Friday 25 October 2013
Friday 18 October 2013
Monday 14 October 2013
V for Vendetta, in depth analysis
What significant examples are there of gender roles (mother, father, strength/power) in the characters?
- Sutler resembles a father figure in to the people of London: When he's voted as chancellor, Sutler leads the people into a new era which involves/leads to fascist ideas. He enforces his ideas, legislations and discipline to society and his Norsefire flag/symbol is in every household, building and posters of his quotes are plastered all over the city. Sutler is both metaphorically and physically the head of every household. A curfew is given to the people of London by Chancellor Sutler, just as a concerned parent would set boundaries for their children. If his orders or rules are disobeyed by any persons, they are black-bagged which is Sutler's extreme version of "punishment".
-V is portrayed as a father figure to Evey: Since rescuing her from being raped by Fingermen, V has protected Evey and sheltered her. Throughout the film he is determined to teach Evey his views and ideologies on how the world should be. He tries to convince her to do what's "right" ie going against the government and embracing her individuality. Although V tortured her in the mock-prison he created, he only did those things for her benefit and because he cared about her; taking on characteristics of being a father figure by teaching her how to "open her eyes".
-Delia (the coroner) is a mother figure to V: At Larkhill detention center, Delia was the main participant in V's re-birth and is held accountable for his outcome. In a way, she created and nurtured him until it was his time to leave the detention center which was his surrogate home. With her being the only visible female participant in V's creation, Delia is burdened with being a motherly figure to V.
-Evey becomes a mother figure to society: When Evey pulls the lever that releases the bombs into parliament, she instantaneously stimulates the dawn of a new era and leads the people into freedom. As the old, fascist, and immoral ideas are being blown up, a sense of individuality and freedom are being restored. Also, the train going into the tunnel can be interpreted as phallic/yonic imagery which creates a more visual effect of Evey stimulating the re-birth of this generation.
Do the characters use or challenge Stock Characters of the genre and how does it create meaning/symbolism?
-Evey's stock character is the "girl next door" which is a role she fulfills for the majority of the film. She starts off as an attractive, naive, vulnerable female which contributes to the stereotype of her genre and stock character. But as she is captured, put in the mock-prison and has her hair shaved, she no longer conforms to the delicate stereotype of a female. She becomes empowered, stronger, fearless and completely abandons all stereotypical traits of the "girl next door", creating symbolic messages that she's rid herself of her femininity.
-Delia's stock character is the "mad scientist" who made a large contribution at Larkhill detention center and created V into the vigilante that he is. Thinking she was just following orders and not doing any harm, her experiment had spiraled out of control. In this way, she conforms to the stereotypical "mad scientist" but also challenges the role of this stock character by having sympathy and compassion for V. As he kills her, she apologizes for what she did to him, demonstrating she isn't completely ruthless.
Why does the film need to create "Verisimilitude" or genre realism (conspiracy, superpowers, revolution) to get across its message?
-In V for Vendetta, conspiracy theories are used to let the public know how easily they can be manipulated by their governments and how the idea of "change" can get out of hand. With the government inflicting diseases on their own people and the constant use of propaganda, conspiracy is portrayed as a negative thing. When V uses conspiracies to bring down the government and start a revolution, the audience sees this as a positive thing because the story is told in a way that makes us side with the terrorist vigilante that is V.
Thursday 10 October 2013
Class notes - Tuesday 8th October 2013
Stock Characters in V for Vendetta
Girl next door = Evey
Mad scientist = Delia
Town Bullies = Fingermen, Creedy and the Voice of London
Whiskey Priest = the Bishop
Hardboiled Detective = Finch
Representation in V for Vendetta
-In the beginning of the film, Evey conforms to the female stereotype of being fragile, long-haired, attractive and vulnerable, but when she gets kidnapped, put in the mock-prison and has her hair shaved, she takes on masculine characteristics. She no longer cares what people do to her and refuses to show her emotions
-V is a male character with feminine traits; a long haired wig, a mask with make-up and has hobbies that include music and dancing.
-Marxism; the media is biased and the people of society don't question propaganda. Becuase people are so social obedient, V takes advantage of this power and manipulates the people with his broadcasting message
-People are "banned" from having their own identity
-The masks in the final scene make everyone gender neutral. When parliament is blown up and the people take off their masks, it's a representation that they're taking off the garment that unites them all and makes them alike. In taking off the masks, they're revealing their own identity and finally having the freedom to be their own individual person - no longer enslaved to conform to right wing ideas and regulations.
