The soundtrack used in 'La Haine' emphasises the themes of crime and injustice within France. During the scene whereby the camera shoots the DJ in the projects, this scene also shows the influence that Western culture has had on Europe. This evident with the DJ mixing NWA's 'Fuck The Police' and 'Non, je ne regette bien' as it directly shows the mix between both cultures. It also emphasises the overall ideologies that the people of the projects have towards France - fuck the police being a direct aim towards the corrupt police. The soundtrack acting as anchorage to a narrative theme of boredom that the civilians are experiencing but also is a metaphor for mixing cultures.
Televisions are used throughout La Haine as it shows the media and their side of every story - the injustice of how the media groups the people of the projects as opposed to identifying them individually. During the scene where the three main protagonists are in the shopping mall, the camera shoots constantly between the protagonists and the television. This showing the grip the media has on people. The close up of the television also showing important information regarding a death of someone from the projects which inspired Vinz to want to kill a policeman. This use of mine-en-scene also allows to act as an expression of themes throughout the film.
Sunday, 27 September 2015
Friday, 18 September 2015
Research Project
Focus of Study - How Sofia Coppola creates sympathy, empathy and shows a detachment from reality towards
protagonists. (Post Modernism Theory)
Resources - Marie Antoinette (2006) - (Hybridity)
The Bling Ring (2013) - (Parody/Satire)
The Virgin Suicides (1999) - (Hybridity)
Books/Resources -
Title/Question: How does Sofia Coppola create themes of alienation and misunderstanding through the use of the soundtrack as well as focussing on a post modernistic style?
Item 1 - Marie Antoinette (2006)
I chose this film as my focus film as it explores Coppolas style of portraying themes like alienation and being misunderstood. This film details and chronicles the life of the iconic French Queen Marie Antoinette who's life was filled with chaos and controversy during her reign as a naive teenage Queen. Coppola's artistic style puts Antoinette in rich pastel scenery whilst using wide shots/establishing shots to show her alienation and loneliness - The often melancholic score used in order to reinforce the alienation combined with non-diegetic voice over styled dialogue to again reinforces her loneliness in the aristocracy. This film being the first historical fiction drama that Coppola directed and created that began her signature style in the genre but also continued her style in other genres.
Item 2 - The Bling Ring (2013)
This film explores the cult of celebrity and how as a society we have become with celebrity and popular culture. The film explores the true story of The Bling Ring gang who were a group of teenagers who tracked down celebrities/their homes and then robbed them. Although the protagonists are modelled to be self important vapid teenagers, Coppola creates empathy towards them by putting blame towards society and highlights the desire to achieve fame - the modern day American Dream. The group can be seen as misunderstood due to their desire to achieve fame which is a direct repercussion of living in a tabloid saturated society. The directing style pays homage to sites like Facebook as there are elements of the film shot from webcams to show the transition in technology and the formidable grip that social networking has on teenagers. This is the second biographical drama film directed by Coppola and is inspired by the Vanity Fair article 'The Suspects Wore Louboutins' by Nancy Jo Sales.
Item 3 - The Virgin Suicides (1999)
I chose this as my third film as it again explored the themes of alienation and misunderstanding - but also delved into issues such as oppression and suicide. All of the sisters experience the effects of being an outcast as they are all outcasts in school due to spending their time together, but also are seen to be outcasts in society due to their strict ruling from their parents. The melancholic soundtrack contributes towards creating empathy towards the characters. The soundtrack also has huge plot importance as the mother demands that Lux burns her collection of vinyls (the music featured throughout) which acted as her only form of escapism and enjoyment other than exploring her sexuality. The soundtrack acts as an emotional manipulator in order to emphasise the taboo issue of suicide and the pain that it inflicts. This is again a film in the drama genre that also explores the detachment from reality issue.
Website
Item 4 - https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/1079-in-sofia-coppolas-films-music-says-what-characters/
Item 2 - The Bling Ring (2013)
This film explores the cult of celebrity and how as a society we have become with celebrity and popular culture. The film explores the true story of The Bling Ring gang who were a group of teenagers who tracked down celebrities/their homes and then robbed them. Although the protagonists are modelled to be self important vapid teenagers, Coppola creates empathy towards them by putting blame towards society and highlights the desire to achieve fame - the modern day American Dream. The group can be seen as misunderstood due to their desire to achieve fame which is a direct repercussion of living in a tabloid saturated society. The directing style pays homage to sites like Facebook as there are elements of the film shot from webcams to show the transition in technology and the formidable grip that social networking has on teenagers. This is the second biographical drama film directed by Coppola and is inspired by the Vanity Fair article 'The Suspects Wore Louboutins' by Nancy Jo Sales.
Item 3 - The Virgin Suicides (1999)
I chose this as my third film as it again explored the themes of alienation and misunderstanding - but also delved into issues such as oppression and suicide. All of the sisters experience the effects of being an outcast as they are all outcasts in school due to spending their time together, but also are seen to be outcasts in society due to their strict ruling from their parents. The melancholic soundtrack contributes towards creating empathy towards the characters. The soundtrack also has huge plot importance as the mother demands that Lux burns her collection of vinyls (the music featured throughout) which acted as her only form of escapism and enjoyment other than exploring her sexuality. The soundtrack acts as an emotional manipulator in order to emphasise the taboo issue of suicide and the pain that it inflicts. This is again a film in the drama genre that also explores the detachment from reality issue.
Website
Item 4 - https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/1079-in-sofia-coppolas-films-music-says-what-characters/
This article discusses the use of the soundtrack and score in Coppola films and how it the foundation for any Sofia Coppola film. The article also discusses the different styles of music that are used in Coppola films and how the soundtrack often gives the audience and insight to what the character is feeling or what they are trying to say - interestingly it says that the soundtrack in The Virgin Suicides acts as the characters voice and when it is destroyed it is symbolic of the girls losing their voice. Similarly it also emphasises the naivety and innocence of Marie Antoinette due to the use of 90's popular music in scenes in order to show her age. This relating to the post modern theory due to the contemporary soundtracks and how the lyrics often affect the tone of the movie through conveying certain emotions/themes.
