With reference to the opening 10 minutes from the Minority Report, write an analysis which focuses upon how the features of narrative and genre create meaning and generate response within the audience.

Saleem Deen

Film Studies Coursework

Minority Report has the definite genre of a futuristic sci-fi. Right from the start of the film there are genre conventions to show the viewer what type of film they are watching. At the beginning, the title sequences are contrasted in dark and light shades of blue and the title sequences move like water. The colour blue is used often in futuristic films because it makes everything look futuristic and digital. And the title sequence moves like water, again highlighting the advanced technology which the film is set in. In today’s modern film, title sequences are often changed to suit the film because it gives the viewer a taste of what’s to come and obviously creates meaning for the viewer watching.

The music at the start is very sinister and sounds like a heart beat, this effect builds anticipation and it represents a lot about the genre. Music in film is almost invariably designed to accompany what it seen on screen. Classical music is used a lot in the opening 10 minutes of the film. When Tom Cruise is trying to predict the crime with the help of the hi-tech equipment which he calls “Scrubbing the image” The non-diegetic, classical music is used. This is a brilliant effect because it makes everything look smooth, digital and effortless again highlighting the futuristic genre of the film, it also makes the film much more exciting to watch. In the film, Hero the same effect is used when there is a fighting sequence. One character is trying hard to beat her opponent, and fast paced music is used when the camera is focused on her. But when her opponent his fighting back, she is fighting with elegance and grace giving her an aesthetic quality. Classical music is used when she fights, making the character and her fighting look smooth and effortless just like the scene in Minority Report.

Most futuristic sci-fi films have very quick dialogues and complicated words making everything sound technical and sometimes confusing. When we are introduced to the main character Tom Cruise, he is walking very fast and the dialogue between him and another character is very noirish. He talks quickly and sharply and doesn’t stop walking. And when “scrubbing the image” he again talks quickly and uses complicated words. This is typical of the genre. The snappy talking and complicated words create meaning of the genre to the audience, they can then relate to it and attain a generate response of the characteristics expected from the genre.

The mise-en-scene also conveys the genre. The main action in the opening 10 minutes takes place in the “department of pre crime” this is integral to the rest of the story. There is a definite contrast between the setting of the story (where the crimes are predicted) and the actions that the characters do. The department of pre crime is formal and sounds very professional whereas some of the characters come into the department with coffee and donuts. There is a contrast between the formal and informal. There is also a contrast between the predicted murderer and the story of the opening 10 minutes as the murderer lives in a safe neighbourhood, he has a nice house, it basically represents the “American dream” but what is predicted to happen is a big contrast to the life that he lives.

This is a preview of the whole essay

Low key lighting or (Chiaroscuro lighting) also typifies the genre. Along with the colour scheme of blue, the department of pre crime does show typical futuristic conventions, like scientific technology and gadgets. The Matrix is very similar to Minority Report. The Matrix is very futuristic and it does contain chiaroscuro lighting but the main difference which you could argue plays a big part in the story is the colour scheme. The Matrix has the colour scheme of green, which makes things look futuristic but at the same time adds an air of mystery towards the story. Whereas the colour blue is transparent giving us the idea that somebody is watching. The eye is a very important symbol in the Minority report. The eyes are believed to be window of the soul and the eye is portrayed a lot in the film. The montage sequence with the boy cutting through the eye shows this (this montage sequence is explained later). The crime and murder that takes place shows that there is always someone watching, this theme is very similar to the film Phone Booth. Could the “Big Brother” watching you idea be the moral of the story?

In every scene there is some element of the future. Mise-en-scene is used to portray the image better giving a clearer outlook of the genre.

The narrative is a part of story telling and the narrative of a text is the way the story is told. The narrative in The Minority Report has a straight forward linear narrative but the opening 10 minutes contain a lot of flash forwards. The story at the beginning contains flash forwards which focus on the murderer and his actions.

At the start there is a montage sequence with the scissors, the boy is cutting paper with his scissors and later we see that the father uses these scissors to attack his wife. We later find out that the montage sequence with the scissors is very important. The purpose of montage sequences is that they compress a passage of time into brief symbolic or typical images. This makes you familiarize with the image as you know it has a big part to play later on in the film. There is also a montage sequence right at the beginning of the film. The scene where there is a distorted dream of the predicted murderer. To the viewer watching the film, they could think that the film wasn’t a sci-fi but a thriller.

