Claude Levi-Strauss’ Oppositions:
Levi-Strauss said that every element of a story was paired with another within the same story as adirect opposite.
Some common examples are:
fear v happiness
male v female
humanity v technology
nature v industrialisation
East v West
Within genres there are also stereotypical binary opposites.
Roland Barthes action/enigma codes:
Barthes decided that every film is made up of a narrative code that consists of action and enigma codes which are used to create suspense.
Enigma codes are the parts of the plot that leaves the viewer questioning the events.
Action codes refer to actions which cause other actions.
Tzvetan Todorov’s narrative structure:
His theory states that every film has three stages:
The film starts in a state of equilibrium
The equilibrium is disrupted
A new equilibrium is created by the end of the film
There are then five stages the narrative goes through:
Equilibrium where everything is normal
Disruption of equilibrium
Recognition of the disruption and its consequences
An attempt to repair the disruption
The restoration of a new equilibrium
This theory creates a circular structure to the film, not a linear one. However the equilibrium reached at the resolution of the film is different it has been altered by the events that occured in the film, eg a bomb destroying something, or a characters death.
Vladimir Propp's Character Types:
Propp identifies the main character types:
The villain
The hero - usually motivated by the lack of something (love, money etc.) and not always conventional
The donor
The helper
The princess
"Her father" character
The dispatcher
The false hero
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3 comments:
this theory summary is very accurate max but its not much good if you don't apply it. to 'up your grade' you would need to show that you understand it by applying it to a film of your choice.
ms b
max - you're missing a set homework on syd field/ fatal attraction
ms b
general summary of your blog:
some good effort evidenced here. you've demonstrated some independent research and clear enthusiasm for the genre but its all a bit disjointed, and doesn't really link together.
I would like to see you linking your posts more to your own ideas and to theory work done in class.
how for example,the hitchcock and shower scene work is really thorough but you don't link it to anything. could it be relevant to your production? maybe it could be an inspiration for using a similar character/ setting/camera work etc
also, you need to actually USE the theory we've done in class a lot more, as a framework for analysing clips, sequences, whole films etc.
this blog is around a B grade at the moment Max. you could certainly improve it by doing the above, have a look at my main blog posting to help you as well.have a look at the girls blogs in your class as well - they'll put you on the right track!
ms b
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