Focus on How Narrative and genre features Create Meaning and
The genre is revealed straight away for the audience with the opening shot of the title in red and the non-diagetic scream. Narrative is used in scream in many ways; firstly it does not follow the classic Hollywood structure of Equilibrium - Disruption - Return to equilibrium. It has a linear discourse and so promotes the actual experience of being in the film for the audience rather than a non-linear discourse, which would suggest the telling of a story for example. The genre is introduced also in the next sequence of shots by introducing the character. A pretty, blonde and wealthy American TEENAGER. This is very important these are all classic horror slasher genre codes. The sound bridge of the phone ringing draws in the audience. The phone is also another genre code. It is often used in slasher films as the prospect that someone can hear what's going on but cant see, know or help is very disturbing. It is also the way of getting help police friends or neighbors so it is seen as something safe handy and useful to have in your home but the most important aspect of the use of the phone in slasher genres is that nearly everyone in the audience will have one. This helps generate a re
The popcorn is also used because the lightest room in the house is the kitchen, this shows it is safe but when the popcorn sets alight the kitchen gets smoky and chaos is emphasized. When there's a knock at the door she asks whose there the effect of this is the killer phoning her again. The sequence of events develops quite rapidly in this first scene. The music can be described as contrapuntal or parallel as it is parallel to the disturbing, tragic events, which have just taken place, but it also doesn't fit with the half serious lighthearted horror that has been consistent to teen slasher horrors. There are points which provoke the audience to suggest that the protagonist wouldn't make certain decisions in real life that she makes in the film this also puts the audience in the protagonists situation builds the tension even more and encourages the audience to get lost into the film. This also shows how Bobby had control over the conversation in the first couple of phone calls but then the Antagonist has control, as she can't hang up. I think is to draw in the audience and provide a quick adrenaline rush from the tension, which is built leading up, to the chase and then the kill. Bobby stops to look at dead boyfriends body and this helps the antagonists catch up and catch her which results in the antagonist stabbing the victim in the throat. Lastly the victim still has the phone in her hand which sets up the sequence of her parents hearing her die down the phone. Which also mean she can't call for her parents help. The narrative mood derives from normal/happy to heightening of tension during chase then suddenly very disturbing when parents come home and this is emphasized with the use of music. Genre is used to create meaning by the emphasis on the teenage rebellion and the results of irresponsible teenagers. This directly means she cant phone the police for help as the killer has told her not to hang up and she doesn't want to make the situation any worse and aggravate the antagonist When Bobby is asked the question that will result in her boyfriend living or dying it creates dramatic incitement for the audience and when she gets the answer wrong the effect is she's alone as her boyfriend is dead. Although the protagonist doesn't provoke the antagonist an extreme amount, an adult would have maybe controlled the situation differently which is emphasized later on in the film when Sidney (a responsible, mature teenager) is in the same position as Bobby but comes out alive.
Common topics in this essay:
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,
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