Assignment 5: Film study & conventions in a film (partner task)

By Laura & RianneColour code: Laura(blue), Rianne(red)

White slides - Both

‘THE CRAZIES’

Target Our target level is yellow.-Title page-Level checklist-Exploration of films-Film choice and reasoning-Genre-Subgenre-Hybrid-Stam’s theory-Mittel’s theory-Semantics (characters, locations, story traits, costumes, props-Syntax-Conventions list of genre in relation to all films (at least 6 conventions)-Conventions analysis (at least 3 each) with examples from film + comparison to other similar films-Dominant ideology (at least 2)-Audience (a+b) + explanation-Audience theory (at least 3 reasons)

Exploration of filmsThis is an image of a mind map that we had to do on simple mind. On this mind map it shows all the different films that fell under the genre horror.

Film choice and reasoningOur film choice is called ‘The Crazies’.

We chose the film The Crazies because it falls under the genre, horror.

- We like this film because its very graphic and gruesome.

- Also, there are a lot of gory scenes with a lot of blood that will be disturbing.

- Another reason why we chose this film was because this film created dramatic tension.

- We believed that this film would be very conventional and representative.

Background Information• Director: Breck Eisner.• Budget of the film: $20,000,000.• Around the 1970’s, that was when the old fashioned film of the crazies

came out. Directed by George.A.Romero.

• Actors included:Timothy Olyphant Radha Mitchell Danielle Panabaker Joe Anderson

Genre

Type ; sort ; style ; kind These are the different types of genres that this film falls under:

- Horror- Slasher- Disaster- Indie - Action

Subgenre

List of all the different subgenres within the film:

DisasterSlasherThrillerIndie

Hybrid

Supernatural/Action/ComedyMinimal Comedy horror – this is shown through the facial expressions of the characters. Also, one part that made me laugh was when the Sheriff was in the morgue and then the plagued character’s weapon was let loose and almost went up to the Sheriff crotch.

Sheriff

The weapon

Plagued character

Stam’s theory

Stam’s theory says that genre is not easily defined under the ‘main genres’ but can be classified in other ways such as budget, Ethnicity focus or Performer based.

For this film, it can be classified as a high budget film, but also it can be classified as a low budget film because there were no main actors casted in the film.

Mittel’s theory

Mittel’s theory is that genre is used to sell products. I can not relate this film to Mittel’s theory because The Crazies doesn’t really produce or advertise any products to be sold. But in previous horror films merchandise such as toys, book, clothes (which are suited to the genre.)

SemanticsSemantics How these are evident in your film (in relation to its

genre/subgenre/hybrid)

Characters The main protagonistThe villain – the serial killer or the psychopath

Locations Small Iowa town (small community)Isolated places, Urban environment, Lake, Countryside (barns & farms)

Story Traits Disaster, Virus, Zombies killing people

Costumes Plagued characters – Bloody clothing

Props Pitchfork, guns, knives, chainsaw

SyntaxIn a horror film, the story begins with all the characters being happy and getting on with their everyday lives.

Horror films don’t always end well, and that is where the action usually drags on and

makes the film seem tense.

Sometimes the tension re-occurs after the victims believe that the problem has been solved.

In relation to this film The Crazies, at the ending the Sheriff and his wife are going towards a new town. However from the aerial shot that is shown at the end, it is the exact same shot that was represented at the beginning before the town became plagued.

This shows that the whole disaster is about to re-occur all over again…

Conventions analysisConventions of genre/sub/hybrid

Examples from your film Comparisons to other films in the same genre/sub/hybrid

Plagued disease Where everyone becomes part of this disease, they go on a rampage killing everyone

Contagion – however in this film the storyline isn’t like the film ‘The Crazies’ because the people who are contaminated, don’t go on a rampage killing everybody28 days later – this film is similar in a way because the characters are like the Sheriff and his wife when they are trying to find sanctuary.

Death Where everyone dies Dawn of the dead - A nurse, a policeman, a young married couple, a salesman, and other survivors of a worldwide plague that is producing aggressive, flesh-eating zombies, take refuge in a mega Midwestern shopping mall

Biological Weapons

There are all sorts of weapons represented in this film. For example the weapons that the quarantine characters use are a fire arm torch to burn the bodies once shot by a gun

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – it is an American Slasher film. It is about a deformed killer going around hunting and killing people with a chainsaw

Dominant ideology

Dominant ideology Example/evidence from film

Sheriff – there to protect the citizens in the town He goes onto the baseball ground and prevents the shooting of an insane man ( plagued man )

Sheriff’s wife (head doctor) – to help the citizens and overcome any sickness etc

She is talking with her neighbour because she is suspicious by her husbands behaviour.

Quarantine characters - to gather all people from this small Iowa town and then separate them and dispose of all the contaminated ones. Whereas the clean ones are kept under quarantine.

They take the sheriff and his wife and many others to a facility where some are killed and some are under quarantine

Audience + explanationTarget Audience

Secondary Audience

Explanation of why they would be attracted to the film

Age Teenagers Young adults Teenagers would be amused and interested in these sort of films.

Gender Both This film is open to both gender, although some scene require a lot of action, this would tend to predominantly be for men

Ethnicity White Black (other) Majority is white area

Social Class Lower class Middle class

Social group Goths Social comfort zone

Sexual orientation

All This film is targeted at a worldwide audience therefore there is no specific sexual orientation

Profession/Role Students Teachers They would probably want to watch the film because it would be the main topic of their students or their children's conversation

Audience theory (McQuail)

Reasons why people watch the film

Explanation

Entertainment People will watch ‘The Crazies’ to be scared, as well as being entertained. Some people like the tense excitement when something scary comes onto the scene.

Information People may watch ‘The Crazies’ because they would want to know more about this film as it is shown through advertisement.

Personal identity People may want to watch the film ‘The Crazies’ because they would have a personal interest in this type of film.