Movie Analysis - Representation - Casino Royale Trailer (2006)

The brief for this task was to analyse a thriller, movie trailer for aspects of representation; specifically, taking into account Marxist and Feminist view points. We presented our analyses to our class in pairs or groups. The trailer my partner and I analysed was Casino Royale (2006).

Casino Royale is one of the newest films in the critically acclaimed James Bond franchise. It's IMDB synopsis is as follows:

'In his first mission, James Bond must stop Le Chiffre, a banker to the world's terrorist organizations, from winning a high-stakes poker tournament at Casino Royale in Montenegro.'

Casino Royale conveys female characters in two polarised ways; satisfying feminist viewers to an extent, by representing one main, female character as a very powerful, responsible woman (M) and the other is objectified and shown to be weak (Vesper Lynd). While this does represent females as powerful yet not superior, the lack of feminism is highlighted by the ever in control and powerful main, male character, James Bond himself.

M is the dominant female, being MI6's leader and who is ultimately in control of Britain's well-being and safety. Thriller films do not usually represent women in this manner as the stereotypical representation is a helpless, vulnerable, 'damsel in distress', character. Vesper Lynd, as aforementioned, polarises this as, while she is in control of Bond's funding and with money comes power, often she is shown to be weak and reliant on men such as Bond throughout the film and trailer. She is the stereotypical 'Bond Girl' which has come to be iconographic of the franchise and holds with it some negative connotations. The word 'Bond' as a prefix to 'Girl' implies ownership or, more relevantly, power. In addition, the word 'Girl', always used to describe a beautiful, adult woman, connotes immaturity, vulnerability and adult/male dependencies which goes against the Feminist view point. Lynd begins life as a Bond Girl presenting a powerful front, though as she becomes more involved and is overpowered by Bond's life, her power decreases and her vulnerability is shown.

The Male representation further contends Feminist views; Bond is, at the outset of the trailer, shown in Black and White. This desaturation conveys the darkness and coldness of Bond's emotions, or lack of thereof, juxtaposing the weaker females who do express their emotions, "it doesn't bother you killing all those people?" This quotation is taken from Vesper Lynd. Her questioning conveys a softer, more sensitive side which is, in this film, represented as a weakness. Once again, feminist views are opposed by Bond's demand of "get the girl out"; his straight forward, imperative tone implies an imbalance of power and male dependency through the ulterior noun 'girl' as opposed to 'woman' or her actual name. 

Alternatively, it is inferred that women can bring out softer sides of Males shown by the quote, "Has our girl melted your heart yet?" Foremostly, it is conveyed that Women are the only people who can affect and break a mans tough, outer-shell; however, it can be interpreted that this implies women's use is for Males.

Marxism plays a part with the antagonist, Le Chiffre's, objectives. His struggle to overthrow the terrorist leader after him, is very reminiscent of the Marxist, revolution based ideology which involves the lower classes revolting and overcoming the upper, more powerful, classes. This struggle, though, relies on the catalyst, the Poker game. As Poker is a game of luck with little winning strategy amongst good players, Le Chiffre's struggles is symbolised as based on luck and hope, much like original Marxist plans. Much the same, Bond faces his own struggle against Le Chiffre, attempting to thwart his own Marxist based plans. The struggle is more importantly for the millions Le Chiffre plans to affect, and not his own life, so it is arguably more appealing to Marxist viewers. 

As an underlying factor to these Marxist plots, a more relevant struggle is present. This involves the lower class rebels attempting to revolt against their government for higher status and equality; very close to the original Marxist plans.

In conclusion, Marxism and Feminism are huge representations in Casino Royale, represented through many different subplots, for instance, feminism is accounted for both with views that comply and subvert it with characters who are strong and powerful and also those that are weak and vulnerable. Marxism is represented by Le Chiffre's struggle, but most importantly Bond's own battle against the World's most dangerous criminals.

Advert Analysis - iPhone 4

iPhone 4

This is the advert for the iPhone 4 where Apple forms the ideology that the iPhone was a revolutionary phone and it is always up to Apple to 'set the bar' for quality in phones.

Original Advert

Analysed Advert

Dominant Reading - iPhone is revolutionary, useful product and is superior to all other phones on the market.

Oppositional Reading - iPhone is merely a money making product; not made to satisfy consumers with features no other phone has. Almost feminist view that the iPhone is represented as the only option and due to it's commercial backing, over shadows most phone manufacturers and reduces sales.

Advert Analysis - Lynx

Lynx Advert

This advert is a recent campaign by Lynx deodorant, which plays on Prince Harry's recent scandal in Vegas. It implies that the reason Harry was so attractive to the women he spent the holiday with was because he used lynx deodorant. 

Original Advert

Analysed Advert

Dominant Reading - Funny; having fun; not serious and only a laugh.

Oppositional Reading - inappropriate; not funny.

