Discuss the Different Genres Used in 'Themla and Louise' and 'Pulp Fiction'
Discuss the Use of Different Genres in 'Thelma and Louise' and 'Pulp Fiction'
The term 'genre' is used for classifying media texts into groups that have similar characteristics. In Thelma and Louise and Pulp Fiction, a mixture of genres was used in these films. In Thelma and Louise, the following genres were used throughout the film: chick-flick, drama, comedy, musical, action, police chase, western and romance. In Pulp Fiction, the following genres were used throughout the film: gangster, sporting events (boxing), comedy, action, musical, mystery, romance and suspense (the adrenalin injection for Mia).
Thelma and Louise is classified as a road movie because; the film involves two female characters travelling around the western states by road to escape the male society. Pulp Fiction is classified as a gangster film, as it tells us a story(s) of two male characters, as professional assassins and the lives of other characters associating with these main characters. The film consists of three interwoven stories: "Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace' Wife", "The Gold Watch" and "The Bonnie Situation". Pulp Fiction also tells another interwoven story, "The Diner" at the beginning (prologue) and the ending (epilogue) of the film.
Thelma and Louise starts with equilibrium, of an image of a broad landscape that gradually brightens and then immediately turns back into darkness. The connotation of this opening scene is, everything will begin fine with the two women but, it will turn horribly wrong later in the film. There was also a rock 'n' roll country music, Tex-Mex, playing in the background to tell us that the film is set in the western states of USA. The music was the interpellation and was announcing to the audience that the film has begun. The film ended with disequilibrium in the scene where, the audience saw Louise puts the car in gear and stamps on the pedal, and they roar off over the edge of the cliff to certain death. The picture freezes as the car hovers high above the canyon and gets brighter and brighter until, all we can see is pure white light.
The film tells the audience that, Thelma and Louise cannot adapt to male society, and they do not want to surrender themselves for the crime they don't want to commit (Harlan's abusive language forced Louise to shoot him-action code). They believe that if they did surrender to the police, they would not get the justice they wanted because, men have more power than women. In the end of the film, the main characters got what they always wanted freedom.
According to the order of events (known as plot or syuzhet), Pulp Fiction started with disequilibrium of the ...
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The film tells the audience that, Thelma and Louise cannot adapt to male society, and they do not want to surrender themselves for the crime they don't want to commit (Harlan's abusive language forced Louise to shoot him-action code). They believe that if they did surrender to the police, they would not get the justice they wanted because, men have more power than women. In the end of the film, the main characters got what they always wanted freedom.
According to the order of events (known as plot or syuzhet), Pulp Fiction started with disequilibrium of the scene where, Honey Bunny/Yolanda and Pumpkin/Ringo holds up the same diner where they discussed their plans. The film ended with a new equilibrium of the scene where, Vincent and Jules walk out of the diner (well before Vincent is killed during "The Gold Watch"). According to the actual chronological order of events (known as story or fabula), the film started with equilibrium of the scene where, Vincent and Jules went to Brett to retrieve a mysterious briefcase (the briefcase is an iconography and enigma throughout the film). The film ended with new equilibrium of the scene where, Fabienne and Butch make their getaway on Zed's chopper, at the end of "The Gold Watch".
The similarity between the two films is both have very similar genres such as, comedy, romance, action and musical. Another similarity between the two films is both are also classified as a crime film and a buddy film. Another similarity between the two films is the rape of Thelma in Thelma and Louise and the male rape of Marsellus in Pulp Fiction. Both were powerful and dramatic scenes, especially in Pulp Fiction. Another similarity between the two films is Harvey Keitel plays two characters; Detective Hal in Thelma and Louise and Winton Wolfe in Pulp Fiction. Harvey Keitel played as the helper in both of the films.
The difference between the two films is the narrative structure of Thelma and Louise is very different to the narrative structure of Pulp Fiction. The narrative structure of Thelma and Louise, changes from single narrative to parallel action when the rape and murder occurs. The murder of Harlan is a good example of juxtaposition. As for Pulp Fiction, the narrative structure is non-linear and anti-narrative. Anti-narrative took place when the audience saw the reappearance of Vince Vega whose death they had witnessed earlier (Butch shoots him in his old apartment (this is one of the action codes)). Another difference between the two films is, in Thelma and Louise; the female characters are more powerful than the males (e.g. Harlan and Max, the truck driver). This is known as matriarchal. As for Pulp Fiction, it is the opposite, the male characters are more powerful than the females (e.g. when Jules ordered Honey Bunny/ Yolanda to lower her gun). This is known as patriarchal. Another difference between the two films is many critics have called Pulp Fiction as a post-modern film.
