The film shawshank redemption is about a banker called Andy(Tim robbert) who was convicted of murdering his wife and her lover.He was sentences for life at shawshank state prison.Andy isolates him self from the crowd knowing that he is a prey for the other inmates a gang called the sisters regularly assault Andy.Later on Andy is accompany by “red” (Morgan Freeman) who is highly respected by most in the state prison.Red and Andy have a bond red supplies Andy with a small hammer and other things.As this a prison genre we see harsh reality of the prison life and have a in sight view.In the film we see Andy’s trails and tribulation which the warden (Bob gunton) makes much hard for him.The ward who believes that discipline and religion can lead the inmate to salvation which he uses to bully and manipulate them.He preaches from the bible but yet ignore himself.Red respects Andy for his determination and because of this they both seek freedom and that’s what the get at this stage we see the love and brotherhood they share.
The simplest a way for a producer to attract an audience is by having
- posters
- Adverts
- trailers
- print advertisement.
- billboards
However I think the best way is by a poster and trailer this is because a poster gives away the genre of he film which will attract the audience it also give away the directors name so the audience will recognise the type of movie he or she makes.I also think trailer because a trailer is about 2 or 3 minute long you get a good view on what is going to happen in the film and you can discover your what kind of genre it is. For example I watch a trailer and it has fast cars high tempo music and its dramatic it will appeal to certain target audiences who like action film.
The attraction of seeing a film from a particular genre is that the audiences know what to expect.For example a comedy genre connect with the audiences through entertaining stories,characters and laughter which is up lifting and cheer full.Due to this they know it is targeted to a particular audiences and will not loss money because of it. Another reason why audiences are attracted of seeing a particular genre could be a director who associates with genre like comedy such as Dennis dugan, Nicholas Stoller and Todd Phillips who created films like Big Daddy,Step Brothers,Get him to Greek, and The hangover.It also could be they may like a particular actor or actress who is associate with the comedy genre such as Adam sandler,will Ferrell,Zac galifianakis, and Anna fairs.
Hybrid means a combing of two different elements .However in film meaning a mixture of two different genres such as ‘Beetlejucie’ which is a good example as it has a mixture of horror and comedy.Another hybrid film is The tourist played by Angelina jollie and Johnny deep which has a mixture o Romance and action.
The prison Genre
Here is a listed below of films that I associate with the Prison genre
Set it off (1996)
First Time felon (1997)
The shawshank redemption (1994)
Green mile (1999 )
The boy in striped pajamas (2008)
The movies that I have selected are not all prison films.However have the conventions of a prison genre for example they may have some type of authority over powering them making life harder which makes them a prisoner in their own world.
The code and conventions.
when looking at a prison genre what comes to mind is the code and conventions.
Here is the code and conventions of a prison genre.
- a bullied inmate
- some one commits suicide
- the prison is usually located isolated from the rest of the world in the middle of no where
- fights among the inmates
- The protagonist is targeted
- corrupted system for example the officers are working alongside inmates
- secret dealings
- the story line is sometime slow pace
- Revenge
- an escape from the prison
- some times racial separation between the inmates
Mise en scene-The shawshank redemption
Towards the end of the film red is walking a long the beautiful country side with empty fields were Andy had told him to go.This scene is very significant as it symbolises reds freedom.In most parts of the film we see red in a dim lifeless prison where everything is mostly grey and very dark colours which gives a sense of hopelessness.and no meaning to life.
The props used in this scene is the letter that Andy had written,Tin box,Envelop,the money in the envelop,plastic bag and The big rocks.
The costume in the scene is reds clothing as he is the only one in the scene.Red clothing are very simple he is wearing a white shirt,a hat a tie brown trousers,black shoes and a suite jacket .
The body language /facial expression of red in this scene seems like red is siting comfortable leading his back against the rocks,his facial expression when he see the money in the envelope before reading the letter seems a bit confused and he also looks around to see it anyone is looking so this suggest that he is a bit scared and also shows that he is curious were the money had came from.
The lighting in this scene is bright and vibrant also with the slight sunlight suggest and symoblises a fresh start at life from a dark hopeless prison to a place were you can have peace and be on the path to freedom.