Item 5 -http://www.rookiemag.com/2013/06/sofia-coppola-interview/
This interview discusses Coppola's choice to sympathise with protagonists - she discusses the difficulty with trying to sympathise with characters from The Bling Ring group as she believed they did not deserve any form of sympathy. However she did convey sympathy towards Nick Prugo's character as she believed he was absorbed into the group. This interview also discusses the post modern style of cinematography that Coppola has used throughout her filmography. It also discusses issues such as misunderstanding and oppression within The Virgin Suicides. This being helpful for my argument due to the discussion of sympathising with certain characters as well as how the tone of the film is dictated by the soundtrack and overriding themes.
Item 6 - http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/9153-sofia-coppola-and-brian-reitzell/
Item 5 -http://www.rookiemag.com/2013/06/sofia-coppola-interview/
This interview discusses Coppola's choice to sympathise with protagonists - she discusses the difficulty with trying to sympathise with characters from The Bling Ring group as she believed they did not deserve any form of sympathy. However she did convey sympathy towards Nick Prugo's character as she believed he was absorbed into the group. This interview also discusses the post modern style of cinematography that Coppola has used throughout her filmography. It also discusses issues such as misunderstanding and oppression within The Virgin Suicides. This being helpful for my argument due to the discussion of sympathising with certain characters as well as how the tone of the film is dictated by the soundtrack and overriding themes.
Item 6 - http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/9153-sofia-coppola-and-brian-reitzell/
This article discusses the relationship that Coppola's soundtrack has to telling the story, it also discusses the importance of the soundtrack within any Sofia Coppola film - also suggesting how it has become a convention of any Coppola film. Also discussing song choices made by Coppola and her soundtrack engineer (Brian Reitzell) and how they chose songs to reflect certain characters and convey their moods. This will be used to aid my argument by discussing in depth the choices of soundtrack. As well as how the sonic element of the movie acts as an manipulation device for the audience to empathise with certain characters as opposed to others.
Item 7 - http://www.wmagazine.com/people/celebrities/2013/06/sofia-coppola-director-the-bling-ring-with-emma-watson/
This interview discuses themes between The Virgin Suicides and The Bling Ring and how this translated across onto the screen. It also discusses the issues related to the themes mentioned (e.g. oppression etc.) and how they are themes commonly associated with Coppola's work. The interview mentions the postmodern style of The Bling Ring and how it parodies the characters - touching upon the soundtrack by discussing irony.
Item 8 - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jul/04/sofia-coppola-the-bling-ring-interview
This interview with Sofia Coppola is incredibly helpful as it discusses the themes of The Bling Ring and how it relates to alienation and misunderstanding. The article also discusses misconceptions of the characters from The Bling Ring and how they can be seen as vapid/superficial - however there is a sense of sympathy you feel for them as stated by Coppola. The issues with popular and celebrity culture is also discussed and how teenagers have become absorbed within this society. This relating to post modernism through the use of creating satire out of true events, as well as the creation of the highlighted films through the use of celebrity culture and the worlds obsession with fame.
Item 9 - http://www.macleans.ca/authors/brian-d-johnson/the-female-gaze-francis-ha-and-the-bling-ring/
This article discusses the common themes through Coppola movies as well as commenting on the directors style of work - creating style over substance. It also mentions how there is an evident struggle is creating sympathy for the characters in The Bling Ring - this differing from her previous work. It also discusses the issues regarding the characters and Coppola's efforts to make the audience have a lack of empathy for the characters and instead emphasise the celebrity driven, vapid and self obsessed world in which the teens live in. It also mentions how Coppola's disapproval is evident in the film due to the heightened focus on superficiality however with elements of sympathy towards the character of Marc Hall. This article is useful as it directly discusses Coppola's style deconstructs the subjects for who they are and why they are that way, through this she creates empathy for perhaps the people who deserve empathy the least. I will use this when discussing the auteur theory in regards to Coppola and how she always creates empathy for protagonists through soundtrack and cinematography.
Item 10 - http://www.empireonline.com/features/sofia-coppola-on-sofia-coppola/p5
This article involves a one on one interview with Coppola in which she discusses her work over her career as well as discussing the graphic elements that go into the title screens - although this is perhaps irrelevant she discusses how The Bling Rings title screen is to emphasise the obnoxious lifestyles of the characters. She also mentions how the soundtrack in Marie Antoinette is contemporary which allows a more modern portrayal of the Queen but does not deposition viewers. It also mentions how although there was as struggle in sympathising with characters from The Bling Ring, she did create vast sympathy for the character of Nick Prugo (commonly commented on). She also discusses how The Virgin Suicides is aesthetic/soundtrack focussed but distances itself from 'teen movies' due to the focus on cinematography.
Item 11 - http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9901EEDE1E31F932A15757C0A9669C8B63
This discusses how The Virgin Suicides is a postmodern text by the use of cinematography to create a 70's style aesthetic however featuring a soundtrack by rock group Air which at the time was contemporary music therefore placing it in a more present time. It also discusses the use of the soundtrack and how it emphasises the key themes of alienation. It also mentions how Coppola's use of images and song have an aura of authenticity. As well as mentioning the bands used and how their music once was used as songs that spoke directly to the heart - emphasising the use of music for the characters voices. This article will be extremely useful for my argument due to the discussion of authenticity.
Item 12 - https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/1076-the-virgin-suicides-is-a-window-into-sofia-coppola/
This article explores into detail the themes presented in Coppola movies and how there are deeper meanings to all of her films. It discusses the use of windows in her films and suggests how they show a struggle between the interior and exterior worlds. It also discusses the strong emphasis on items as opposed to dialogue and instead how the mise-en-scene speaks to the audience. This article is effective as it discusses the themes of oppression, misunderstanding and isolation in Marie Antoinette as well as The Virgin Suicides & The Bling Ring. This will help me due to discussion of themes but also how cinematic styles are utilised in order to show certain connotations but also speak for the characters. This focussing on the post modernistic style that Coppola utilises through showing a division between interior & exterior and the metaphoric representation of windows.
Item 13 - http://www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/All-Articles/1302-Spring-2013/Sofia-Coppola.aspx
This interview was extremely helpful as it discusses all aspects of Coppola's work - including themes and the use of soundtrack. It also discusses how the soundtrack anchors the themes of any Coppola movie but also suggests how her work is centralised around the soundtrack. She also mentions the difference in soundtrack from The Virgin Suicides to The Bling Ring and how this allowed her to emphasise the vast difference in characters - despite the themes still being extremely similar.
