Thursday, 23 October 2014

Representation

La Haine 

Representation of women:
-There are no women in the film except the two women in the art gallery, who are merely viewed as a sex object/something to look at and admire
-The fact that there are no main female characters in the film show that women have little say and are oppressed




Pan's Labyrinth

Representation of women:
-3 main female characters who are clearly oppressed and have little say / voice
-Set in a Fascist, patriarchal society
-Representations of the female body; the tree symbolises the shape of the womb, and the blank book that Ofelia reads which bleeds blood also resembles of the womb

Religious representations:
-In the second quest, Ofelia must not eat anything from the feast that sits on the table in front of the Pale Man. This could have a biblical representation, like Eve and the forbidden fruit, Ofelia takes the grape from the table.

Mirroring:
-The Pale Man and his feast mirrors Vidal's feast with his friends. The Pale Man is a representation of the oppressive powers; Vidal, the Catholic Church and Spanish Fascism.
-The magical, hallucinative world mirrors the real world


Themes


Narrative











Friday, 10 October 2014

How does narrative create meaning in Pan's Labyrinth?

The film is based in 1944 Fascist Spain, just before the time of the civil war. The protagonist of the film is a young girl named Ofelia, who we realise has hallucinations to escape the reality of the horror of the war around her. Ofelia is sent, along with her pregnant mother, to be with her new stepfather, Vidal, who happens to be a ruthless captain in the Spanish army.
Ofelia's hallucinations begin during the night once she is met with Vidal. She is met with a fairy who takes her to an old faun in the centre of the Labyrinth. She is told she is the princess but to prove her loyalty, she must survive three tasks. If she fails, she will never prove herself as the princess, and never see the king, her father, again.
Amongst Ofelia's hallucinations, the film is also combined with the context of the civil war, to portray the effects of the war upon Ofelia. Violence in the film is inflicted upon the Rebels who hide in the mountains from the falangist troops.

The film does not follow the expectations of a classic Hollywood narrative.
The film does not include the stages of equilibrium. Pan's Labyrinth begins with Ofelia's death, even after this, the film involves conflict throughout, at no one point is there any resolution. The film only shows a slight aspect of resolution however, this encounters Ofelia's death. She is also murdered by Vidal, which portrays that the issues in the film will be ongoing, even after Ofelia's death. I believe that Del Toro has incorporated this into his film to portray one of it's messages; the effect of war upon children. Del Toro has subverted the typical stereotypes of a classic Hollywood narrative to make the effects of the war more prominent and real to the audience, whilst incorporating Ofelia's hallucinations may confuse one at first, it helps to portray the effects of war upon this child. Juxtaposing between war and the fairy-tale hallucination she has escaped into.

The film La Haine does not incorporate the theme of a mystical fairytale, but instead uses much realism to convey it's messages. La Haine is similar to some aspects of Pan's Labyrinth. For example, in my previous point I mentioned that it does not follow the expectations of a classic Hollywood narrative, as does La Haine; both films begin with conflict between to sides or groups, this is most likely used to convey the messages and the conflict within the story more prominently. Both films also end with a death of the protagonists, which is unexpected to the audience. I believe that both Pan's Labyrinth and La Haine have used an unexpected, unresolved death of the protagonist at the end of the films to convey the reality of the messages; that this conflict is unresolved and is still ongoing even after the ending of the film.

