I will be looking at the films Independence Day and Close Encounters. Both films are of a sci-fi genre but they are very different in terms of mise-en-scene, audience and message. Throughout this essay Independence Day will be referred to as ID and Close Encounters will be referred to as CE.
Both films use the setting of a secret base, in ID it had the 'SETI' (search for extra terrestrial investigation institute) as the films setting and in CE the setting was Devils Mountain which again is a secret military base. The iconography of both films is typical of that of sci-fi genre; for example, space ships, bright lights, lasers. In both films the costumes that are worn are also very similar and typical of the present day people at that time.
You can tell the films are aimed at different audiences. ID was a high budget Hollywood film and aimed at largely a mass audience. A younger audience would generally go to the cinema to watch it but the film is also suitable to watch at home with their families. This therefore widens the films appeal. ID was made in 1996 and the director, Roland Emmerich realised that his films would need high profiled stars to make his films popular. For example he chose Will Smith to have a lead role in ID as one of the main heroes. The film also has sub-genres to appeal to different people, "Sorry sir, I'm just a little anxious to get up there and whip ET'S ass." This shows a sub-genre such as 'trivialising the unknown' and 'not taking the aliens seriously' it also helps to add a hint of comedy to the film.
Both films use the setting of a secret base, in ID it had the 'SETI' (search for extra terrestrial investigation institute) as the films setting and in CE the setting was Devils Mountain which again is a secret military base. The iconography of both films is typical of that of sci-fi genre; for example, space ships, bright lights, lasers. In both films the costumes that are worn are also very similar and typical of the present day people at that time.
You can tell the films are aimed at different audiences. ID was a high budget Hollywood film and aimed at largely a mass audience. A younger audience would generally go to the cinema to watch it but the film is also suitable to watch at home with their families. This therefore widens the films appeal. ID was made in 1996 and the director, Roland Emmerich realised that his films would need high profiled stars to make his films popular. For example he chose Will Smith to have a lead role in ID as one of the main heroes. The film also has sub-genres to appeal to different people, "Sorry sir, I'm just a little anxious to get up there and whip ET'S ass." This shows a sub-genre such as 'trivialising the unknown' and 'not taking the aliens seriously' it also helps to add a hint of comedy to the film.