Item 14 - http://www.elle.com/culture/music/news/a18668/sofia-coppola-film-soundtracks/
This article from fashion giant Elle discusses the use of soundtrack across Coppola's career and how the music is more ignorant than dialogue in a Coppola movie. It also mentions different songs used in her movies and the emotions the have conveyed during the scene - discussing how the soundtrack often is an acting voice of the characters. This point extremely useful for my argument due to the discussion of soundtrack and how it acts as an emotional manipulator. Again she mentions how she used the soundtrack in The Bling Ring to heighten the superficiality and often parody the teens - e.g. the 'Bad Girls' car scene.
Item 15 - http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/25159/1/what-you-didn-t-know-about-the-virgin-suicides-soundtrack
This article is an interview with the band Air and how their music affected the the tone of the movie. It also discusses how the creation of the soundtrack emphasised the dark theme of death. It also mentions how they altered the sound of their music to suit a darker tone for the movie whilst also acting as a voice for the teenagers. It again mentions the issues of oppression and feeling trapped which are key themes to The Virgin Suicides. This article is useful due to it being an actual first hand interview with the creators of the songs for the soundtrack, it discusses their direction of the music and how Coppola used their music to create an overriding dark tone for the movie.
Item 16 - http://www.avclub.com/article/lets-examine-visual-aesthetic-sofia-coppolas-work-217164
This article discusses the in-depth relationship the soundtrack has with the creation and overall delivery of the themes in Coppola movies. From discussing the ongoing battle between worlds and sub-cultures - evident in The Bling Ring. It again comments on the overall aesthetic of her movies and how she often created 'dreamscape' scenes which are the platform for the dark themes. The article also suggests how the soundtrack often suggests how the characters are trying to find themselves within the world they live in and the constant battle with misunderstanding.
Item 17 - http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/marie-antoinette-2006
This review argues in favour for Marie Antoinette, suggesting that the artistic and stylistic approach carefully emphasised the romanticism of the movie as well as the issues of loneliness. It directly discusses how the soundtrack has often been criticised due to contemporary pop overlay. However it does defend the use of contemporary soundtrack by suggesting that the main character of Antoinette is perhaps a teenager out of her time. It projects an understanding of initial criticisms however mainly focussing on the positive aspects of the movie, as well as the way the soundtrack and cinematography portrayed Marie Antoinette. This review possess a great argument for my presentation due to the understanding of teenage angst in a Coppola movie but also how the soundtrack acts positively for the movie as opposed to against in - in terms of being an original post modern fairytale as opposed to a recycled period piece. This complimenting the post modernism theory as a subject.
Books
Item 18 - Postmodern Hollywood: What's New in Film and Why it Makes Us Feel So Strange - M. Keith Booker (Page 57)
This book directly discusses the use of music, mise-en-scene and characters within Marie Antoinette and how it is a post-modern fairytale focussing on the life of the French Queen. It also suggests that the film is merely a metaphor for celebrity culture intertwined in a historical drama. This book is also helpful as it discusses how the contemporary music effectively blurs the lines between the historical accuracy and creates an absence of romance, instead creating isolation. This source is extremely beneficial wand useful for discussing post modernism as a subject as it explores all realms of post modernism.
Item 19 - Postmodernism: A Very Short Introduction - Christopher Butler (Page 15)
This book discusses the post modernism theory as a whole and suggests that it perhaps is only used as a style as opposed to creating any meaning. The criticism regarding creating a superficial and obnoxious appearance will work well with my argument as The Bling Ring central themes include creating a superficial environment for its audience through soundtrack and cinematography. The book also suggests that post modernism is simply a style for movies - Coppola not fitting into a single genre as she mainly creates postmodernist movies focussing on soundtrack as opposed to dialogue and character development.
Item 20 - Cultural Theory And Popular Culture - John Storey (Page 158)
This book discusses how post modernism can be viewed as the death of originality and individualism. Again suggesting that postmodernism is simply a style/label as opposed to a art form. It also mentions how post modernism can be considered to be the death of culture. As well as suggesting that it is a pastiche as opposed to a parody as historical and cultural pieces are diluted to simply a showcase of style as opposed to accuracy. This relatable to Marie Antoinette as it could be argued that Coppola suffered historical accuracy for style and art direction in order to comply to her post-modern auteur style.
Video
Item 21 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7hJGil4jmo
A promotional interview with actress Kirsten Dunst (Marie Antoinette) and director Sofia Coppola discussing how Dunst prepared for the role as well as how she related to Antoinette. It also discusses the New Romantics style of soundtrack and how the soundtrack evoked feeling and emphasises the select themes. But also mentioning how it was a post modern style due to the contemporary soundtrack distancing itself from a traditional period piece.
Audio
Item 22 - The Directors Series: Sofia Coppola - DVD Empire.com's Team Video Podcast (30th January)
This podcast discusses the atmosphere and themes in Coppola movies specifically focussing on the soundtrack and the cinematography. As well as how Coppola showcases dark themes such as suicide and how the soundtrack connotes these themes effectively in all of her films. As the main focus of a Coppola movie is the soundtrack and score - however it does discuss how she also films 'quiet' scenes and how that creates power for the themes through the absence of sound. It again discusses the contemporary soundtrack in Marie Antoinette, how it emphasises the scene as well as suiting the subject matter e.g. using the song 'I Want Candy' during the shopping scene. Again mentioning the use of silence and how it shifts the overall tone of the movie.
The Virgin Suicide (1:20 - 7:29)
Marie Antoinette (15:23 - 24:24)
Images
Item 23 - http://cdn2.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/675x380/2013/05/sofia_coppola_.jpg
An image of the focus auteur Sofia Coppola to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script.
Item 24 - http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/marieantoinette2006feature/assets/images/onesheet.jpg
An image of the Marie Antoinette movie poster to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script.
Item 25 - http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02559/bling-ring-poster_2559383c.jpg
An image of The Bling Ring movie poster to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script.
Item 26 - http://www.impawards.com/2000/virgin_suicides_ver2.html
An image of The Virgin Suicides movie poster to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script.
