz. He argues that being masculine involves violence and that "violence is an accepted part of masculinity in films"(4). This theory is backed up in the fight scene between Dom and Hobbs in Fast 5. They both take the form of the 'hard body'(7) action hero. The hard body has remained as one of the fundamental focuses of action films through their evolution. A hard body is a character who is tough and masculine, his body will "enable him to navigate around the perils that shall assault him later on".(6) A hard body action hero usually engages in some form of violence and is "undoubtedly compelled to face the perils of human intervention"(6),meaning that the hard body usually comes under some form of attack from another character, this involvement in violence links back to the theory of Jackson Katz. There are often stereotypes of masculine males in films, usually certain races are related to certain types of characters. For example, Jackson Katz says that Latino males are usually "represented as boxers, criminals and tough guys"(4) and that Asian-American men are usually "represented as martial arts masters or dangerous criminals".(4) Katz also argues that the violence that is portrayed in films influences males in the real world. He argues that the "majority of violence and crime in society is committed by males"(4) as a result of what they have seen in films and believes that the films can lead to things such as "domestic violence and abuse".(4)
Jackson Katz’s views can be applied to both Fast 5 and Casino Royale but Fast 5 uses it more conventionally. Fast 5 is a very stereotypical action film of today, it contains a lot of violence, fighting and weapons, an example is the scene where the convoy come under fire from a gang with guns and RPGs.(1) In this scene there is fast paced editing and non-digetic music used to show action. The mise en scene is based around the favelas of Brazil. These are the slums of the country, the area looks rundown and dirty and there is graffiti on the walls, this represents the way of life of the people that live there and the poverty that exists in that part of the world. Fast 5(1) also represents men as being muscular and rugged, this is evidence of "the normative mapping of bodies"(8) in action films. This use of violence and the representation of the rugged male means that Fast 5 is a very conventional action film which contrasts with Casino Royale which is adapting more with the times. When James Bond first appeared in the 60's played by Sean Connery, he was represented as being a "hairy-chested, hard drinking, constantly smoking representation of the man's man of the time"(9), Doug Brode, a professor of television and film said that "Sean Connery emphasised the macho"(9). In Casino Royale Bond is still masculine, he still uses violence and kills people however he is more sexualised and in touch with his emotions, this makes him a "far more relatable character"(9). There is evidence that Bond is more in touch with his emotions in the scene where he sleeps with Vesper Lynd.(2) In the past Bond would have slept with a woman out of "selfish desire"(9) however in Casino Royale he sleeps with her out of love and "his actions stem from severe personal loss"(9). The scene where Bond sits and cries over Vespers death(2) also shows that Bond now shows his emotions a lot more, in past Bond films he wouldn't have cried over the death of a woman, he would have just moved on. This change in his actions makes Bond a much more relatable character, allowing the audience to personally identify with him. There is a high camera angle in this scene that looks down at Bond, this makes him look vulnerable and this combined with the use of non-digetic music makes the audience feel sympathetic towards Bond and allows the audience to gain an insight in to his thoughts and feelings for the first time. This shows how Bond has changed with the times as in the past Bond would never have cried. Laura Mulvey's theory of the female gaze can be applied to Casino Royale to show how Bond is sexualised in the film. The scene where Bond walks out of the Sea with his top off(2) shows fragmentation of his body and makes him visually appealing to a female audience, allowing them to gain visual pleasure from watching it. The camera shows a mid shot of Bond's body, focusing on his muscles and sexualising him. Laura Mulvey originally argued "man as the bearer of the look"(10), however this theory has adapted over time and men are now often the victims of the female gaze which is evident in this scene. This scene is a prime example of how Bond has changed over time, it is a similar scene to the one in Die Another Day(11) where Halle Berry walks out of the sea on to the beach. However, in Die Another Day(11) the focus is on the female and the male gaze theory can be applied conventionally, this contrasts with the Casino Royale(2) scene where the gaze has altered and has now focused on the male in order to sexualise him.
