Brit-flick Kick Ass top US box office

Why it is deemed a Brit-Flick?

Kick Ass is deemed to be a Brit-flick because it is directed by a British director, Matthew Vaughn, and the main character is played by a British actor, Aaron Johnson, however, most actors starred in the film is from the USA. Which explains why the British film topped the USA box office, because it encourages more of the US audiences to watch the film, as well as UK audience because the main character is played by a British actor, which means that it appeals to both the US and UK audience to watch the film. I think that it is Aaron Johnson's first comedy/comic based film, which doesn't show any evidence of any attraction to his star persona because in his other recent film, Chat Room (Thriller/Drama) he plays a role of a antagonist.

Kick Ass is also successful because, Matthew Vaughn, who co-produce the film with Brad Pitt, who is is ranked third as one of the most bankable stars.

How is it Marketed?

The film is marketed through horizontal integration/digital distribution/synergy/promotion, for example the games is released on the apple platforms (i phone, i phone touch) and soon would be released on the play station platform. I think that this way of marketing is effective because most of their target audiences would be teenagers because it is originally based on a comic books. The game also features on face book, which is an example of viral marketing/web 2.0.

The film is also marketed through the use of advertisements, for example the are official trailers, which is an example of digital distribution and posters.

Publicity, it received mostly positive reviews, which is important for a film because it effects whether the audience wants to watch it or not.

Who distributed the film?

Universal studios, is one of the six major companies in American movie studios, which explains why Kick Ass seems more like a US film than a UK film.

Year 12 film Studies essay question

How does Todorov and propps Narrative theories apply to the two film texts you have studied?

The two films that I have studied includes London to Brighton and Bullet Boy. They both are similar because the films conforms to the propps Narrative and Todorov theory, for example in London to Brighton our main character, Kelly is represented as a hero seeker/protagonist/victim, this is most evident when Kelly decides to safe and escape to Brighton with Joanne, who is represented as a princess. This conforms to the propps narrative theory because Kelly is represented as a conventional hero. A conventional hero from the propps theory defines that the role of a the hero is to safe and protect the princess and to go on a quest, this is denoted when she escapes to Brighton with Joanne.

In Bullet Boy, our main character Rickey is represented as a hero, this is most evident when Ricky received a gun from Wisdom, who represented as a doner in the scene. This conforms to the propps narrative theory because Rickey is represented as a conventional hero, a conventional hero is defined as having to react with the doner, which means that a hero receives an item in order to complete their quest.This is denoted when Rickey receives a gun to help Wisdom to get his revenge. However on the other hand, you could also argue that Rickey do not conform to the propps theory because a conventional hero plays the main part in the attempt to repair. In the film Rickey does not try to resolve the issues of crime, this is denoted when he agrees to help Wisdom in his revenge (never ending cycle of crime). Even though Rickey may not be conventional, Curtis, on the other hand could be identified as a conventional hero, which conforms to the propp theory, this could be denoted when Curtis decided to break the cycle of crime by deposing the gun in the river at the end. This conforms to the propp theory because it a conventional hero is to attempt to repair.

In London to Brighton, Kelly our main Protagonist conforms to the propp theory, for example when she hook up on some men (doner) on the streets to make money to escape to Brighton. This conforms to the propp theory because the role as a hero is defined as having the react to the doner in order to complete her quest. In the scene, there was a use of long shot of her in the streets, which signifies that it is just the beginning of her quest and the purpose the long shot is to also to reveal the time of day and location. Within the long shot I could denote the dark lighting (low key lighting), which connotes that evilness has already invaded.

Write six PEE's on how locations are important in which you have studied?

Locations of a film is important because it reveals to the audiences to what the genre of the story could be. For instance, in Bullet Boy the opening scene was when we denote Ricky in a cell/prison, which immediately connotes to the audiences that the film is based on crime. The use of the prison location also helps the audiences to understand more about Rickey as a character, for example it connotes to the audiences that he commited some crime which represents that he is a deliquent.

There was a scene when there was a establishing shots of the estates and other tall buildings in Bullet Boy, this tells the audiences that it is based in a urbanized area.The purpose of this is to give a sense of realism and normality, this conforms to the conventions of a social realism film because the audience could relate to the film (uses of gratification: personal identity) on realism.