Rejected
Item - Somewhere (2010)
I rejected this movie as there was a predominant focus upon the male gaze theory as opposed to post modernism, this movie focussed upon the boredom of an actor in the numbing Hollywood lifestyle - pop culture being a dominant theme in Coppola movies. It also showcases the issue of existential crisis that the main protagonist Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff) is experiencing as how his daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) provides a sense of escapism for him. I chose not to use this movie as Coppola did not create any ounce of sympathy for the main protagonist due to his level of success therefore it was difficult to apply my research to this movie. Complaints regarding this movie included the repetitive nature of Coppola movies and how there was heavy influence from her previous effort Lost In Translation.
Item - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH4vaTKTgXw
I rejected this as it predominantly discussed set design and sound within her other film 'Somewhere' and therefore did not apply to the chosen focus film. She also discussed her father Francis Ford Coppola as well as tips for aspiring film makers.
Item - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKmBRgmFLQ0
This was not used as it mainly discussed the screenplay as well as actors such as Emma Watson. It also discusses the original Nancy Jo Sales article and having Paris Hilton in the film. It briefly touches upon sound but this information was already discussed in Item 6.
Item - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SR2K8ugJC4
This interview primarily discussed her inspiration behind The Bling Ring as well as casting - rehearsal techniques were also mentioned. She did however discuss cinematography and the choice of using digital as opposed to film as it heightened the technology aspect of the film.
Item - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/apr/30/the-bling-ring-trashy-inaccurate
This simply discusses the reaction and criticisms of the movie from one of the actual Bling Ring members Alexis Neiers. Therefore not having any relevance towards the question/title.
Item - http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2006/11/fraser200611
This had no significance to my studies as it documented the writers time on the set of Marie Antoinette as well as her experiences with Sofia Coppola. It also documented her criticisms of the sound as she did not understand the use of modern music in a period piece.
Item - http://gandt.blogs.brynmawr.edu/web-papers/web-papers-2/its-a-mans-world-the-male-gaze-and-the-film-industry/
Although this article does discuss the male gaze in Hollywood, briefly touching upon Coppola. it does however only discuss 'Lost In Translation' in relation to Scarlett Johansson's character and therefore was not applicable to my studies.
Audio
Item 22 - The Directors Series: Sofia Coppola - DVD Empire.com's Team Video Podcast (30th January)
This podcast discusses the atmosphere and themes in Coppola movies specifically focussing on the soundtrack and the cinematography. As well as how Coppola showcases dark themes such as suicide and how the soundtrack connotes these themes effectively in all of her films. As the main focus of a Coppola movie is the soundtrack and score - however it does discuss how she also films 'quiet' scenes and how that creates power for the themes through the absence of sound. It again discusses the contemporary soundtrack in Marie Antoinette, how it emphasises the scene as well as suiting the subject matter e.g. using the song 'I Want Candy' during the shopping scene. Again mentioning the use of silence and how it shifts the overall tone of the movie.
The Virgin Suicide (1:20 - 7:29)
Marie Antoinette (15:23 - 24:24)
Images
Item 23 - http://cdn2.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/675x380/2013/05/sofia_coppola_.jpg
An image of the focus auteur Sofia Coppola to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script.
Item 24 - http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/marieantoinette2006feature/assets/images/onesheet.jpg
An image of the Marie Antoinette movie poster to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script.
Item 25 - http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02559/bling-ring-poster_2559383c.jpg
An image of The Bling Ring movie poster to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script.
Item 26 - http://www.impawards.com/2000/virgin_suicides_ver2.html
An image of The Virgin Suicides movie poster to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script.
Rejected
Item - Somewhere (2010)
I rejected this movie as there was a predominant focus upon the male gaze theory as opposed to post modernism, this movie focussed upon the boredom of an actor in the numbing Hollywood lifestyle - pop culture being a dominant theme in Coppola movies. It also showcases the issue of existential crisis that the main protagonist Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff) is experiencing as how his daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) provides a sense of escapism for him. I chose not to use this movie as Coppola did not create any ounce of sympathy for the main protagonist due to his level of success therefore it was difficult to apply my research to this movie. Complaints regarding this movie included the repetitive nature of Coppola movies and how there was heavy influence from her previous effort Lost In Translation.
Item - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH4vaTKTgXw
I rejected this as it predominantly discussed set design and sound within her other film 'Somewhere' and therefore did not apply to the chosen focus film. She also discussed her father Francis Ford Coppola as well as tips for aspiring film makers.
Item - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKmBRgmFLQ0
This was not used as it mainly discussed the screenplay as well as actors such as Emma Watson. It also discusses the original Nancy Jo Sales article and having Paris Hilton in the film. It briefly touches upon sound but this information was already discussed in Item 6.
Item - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SR2K8ugJC4
This interview primarily discussed her inspiration behind The Bling Ring as well as casting - rehearsal techniques were also mentioned. She did however discuss cinematography and the choice of using digital as opposed to film as it heightened the technology aspect of the film.
Item - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/apr/30/the-bling-ring-trashy-inaccurate
This simply discusses the reaction and criticisms of the movie from one of the actual Bling Ring members Alexis Neiers. Therefore not having any relevance towards the question/title.
Item - http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2006/11/fraser200611
This had no significance to my studies as it documented the writers time on the set of Marie Antoinette as well as her experiences with Sofia Coppola. It also documented her criticisms of the sound as she did not understand the use of modern music in a period piece.
Item - http://gandt.blogs.brynmawr.edu/web-papers/web-papers-2/its-a-mans-world-the-male-gaze-and-the-film-industry/
Although this article does discuss the male gaze in Hollywood, briefly touching upon Coppola. it does however only discuss 'Lost In Translation' in relation to Scarlett Johansson's character and therefore was not applicable to my studies.
Monday, 12 May 2014
American Blockbuster #2
The Lego Movie (2014)
Does the cast have audience appeal?
The cast of the movie is massive, containing mainly A list Hollywood stars like Ferell and Freeman who all widely have universal appeal. This cast provided the voices for the characters and helped the film come to life through the animation of the iconic Lego company. The large cast proved beneficial to the films success although films with all star casts generally do poorly at the box office like; 'Movie 43' or 'New Years Eve'.
Was this film popular?
The film was incredibly popular with it's audiences, including audiences that weren't specifically targeted by the film including the teen/adult market. It has been considered to be one of the greatest animation films and delivers easily understandable comedic humour with an all star cast. The film commercially did well and went onto spawning the sequel that is scheduled for release in the near future. As expected, the concept of the film attracted audiences as opposed to the cast, as there had never been a Lego film created for the cinema - it has also gone onto inspiring more toy related films, such as the pre-production 'Barbie' movie.
