Narrative Enigmas In Trailers

Katia Martins

My 3 Chosen TrailersHorror/Comedy

Warm Bodies (2013) Comedy/Horror/Romance

Zombieland (2009)Comedy/Horror

Jennifer's Body (2009)Comedy/Horror

What are the narrative conventions?

• Warm Bodies-The horror conventions in the trailer is the fact that there are zombies and demons (monsters) there is also blood making it gory. The comedy part is that a zombie and a human girl fall in love making this a bizarre combination and also the fact that the zombie knows that he is a zombie but yet he still tries his best to be human like.

• Zombieland- The horror conventions in the trailer are the monsters (zombies) and also the deaths and blood. The comedy conventions are the way that the zombies are killed because some are jus ran over several times and others are suffocated with a shower curtain, also the way the zombies are and look makes this comedy.

• Jennifer’s Body- The horror conventions in the trailer are that she is possessed and that there is a lot of blood. The comedy part of the this trailer is the fact that she is still a normal high school living her normal everyday life and she is miss popular meaning that all the girls want to be her friend and all the boys want to go out with her but only because they don't know how she is.

What is the narrative structure?• There is usually a protagonist who is often a hero who has to embark on a

journey to kill or save someone, this person doesn't usually go alone and they are often a monster of some kind, for example: zombies, vampire, werewolves, ghosts, demons, etc. The storyline can follow an apocalypse narrative where the protagonist has to survive or save the world or someone they care for.

What is the narrative structure?• Warm Bodies-There is a group of zombies attacking a city, a zombie falls in

love with a human girl and he begins turning into human as he now has feelings, due to their love growing this is helping the other zombies as well.

• Zombieland- There are 2 humans (boy and man) the boy is trying to reach his family in Ohio and the man is a tough guy trying to find the last Twinkie fight together to destroy the zombies, they come across 2 more humans (girl and woman) who are sisters trying to get to an amusement park who join them and travel across America filled with zombies

• Jennifer’s Body- A newly possessed high school cheerleader turns into a succubus who specializes in killing her male classmates. Her bestfriend does everything she can to try make her stop.

What unrestricted narrative is there?

• Warm Bodies- In the trailer they want us to know that there is a connection between the zombie “R” and the human girl, also that the rest of the zombies are beginning to have feelings.

• Zombieland- In the trailer they want us to know that the 4 humans have joined together to kill all the zombies and that the boy and the girl are begging to have some sort of connection.

• Jennifer's Body- In the trailer they want us to know that Jennifer is possessed and that her situation is beginning to get out of control, also that her bestfriend isn't able to control Jennifer.

What restricted narrative is there?• Warm Bodies- In the trailer they don't want us to know whether or

not “R” will become human, and if all the other zombies will become human. Also whether or not “R” and the human girl will go out and if her dad and bestfriend accept there relationship.

• Zombieland- In the trailer they don't want us to know if the 4 humans will be able to save their land and get rid of the zombies and also if the boy and the girl will end up going out.

• Jennifer's Body- In the trailer they don't want us to know whether or not Jennifer is going to kill anyone or if her bestfirend is going to be able to put a stop to her situation.

What are the enigmas the audience is left with and why?

Warm Bodies- The enigmas left for the audience in the trailer “Warm Bodies” are: will they end up killing the human girl? Will the zombies turn into humans? Will the zombie “R” and the human girl go out? Will her bestfriend and her dad accept their relationship?

Zombieland- The enigmas left for the audience in the trailer “Zombieland” are: will the zombies takeover? Will the boy and the girl have a relationship? Will the 4 humans manage to control the zombie situation and save their land?

Jennifer's Body- The enigmas left for the audience in the trailer “Jennifer's body” are: will her bestfriend manage to put an end to the horror? Will Jennifer end up killing anyone? Will more people find out about her being possessed? Will she ever become normal again?

These enigmas are left because they are the most important questions that the audience will ask after watching the trailer and its what will make them want to watch the film.