Feminism and Marxism

Feminism

Feminism is the ideology and constant effort of establishing and maintaining equal political, economic, educational and social rights for women. It also applies for equal opportunities in employment. Feminist theory examines women’s social roles to understand gender equality and thus use the understanding to establish a greater equality between genders. Ethnically specific and multi-culturist forms of feminism are more recent creations as early feminism was middle-class and Caucasian specific. Feminist campaigns have been highly effective in recent times, most recognisably, contraception and abortion now being more accessible to a larger demographic. Other successful campaigns since the dawn of feminism include woman’s suffrage and equal pay for women. Feminism not only adheres to women’s rights; due to its definition being the ideology of gender equality, most Feminists also agree that males should be protected from sexism and discrimination in the same way.

Marxism

Marxism embodies the theories and ideologies of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, most specifically those that concern the Communist Manifesto. Marxism works towards a Communist future, achieved by revolution. Marx was critical of the opposing ideology of Capitalism. In Marxism, the belief is held that the revolution can only work in an industrialised society, where the working class overthrows the ruling class, theoretically abolishing classes and creating absolute equality. Lennin later revised the theory when it became apparent that the lower class could not overthrow the ruling class by adding ‘professional revolutionaries’. This small group would be the fighting force of overthrowing the rulers and fighting for the revolution both before and after a successful revolution. Marxism interprets history by correlating the evolution of society with the evolution of its economic characteristics. This is known as historical materialism. Marxism believes that the human race began at ‘primitive communism’ featuring no forms of ownership in a non-hierarchical society. The second period saw the introduction of slaves, where a social class was formed. Thirdly, more defined classes formed with a small percentage being aristocrats at the top of a forming hierarchy and the remaining, larger percentage being peasants at the bottom. Marxism describes the final stage as a capitalist society; a small group of machine-owners have the resounding majority of wealth, leaving very little for the much larger group of workers. This is where the future period is described, suggesting a communist society with shared ownership of all and equality between those who would earlier be categorized into classes. Revolution was seen as the only solution for a Communist future as the majority of upper, richer classes could never be persuaded to willingly give up their privileges. The publishing of the Communist Manifesto saw small up rises and revolutionary attempts in Capitalist societies, though little was achieved. 

Movie Analysis - The Happening

When I analyse Movie on this blog I will be doing so focusing on representation, Camera work, editing, sound and Mise-en-scene. On some analyses, I will include two versions of the trailer or film clip; one as the raw footage and another with the notes and analysis as an overlay to give them context.

This analysis is on M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening (2008):

• Camera Work
• A two shot is used to clearly show the change of facial expression from passive to one of worry. It also establishes the close relationship between the male and female protagonists by the placing of Wahlberg's hand on Deschanel's arm.
  (0:06)
• Shot/Reverse shot is used again to emphasise the close up emotions of the involved characters. In addition, the rapid and quick nature of Shot/Reverse shot builds tension and provokes worry.
  (0:21)
• Editing
• The editor has used abrupt cuts to solid black to symbolise fear, pain and imminent death.
  (0:14)
• As previously mentioned, the rapid editing of Shot/Reverse shot is used to build tension.
  (0:21)
• Sound
• Diegetic train sound can be heard at the opening of the trailer which not only reveals the setting, but signifies something that is oncoming much like a warning. It could be symbolising the imminent outbreak.
  (0:00)
• Sound Bridging can be heard soon after the opening scene where the sound of one piece of footage lays over the previous scene before we see it. This helps to 'knit' the scenes together and include a lot of information and statistics which ultimately evokes confusion and attentiveness.
  (0:34)
• The repeated bell throughout the middle of the trailer holds connotations of drones and warnings which signifies a 'running out of time' ideology.
  (0:44)
• Alongside this is the non-diegetic inclusion of heavy breathing and a faint heart beat, foreshadowing danger and evil.
• (1:00)
• The soundtrack to the trailer is very parallel and synchronised with the video; the mood is always reflected as the same which is conventional of sound in the genre. An example is where the soundtrack builds to a crescendo, the cuts become more rapid and as the crescendo is introduced the footage slows down before a quick shock cut.
• (1:59)
• Mise-En-Scene
• The facial expressions of the characters as the train stops and as they depart are ones of worry and confusion which evokes these same feelings in the audience; creating suspense which is conventional.
  (0:10)
• Shyamalan uses a cliched effect of splicing news reports together which works well to enforce the Global amplitude of the problem.
  (1:13)
• Representation
• The film seems to contain the stereotypical, weak and helpless, blonde female character who is not significant to the story as typically is the case in Thriller's.
  (0:51)
• Female's, as a whole, in the trailer are less powerful as Males are always the people in authority and those explaining matters whereas the Females rely on the Males to protect them, "I'm scared, Elliot."
  (1:10)

Trailer with Analysis overlay: