The characters in `Shrek’ appeal to all ages especially children as they can relate themselves to them.
Shrek is a repulsive green ogre who is portrayed to be self-centred and is happy with his life the way it is. His fairytale comparison is Prince Charming. He is portrayed as Prince Charming as he rescues the princess and marries her like Prince Charming does in Cinderella. Princess Fiona is an attractive picturesque princess with a twist. She’s an ogre. Her fairytale comparison is sleeping beauty. She is portrayed as Sleeping Beauty as there is something wrong with her but she still falls in love and marries. Donkey is a grey small donkey. He’s very talkative and extremely sensitive. He plays Shreks sidekick. His fairytale comparison is Abu. He is portrayed as Abu as Abu is Aladdin’s sidekick in the film Aladdin. Farquaads is a short and sinful man. He is portrayed as a work-shy bully. His fairytale comparison is Jafar. He is portrayed as Jafar as Jafar is the evil one in Aladdin. The characters are parodied in `Shrek’ as the hero is an ugly ogre. This is effective as it’s a twist in the tale. In conventional fairytales the hero is always a handsome, young brut, but in `Shrek’ he is an ugly green ogre.
During the film there are all different genres, there is romance, action and mystery. This adds to the different impact of the movie. There is romance as Shrek and Fiona fall in love. There is action as Shrek and the dragon fight. There is mystery as when Fiona falls at the wedding, she falls with her back to the audience.
The film techniques in `Shrek’ are quite similar to the ones in Beauty and the Beast. Like when Fiona transforms into an ogre the shot sizes were close ups of hands, feet and eyes, and there were long shots of the audience. The camera rotated around Fiona showing something was happening, it made it seem really dramatic. Also Fiona falls with her back to the camera, so that the viewer can’t see what is happening. The camera moves real smoothly, this creates a soft, gentle atmosphere. As the change happens, there are golden colours to enhance the magical element. There is also light coming out of Fiona’s hands. As this happens there is light orchestral music and it gradually becomes louder and higher as the windows break. There are also lots of twinkling, spiritual sound effects.
When the beast transforms into a man, the shot sizes are close ups of hands and feet. Also there is a lot of focus on characters reactions. There is a lot of straight on shots and its all smooth filming. There is hardly any rotation by the camera but the shots are either slow or middle paced. The colours are all pure colours, white and gold. As the beast is dropped to the floor the music slows down but as he is lifted the music gets higher. There aren’t many sound effects in this scene, there is only a very powerful wind sound and woaassshhh sound effects. Beauty and the Beast is a conventional fairytale as the beast turns out to be handsome.
`Shrek’ has very unconventional settings. Farquaads castle is grand and impressive but the owner is small and inadequate. Dragon’s castle is dark, gloomy and oppressive but the owner is calm, soft and tranquil. Shrek’s swamp is tatty, remote, disgusting and run-down but the owner ends up being the hero that gets the girl.
This movie has attracted audiences of all ages. It has attracted children by the animation, the characters are all animated, and this attracts children, as it’s easy on their eyes. There is humour this attracts children, as the humour is quite simple for the children to understand. There is excitement; this attracts children as the tension makes children sit on the edge of their seat.
It attracts teenagers/ young adults by adult humour and “childish” humour. Teenagers are ‘young’ adults so they understand the adult humour but they are also still children at heart. So they understand the ‘childish’ humour part. Teenagers will also understand the TV programme references, like the Blind Date parody at the beginning.
It attracts adults, as they will understand the adult humour. For example “Although snow white lives with seven men, she is not easy.” Children wouldn’t understand this, as it’s a sexual reference. There is also a twist in the tale (this helps it become an unconventional fairytale.) Adults will understand that this is unconventional. Adults will also appreciate it’s a parody of a fairytale genre.
This film has used parody really well in this movie and it has made loveable characters and humour to appeal to a wide and varied audience.