What makes this film an American Blockbuster?
This film is considered to be an American Blockbuster due to the sheer scale of production and high budget ($60 million), the film was shown internationally and grossed over $451 million in profits. The production company that commissioned the distribution of the movie was Warner Bros. which is an established and well known production company. The movie was released on Valentines Day in the UK, which was a week before the half term holidays therefore they targeted parents that would take their children to the cinema during half term in order to keep them occupied.
How was it marketed?
Lego released a range of mini figures before the films release, they also allowed fans to create a Lego model of themselves which had the possibility of being featured in the movies trailer. Posters of the characters were given to customers that bought from the Lego website, Barnes & Noble threw themed events for the films promotion. Fast food giant McDonalds released a line of holographic cups in 'Happy Meals' to target the younger demographic. A video game was eventually created during the release of the film which allowed players to play a story loosely based on the plot of 'The Lego Movie'.
Reviews
The critics like the audience loved the film, it received a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 8.1 rating on IMDB, the film performed well commercially and with the critics which labelled it as a 'beautiful animation' - The majority of critics enjoyed the movie.
Cost - $60 million
Cast - Chris Pratt
Will Ferell
Elizabeth Banks
Will Arnett
Nick Offerman
Alison Brie
Charlie Day
Liam Neeson
Morgan Freeman
Channing Tatum
(All cast are top billed cast/voice actors and actresses)
Director - Phil Lord
Christopher Miller
Genre - Animated-Adventure-Comedy
Box Office - $457,506,875
Production Company - Warner Bros./Lego System
Certificate - PG
Release Date - February 14th 2014 (UK) February 7th 2014 (US)
Does the cast have audience appeal?
The cast of the movie is massive, containing mainly A list Hollywood stars like Ferell and Freeman who all widely have universal appeal. This cast provided the voices for the characters and helped the film come to life through the animation of the iconic Lego company. The large cast proved beneficial to the films success although films with all star casts generally do poorly at the box office like; 'Movie 43' or 'New Years Eve'.
Was this film popular?
The film was incredibly popular with it's audiences, including audiences that weren't specifically targeted by the film including the teen/adult market. It has been considered to be one of the greatest animation films and delivers easily understandable comedic humour with an all star cast. The film commercially did well and went onto spawning the sequel that is scheduled for release in the near future. As expected, the concept of the film attracted audiences as opposed to the cast, as there had never been a Lego film created for the cinema - it has also gone onto inspiring more toy related films, such as the pre-production 'Barbie' movie.
What makes this film an American Blockbuster?
This film is considered to be an American Blockbuster due to the sheer scale of production and high budget ($60 million), the film was shown internationally and grossed over $451 million in profits. The production company that commissioned the distribution of the movie was Warner Bros. which is an established and well known production company. The movie was released on Valentines Day in the UK, which was a week before the half term holidays therefore they targeted parents that would take their children to the cinema during half term in order to keep them occupied.
How was it marketed?
Lego released a range of mini figures before the films release, they also allowed fans to create a Lego model of themselves which had the possibility of being featured in the movies trailer. Posters of the characters were given to customers that bought from the Lego website, Barnes & Noble threw themed events for the films promotion. Fast food giant McDonalds released a line of holographic cups in 'Happy Meals' to target the younger demographic. A video game was eventually created during the release of the film which allowed players to play a story loosely based on the plot of 'The Lego Movie'.
Reviews
The critics like the audience loved the film, it received a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 8.1 rating on IMDB, the film performed well commercially and with the critics which labelled it as a 'beautiful animation' - The majority of critics enjoyed the movie.
Sunday, 11 May 2014
US Independent Film #2
(500) Days of Summer (2009)
Cost - $7.5 million
Cast - Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tom Hansen) - Top Billed
Zooey Deschanel (Summer Finn) - Top Billed
Geoffrey Arend (Mckenzie)
Chloe Grace Moretz (Rachel Hansen)
Richard McGonagle (Narrator)
Director - Marc Webb
Genre - Comedy-Drama
Box Office - $60,722,734
Production Company - Fox Searchlight Pictures
Certificate - 12A
Release Date - September 2nd 2009 (UK) August 7th 2009 (US)
Does the cast have an audience appeal?
There is a sense of audience appeal from both of the main cast as they had both starred in a range of films. The audience grew to love the quirky acting styles of Zooey Deschanel who had previously starred in films like 'Elf' and 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy', therefore having a slight name for herself but not being an A list Hollywood actress. Joseph Gordon-Levitt had the same status as Deschanel as he was not a major Hollywood star but still had a range of films that he'd starred in, such as 'Mysterious Skin' and '10 Things I Hate About You'. The film arguably put more of a name out for the two actors who went on to starring in more known films/television series like 'The Dark Knight Rises (Gordon-Levitt) and television show 'New Girl' for Deschanel.
Was this film popular?
Despite being an independent film, this film reached a mass audience and was popular with audiences and critics alike. It went onto making $60,722,734 which was a $53+ million profit, the film also became a cult classic and gained a huge fan-base. The nonlinear narrative again proved popular as it didn't follow the linear typically romantic comedy, but instead chose its own path of showing the relationship between Summer and Tom. It's known as a 'sleeper hit' as it didn't have a massively successful opening or masses of promotion, but became successful over a long period of time and is now a hit.
What makes this film independent?
The film was an independent film due to it being filmed independently as opposed to being filmed by a major film studio, the budget was low ($7.5 million) and went onto becoming an international success. The film was designed to be more artistic as opposed to being made for profit like most Hollywood films, the artistic vision seen throughout with sets and timeframes being drawn/animations. Fox Searchlight Pictures deals with distributing independent films, therefore this being a branch from Fox Entertainment Group which distributes more mainstream movies. The film was shown at Sundance Film Festival in 2009 of which it received a standing ovation, before being nominated at the Golden Globes for Best Picture and Best Actor.
How was it marketed?
Zooey Deschanel is apart of the duo She & Him and recorded songs for the soundtrack, and both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel starred in the music video for 'Why Do You Let Me Stay Here' which was recorded by She & Him. Both lead roles starred in the debut episode of Microsoft Zune and Mean Magazines 'Cinemash' where they mashed together the characters of Sid & Nancy with the (500) Days of Summer storyline.