Pro-creation - the fatherland
-Fatherhood, pro-creation and fascism are re-occurring themes in V for Vendetta
-Example: the experimentation at Larkhill detention center, the government were trying to create the "perfect race". Links to Eugenics in Nazi Germany
-Example: chancellor is on every television and his Norsefire flag/symbol is in every home - people look up to him. Link to the Tsar in Russia being a father figure for the people
-Chancellor Sutler plays a fatherly figure to London; leading them into a new era (fascism), giving them orders and discipline and metaphorically (and physically via the "emergency channel") being the head of every household
-V plays a fatherly figure to Evey throughout the film.
Girl next door = Evey
Mad scientist = Delia
Town Bullies = Fingermen, Creedy and the Voice of London
Whiskey Priest = the Bishop
Hardboiled Detective = Finch
Representation in V for Vendetta
-In the beginning of the film, Evey conforms to the female stereotype of being fragile, long-haired, attractive and vulnerable, but when she gets kidnapped, put in the mock-prison and has her hair shaved, she takes on masculine characteristics. She no longer cares what people do to her and refuses to show her emotions
-V is a male character with feminine traits; a long haired wig, a mask with make-up and has hobbies that include music and dancing.
-Marxism; the media is biased and the people of society don't question propaganda. Becuase people are so social obedient, V takes advantage of this power and manipulates the people with his broadcasting message
-People are "banned" from having their own identity
-The masks in the final scene make everyone gender neutral. When parliament is blown up and the people take off their masks, it's a representation that they're taking off the garment that unites them all and makes them alike. In taking off the masks, they're revealing their own identity and finally having the freedom to be their own individual person - no longer enslaved to conform to right wing ideas and regulations.
Pro-creation - the fatherland
-Fatherhood, pro-creation and fascism are re-occurring themes in V for Vendetta
-Example: the experimentation at Larkhill detention center, the government were trying to create the "perfect race". Links to Eugenics in Nazi Germany
-Example: chancellor is on every television and his Norsefire flag/symbol is in every home - people look up to him. Link to the Tsar in Russia being a father figure for the people
-Chancellor Sutler plays a fatherly figure to London; leading them into a new era (fascism), giving them orders and discipline and metaphorically (and physically via the "emergency channel") being the head of every household
-V plays a fatherly figure to Evey throughout the film.
Sunday 6 October 2013
Class notes - Tuesday 1st October 2013
-Religion is one of the main themes in V for Vendetta. "Strength through unity, unity through faith". The director/writer wants to get across the message the "religion is corrupt and it's being used to obtain power and manipulate the people of society"
-Norsefire = name of the government in V for Vendetta
-Examples of fascism = detention center at Larkhill/ chancellor Sutler rises to power
-The ends justify the means "It is acceptable to use violence in the name of freedom"
-Are governments just as bad as terrorists?
-One man's terrorist could be another man's freedom fighter
-Is religion used for social control?
Modern fears of totalitarianism
-Plays with themes of media manipulation, government surveillance and "religious hypocrisy"
-The government inflicted a disease on a primary school and almost immediately invented a cure - creating the idea that the government is all powerful and has intentions to "help the people". In a way, this act is of both propaganda and terrorism; the government creates a problem just so they can be able to solve it
-The people of London in V for Vendetta are completely controlled by their government - social slavery
-Fear, domination and a constant climb for power
-Fascism links with Nazi Germany
Class notes - Friday 27th September 2013
MACRO analysis involves
-messages
-narrative
-themes
-genre
-style
-representation
V for Vendetta opening scene - Themes
-Oppression
-Accusations of hate
-Discrimination
Location
-Shows theatrical elements which fit V's personality.
-Evey is in her bedroom, an intimate location which clearly presents her as the classic damsel in distress
Representation
-The split screen used in editing could show that they're mirroring each other
-Both putting on a "mask". They both have to put on disguises in order to survive in the world they're living in
-V has a lot of low-angles, suggesting he's dominant, powerful and significant
-Evey has loads of high angles, an inferior character
-Half of Evey's face is shown in most of the shots to show that the audience is only shown half of her character
-The dominoes towards the end are all connected to V's plan; cause and effect. Each problems causes another - chain reaction of chaos
-messages
-narrative
-themes
-genre
-style
-representation
V for Vendetta opening scene - Themes
-Oppression
-Accusations of hate
-Discrimination
Location
-Shows theatrical elements which fit V's personality.
