The majority of films made around that period were aimed towards the A (high class) to C2 (“blue collar” skilled manual workers) range. This is because at the time they were the people who were thought to have the money and time to go to the cinema to watch films. Although some older, more traditional directors still use it to target films despite the fact it was never really designed for film audiences. The majority of film makers agree that this scale is incorrect and outdated although a large majority still use it to class characters within the products into groups so as to give a more convincing stereotype.
There are a number of media theories that can be applied to texts such as ‘Battlestar Galactica’ and ‘The Italian Job’. These theories can be used to both help us analyze media products such as these but also to get “inside the head” of the director who made the film, and try to find out why they decided to remake each of these products. These theories include the Uses and Gratifications, Hypodermic Syringe Todorov’s narrative theory and in some cases the Proppian character theories.
The ‘uses and gratifications’ model states that any individual audience member can gain meaning from a media text in any number of 4 ways. These are personal identity, information, entertainment and social interaction. Personal identity involves relating what happens in a media product to events in your life and so changing and gaining from this and adding to your personality through consuming a media product. For example in the media we are often given societal values such as the idea that stealing and murder is wrong. These values given are hopefully held by every person that consumes the product. The realization of this goal is why the ’goodie’ usually (if not always) triumphs.
Information is usually given out in every media product, no matter what genre, it always contains some style of factual information even if it is very difficult to pick up on. For example if you see a person being run over while crossing the road, it is likely that when you leave the cinema you will be more careful when crossing the road as you have received and decoded the information that roads are dangerous.
Entertainment is included in every modern media product, especially the films that I’m analyzing. It is the main aim of modern media products such as ‘Battlestar Galactica’ to entertain above all other aims (excluding documentaries whose main aim is to inform and then entertain). The majority of people consume media products to be entertained and as a form of escapism to get away from the real world and the problems of the world for the running time of the film or program. They can take over the lives of the main characters and take part in the adventures that they are undertaking. In ‘The Italian Job’ you can feel the rush of the heist and ‘stealing back’ the money from the evil Steve. In comparison to the original where the money was being stolen directly from the authority figures, which changes the ideological focus of the film from straight forward stealing to revenge. This shows a change in society’s attitudes towards stealing, and shows that it is now less tolerated and unacceptable than the historical period when the first ‘Italian Job’ was made.
Finally social interaction is achieved when you consume a media product and then speak to others about it. For example when leaving the cinema after watching a film such as ‘The Italian Job’ a large majority of viewers will speak to someone about the events that have gone on within the film, weather they enjoyed it or not, and the best and worst parts of the film. This is fulfilling the social interaction section of the theory.
The ‘Hypodermic Syringe’ also known as the ‘Magic Bullet’ theory is based on the idea of a passive audience compared to the active audience presumed by the uses and gratifications theory. This theory states that audiences do not search for meaning in a media product but instead are ‘injected’ with information, ideas, values and goals by the media. For example in “Battlestar Gallactica” we are ‘injected’ with the idea that the Cylon robots are evil, although they may very possibly just be defending themselves and may be a lot less evil than the humans they are pursuing. This idea was injected into us and we accept it in the context of the film, and do not question it unless we are again told to by the product. If we are a passive audience we would not begin to question the ideas that were put across by the product and may even begin to believe that there is actually going to be an invasion of giant robotic ‘toasters’ that will destroy all of mankind. Obviously any normal person would never believe this and this is why it has been widely discredited as it presumes that all members of the audience are virtually cabbages and make no attempt to gain meaning from any media product. Despite the fact that it was flawed it was unwillingly tested on October 30, 1938 by Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre Group during a broadcast of their radio edition of the H.G. Wells Novel ‘War of the Worlds.’ At the end of the biggest action sequence in the book the Radio broadcast was interrupted with a "news bulletin" for the first time. What the audience heard was that Martians had begun an invasion of Earth. Around twelve million people in the United States heard the broadcast and about one million of those actually believed that a serious alien invasion was underway! A wave of panic ensued. The whole nation was in a state of chaos, and this simple broadcast was the cause of it! The effects of the broadcast suggested that the media could easily manipulate a passive and gullible public by simply telling them untrue facts within otherwise factual programs and mediums. This shows that it is still an important theory, especially in terms of the historical development of media theory and knowledge.
I have also discovered that the films that I am studying link closely to a narrative theory proposed by Todorov. This theory states that all pieces of fictional media follow the same basic structure. This is equilibrium, disequilibrium and finally equilibrium again. The first equilibrium is at the beginning of the story when everything is as it should be. The disequilibrium comes when the equilibrium is disrupted. This can either be done by the villain character or the hero character but it is what begins the main section of the story. For example in the 2003 version of ’The Italian Job’ the disequilibrium comes when the van is crashed off the bridge and the money is stolen. The final act at the end of the story is the return to equilibrium. This is usually but not always when the hero triumphs over the villain. Although this is a return to equilibrium it is never quite the same as the first equilibrium.