I shall elaborate on my previous point of the theme of magical realism and mystical fairytale. This is incorporated heavily into the film, from the beginning to the very end. Meanwhile, the reality side of the film is still ongoing. It is only during the night once Ofelia and her mother have travelled to Vidal; that Ofelia begins to have these hallucinations. We, the audience understand that these characters such as the fairies, the old faun and the pale man can only be seen by Ofelia. Ofelia spends all of her time interacting with these characters; escaping and distracting herself away from the violence and danger she is involved with. I understand that Del Toro has incorporated this into the narrative of the film to portray the effects of war upon children. Stereotypically a war film will deal with solider's and the civilian's impact and effect of war, however this film conveys what it is like for an innocent child. The fact that Ofelia is so young, conveys her innocence, as well as being a young girl.
There is much symbolism and mirroring that is incorporated within the film's narrative. The scene with the Pale Man could symbolise Eve and the forbidden fruit. The bible's version of this incorporates an innocent women who takes an apple, which is the only piece of fruit that is forbidden in the Garden of Eden, when she takes this, it symbolises her innocence of not understanding the consequences, but makes her and all other women suffer as the consequence. Therefore, when Ofelia takes the grape from the table that the Pale Man sits at (the one thing that was forbidden), it too symbolises Ofelia's innocence and arrogance of not understanding consequences. From this point in the film, all worsens for Ofelia, and eventually leads to her death.

The film also opens and closes with the same shot of Ofelia's death. This therefore provides us with a circular structured narrative, which portrays us with one of the messages of the film; that this conflict is ongoing and will keep reoccurring.  Ofelia is murdered by her stepfather, Vidal, creating irony in the film.
This is also similar to La Haine. The film too has a circular structure. The film begins with the riots, that result at the end of the film. The film begins with the possibility of Abdel's death. The film also ends with an ironic death, similar to Pan's Labyrinth. The death in La Haine is ironic because Vinz is shot by a policeman, who he vowed to murder if Abdel did die, however he decided not to, and was murdered himself. This circular structure and unresolved ending is similar to Pan's Labyrinth, portraying that the issue of conflict is ongoing and will not stop after the film ends.

Friday, 3 October 2014

La Haine

Messages:
Can't escape conflict
Government oppression causes inequalities 
Values are everything 
Fraternity, liberty and equality 

Context:
Moola got arrested and policeman "accidentally" shot by police
Front National influenced racial stereotypes and oppression. These were politicians. 
Algerian massacre 
Slavery in France 1718
Banaleu slums 

Pan's Labyrinth

Themes:
Facism
Innocence 
Conflict and power
War: Spanish Civil War
Delusion 
Greed
Famine / poverty 
Oppression 
Legacy 
Family 
Male power/dominated 
Rebellion 

Messages: 
Beliefs don't solve problems : resistance to Facism links to the idea of fate not being avoidable. 
Facism is bad/destructive : it creates conflict between families and communities  : Facism regime of time period
War takes away childhood innocence
How innocence leads to delusion: she creates illusions to get away from the destructiveness of her reality. She becomes enraptured in her own hallucinations to escape.  
Good always wins over evil : internal conflict 
Fate isn't avoidable : people don't talk about it / thousands were forced to leave Spain to join resistance in France. 
Power is corrupting and leads to oppression 

Context relevant to the messages: 
During the period of the civil war people in communities were fighting against each other
Facist regime
Internal conflict at between neighbours and families
People avoid the topic now. 
Isolation and hardship
Thousands forced to flee Spain to join the resistance in France. 
Franco: head of army / war hero: took military with him to overthrow the king 
The church was on this side. The fascists were traditional: the family etc therefore the church sided with them
The Rebels were supplied with weapons from Russia a communist state; power to the people. The USSR. 
A proxy war: like the Cold War. The nazis and communist. Franco was helped by Germany. Brother v brother, two other super powers helping and supplying the opposing. Two wider powers influencing the next. 

Thursday, 2 October 2014

Summary of Pan's Labyrinth: How is narrative used to portray the message?