Location is important because it helps explore the themes and issues of the films, for instance in Bullet Boy, there was a scene where we denote Rickey's and Curtis bedroom. Within the bedroom, was a bunk bed and is covered in blue plain bed sheets. The idea of having a bunk bed connotes that they both share a cramped room, which signifies that they live in a small house (limited rooms)and the plain blue bed sheets signifies that they live in poverty because they don't have the excess money to buy a change of fancy bed sheets.

In the same scene, it explores the theme and issues of poverty, for example there was no source of electronic devices, such as a laptop or a computer in the room, this signifies poverty because having no computers or laptops means their is no access to internet, which in society is measured as being relatively poor. This connotes to the audiences that our main protagonist is represented as having struggle in life, financially, which conforms to the conventions of a social realism film because this allows the audiences to relate/identify similar issues that they struggle in life.

There is another scene which explores the theme and issues, for example in the scene when Rio and Curtis was in the park. The park is very spacious and bleak, which represents the theme boredom, which leads to crime. At the same time it conforms to the conventions of a thriller film because the park is isolated, which creates tension and it also makes the Curtis and Rio seem vulnerable in the environment, which also conforms to a thriller genre because children's are often represented as being a victim in a thriller film.

Exam practice question

What have you found interesting in the representation of gender in the film you have studied?

The representation of gender is represented through the use of digetic dialogue, for instance in the scene when Aileen was in a job interview, she was enraged and shouted "F**** you" to the interviewer because she did not get the job, this insinuates that she has a aggressive personality, which subverts the conventions/stereo type a female because a female is conventionally socialized as being more gentle and calm. In contrast to the male interviewer he is represented as being more formal and is successful in society, this could be demonstrated through the mis en scene, for example he was wearing a black suit, this signifies that he is serious and in control. In this film most male characters are always represented as a being more dominate, as you could see from the interview scene the male has more authority over Aileen, which is also a example of binary opposites because the differences in personality.

The representation is of gender is represented through the editing, for instance at the job interview there is a long take/close up of Aileen, while the voice of the male interviewer runs over to the shot, which is an example of a sound motif. The purpose of using a long take and the sound motif together, was to reveal Aileen's change of emotions/reactions to what the interviewer says, this signifies that she is inferior because the close up reveals to the spectators that she is not in control, which conforms to the conventions/stereo type of women because women's are often represented as being very emotional.

The representation of gender is represented through the use of sound motif, for example at the job interview scene, where I denote a close up shot of Aileen and I could hear the interviewer diegetic dialogue at the same time, this signifies that the male interviewer as being omnipotent, which represents gender because it demonstrates that males are dominant.

The representation of gender is also represented through the use of cinematography, for instance at the beginning of the opening scene, I could denote a over the shoulder shot of her point of view, where she is clearly isolated/distance from the crowd of males. This signifies to the audiences, that Aileen is more dominant within the shot, however we could argue that she is inferior in contrast to the males because the males are within their groups, where as Aileen is on her own. This demonstrates the the representation of gender because it signifies that males are more dominant over females.

The representation of gender is represented through the use of digetic dialogue, for example during the interview scene the male job interviewer states 'Basically, you have no experience, no college degree, no resume and no work history, in fact and now you you would like to be a lawyer'. From this quote, this signifies

The representation of gender is represented through cinematography, for example there was a long shot of Aileen walking down the street, this signifies that she is vulnerable and inferior because she is alone, this represents gender because females are conventionally represented as being weak and needy.

The representation of gender is represented through the us of dialogue, for instance when Aileen was in the car with the police man, the police man states 'A day off? and what is a day off for a whore, you go to church or something?', this signifies that he is insulting her which is not appropriate for a police man because it is part of a police man duty to protect citizens and to set a good role model, which insinuates that the police men's are corrupted and represented negatively.

The representation of gender is also represented through the use of digetic dialogue, for instance the police man commanded Aileen to 'climb over', the seat, inside coming through the doors, this connotes that he is using his authority over her to give her orders, this represent the gender because it connotes that male has more authority over female. At the same time the police is took the advantage of Aileen, through his authority connotes that females are represented as a sex object.

How does 'Monster' conforms to the conventions of a thriller film?