The linear narrative gives a lot of clues of what is to come. There will be another crime in the development stage, and then there will some complication as expected with sci-fi films and then a climax. Linear narratives are quite predictable as they set the way for a straight forward beginning, middle and end. But the use of flash forwards, and flashbacks make the film more engaging to watch.

The genre conventions and character types can also predict possible events or twists. The genre is a futuristic sci-fi and the predictable outcomes from this are that there will be a crime, science will play a big part and also gadgets and technology will be involved. The themes that are likely to come are crime, greed, and maybe love.

Much can be predicted from the characters too. Tom Cruise is the main character and from the start he looks very serious and professional. His face is well lit suggesting that he is a good character. Within the film a problem will arise for him. The contrast of Tom Cruises character is Colin Farrell. Colin Farrell is introduced to the viewer when Tom Cruise is “scrubbing the image”. He talks low in a deep voice and he keeps his head down. His face is always shadowed. All these features show that he may be a villain in the film. The shadows could portray that he has something to hide. From the characters I can predict that Colin Farrell will be working with Tom Cruise but at the same time deceiving him. A lot can be predicted from the narrative which you could argue makes the film easier to understand, but as I have mentioned the flash forwards and flash backs make the film more interesting as the viewer can feel some anticipation and the feeling of not knowing what sudden twist will come next. This has a greater effect when there is a non-linear narrative like The Identity which also contains flashbacks and montage sequences. The Identity was thrilling because the clever use of flashbacks and flash forwards

explained the story much better and highlighted the fact that anyone could be the murderer.

The film overall, is very conventional of its genre. The theme of future, science and technology are integral to the story. The use of flash forwards, flashbacks and montage sequences make the film much more exciting to watch rather than a straight forward linear film. The obvious genre conventions and the narrative create meaning towards the viewer, making the viewer aware of what type of film they are watching and what they will expect from it.

Saleem Deen

(Word Count = 1449)

Saleem Deen

Film Studies Coursework

With reference to the opening 10 minutes from the film Malcolm X, write an analysis which focuses upon how the features of narrative and genre create meaning and generate response within the audience.

The film is an autobiography of the life of Malcolm X, therefore the films genre is an autobiography. The name of the film is Malcolm X, and from the title the viewer can identify that the film is based on the true events which occurred in that person’s life. If the viewer doesn’t know who Malcolm X was the film can be much harder to predict. Other genre films have a lot of clues to suggest to the viewer what type of film they are watching whereas autobiographical films are based on true events which could involve any aspects of life. From this we can conclude that the title itself conveys the genre.

At the beginning of the film, the credit sequences are back dropped against the American flag and in the background you can hear the non-diegetic American national anthem. Whilst this is playing you can also hear Malcolm doing a non-diegetic speech very fervently and emotively. Along with these features there are quick and dark flashes of police officers beating an African American in the street. All these features combine to structure a very emotive and powerful image and from the police officers the viewer can predict that politics and the law will be the main themes of the film but the vicious brutality that they are inflicting could suggest a thriller.

As the credit sequences finish, the back drop of the flag starts to burn and the flames grow greater, the burning of the flag turns it into the shape of an x. This image of the x is very symbolic and is integral to the rest of the story, the image is very powerful and suggests two meanings: One meaning of the flag turning into an x could suggest that there’s a problem within America and their behaviour towards the African American. The second meaning is the symbol of the x and the flag could represent his main aim being achieved. Malcolm’s real aim in life was to quote (“Destroy the racist cancer in the body of America”). The symbol of the x (his name) and the body of America being the flag could suggest that his aim in life was achieved. The credit sequences were emotive, powerful and symbolic making you feel shocked and thrilled, the credit sequences also gave the viewer an insight to what the film was going to be about. The mise-en-scene of the American flag and when it starts to burn creates meaning of the genre towards the audience. The burning of the flag is very patriotic and is very similar to the start of Cold Mountain, where there is a war scene and the American flag burns. The mise-en-scene of the flag creates the meaning towards the viewer because from the flag and the flashes of violence the viewer can predict that the film will be political and maybe a thriller.

The subtitle illustrates where the Film is set and it is set in the 1940s in Boston, and the mise-en-scene shows an urban setting under a railway line. Non-diegetic swing/ jazz music is being played.