Pan's Labyrinth is a film which juxtaposes the theme of a child's fairytale against the violent Fascist Spanish Civil War. Del Toro explained that this film is a 'fairytale for a grown-up'. He said that he wanted to create something as dangerous and scary as the real war.
Arguably, the film does not incorporate a Classic Hollywood Narrative. Although the film does incorporate several aspects of cause and effect (such as when Ofelia takes the grape, this results in her being chased and almost eaten by the Pale Man. Or when the man cannot finish his sentence due to his stutter, result in his death.) The film also has a beginning middle and end, however the character's psychological motivations, for example Vidal's hatred is not clearly conveyed. There is clear opposition and conflict in the film as this is what drives the narrative, however we see this through many different aspects. For example, the Faun's quests and Ofelia; the toad/pale man. And the general themes of the Spanish Civil War.
Another reason why Pan's is not a Classic Hollywood narrative could be the fact that it does not have a 3 act structure. For example, Torodov's Equilibrium theory, in my opinion, does not apply here. At the beginning and end of the film there is conflict, at no one point in the film is there an element of resolution. The film ends and begins with Ofelia's death, stating the circular structure of the narrative, and hinting that this will occur to many other children.

It is possible that Del Toro has followed the rules of Propp's character types, incorporating a dark macabre theme into a fairytale because he wanted to convey the severity of the Spanish Civil war and it's effects on children. Because Ofelia is a child, enrapt in her own fairytale like hallucinations, this is the main aspect of the film, without this the film would be pretty straight forward and dull, therefore Ofelia's hallucinations (the main aspect of the narrative) convey the effects of war on children; that this girl is obviously harmed by the danger and violence of her surroundings, that she has become tangled into her own hallucinations to escape the reality of the Spanish Civil War.
Children are the future of society, therefore it is possible that Toro has decided to use a child because of this, this portrays how war damages the future of society. Toro may have also used a girl because stereotypically, girls represent innocence and purity, what goes on in her mind juxtaposes this.
The narrative of the film ends and begins with Ofelia's death, resulting in a circular structure. This may have been used to portray another message of the film; that the result of the film is most likely to keep on happening to other children.
Because the film does not follow the classic Hollywood narrative, this may help to portray the message of the film and help to convey the real effects of war. Because the film does not follow Classic Hollywood Narrative is makes the film strangely more realistic once the audience realises that the fairy tale aspects of the film are hallucinations rather than actually there.

Wednesday, 1 October 2014

City Of God Narrative




Torodov's Equilibrium Theory


Propp's Characters


La Haine: Propp's characters, narrative, themes and the vicious cycle

La Haine has narrative theme and characters which makes the film realistic. There are no Propp characters in this film to make the message more realistic and relevant. The director is trying to portray the social class division in society, therefore the Propp's characters if used here, would distort the film's message. Using fairy tale / Propp characters would distract from the message.

The film does however, use stock characters to some extent. It is important to have at least a small amount of stock characters for the audience to connect / relate to the characters.
  • The 'bad boy' - Vinz - Taxi Driver scene. Key scene of Vinz talking into the mirror
  • The helper/vigilante - Hubert - the reformed hero 
  • The 'sidekick' - Said 
The film revolves around one day ; a clock ; a vicious cycle

Is this Classic Hollywood Narrative?
No. The film goes deeper into an analysis of characters. They have clear physiological motivations that separates them.
-Fraternity: trying to unite and help each other out.

Said/the vicious cycle:
Everything in this film portray Said to be weak. Said is the point of view for this film. He is the observer/ the audience's way in. 'So far so good' He has not fallen into Vinz and Hubert's situation yet. The film is about Vinz's journey, however it is viewed/seen through Said's point of view.  When he says this the world is shown; which again portrays the idea of the vicious circle. He is the last person standing alive. He then says 'so far so good' again at the end of this film. Again, the vicious cycle. 
When Said closes his eyes, the screen goes blank, this is pure evidence that it is in Said's point of view. Said is trapped in the middle, symbolising the vicious cycle once again, he is in between Vinz and the policeman. 

Themes:
Fraternity 
Entrapment
Violence; police/social control
Racism; the colour of the skin / class 


Satif mascare: the French invaded Algeria. The Satif masacre; beheading civillians 
Binary opposition: the French vs the Algerian 
A mixed view
Hypocrisy of assimilation; liberty, equality and fraternity. 


