ANCHORMAN: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

For the Narrative Theory topic in Media, we’ve been asked to write about our

favourite film, so i thought & instantly Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

came into my head. The choice of our film had to follow Todorov, which is the 5 stages of Narrative. I believe that Anchorman is a legend film & it follow

these stages:Stage 1- Equilibrium (Opening)

Stage 2- Disruption of Events (Build Up)Stage 3- Recognition of Disruption (Problem)

Stage 4- Attempt to Repair the DisruptionStage 5- New Equilibrium (Ending) Amy Woodward :)

Stage 1- Equilibrium...

This is where everything is fine in the world of the film Main characters and settings are introduced to the audience

We get a sense of the characters world

The film is set in 1970s San Diego, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is the anchorman for Channel 4 Evening News.

He works alongside his friends & news team, lead field reporter & fashion oriented Brian Fantana, sportscaster Champion "Champ" Kind, & chief meteorologist Brick Tamland.

After a successful day of work, their boss announces that their station has again maintained its long-held status as the highest-rated news program in town, leading them to throw a wild party. Ron meets a beautiful young lady that he tries to chat up with no hope, not realising why she is there what is to come the next morning.

Stage 2- Disruption of Events...

Sometimes only the audience will be aware of the events which disrupt the equilibrium.

The main characters will have not yet discovered what is to come.

The next day, their boss informs the team that he has been forced by the network to hire Veronica Corningstone, a female news reporter, who is the lady that Ron met last night.

The team is then told that Ling-Wong, a famous panda at the San Diego Zoo is pregnant, & that the station is going to make this its main story.

The news team attempts to seduce Veronica using various inept & arrogant flirting techniques, which all fail.

Ron ends up asking her out under the guise of helping out a new co-worker, which she accepts. During their date, Ron woos Veronica by playing jazz flute in his friend’s club.

Veronica goes back on her policy of not dating co-workers & sleeps with Ron. However, the next day, despite agreeing with Veronica to keep the relationship discreet, Ron shouts to the entire news office that he & Veronica are in a sexual relationship.

Stage 3- Recognition of Disruption...

This is when the key characters recognise the disruption that has taken place They learn what the audience may have known for a long time

One day, as Ron is heading to work, he throws a burrito out his car window, hitting a motorcyclist, which causes him to crash.

In rage, the biker retaliates by kicking Ron's dog, Baxter, off a bridge into the waters below. Ron is so horribly distraught as he dearly loves Baxter he is all over the place & can’t get into a good state of mind.

The terribly saddened Ron calls Brian from a pay phone to tell him what happened, while Brian tells Ron to rush to the studio to prevent their boss from putting Veronica on the air, since Ron is now late to work.

Despite Ron's efforts to arrive early, Veronica goes on air. After Ron arrives, he has an argument with Veronica about the situation & they break up. Veronica is so upset as Ron well knows that this is her dream.

The next day, Veronica is made co-anchor, much to the entire news team's displeasure. Ron’s team soon become fierce rivals & bitter enemies.

Stage 4- Attempt to Repair the Disruption... This is the longest part of the film where the main characters try to rectify

any mistakes or problems

Later on, the team go out but find themselves in an alleyway. In their disgust, they become face to face with their rival news team. Just before they begin to fight, other rival news channels become arriving with weapons of all sorts.

They hear the police which causes the fight to break up & all the news channels to flee the scene. At the end Brick admits he might have killed someone.

During, Veronica & her co-workers are in a restaurant celebrating her success. When one of them tells her that Ron will read anything that's written on the teleprompter.

Later, Veronica sneaks into the station & changes his words. The next day, instead of Ron delivering his signature, "You stay classy, San Diego," Ron comes out with, "Go f**k yourself, San Diego," not even realising what he has just said, although everybody else in the station is disgrace.

After hearing this, an angry mob gathers outside the studio & his boss is forced to fire Ron. Veronica sees she has gone too far & attempts to apologize, but on angrily dismisses her.

Stage 4- Continued...

A few months later Ron is unemployed, has no friends, & is a sloppy drunk, while Veronica has become very famous.

When it's announced that the panda is about to give birth, all the news teams head for the zoo to cover the story. In an attempt to sabotage her, a news anchor pushes Veronica into the bear enclosure. When the boss can't find Veronica, he calls Ron & unwillingly asks him to return.

Ron then summons the rest of his team by blowing the "News Horn", however, they were all standing a foot away playing pool. Baxter, Ron’s dog, hears this call & follows the voice to find Ron.

Once at the zoo, Ron jumps into the bear pen to save Veronica, which obviously attracts everyone else in the zoo to watch. Ron’s team then jumps in to help him but is easily defeated.

Just as one of the bears is about to rip Ron & Veronica apart, Baxter shows up & tells the bear the reasons to let them live & that he is a friend of the bear's cousin, who he met in the wild. All of the team escape unharmed.

Stage 5- New Equilibrium

Champ is a commentator for the NFL before sexually harassing Terry Bradshaw

Ron & Veronica are co-anchors for the World News Center

Things are resolved & a new equilibrium is created Things are different to the original equilibrium

After Ron & Veronica reunite, it's shown that in years to come:

Brian becomes the host of a Fox reality show named Intercourse Island

Brick is George W. Bush's top political adviser