In this investigation I will be examining how masculinity is represented in the two films Fast 5(1) and Casino Royale(2). Both films are from the action genre with Casino Royale being more of a spy film and Fast 5 focusing more on crime. However both films represent ideas of masculinity and I will be applying theories such as Hard bodies, National identity and the female gaze to specific scenes within the films to analyse whether they challenge masculinity or use it conventionally.
The action film genre started in the 1920s and 1930s, they usually consisted of battles between villains and heroes with swords and weapons. They were known as 'Swashbuckler' films.(5) The genre has changed and evolved over time, spy and western films have become more popular and costumes used in the films have become more "normal and suited to the theme of the film".(5) These changes have made the action film genre more realistic and more appealing to the audience.(5) In any action film there is an action hero, they are usually very masculine and can "achieve what is out of reach for most ordinary people"(6). The hero in the film is often "the ideal we wish ourselves to be".(6)
Masculinity involves being "tough, respected, strong and independent"(4) according to theorist Jackson Katz. He argues that being masculine involves violence and that "violence is an accepted part of masculinity in films"(4). This theory is backed up in the fight scene between Dom and Hobbs in Fast 5. They both take the form of the 'hard body'(7) action hero. The hard body has remained as one of the fundamental focuses of action films through their evolution. A hard body is a character who is tough and masculine, his body will "enable him to navigate around the perils that shall assault him later on".(6) A hard body action hero usually engages in some form of violence and is "undoubtedly compelled to face the perils of human intervention"(6),meaning that the hard body usually comes under some form of attack from another character, this involvement in violence links back to the theory of Jackson Katz. There are often stereotypes of masculine males in films, usually certain races are related to certain types of characters. For example, Jackson Katz says that Latino males are usually "represented as boxers, criminals and tough guys"(4) and that Asian-American men are usually "represented as martial arts masters or dangerous criminals".(4) Katz also argues that the violence that is portrayed in films influences males in the real world. He argues that the "majority of violence and crime in society is committed by males"(4) as a result of what they have seen in films and believes that the films can lead to things such as "domestic violence and abuse".(4)
Jackson Katz’s views can be applied to both Fast 5 and Casino Royale but Fast 5 uses it more conventionally. Fast 5 is a very stereotypical action film of today, it contains a lot of violence, fighting and weapons, an example is the scene where the convoy come under fire from a gang with guns and RPGs.(1) In this scene there is fast paced editing and non-digetic music used to show action. The mise en scene is based around the favelas of Brazil. These are the slums of the country, the area looks rundown and dirty and there is graffiti on the walls, this represents the way of life of the people that live there and the poverty that exists in that part of the world. Fast 5(1) also represents men as being muscular and rugged, this is evidence of "the normative mapping of bodies"(8) in action films. This use of violence and the representation of the rugged male means that Fast 5 is a very conventional action film which contrasts with Casino Royale which is adapting more with the times. When James Bond first appeared in the 60's played by Sean Connery, he was represented as being a "hairy-chested, hard drinking, constantly smoking representation of the man's man of the time"(9), Doug Brode, a professor of television and film said that "Sean Connery emphasised the macho"(9). In Casino Royale Bond is still masculine, he still uses violence and kills people however he is more sexualised and in touch with his emotions, this makes him a "far more relatable character"(9). There is evidence that Bond is more in touch with his emotions in the scene where he sleeps with Vesper Lynd.(2) In the past Bond would have slept with a woman out of "selfish desire"(9) however in Casino Royale he sleeps with her out of love and "his actions stem from severe personal loss"(9). The scene where Bond sits and cries over Vespers death(2) also shows that Bond now shows his emotions a lot more, in past Bond films he wouldn't have cried over the death of a woman, he would have just moved on. This change in his actions makes Bond a much more relatable character, allowing the audience to personally identify with him. There is a high camera angle in this scene that looks down at Bond, this makes him look vulnerable and this combined with the use of non-digetic music makes the audience feel sympathetic towards Bond and allows the audience to gain an insight in to his thoughts and feelings for the first time. This shows how Bond has changed with the times as in the past Bond would never have cried. Laura Mulvey's theory of the female gaze can be applied to Casino Royale to show how Bond is sexualised in the film. The scene where Bond walks out of the Sea with his top off(2) shows fragmentation of his body and makes him visually appealing to a female audience, allowing them to gain visual pleasure from watching it. The camera shows a mid shot of Bond's body, focusing on his muscles and sexualising him. Laura Mulvey originally argued "man as the bearer of the look"(10), however this theory has adapted over time and men are now often the victims of the female gaze which is evident in this scene. This scene is a prime example of how Bond has changed over time, it is a similar scene to the one in Die Another Day(11) where Halle Berry walks out of the sea on to the beach. However, in Die Another Day(11) the focus is on the female and the male gaze theory can be applied conventionally, this contrasts with the Casino Royale(2) scene where the gaze has altered and has now focused on the male in order to sexualise him.