Key events in history/the film: 
-2 people killed inspired the director to make the film
-riots at the beginning was real footage
Narrative :


  • Propp's character types (applied to fairytales) - why?
  • Classic Hollywood Narrative: 
  1.     Beginning, middle, end (positive resolution);
  2.     Stock characters with a psychological motivation;
  3.     A link between the cause and effect;
  4.     Binary opposition; you have to take a side to engage into a film
  • Entice a audience
  • Propp's character's 31 character types / 7 common character types that appear in folk stories: 
  1. The hero
  2. The villain 
  3. The donor/enabler ; prepares the her in someway/gives the hero an object
  4. Helper, helps the hero in the quest
  5. The princess, sought for in the narrative
  6. The false hero; perceived as a good hero but later emerges as evil
  7. The dispatcher; character who sends the hero off
  • Suggests that the narrative is a 'human' / international language; we all see this 
  • Todorov - Equilibrium:
  • A state of equilibruim 
  • Disruption 
  • Recognition
  • Repair
  • Reinsatement
  • Applied to many narratives 
  • Levi Strauss - Binary Opposition 
    Context + Messages = Analyse why : why it has been done/it is doing this due to the purpose of the context 

    The director has the most control over the messages of the film, we need to know about the other films he/she has previously produced, why they made this/what was their motivation or opinion. 
    -Youtube 
    -Interviews 


    Narrative or genre or authorship( themes and style )

    La Haine Narrative Timeline

    Is it Classic Hollywood Narrative? Cause/effect, beginning, middle, end, clear resolution:what is it saying?


    Torodov's Equilibrium Theory:
    • There is no equilibrium as there is violence and conflict from the beginning of the film. During the first scene, riots are shown as the credits appear. There isdisruption throughout due to the violence and conflicts between the opposition. Torodov's theory is not accurate or relevant here, as there is conflict throughout, although the audience is made to think that there may be a positive resolution to the film, we find out that this is not true as the main characters get shot. This portrays the realism of the film. 


    Cause and Effects:

    One may argue that the film does not follow a beginning, middle and end or the usual cause and effects. Although, Vinz realises that he cannot shoot the policeman, he does not gain good karma or respect and is shot by the policeman. The characters are trapped in a vicious circle, that no matter what happens this is what is destined to end / occur in their life.
    • All the events in the film happen within one day



    • Police loses his gun during the riot the night before



    • Vinz then finds this gun and vows that he will shoot a police man if his friend, Abdel dies in hospital (he has been beaten due to the riots)








    • Said meets Hubert, a blacker boxer and introduces him to Vinz







    • They go to Paris, getting in trouble with the Police constantly






    • They are informed that Abdel is dead



    • Confronted by racist, anti-immigrant skin-heads on a roof top summary



    • Vinz goes to carry out his vengeance, however he cannot do it.





    • In the earl morning, the three split up to go home however they meet with the same policeman that Vinz insulted previously



    • The policeman shoots Vinz, and therefore Hubert and the Policeman shoot each other. Hubert shoots the policeman due to equality and fraternity. The two themes of the French ideology






    • Kassovitz portrays a critical political message, he portrays themes that bring up the French political system in relation to racism and immigrants.
    • The film challenges narrative structure to portray the message across. 
    • Said's character development begins at the end. He is the youngest of the three. His older brother is respected and mature. He is reborn at the end of the film. 

    Narrative: La Haine

    Narrative : story

    MACRO 

    • Theme 
    • Narrative
    • Representation                         MESSAGE   +    Global (foreign) cinema 
    • Style                                                                          Cultural Context
    • Authorship                               P.O.V (point of view) - directors - internet/books, other films, 
    • Genre                                       interviews.
    Find out the context of the film before class. 
    How do we connect the textual evidence to the message?

    Is there anything from this culture/context that we can see in the events in the film?/metaphors eluding to these real life events

    Pan's Labyrinth; fantasy events, metaphorical; propp fairytales (damsel, hero, villian, helper)
    La Haine is based around realism : documentary
    Which is more powerful?