The final theory I have found that links to the products I am studying is Propp’s ‘8 character types’ narrative theory. This states that in any fictional narrative there will be 8 distinctive character types. These are as follows:
Hero – this is the main character that is followed for the majority of the film
In the Italian job this character is Charlie Croker played by Mark Wahlburg
Villain – This is the evil character that the hero has to stop or defend against
In the Italian Job this character is Steve played by Edward Norton
King – the king is the ruler of the land
In the Italian Job this character is the detective played by Jimmy Schubert
Princess – the princess ends up falling in love with the hero
In the Italian Job this character is Stella Bridger played by Charlize Theron
Donor – the donor gives the hero something to help him on his way
In the Italian job the donor is Left Ear played by Mos Def
Dispatcher – the dispatcher sends the hero off on his quest
In the Italian job the dispatcher is John Bridger played by Donald Sutherland
Sidekick – the sidekick helps the hero on his way
In the Italian Job the sidekick is Handsome Rob played by Jason Statham
False Hero – someone that tries to be the hero and fails or turns evil
In the Italian job the false hero is also the villain Steve
Using all of the information that has been found and my own knowledge it has been concluded that films are remade for 3 main reasons. These are primarily to make money like any other film but they are also made to bring back nostalgia in audiences that have watched the original of the film many years before. Finally it is a challenge to directors to see if they can recreate a film that is just as powerful and enjoyable as the original of the film and that meets up to the critics standards for a good and enjoyable film. This third aim is true if we consider some of the notes made by many directors and also from some of the testimonies made by many, many film critics. The following is a quote from Steven Spielberg,
“Few film directors, including myself, are in the business for the money.” It’s this tremendous sense of accomplishment. This thing outlives you. Long after you have gone, there will still be this piece of work people can look at and hopefully appreciate."
To make remade films cost just as much as regular films. This is because they require no less work than films that have an original idea. Instead of writing the whole film script the original needs to be changed and edited to fit with the new effects, actors and events that are being added into the story. In general the whole film script needs to be re written to include all of the new speech that is going to be said by the new actors. Also generally all of the remade films include very highly paid and famous actors such as the Italian Jobs Mark Wahlberg and Seth Green. This makes them a lot more expensive but generally it is worth it as many people relate the quality of the actors used to the quality of the film so if they know the actors that are on the trailers and posters that are more likely to go and watch the film.
In terms of storyline “The Italian Job” is more of a complete re-interpretation of the original idea. Enough of the film has changed for it to be almost a completely different film that has the same name rather than a remake of the original hit. Although the film has the same basic plot line and elements such as the mini’s, the whole tone of the film has changed to make it a lot less light hearted and has become more serious compared to the original.
One of the main memorable events in the film is the mini section. In the original film, 4 of the original minis are used to navigate metro tunnels and sewers in order to escape with all of the gold bullion. This is officially ranked by Amazon as the best car chase sequence ever! It is adrenaline packed fast paced action that required quick reflexes and powerful cars. The original Mini manufacturer gave the director, Peter Collinson, 4 minis for free just for the advertising potential and it worked. The mini sales shot into orbit after the release of the film, with everyone wanting a piece of the mini powered action. Many people when asked what they thought of the ‘Italian Job’ immediately begin to comment on the minis and how great they are and what a great sequence it is. Despite much opposition the new film has managed to capture this whole section as good of a way as the original. The minis used were again a main part of the film. Although the new BMW version mini is not quite the same small car as the original it still plays the role very well despite now being the same size as a standard family car.
There was a huge advertising campaign using all different types of media launched for the film. This included TV trailers, teasers, cinema trailers, magazine articles, newspaper articles and billboards. Almost every type of media was used to tell the audience that the remake of the Italian job was coming out. This is one of the main reasons that the film was as successful as it was. The advertising campaign was begun almost as soon as the film began production and it was slowly stepped up over time so as to build up to the final release of the film at the box office. Even once the film had been released the advertising campaign continued for around 3 months until the film had completely disappeared from the box office. A strange tactic for advertisers that seemed to work extremely well.
Technology has also increased a lot in the years since the original release of the original films ‘Battlestar Galactica’ and ‘The Italian Job’. This includes the CGI effects that have been used in this film and also the general media technology such as the cameras used to get new exciting camera angles, sounds equipment that was used and even the general technology used throughout the film such as mobile phones, laptop computers and safe breaking kits that were not available in 1969 when the film was originally made. There are many points throughout the film where CGI or is used extensively. This includes the shots such as seeing the wheels of the safe clicking into place and the views of the inside of the computer and the equipment. It is also used when information is seen traveling along a line and at other various places throughout the film. Also other techniques such as digital compositing, morphing and motion control photography are used throughout the movie. Stunt effects and technology have also been greatly improved in recent years. Pyrotechnics, cable technology and rigging techniques have also been greatly improved and linked with computer interfaces to make the stunt look exactly as it is expected to look. On the computer supporting ropes and beams can be easily removed so instead of falling 500 feet with a safety wire it can appear that the actor falls 500 feet into nothing but air. These sorts of improved special effects and stunts can also make the new movie more attractive to prospective audiences who can compare it to the effects from the original.
Sales at the box office for the remake of the movie were even higher than the original bringing in an estimated $106,126,012, making it number 286 in the all-time US box office stats. I believe that this is because of both the huge publicity, link to the original, huge actors, huge budget and the huge advertising campaign that was launched for it as to why it made so much money.
3,313 Words
Bibliography
Websites used:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/~mcn/117/lectures/mgt117_lec03_buying_behaviour.pdf
http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20050707.html
http://www.cinemablend.com/review.php?id=427
http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertainment/movies/italianjob.htm
http://moviepoopshoot.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-67.html
http://www.netalive.org/topics/36419
http://www-db.stanford.edu/pub/movies/remakes.html
http://www.kstatecollegian.com/issues/v103/sp/n079/aande/ae.remakes.eck.html
http://www.trinity.edu/mkearl/socpsy01/flicks/titlepage.htm
http://alt.tcm.turner.com/SPECIAL_THEME/99/12/index.htm
http://www.filmsite.org/
http://www.moviemaker.com/issues/48/remakes.html
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Speech/rccs/portal4.htm
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Speech/rccs/theory29.htm
http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Blogging_and_Social_Interaction-Blogging_and_Maslow's_Hierarchy_of_Needs
http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm
http://www.imdb.com/find?q=Italian;s=all
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Italian_Job
Books:
David Croteau and William Hoynes
Society - Media/Society -- Industries, Images and Audiences London
Pine Forge Press, 1997