-Evey is in her bedroom, an intimate location which clearly presents her as the classic damsel in distress
Representation
-The split screen used in editing could show that they're mirroring each other
-Both putting on a "mask". They both have to put on disguises in order to survive in the world they're living in
-V has a lot of low-angles, suggesting he's dominant, powerful and significant
-Evey has loads of high angles, an inferior character
-Half of Evey's face is shown in most of the shots to show that the audience is only shown half of her character
-The dominoes towards the end are all connected to V's plan; cause and effect. Each problems causes another - chain reaction of chaos
Friday 4 October 2013
V for Vendetta - Thesis Statement
In the dystopian film titled "V for Vendetta", there are themes of fascism that help convey the message that the people of society should not allow their government to take control of their lives. Dictatorship and media manipulation are heavily used in this film to display how individual can be taken away and send society into a state of oppression. Conspiracy theories related Guy Fawkes and the 9/11 attacks are referenced to send a message of both revenge and a revolution.
Media Manipulation
-Opinions of the government are forced upon the people
-Scene: the "Voice of London" at the beginning of the film
-Analysis: Targets certain minorities of people (muslims, immigrants, homosexuals). Displays the one-track way of thinking and offensive opinions
-Message of media manipulation: people aren't allowed to have their own opinions
Oppression
-Lack of identity and being disallowed to express themselves
-Scene: Dietrich's secret life
-Analysis: He has to hide his sexual identity because homosexuality is banned - he is an oppressed individual
-Message of oppression: identity is the main thing (aside from freedom) that the people have been stripped from, resulting in hiding their lives
Conspiracies
-V uses terrorism to send a message to both the people of London and it's government
-Scene: V blowing up the Old Bailey
-Analysis: the building was a symbol of justice, which was seen as hypocrisy in V's eyes. He wants the people to join him in a revolution. "People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people"
-Messages of conspiracies: violence can be justified if it's in the name of freedom
Fascism
-Dictatorship, totalitarianism and censorship are all Nazi-like qualities that have been adopted by the current government in V for Vendetta
-Scene: the victims at Larkhill Detention Centre
-Analysis: the "perfect race" was trying to be created, refusing to accept individuals for who they are
-Messages of fascism: Dictatorship can get to such extreme lengths that people become persecuted for being themselves in a society that neglects acceptance
Conclusion
Media manipulation, oppression, conspiracies and fascism are used to convey the message that people should cling to the freedom and individuality they have and not let the government have total control of their every move. The character V was portrayed to be a symbol of revolution who'd release the people from oppression, further supporting the belief that freedom needs to be fought for, even if extreme lengths have to be endured.
Media Manipulation
-Opinions of the government are forced upon the people
-Scene: the "Voice of London" at the beginning of the film
-Analysis: Targets certain minorities of people (muslims, immigrants, homosexuals). Displays the one-track way of thinking and offensive opinions
-Message of media manipulation: people aren't allowed to have their own opinions
Oppression
-Lack of identity and being disallowed to express themselves
-Scene: Dietrich's secret life
-Analysis: He has to hide his sexual identity because homosexuality is banned - he is an oppressed individual
-Message of oppression: identity is the main thing (aside from freedom) that the people have been stripped from, resulting in hiding their lives
Conspiracies
-V uses terrorism to send a message to both the people of London and it's government
-Scene: V blowing up the Old Bailey
-Analysis: the building was a symbol of justice, which was seen as hypocrisy in V's eyes. He wants the people to join him in a revolution. "People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people"
-Messages of conspiracies: violence can be justified if it's in the name of freedom
Fascism
-Dictatorship, totalitarianism and censorship are all Nazi-like qualities that have been adopted by the current government in V for Vendetta
-Scene: the victims at Larkhill Detention Centre
-Analysis: the "perfect race" was trying to be created, refusing to accept individuals for who they are
-Messages of fascism: Dictatorship can get to such extreme lengths that people become persecuted for being themselves in a society that neglects acceptance
Conclusion
Media manipulation, oppression, conspiracies and fascism are used to convey the message that people should cling to the freedom and individuality they have and not let the government have total control of their every move. The character V was portrayed to be a symbol of revolution who'd release the people from oppression, further supporting the belief that freedom needs to be fought for, even if extreme lengths have to be endured.
Tuesday 1 October 2013
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