Thursday, 17 October 2013
Theory of masculinity
Masculinity
Theorist- Jackson Katz
To be masculine involves being- tough, respected, strong, independent
examples of representations-
Latino men- usually represented as boxers, criminals and tough guys
Asian- American men- usually represented as martial arts masters or dangerous criminals
He argues that violence is an accepted part of masculinity in films. He thinks males are influenced by what they see in the media and in films and believes that it leads to domestic violence and abuse in the real world. He says that the majority of violence and crime in society is committed by males.
Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Bibliography
Bibliography
(1)- Fast 5- 2011- Justin Lin
(2)- Casino Royale- 2006- Martin Campbell
(3)-Masculinity theory ideas- http://voices.yahoo.com/masculinity-theory-overview-1941490.html
(4)-Jackson Katz ideas and theory video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3exzMPT4nGI&feature=player_embedded#at=215
(5)-http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Action_film.html- the evolution of the action film genre
(6)-The shape of the action hero- http://the-artifice.com/shape-of-the-action-hero/
(7)-Book- Hard bodies: Hollywood masculinity in the Reagan era- Susan Jeffords-1994
(8)- Book- Masculinity studies and feminist theories:New directions- Judith Kegan Gardiner- 2002
(9)-Men Style power- http://www.menstylepower.com/2012/10/the-name-is-bond-james-bond/-James Bond's masculinity
(10)- Laura Mulveys Visual pleasure and narrative cinema- 1975
(11)- Die Another Day- 2002- Lee Tamahori
(12)- Book- "key themes in media theory"- Dan Laughey
(13)-Book- What is hegemonic masculinity?- Mike Donaldson- 1993
(14)-Book- Masculinities- R.W.Connell- 2005
(15)-http://analyzeforfun.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/representations-of-women-in-james-bond-pt-1-1/- Women in James Bond
(16)- http://benjbourne93.wordpress.com/how-women-are-represented-as-bond-girls/- Women in James Bond
(17)-http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/allies/m3.php3- Information on how M is represented in James Bond
(18)- http://jamesbond.wikia.com/wiki/Bond_girl- Representation of women
(1)- Fast 5- 2011- Justin Lin
(2)- Casino Royale- 2006- Martin Campbell
(3)-Masculinity theory ideas- http://voices.yahoo.com/masculinity-theory-overview-1941490.html
(4)-Jackson Katz ideas and theory video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3exzMPT4nGI&feature=player_embedded#at=215
(5)-http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Action_film.html- the evolution of the action film genre
(6)-The shape of the action hero- http://the-artifice.com/shape-of-the-action-hero/
(7)-Book- Hard bodies: Hollywood masculinity in the Reagan era- Susan Jeffords-1994
(8)- Book- Masculinity studies and feminist theories:New directions- Judith Kegan Gardiner- 2002
(9)-Men Style power- http://www.menstylepower.com/2012/10/the-name-is-bond-james-bond/-James Bond's masculinity
(10)- Laura Mulveys Visual pleasure and narrative cinema- 1975
(11)- Die Another Day- 2002- Lee Tamahori
(12)- Book- "key themes in media theory"- Dan Laughey
(13)-Book- What is hegemonic masculinity?- Mike Donaldson- 1993
(14)-Book- Masculinities- R.W.Connell- 2005
(15)-http://analyzeforfun.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/representations-of-women-in-james-bond-pt-1-1/- Women in James Bond
(16)- http://benjbourne93.wordpress.com/how-women-are-represented-as-bond-girls/- Women in James Bond
(17)-http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/allies/m3.php3- Information on how M is represented in James Bond
(18)- http://jamesbond.wikia.com/wiki/Bond_girl- Representation of women
Sunday, 13 October 2013
Sin City
Sin City
How does the chosen text use genre conventions?