The camera shot that been used in this scene are close ups to see reds facial expressions also establishing shot has been used to see the location and the surrounding that red is in.
Characters
Andy-starts of being sentences to life in prison.We follow Andy in to his prison life.We see his trails and tribulations that occurs.he isolates him self from the other inmates and is often abused .because of this Andy has lost faith and hope his character develops when he meets red another inmate who later on over the years become good friends.Red in a senses helps Andy see the light at the end of the tunnel were Andy used his circumstances to his own advantage to escape from the prison and seek freedom.
Red(Ellis Boyd)-We see red in the prison who was convicted of murdering someone but no one knows who it is.He is respected in the state prison.’he is the guy who gets stuff ‘ which he helps his good friend Andy towards his freedom.During his time in shawshank he has also lost hope of a outside life However later on inspired by Andy determination and hope is restored and also wants to seek his own freedom.with a helping hand from Andy when he is releases he joins Andy were can build a better life together.
Prison officer-The antagonist of the film along side the warden bully,abuse and manipulate the inmates.The prison office is corrupted he beats up the inmates by doing the littlest thing but this is because he carries out instructions by the warden.The prison office starts to change when Andy sees a opportunity to help the prison officer with his finical problem form then he is open to hear what Andy has to say.
Narrative
The narrative of Shawshank redemption is linear as it has a set up,conflicted and reticulation to the film. At the beginning Andy the protagonist of the film is convicted to life in prion for killing his wife and her lover.He gets bullied,abused,harass by the antagonist of film the ward,the officer and the gang called the sisters because of this Andy distances him self away from the other inmates.
Conflicted -He later on Andy realises he is a innocent man at this stage we as a audiences have empathy for him.Later starts to become good friends with red.Red is the “guy who gets stuff” in which he helps Andy.Years go by and Andy gets older but in some senses wiser he is also has more determination and hope about his outside life .The warden comes to his regular room inspection and notice that Andy is not there.suddenly he notice something on the wall against the poster he rips the poster and see a tunnel that Andy has been building for years.
Resolution-Andy escapes. At the moment we are delighted that Andy has escape he is now a free man with all the struggle in the prison was all worth it because he can finally be at peace and start his new life with his friend red.
Themes of Shwashank Redemption
In shawshank redemption the are many themes such as Hope,Religion,Friendship,isolation and corruption.However in my opinion I think hope is a significant in this film.This is because the power of hope helps Andy through his prison life.At one point of the film he was explaining his hopes and dreams and what he is going to do when he gets out red responds negatively that ‘hope can drive a man insane’ but Andy replays “hope is a good thing”.This indicates that Andy had hope and no matter what people had to say he still had have faith.His faith at the end help him with out hope and determination Andy would had not escape from prison,with hope his dreams can now come true he can now finally be free at last and can live a life of peace with red.
The Magdalene sisters
The Magdalene sisters (2002 film) is about young Irish women in the Magdalene asylum in the 1960s and 1970s .The women were sent to theses roman catholic institution for various acts because of this had to serve doing laundries and other services.
The Magdalene sisters-Mise en scene .
In this scene we see the group women stripped naked lined up next to each other being laughed at and mocked by the nuns.The nuns laugh at the different type of body’s the women have at this point as an audiences we empathises with them and could not imagine the humiliation they must had felt.
The props that have been used in this scene is crispinas saint Christopher necklace and also the nuns cross necklace.
The costumes in this scene is very little but when the women are putting back there clothes on wee see brown shirt,blue dungarees, underwear,socks,shoes,the nuns dressing gown.
Body language/farcical expression-The body language of the women they look very uncountable hands by their sides looking around nervously hoping the antagonist nuns do not pick of them.The women facial expression look very sad,embarrassed and scared.However the nuns facial expression suggest that they are happy and proud of taken advantage of theses women and putting them in a venerable state knowing that they can not do anything about it.
The lighting of this scene is dull and dark which symbolizes the wicked and evil twisted ways run by the nuns in the institution.
The camera shot that has been used is a close up on the nuns wickedly laughing and on the women facial expressions.A mid long shot also been used the see the women in the state that they are in as an audiences see the pain humiliation that they are going through .