Post-modernism simply means that the film applies to very different movies. A proper definition of this term is it refers to the social, political and cultural attitudes and images of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century. In Pulp Fiction, intertextuality has been used throughout the film. This film allows the audience to identify the references to other types of film. An example of simulacra might be the scene where Butch is in the taxis. In this scene, the audience can see the black and white night scenery, at the back of the taxis. The background scenery is 'fake' and unrealistic, and is also a 'copy' version of Sin City (bricolage). An example of bricolage might be the scene at a restaurant, 'Jack Rabbit Slim's'. In this scene, the audience saw John Travolta (who plays Vincent Vega) dressed like a cowboy; he wore a string around his neck, and 'copies' his Saturday Nigh Fever dance routine. The character also does 'the twist' which was very popular in 1960s. Another example of bricolage might be the scene where Christopher Walken plays Major Koons, as an ex-Vietnam prisoner-of-war. Christopher Walken also played as an ex-Vietnam prisoner-of-war in The Deer Hunter.
In both films, we saw number of images of dead icons from 1950s and 1960s. In Thelma and Louise, JD who is played by Brad Pitt plays the sex symbol in the film. I have carried out research on this character and found out that his name is taken from the movie star James Dean, which symbolically represents his importance. In the film, JD is stereotyped as the young attractive rebel, like James Dean. In Pulp Fiction, the scene at Jack Rabbit Slim's, we saw a number of waiters and waitresses dressed as dead icons from 1950's and 1960's- Buddy Holly, Marilyn Monroe, Zorro, James Dean, Donna Reed, Martin Lewis etc.
In the scene, where Vincent opens the briefcase (it is an iconography), a golden light flared out of it. The lock combination of the briefcase is '666' and it denotes the "number of the Beast" (Satan). The lock combination of the briefcase connotes that the content is bound up in evil deeds.
Based on Vladimir Propp's theory, Louise is the heroine in Thelma and Louise, because she saves Thelma from the rapist, Harlan who is the villain in the film. Another villain in the film is JD, who stole the money from Thelma and told the police where they were going to. The donor is Thelma because, she brought the pistol with her and this pistol plays the important part in the film (e.g. murder, robbery, shooting air holes in policeman's trunk, etc). I think Harlan is the dispatcher because after his death, the women were forced to runaway from the incident. Thelma and Detective Hal are the helpers in the film. There is no princess in the film as it is a feminist film. However, at the end of the film, Thelma and Louise (heroines) got their reward, which is freedom.
Based on Vladimir Propp's theory, Butch, Vincent and Jules are heroes in Pulp Fiction. Butch Coolidge saves Marsellus Wallace from the male rapists, Zed and Maynard (villains). Vincent saves Mia's life by stabbing a syringe of adrenaline into her heart, with the aid of his drug dealer, Lance (donor). Jules saves the lives of innocent people in the Diner and lets Honey Bunny/Yolanda and Pumpkin/Ringo (villains) go free, without taking Jules' wallet with them. Jules and Vincent are also villains in the film. Both shot Brett and Jules accidentally shot Marvin in the face at the back of Jules' car. Butch is also a villain in the film; he kills Vincent, absurdly, while in the toilet, just as his pop tarts loudly jumped out of the toaster. This scene contained a mixture of genres. This is known as hybrid genre. Marvin is the donor in the film; he helps Jules and Vincent to find the mysterious briefcase (enigma- don't know what's in it).
Marsellus and Fabienne are dispatchers in the film. Marsellus sends Vincent and Jules to Brett to retrieve the briefcase. Fabienne sends her boyfriend, Butch to get his gold watch from his old apartment. Vincent and Winston are helpers in the film. Vincent is Jules' partner and defends him from Honey Bunny/Yolanda and Pumpkin/Ringo. Vincent points his gun to Honey Bunny, she points her gun to Jules, and he points his gun to Ringo. This scene shot is called deep focus as; it shows the audience all the characters in one location. Fabienne is the princess of Butch in the end of the story (fabula).
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Narrative and Genre Assignment
Created by Baljinder Duhra - 1 -