How does the chosen text use genre conventions?
Genre conventions are features that are typical to a
particular sort of genre. The film Sin City fits the film noir genre and uses typical conventions from this style of text. The film noir genre is a style of film that reflects the cold war period. There are themes of fear, mistrust and despair in films of this style and they are often created though the use of characters, lighting and mise en scene.
The film Sin City is shot mainly in black and white. The use or dark colours and low key lighting give the film a theme of horror, some colours, such as the red of blood are highlighted in the film to indicate things such as danger and lust. For example, in the first scene of the film, the woman's lips and dress are red, they are the only things in the scene that aren't black or dark and this means that they are significant and stand out. The colour red signifies danger and this is backed up later in the scene when she gets shot and killed.These dark colours and low key lighting effects are typical conventions of a film noir text. Another convention of film noir is the use a voice overs. In Sin City, voice overs and narrating feature throughout the whole film and tell the backgrounds and personalities of the characters. An example of this is when Marv says " so I broke his arm in three places and signed the confession ", this tells the audience a lot about the kind of character Marv is, he is tough, violent and powerful and this line of voice over reflects that. The voice overs are used to give the audience extra information or an insight in to the mind of a character, this is a common trait of the film noir genre.
Film noir texts try to give a theme of fear and horror. Mise en scene is a very effective way of doing this. Typical mise en scene for a film noir text includes things such as guns, cigarettes and dark, rain drenched streets, all of which associate to the corrupt cities that film noir texts are set in. One of the scenes in Sin City shows a group of prostitutes in dark back alleys with guns, knifes and other weapons.The streets are lit by neon lights and there is heavy rainfall. This is typical use of mise en scene in film noir, suggesting themes of violence and corruption. Venetian blinds are also commonly used in the film. For example in the scene where Marv is being interrogated. They give a streaky, lined effect across the screen and are typically associated with the film noir genre.
The film Sin City is shot mainly in black and white. The use or dark colours and low key lighting give the film a theme of horror, some colours, such as the red of blood are highlighted in the film to indicate things such as danger and lust. For example, in the first scene of the film, the woman's lips and dress are red, they are the only things in the scene that aren't black or dark and this means that they are significant and stand out. The colour red signifies danger and this is backed up later in the scene when she gets shot and killed.These dark colours and low key lighting effects are typical conventions of a film noir text. Another convention of film noir is the use a voice overs. In Sin City, voice overs and narrating feature throughout the whole film and tell the backgrounds and personalities of the characters. An example of this is when Marv says " so I broke his arm in three places and signed the confession ", this tells the audience a lot about the kind of character Marv is, he is tough, violent and powerful and this line of voice over reflects that. The voice overs are used to give the audience extra information or an insight in to the mind of a character, this is a common trait of the film noir genre.
Film noir texts try to give a theme of fear and horror. Mise en scene is a very effective way of doing this. Typical mise en scene for a film noir text includes things such as guns, cigarettes and dark, rain drenched streets, all of which associate to the corrupt cities that film noir texts are set in. One of the scenes in Sin City shows a group of prostitutes in dark back alleys with guns, knifes and other weapons.The streets are lit by neon lights and there is heavy rainfall. This is typical use of mise en scene in film noir, suggesting themes of violence and corruption. Venetian blinds are also commonly used in the film. For example in the scene where Marv is being interrogated. They give a streaky, lined effect across the screen and are typically associated with the film noir genre.
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