How does the film ‘Monster’, conforms the conventions of a typical thriller film?

The narration of the film is used to represent the conventions of a typical thriller film, for instance at the beginning of the film it started off with flash backs of our protagonist’s past and than we see the her sitting in the rain with a gun in her hand (non-linear), this conforms to the conventions of a typical thriller film because it makes the audience questions on what she is doing? This is an example of a enigma code and through this narration, restricted narrative was also created which also create a sense of enigma. However as the story proceeds the structure of the film changes to linear narration, which conforms to the conventions of a thriller film because it creates a sense of normality.

At the beginning of the film, I denoted a close up shot of a gun, this signifies violence and crime which conforms to the conventions of a thriller film because it a gun is a iconography of a thriller film and the use of close up shot signifies the importance of the gun and it fore shadows that it may lead the protagonist to her down fall. This conforms to the conventions of a thriller film because as a audience we are seeing from the main character perspective (restricted narration) and at the same time we are having less knowledge than our main character creates a sense of mystery. However, we could argue that this subverts the conventions of a typical thriller film because as the story progress we reveal that she our protagonist is actually a criminal, which means that we are seeing from a criminal perspective, which subverts the conventions because there are less sense of investigations.

The mis en scene was used to represent the conventions of the thriller genre, for example in the same scene I denote the protagonist in the rain, this signifies that the protagonist is vulnerable and most importantly she is all alone, which conforms to the conventions of a thriller film because a female is always stereo-typed as being weak and is always represented as a victim, which conforms to the conventions of a typical thriller film because it makes the audiences feel tension and suspense because it is dangerous for a girl to be alone.

Mis en scene was used to represent the conventions of a typical thriller film, for example the first scene was set in a pub at night, this signifies that there maybe some shady business going on in this scene (hints to the audiences that it maybe a crime thriller) and that it reflects on the dangers of night life, this conforms to the conventions of a thriller film because in a typical thriller film the mise en scene creates a sense of normality because it is located in a urban area and the fact that low key lighting are used it creates tension.

Mis en scene was used to represent the conventions of typical thriller film, for example when the protagonist drove off with her clients in a forest, this conforms to the conventions of a typical thriller film because the remote area signifies the danger and that there is no way of escape, especially when a girl is weak against a men (stereo-type), this creates tension, which is a convention of thriller film. When the client was violent against the protagonist it created a sense of action and through the violence it also created tension and suspense. However, when the protagonist shot and killed the client this created a red herring because it has mislead the audience that the protagonist was going to die. Most importantly when she shot the client there was a long shot and the car door was covering the victims body, which created theatre of the mind, which is a conventions of a thriller film.

Themes and issues represented in London to Brighton

THEMES AND ISSUES IN LONDON TO BRIGHTON:

Crimes:

Child prostitution/Prostitution

Gangsters

Violence against women’s

Revenge

Street rules

Betrayal

Most of the issues that are listed above are mainly negative, for instance revenge, is represented through Stewart, who wants to willing to kill someone in order to pay the price for the death of his father so that he could maintain his reputation (this could also be linked to the theme ‘street rules’), which is a negative thing because revenge could only spawn new hate and revenge.

In this film, it has also reflected on how negatively women’s are represented through the film, for example the idea of our main character, Kelly, who is a prostitute demonstrates that women’s in London is viewed as sex objects. Women’s are also represented negatively in this film because there are events of violence against women’s, for example Kelly was brutally beaten by some male gangsters (The bruise on her face is evidence), this stereo types women’s as being weak and vulnerable.

London to Brighton Trailer

In this trailer, it demonstrates the issues of illegal activities, which involves gang members due to poverty, for instance in the scene I denoted Joanne begging at a train station, this shows that she is living in poverty. At the same time there is a scene where I denoted Joanne smoking with Kelly, when Kelly was asking questions about her. This is an example of illegal activity(drugs)because Joanne is still under age to smoke cigarettes, this signifies that she is under a lot of stress for a young age. The idea that both main characters are both females insinuates that females are most vulnerable living in poverty, for example in the trailer, there was a scene which shows Joanne talking to a man, who said that he would pay her £100 if she is willing to see a man (child prostitution), this proves that the issues of living in poverty drives people into doing crimes for money.