Reviews
The movie received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, it went onto winning awards from major film festivals such as Hollywood Film Festival award, Satellite Award and was nominated for four Independent Spirit Awards. It was an international success and the film was placed in several "top ten films" lists as well as eventually being nominated for Golden Globe awards. The critics and audiences that viewed the movie at the festivals helped the film be widely distributed. British Film #2
Gravity (2013)
Amy Warren (Captain of Explorer)
Basher Salvage (Captain of International Space Station)
Director - Alfonso Cuaron
Genre - Science fiction thriller
Box Office - $716,392,705
Production Company - Warner Bros./Regency Enterprises
Certificate - 12A
Release Date - November 8th 2013 (UK) October 4th 2013 (US)
Does the cast have audience appeal?
The film has a sense of audience appeal due to having A list stars like Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as the main characters. Sandra Bullock typically is known for acting in romantic comedies like '2 Weeks Notice' or comedies like 'The Heat' therefore the attraction to see Bullock in a more serious role may be a big attraction - she has been complemented on her work on more serious films like 'The Blind Side'. George Clooney being a star in the film again draws in an audience for this film as he has a huge fan-base and people are still willing to see a Clooney movie, this film was incredibly successful proving that star power still exists to an extent, although the films main attraction was the stunning visual effects.
Was this film popular?
The film was incredibly popular with its audiences globally as the film captured the absence of space with the fear of being alone within 91 minutes, the film had stunning visual effects which were used in 80 minutes of the 91 minutes. The movie made over $600+ million profit worldwide and received 7 Oscar wins, making it one of the most successful films of 2013.
What made this film British?
The film was produced by British film producer David Heymen who has been known for producing the Harry Potter films, the film was shot at Shipperton Studios using an entirely British crew of technicians and artists who created the visual effects - they were overseen by British company Framestore. The movie was nominated for 11 BAFTA's and won the Outstanding British Film award.
How was it marketed?
The film relied heavily on 3D which interestingly has been criticised in the past for being 'dead', therefore promoting the 3D version as opposed to the 2D version could have been a gamble. As the movie took the 3D route, it made 3D a selling point for the movie by putting 'Must see in 3D' on their adverts, which combined with the visual effects paid off as the film was a box office success. They took the standard route by using billboard/television advertisements, but also relied on word of mouth in order to get people to go see the movie. The film was marketed as a 'sensory experience' as opposed to just a popcorn movie.
Reviews
The movie received incredibly positive reviews by critics and audiences alike, it received 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.1 on IMDB. Critics often commented on the stunning visual effects and found the film to be an amazing visual experience, which captured the emptiness of space and fear of the unknown.
Cost - $100 million
Cast - Sandra Bullock (Dr Ryan Stone) - Top Billed
George Clooney (Lieutenant Matt Kowalski) - Top Billed
Ed Harris (Mission Control)
Orto Ignatiuessen (Aningaaq)
Phaldut Sharma (Shariff Dasari)Amy Warren (Captain of Explorer)
Basher Salvage (Captain of International Space Station)
Director - Alfonso Cuaron
Genre - Science fiction thriller
Box Office - $716,392,705
Production Company - Warner Bros./Regency Enterprises
Certificate - 12A
Release Date - November 8th 2013 (UK) October 4th 2013 (US)
Does the cast have audience appeal?
The film has a sense of audience appeal due to having A list stars like Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as the main characters. Sandra Bullock typically is known for acting in romantic comedies like '2 Weeks Notice' or comedies like 'The Heat' therefore the attraction to see Bullock in a more serious role may be a big attraction - she has been complemented on her work on more serious films like 'The Blind Side'. George Clooney being a star in the film again draws in an audience for this film as he has a huge fan-base and people are still willing to see a Clooney movie, this film was incredibly successful proving that star power still exists to an extent, although the films main attraction was the stunning visual effects.
Was this film popular?
The film was incredibly popular with its audiences globally as the film captured the absence of space with the fear of being alone within 91 minutes, the film had stunning visual effects which were used in 80 minutes of the 91 minutes. The movie made over $600+ million profit worldwide and received 7 Oscar wins, making it one of the most successful films of 2013.
What made this film British?
The film was produced by British film producer David Heymen who has been known for producing the Harry Potter films, the film was shot at Shipperton Studios using an entirely British crew of technicians and artists who created the visual effects - they were overseen by British company Framestore. The movie was nominated for 11 BAFTA's and won the Outstanding British Film award.
How was it marketed?
The film relied heavily on 3D which interestingly has been criticised in the past for being 'dead', therefore promoting the 3D version as opposed to the 2D version could have been a gamble. As the movie took the 3D route, it made 3D a selling point for the movie by putting 'Must see in 3D' on their adverts, which combined with the visual effects paid off as the film was a box office success. They took the standard route by using billboard/television advertisements, but also relied on word of mouth in order to get people to go see the movie. The film was marketed as a 'sensory experience' as opposed to just a popcorn movie.
Reviews
The movie received incredibly positive reviews by critics and audiences alike, it received 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.1 on IMDB. Critics often commented on the stunning visual effects and found the film to be an amazing visual experience, which captured the emptiness of space and fear of the unknown.
Thursday, 24 April 2014
Future Impact from Film
Diana
How does/will this affect future releases? Are the likely to result in a franchise?
As the film performed poorly at the Box Office, it would be unlikely that there would be a sequel or another film relating to Princess Diana as this one under-perfomed. Producers may steer clear from historical stories, however the script writing was blamed for the films demise therefore the writer's reputation maybe tarnished in the sense that studio's may not want them to write for other films based off the films failure. There may also be a delay in making the transition from film to DVD as the film was not a success, therefore there is less desire for the film. It would be incredibly unlikely that there would be a franchise purely due to the failure of the first film, there would also be confusion of how this film would deal with a franchise as they would have to retell the life of one woman into more than one film.
The Amazing Spider-Man
How does/will this affect future releases? Are they likely to result in a franchise?