    Types of narrative:

    • Classic Hollywood Narratives: beginning (equilibrium), middle (disruphey) and the end (resolution) Does global cinema incorporate CHN, is this really foreign cinema 
    • Characters drive the narrative; the characters must have a psychological motivation to reach the climax of the narrative. A stock characteris a stereotypical 'off the shelf' character

    Messages and context within a culture

    MACRO (bigger things) :

    Genre
    Narrative
    Style
    Representation          
    Authorship 
    Themes   

    Link all of above to the messages of the films. 

    Culture 
    Society
    Politics 
    Country
    All affect the message of the film. 

    Captain America: 

    Overview: 

    Explores different continents as it includes other countries etc, this broadens the audience. 
    The hero is American; portraying America as the super power
    Male: physically powerful. 

    1.What makes the character a hero?

    The style of costume shows that he is strong etc. At the beginning of the trailer he is portrayed as weak by wearing only underwear this shows his vulnerability and weakness, towards the end his costume design becomes stronger and prominent.  
    Male: physically powerful. 
    American hero: US protect humanity the world. 
    The hero must sacrifice something in order to become a hero he/she must have morals (interpretation between right and wrong). Their morality comes from the characters text. 
    The message of the film portrays that the average joe can only fight back with super power which makes the audience feels weak, the message is to not fight back unless to have a super power: a personification of America 

    2.Why are costume and style important?

    The costume and style portrays him as the hero and makes it clear who is the villain. 
    His costume is the American patriotic flag. 

    3.Who are we aligned with? 

    We feel for the hero at the beginning the of film as he is portrayed as weak and rejected.  
    You align yourself with captain America as it is between him or the Nazis. The audience align with the underdog. 

    4.What is being re-presented (repeated) ? 

    Iron Man:

    What makes the character a hero? 

    Tiny Stark: only succeeded as a hero due to his money, intelligence and technology; THE AMERICAN DREAM

    Why are costume and style important?

    Protects himself and portrays he will protect others too 

    Transformers: 

    What makes the character a hero?

    The people are portrayed as normal people therefore we relate to them. The definition of the hero is not so clear. 

    Why are costume and style so important? 

    The costume of the people relates them as normal as they are wearing typical clothes therefore the audience can connect with them. 
    The costume of the transformers distances them from the audience, portraying them as deviant/the villain 

    Franchise: selling a product rather than a film; sequels/ three films from one 

    What is being re-presented through all of these films? 
    We do not negotiate  with terrorists. The message throughout all of the films is violence is necessary. 
    This is most likely to justify the US's actions. America is almost a prison state. Justify the idea of safety. 9/11 has made America feel so insecure. 

    People vs. The government : one must fend for themselves 

    Stock characters 

    Mise en Scene

    Mes en scene :

    - lighting 
    - performance
    - framing an composition
    -props 
    - setting and decor
    - colour
    -costume : their personalities

    The dialog was only spoken by the tv- shows the influence of the media
    Dark lighting 
    Weapons and mask : hide identity, guy fawks mask ( tried to blow up Houses of Parliament) 
    Both Natalie Portman and vendetta wearing black 
    A routine of getting ready; seductive 
    Set in London 
    Knifes: London = knife crime , guy fawks; retro. 
    Both cantered; free, everything evolving around them, she has a minimal room 

    Totalitarian : one person or group of people that control every aspect of your lives 

    Describe: aggressive, etc 

    Genres: 
    Stereotyping 
    Similiar techniques conventions and styles; common elements and stock characters 
    Setting and content 
    Different genres use different formulas to make the film 

    Hybrid of two genres in one film 

    Stock scene is a scene you would typically excepted to be seen if a particular genre. Use mise en scene

    Star Trek 
    Sci-fi: space based in future?
    Drama: story line has a dramatic climax