Characters
Margret-who was raped by her cousin at a family wedding in shock after the incident tells a friend who tells her father at this point her father who looked mortified and disgusted .The next day Margret is sent away into a black car unaware of were she is going.Her father who believes that she caused the rape to happen and thinks she could be a danger to society. when at the institution she minds her own business and gets on with the work .But later one is almost the mother of the group looking after crispina and guiding her.she is later free by her brother who comes and gets her.
Bernadette-who lives in an orphanages “st Attractas Ophanage” who is sent to the laundry because she was harmlessly flirting with boys.As the film develops Bernadette is desperate to escape. later does try but is caught in the act and is harsh punished by sister Bridget.However this does not stop her she gains more confident and is determining to not spend the rest of her life in the institution so her and rose seek freedom together.
Rose-who had sex out of wedlock which was consider a taboo and shame at that time period became pregnant and had a baby boy.As this was too much for her father to handle he ordered for the child to be put up for adoption.she is sent to the laundry room for her sins.As the film develops she also wants to be free and also seeks freedom with Bernadette
Crispina-who is in the laundry because she also had a child out of wedlock .Crispina is mentally unstable who is obedient to almost anything the nuns say.She is easily taken advantage of throughout the film the only thing that keeps her going is the visits she gets form her sister and son and her saint Christopher.As the film develops crispinas conditions gets worrying she loses her st Christopher necklaces and attempts to commit suicide lucky saved by margret.As she is easily taken advantage of she is taken advantage of by the priest who uses crispina for his sexual desires who she later realises is not a man of god’ which she shouts repeatedly because of what she did she is was taken in to a mental asylum.
Nuns-who are the antagonist of the film just like the warden in shawshank redemption the nuns uses the power of religion to abuses and manipulate the girls.They say laundry will lead them to salvation and they must pay for their sins.They brutally abused the girls and have no mercy towards them.
Narrative
The narrative of The Magdalena sister is linear with a set up conflict and resolution.The set up beginning when we are introduces to the 3 protagonists and see their stories.They are sent to institution were we are introduces to sister Bridget who you could say is the head of the nuns.she explains to girls why their there and says they have to pay for their sins in the laundry which will lead them to salvation she quick puts them to work were they are doing laundry or other work This is were we meet crispina who is another protagonist of the film.
Conflicted-As time goes by the girls in the institution mind there own business and just want to get on with work . However the girls are continuously bullied and abused by the nuns and have to power to stop them.The girls create a bond and try to help each other and to make due with the situation they have.However Bernadette can not take it anymore and is desperate to escape which she convinces rose to do so as well.
Resolution– Bernadette and rose plot there escape.They go into sisters Bridget’s office looking for the key when suddenly they are caught in the act.However not give up without a fight the they push and shove each other till sister Bridget gives up.They run out of the institution and find help to go there separate ways finally able to be free.
Themes of Magdalene sisters
Just like shawshank redemption ,the Magdalene sisters themes is very similar by they fact the both focus on hope,religion and friendship ,lost of identity and corruption.However I think religion is a significant part in the film.Just like the warden in shawshank redemption the nuns uses religion to manipulate and bully the women.The nuns in the institution are hypocrites saying the women have to cleanse there sins and do right by god.However not doing the same by abusing and punishing theses women which I think they do not have the right to do.The saying “love thy neighbor” which is within the bible is clearly not what they are doing to help theses women and clearly going against the word of God. The priest who is suppose to lead by example takes advantage of crispina in a sexually way,crispina did not think of it as abuse but sadly later notices and indicates ” that he is not a man of God”.At this point as an audience we feel sorry.
Conclusion
Filmmakers keep an audiences interested in seeing a genre film by following the codes of conventions of a particular genre for example a horror genre some of the code of conventions would be someone surviving till the end or could be someone working along side the killer etc.Another reason why some one would be interested seeing a particular genre may be of a actress or actor that usually in seen in that genre. Moreover film makers can also keep and audiences interested by having fascinating story lines that go well with the genre they are working on.Also if they had successful films in the past for that genre then I think they should carry on what they are comfortable with.
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