The film did incredibly well internationally although being the lowest grossed Spider-man film to date (with a taking of over $752 million). Sony may start introducing more marketing and merchandising techniques by increasing production of figures, comics and costumes/games. The film was heavily praised for it's screenwriting and portrayal of Gwen and Peter (Emma & Andrew) therefore Marvel could capitalise on the relationship by creating a animation surrounding the pair, they could also make a comic series about them and build on their relationship in the future films. As Spider-Man is a franchise, there will be more Amazing Spider-Man films to be made in this Marc Webb franchise, with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 out in cinemas now already becoming the most successful film internationally as it has not been released in the US yet but has made $48 million. Sony have scheduled a The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and 4 to be released in the future.
Juno
How does/will this affect future releases? Are they likely to result in a franchise?
The film did incredibly well financially and critically, however they did not create a franchise out of it due to the independent aspect of the film and did not want to ruin the film with an overproduced Hollywood sequel which perhaps would flop at the box office and could perhaps ruin the reputation of the film. The director and screenwriter have both declined the chance to create a sequel as they cited story issues with the reasons for not creating a sequel. Therefore a sequel or franchise would not be created in order to stick to the original success story.
General Questions
What genre is more popular/why?
The most popular genre of film is action adventure with the sub genre being superhero films. Action/adventure films often have the highest budget but often make the most amount of money globally. Films in this genre include;
How does/will this affect future releases? Are the likely to result in a franchise?
As the film performed poorly at the Box Office, it would be unlikely that there would be a sequel or another film relating to Princess Diana as this one under-perfomed. Producers may steer clear from historical stories, however the script writing was blamed for the films demise therefore the writer's reputation maybe tarnished in the sense that studio's may not want them to write for other films based off the films failure. There may also be a delay in making the transition from film to DVD as the film was not a success, therefore there is less desire for the film. It would be incredibly unlikely that there would be a franchise purely due to the failure of the first film, there would also be confusion of how this film would deal with a franchise as they would have to retell the life of one woman into more than one film.
The Amazing Spider-Man
How does/will this affect future releases? Are they likely to result in a franchise?
The film did incredibly well internationally although being the lowest grossed Spider-man film to date (with a taking of over $752 million). Sony may start introducing more marketing and merchandising techniques by increasing production of figures, comics and costumes/games. The film was heavily praised for it's screenwriting and portrayal of Gwen and Peter (Emma & Andrew) therefore Marvel could capitalise on the relationship by creating a animation surrounding the pair, they could also make a comic series about them and build on their relationship in the future films. As Spider-Man is a franchise, there will be more Amazing Spider-Man films to be made in this Marc Webb franchise, with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 out in cinemas now already becoming the most successful film internationally as it has not been released in the US yet but has made $48 million. Sony have scheduled a The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and 4 to be released in the future.
Juno
How does/will this affect future releases? Are they likely to result in a franchise?
The film did incredibly well financially and critically, however they did not create a franchise out of it due to the independent aspect of the film and did not want to ruin the film with an overproduced Hollywood sequel which perhaps would flop at the box office and could perhaps ruin the reputation of the film. The director and screenwriter have both declined the chance to create a sequel as they cited story issues with the reasons for not creating a sequel. Therefore a sequel or franchise would not be created in order to stick to the original success story.
General Questions
What genre is more popular/why?
The most popular genre of film is action adventure with the sub genre being superhero films. Action/adventure films often have the highest budget but often make the most amount of money globally. Films in this genre include;
- The Hunger Games/Catching Fire
- The Amazing Spider-Man/The Amazing Spider-Man 2
- Captain America
- The Expendables
- Lord Of The Rings
How will the films be viewed?
The films would all be viewed in the cinema, however when they are relaeased they would be available on sites like iTunes and Amazon as well as physical DVD's. Eventually the films would make it onto streaming sites like Netflix and Now TV which have become an essential part of peoples lives to watch television and films. After a long release they would become free/available to purchase on the Sky Store.
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Exam Style Question
Consider - How far do the American films you have studied for this topic depend on well established narrative and/or genre conventions.
Both Badlands and Natural Born Killers fall under the lovers on the lam genre, therefore both film share similarities but also major differences. The scene in which Kit murders Holly's parents focusses more on the emotional value, seen with the naivety from Holly's character when her father dies as she rushes to his aid after he dies. This detail could have the suggestion that although Holly has 'made a deal with the devil' she still has a sense of compassion and love for her father. In contrast with Natural Born Killers, where Malory is eager to kill her parents - this suggesting that the dysfunctional family aspect does create serial killers, but also shows how she has no regard for human life, typical to psychopaths and mass murderers. As Badlands was set in the 1950's, fame was still a desired quality to have - however it was more achievable in the 1990's in the middle of the newspaper/TV age, in which media was easier to put people on a pedestal. Shown in NBK where the scene alternates between the scene and scenes from popular culture - like cartoons to mirror the violence, or news reports regarding the two murderers.
Both films have similar conventions that are typical of the genre, as romance is a huge part of the 'lovers of the lamb' genre. Therefore both films feature lovers - however both sets of couples show massive differences in their personalities. Most obviously, the difference between Holly and Mallory - seen in the opening scene where Mallory attacks and successfully kills one of the men in the Diner. Mallory shows that she is independent and can handle her own battles, which is a major contrast with Holly's character who is incredibly dependent on Kit. Although the dependence is shown throughout the film, specifically when Kit tells Holly to hide when a group infiltrate where they are hiding in the woods, the flight aspect of Holly's character show that she could not stand a fight without Kit protecting her - contrasting with the fighting drive seen by Mallory. The road trip genre is again easily identified in both films with the cars, the cars acting as a metaphorical birdcage which cages the protagonists/antagonists(?) and makes them face their emotions and traps them. The crime element is evident throughout both films, specifically seen when Mallory and Mickey rob the drug store and then are bombarded with police - the police again suggesting it is not legal. In Badlands the scene where Kit is chased by the police when he eventually surrenders - again symbolising that there is criminal activity.
How far do the 2 films you have studied for this topic present similar messages and values?