Music in film is invariably designed to accompany the setting, the characters and basically what is seen on screen. From the music, the viewer can imply the time period and the setting. Music is very important in African American culture and we see this in the third scene when they go to the night club. The music and the night club scene are very similar to another autobiographical film, Ali. This

film is set in a similar time period and at the start of this film there is a nightclub scene where again cultural music is being played. The music in both films reveals an insight towards the viewer as it portrays the real culture which has been taken away from them. The music at the start is very light hearted and upbeat, this is a contrast to the American National anthem and the flashes of violence in the credit sequences shortly before. The night club scene is also noirish; it embraces low key lighting

and also uses many neon lights. The time period is very similar to Film Noir and so is the music, the film in the latter part of the 10 minutes also contains elements of noir.

The mise-en-scene of costume also typifies the genre. The opening 10 minutes is set in the 1940s and the costume is smart and colourful. Malcolm and his friends in the nightclub and in other scenes wear very bright and eye-catching clothes. These types of clothes were very popular amongst both races in America. The costume could highlight that inside Malcolm is unhappy but he still is ignorant towards his beliefs and dresses and goes out with the enemy but later in the film we know that his beliefs grow stronger and when he changes religion it is almost similar to a renaissance, (Re-birth)

As I have mentioned the film Malcolm X does contain many elements of noir because the time period is very similar. There are evident noir conventions in the opening of the film; neon lights, low key lighting, urban setting, the flashbacks and the Venetian blinds. There were neon lights in the streets and in the nightclub, there was low key lighting throughout most scenes for example: the lighting in the nightclub was very dark and there were dark contrasting shadows on the walls and in the streets. The gritty urban setting is noirish and this technique is also used in German Expressionism films. There were also flashbacks and voice overs but these conventions are more associated with the narrative which I will explain in the latter of the essay. One scene in the essay was very noirish, the scene following from Malcolm’s flashback, where his mother is in an office arguing about the death of her husband, the scene is in an office and the scene is in black and white, there is a detective, Venetian blinds are present, and there is Chiaroscuro lighting. This scene is very similar to the film Double Indemnity (1944)

The scene in the office is very similar to what Double Indemnity is all about. Malcolm’s mum is condemning the allegation that her husband killed himself when really he was murdered, and Double Indemnity is all about trying to deceit the legal system and the complete opposite is taking place in Malcolm X, where the legal system is trying to deceit Malcolm’s family because of the colour of their skin.

The narrative is a part of story telling and the narrative of a text is the way a story is told. The narrative

In Malcolm X in relation to the type of film it is has a non-linear narrative. The film includes voice overs and flashbacks. Autobiographical films are not necessarily going to have a linear narrative, in a persons life there isn’t a straight forward beginning, middle and end, it can be unpredictable. To the viewer watching who doesn’t know who Malcolm X is, the film contains flashbacks and voice overs to explain to the viewer who he was and what he stood for.

The Credit sequences showed the flag burning and the flashes of police brutality these features portrayed to the viewer what type of genre it is. From the credit sequences the viewer could suggest the film is about a political struggle and a political thriller.

The voice overs and flashbacks are purely aimed at explaining and visiting different events that took place in his life. In one scene when Spike lee’s character and Malcolm are in the park, the scene goes into a flashback and a voice over to explain some of the history about his family and the torture that he and his family received. The use of these features gives the viewer more background information to base their knowledge of his life on.

From the start the viewer can identify that the film is going to be about politics and religion. From this the viewer can predict possible events or twists that are yet to come. The flashes of police brutality

can suggest that violence of some sort will occur in the film. The American Flag and the national anthem suggest that the law will play a part in the film. From the genre conventions possible events can be predicted.

The whole film is about him being set free from being a slave and the overall narrative is very similar to the Shawshank Redemption. In this film, the prisoner is in prison for something he didn’t commit, and this is similar to how Malcolm felt, he felt he was a prisoner in his own country, both films are similar to the term Renaissance or rebirth, I mentioned this term before and it shows they are both longing to bet set free.

The Narrative generically is very similar to Ali and JFK. These two films are both autobiographical and very similar to each other. They are all set in a similar time period where America and politics are the main themes.

The film overall is very interesting to watch. In the opening 10 minutes the powerful and emotive credit sequences made the start of the film very eye catching and intriguing. The use of flashbacks and voice overs created meaning of the genre towards the viewers who didn’t know who Malcolm was. And the elements of Film Noir really highlighted the time and society that America was living in.

Saleem Deen

Word count = (1487)