Monday 17 November 2008

It's NAB Time - Come On!!!

Cloverfield Pictures, Images and Photos
Marlena explodes - strong female or female acting like a strong man?

NaB feedback
Narrative
•How is Cloverfield Verisimilar?
•Shots of city including iconic landmarks such as Central Park - Brooklyn Bridge - Statue of Liberty
•Costumes of characters are contemporary
•Age and language of actors is contemporary
•Anxieties and fears are recognisable to us
•Use of hand held camera / Youtube style
A verisimilar world is pleasurable to the Audience

The three act set up
Equilibrium = Beth’s Dad’s apartment – The excitement of the party – the arrival of Rob – The flirting of Hud with Marlena
Disequilibrium = The argument between Beth and Rob -The whispering in the kitchen between Lily and Hud - The blackout, screams and the fleeting glimpse of the abject. The journey through NYC- the death of Marlena – the helicopter crash
Equilibrium Restored = As Rob saved Beth she saves him from Copter wreckage. Two shot to camera in Central park declaring their love. Final shots of Coney island.
The 3 act set up is familiar to audiences and pleasurable

You must include the following
The other aspects of CNF = cause and effect, the actions of the characters, strong narrative resolution
Action Codes = list several
Enigma Codes = list several and refer to Barthes
These are narrative pleasures for the audience

Representations
You are building an argument and that argument is –
Cloverfield when read differentially reveals a predominantly male ideology.
This can be argued by exploring Rob, Hud, Lily, Beth as familiar types.
Show how they fit a type and try to use cinematic examples!

Representations contd.
•The argument is complicated by Marlena and the monstrous abject.
•What kind of females are being presented here?
•Is Marlena strong because she acts in a masculine way?
•Does the monster suggest that we see females as threats to us.
•This contrasts with Beth who is seen as a sex object.
Audiences draw pleasure from familiar and unfamiliar types

Audience
Film’s purpose – target a certain demographic for profit and entertainment
How does it achieve its purpose?
Use of the Horror genre and the visceral pleasures of the genre and other intertextual elements
Use of CGI
Use of a verisimilar world locations/types and verisimilar anxieties
Use of youtube style
Use of production team with proven track record – JJ Abrams etc
Closeness of the product to other products

Friday 7 November 2008

Music & Horror

Control - Being one who has never heard Joy Divison's music before I wasn't sure what to expect of this Black and White film. Following Ian Curtis through the events that lead to his marriage, music career and young death. Anton Cojibn's directing blends the music of the band with the story well. I would recommend the film to all. Stuart cheated to win the poster just to let you all know.


The Orphanage - "Reminded me of a cross between changing rooms and most haunted" - Lewis Urquhart, "If I hadn't been so scared I would have cried" - Kimberley Rome, The Orphanage is the Spanish Psychological Horror Film we all expected. The audience reacts in different ways but were all united in the scary moment that is.....

Thomas Biggans