'Badlands' was filmed in 1973, which contextually was a time in American society where people were typically angry with the political aspect of the country - as it was the time of the Vietnam War and civilian's did not support the war. This was clearly identified in both films as they mainly centre around the theme of crime, being an escape from the mundane tasks of life in America. The idea of being an outlaw became an obsession from the main protagonist Kit, who throughout the film is seen to be making his mark by laying out stones at certain points in his journey - acting like a trademark so people know that he did it. The sheer lack of care with the legal system is conveyed throughout with the constant crime but also suggests that this is what American society had reduced itself to, that people resorted to crime to numb the pain and boredom. In the scene where Kit is arrested and taken to the airport hanger, he gives out items that he has possessed and acts like he is being interviewed by the army/police. This suggesting that America had become corrupt with fame and although Kit murdered innocent people, people were obsessed with following his every move - so his arrest was bittersweet for America as it saw the end of murder, but took away their 'entertainment'. 'Badlands' showed how twisted America had became as its fascination with crime had escalated in people wanting and becoming famous as a result of crime.
In 'Natural Born Killers', the messages are more exaggerated through the constant pop culture references to suggest that American society has become sick, and also suggesting that people are violent because of what they are seeing in the media. Although the film was filmed in the 1994, it was set in the 1990's and showed the evolution of the media and the ideas that the media had created. By having the film flick between ideal suburban families and Mickey & Mallory's murders, it shows that again American society was transfixed on the media and television - also showing that American's had become desensitised to the media and less receptive to rejecting it's opinions and ideas. As pop culture is a strong focus point in the film, the scene where the film acts as a American sitcom deals with issues like rape and abuse. This is shown as Mallory is with her family who are exaggerated to replicate the typical sitcom - but this scene shows the meeting of Mickey & Mallory, but also the family dynamic of Mallory's parents - being the typical housewife trying to ignore problems and deal with her life, but also the father who abuses the family but also rapes Mallory. The use of laughing track also suggests that American society has grown sick and has now become oblivious to issues, the sitcom masking any problems which are a subject of humour in the scene. This scene strongly implies that due to the media, America has now become less receptive to issues and people are publicly masking their problems (as seen by the mother).
What is the significance about setting and/or place in your chosen American films?
Setting is extremely important in both films as the car could be considered to be a setting - the car being a metaphor for a birdcage, trapping the protagonists and forcing them to deal with their issues.
Both Badlands and Natural Born Killers fall under the lovers on the lam genre, therefore both film share similarities but also major differences. The scene in which Kit murders Holly's parents focusses more on the emotional value, seen with the naivety from Holly's character when her father dies as she rushes to his aid after he dies. This detail could have the suggestion that although Holly has 'made a deal with the devil' she still has a sense of compassion and love for her father. In contrast with Natural Born Killers, where Malory is eager to kill her parents - this suggesting that the dysfunctional family aspect does create serial killers, but also shows how she has no regard for human life, typical to psychopaths and mass murderers. As Badlands was set in the 1950's, fame was still a desired quality to have - however it was more achievable in the 1990's in the middle of the newspaper/TV age, in which media was easier to put people on a pedestal. Shown in NBK where the scene alternates between the scene and scenes from popular culture - like cartoons to mirror the violence, or news reports regarding the two murderers.
Both films have similar conventions that are typical of the genre, as romance is a huge part of the 'lovers of the lamb' genre. Therefore both films feature lovers - however both sets of couples show massive differences in their personalities. Most obviously, the difference between Holly and Mallory - seen in the opening scene where Mallory attacks and successfully kills one of the men in the Diner. Mallory shows that she is independent and can handle her own battles, which is a major contrast with Holly's character who is incredibly dependent on Kit. Although the dependence is shown throughout the film, specifically when Kit tells Holly to hide when a group infiltrate where they are hiding in the woods, the flight aspect of Holly's character show that she could not stand a fight without Kit protecting her - contrasting with the fighting drive seen by Mallory. The road trip genre is again easily identified in both films with the cars, the cars acting as a metaphorical birdcage which cages the protagonists/antagonists(?) and makes them face their emotions and traps them. The crime element is evident throughout both films, specifically seen when Mallory and Mickey rob the drug store and then are bombarded with police - the police again suggesting it is not legal. In Badlands the scene where Kit is chased by the police when he eventually surrenders - again symbolising that there is criminal activity.
How far do the 2 films you have studied for this topic present similar messages and values?
'Badlands' was filmed in 1973, which contextually was a time in American society where people were typically angry with the political aspect of the country - as it was the time of the Vietnam War and civilian's did not support the war. This was clearly identified in both films as they mainly centre around the theme of crime, being an escape from the mundane tasks of life in America. The idea of being an outlaw became an obsession from the main protagonist Kit, who throughout the film is seen to be making his mark by laying out stones at certain points in his journey - acting like a trademark so people know that he did it. The sheer lack of care with the legal system is conveyed throughout with the constant crime but also suggests that this is what American society had reduced itself to, that people resorted to crime to numb the pain and boredom. In the scene where Kit is arrested and taken to the airport hanger, he gives out items that he has possessed and acts like he is being interviewed by the army/police. This suggesting that America had become corrupt with fame and although Kit murdered innocent people, people were obsessed with following his every move - so his arrest was bittersweet for America as it saw the end of murder, but took away their 'entertainment'. 'Badlands' showed how twisted America had became as its fascination with crime had escalated in people wanting and becoming famous as a result of crime.
In 'Natural Born Killers', the messages are more exaggerated through the constant pop culture references to suggest that American society has become sick, and also suggesting that people are violent because of what they are seeing in the media. Although the film was filmed in the 1994, it was set in the 1990's and showed the evolution of the media and the ideas that the media had created. By having the film flick between ideal suburban families and Mickey & Mallory's murders, it shows that again American society was transfixed on the media and television - also showing that American's had become desensitised to the media and less receptive to rejecting it's opinions and ideas. As pop culture is a strong focus point in the film, the scene where the film acts as a American sitcom deals with issues like rape and abuse. This is shown as Mallory is with her family who are exaggerated to replicate the typical sitcom - but this scene shows the meeting of Mickey & Mallory, but also the family dynamic of Mallory's parents - being the typical housewife trying to ignore problems and deal with her life, but also the father who abuses the family but also rapes Mallory. The use of laughing track also suggests that American society has grown sick and has now become oblivious to issues, the sitcom masking any problems which are a subject of humour in the scene. This scene strongly implies that due to the media, America has now become less receptive to issues and people are publicly masking their problems (as seen by the mother).
What is the significance about setting and/or place in your chosen American films?
Setting is extremely important in both films as the car could be considered to be a setting - the car being a metaphor for a birdcage, trapping the protagonists and forcing them to deal with their issues.
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