Sunday, 25 March 2012
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)
The Swedish film ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’, made in in 2009 was produced by the Swedish production company ‘Yellow Bird’. Directed by Niels Arden Opley; the film is based on the Swedish novel written by Steig Larson. The original name of the film was ‘Män som hatar kvinnor’, which translates into English as Men Who Hate Women. It is certified 18 in the UK because the film entails themes of sex and violence, drama, and nudity. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was nominated for fifteen awards and won five; one of those being ‘Best thriller’ by Empire awards.
Opley has used the beginning of the film to introduce both the main characters: Mikael and Lisbeth. He has chosen to use a series of short clips that cut between both the characters, to explain what is occurring in both of their lives at the current time. Opley has done this create anticipation amongst the audience, for when the two will finally meet in person. This is a generic convention of film making because it creates continuous suspense and causes curiosity.
One of the most sensational and gruesome sequences in the film is the scene that Lisbeth punishes her rapist for his actions; Opley has used a various number of different shots. Opley has also used generic low key lighting; this effect is associated with the noir thriller genre and its strong features in the Danish TV series ‘The Killing’.
It is also features in Animal Kingdom (2010) particularly when Pope carries the body of josh’s girlfriend into the darkness.
This effect is used to create a surreal atmosphere and a sense of nightmare. Niels has predominantly used close ups of the guardians tormented face to express his pain and terror.Opley has also purposely done this to emphasise LIsbeths landscape of revenge against her persectuers and to win the audience to her side; in a determined act of revenge, sexually tortures him and tattoo’s him with the words ‘I am a sadistic pig and rapist’
Tilt shots have also been used in this scene to convey to the audience Lisbeths fascist guardian is abusive and show his cowardice. Tilt shots are an iconic feature in The Third Man to connote, confusion and illusion. Niels Arden Opley has used generic worm’s eye shots of Lisbeth to create a sense of tension, fear and awe. He has also used them to show the audience how they would see Lisbeth if they were in the guardians shoes. It shows them that he feels delusional and confused.
This same shot is used in Sergio Leone’s ‘Once Upon a Time in America’ of Noodles standing over his beaten up friend. This positioning is used to position themselves with the victim. The worm’s eye shot is used to connote Lisbeth’s power as does the shot of Noodles, this extreme low camera angle also gives Lisbeth an iconic status. This shot also shows Lisbeths’ female dominance, as does the shot from Once Upon a Time in America which indicates Noodles and the dominant character in this film.
Shot of Noodles standing over his beaten up friend.
Dark, non-ambient lighting has been used to reflect Lisbeth’s facial expressions – they show no emotion, or sympathy for her guardian; she despises him. Although Opley has used shots showing the guardian in pain the audience do not sympathise or empathise with him due to his brutal rape of Lisbeth in an earlier scene. The audience also feel this way due to his misogyny corrupt, and has Nazi sympathies. When she tattoos ‘I am a sadistic pig and rapist’ on his upper torso; it shows she has total power. The audience empathise with Lisbeth and understand why she is committing these actions – the guardian and his fascist friends want to put her into a mental hospital and throw away the key. The actions within this scene reflect on the characters background, she is psychologically damaged and has had a troubled past; the extent of this is shown late in the film in a flashback that shows her as a child throwing petrol on her fathers’ face, lighting a match and setting him alight because he knocked her mother unconscious .
Opley has used irony throughout the film by showing Lisbeth lighting her cigarettes with a match rather than lighter – this shows that she feels no remorse for her actions. Lisbeth is the product of abuse; her father is a psychopath who nearly killed her mother.
The film consists of flash backs which allow the audience to relate to time and the disappearance of Anna. Lisbeth is an enigmatic character, we are not revealed a large amount her past, this dislocation indicates Lisbeth’s past will make the second film of the trilogy interesting- and arouses curiosity. Opley has used flashback technique to enable the audience to become more active as they are forced to try and unravel the mystery which Mikael and Lisbeth are trying to solve. It also gives the audience a change to engage with the character and use their imagination.
Action thriller films such as the Bond franchise, the Bourne franchise, Essex Boys, and Once Upon a Time in America are dominated by men, but this film places the computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander at the central of the action. This film can be intertextually referenced to the film ‘Femme Fatale’ made in 2002 which follows a con-woman as she helps to carry out a diamond robber. This can be related as they are both deviant. Lisbeth Salander is a computer hacker, but her purpose is to unmask corruption; she has a moral code. Laura within the film ‘Femme fatale’ is head strong and independent but more inclined to be deviant to gain money.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo can also be referenced with Kill Bill in the sense both women are independent and both are central of the action, are both independent and both seek revenge on men; unlike in the Godfather; a film where women are marginal and represented as wives. Both of their costumes are boyish and unfeminine which is unconventional for a femme fatale. This film can also be related to the film ‘Tomboys’ made in 2009 which follows a tomboy who is sexually abused and decides to seek revenge, the girl takes her rapist hostage. The difference is that Lisbeth is clever about it and uses evidence against her abusive guardian to avoid trouble with the law. Also Lisbeths costume; her piercings and punk style- is androgynous and doesn’t make no compromise to the whims of fashion. Her costume also connotes her sexual ambiguity in that she likes females but is also attracted to Mikael.
Deviant women reflect progress made by women in Western Europe. Lisbeth unlike Eve in ‘Once Upon a time in America’ has instinct to sense trouble. Eve is portrayed as a femme fatale, but very fragile. Lisbeth is shown as strong and un feminine in biker leather and boots.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo focuses on Sweden’s Nazi past. It shows an isolated country that is politically divided and still living in the shadows of Nazi sympathisers. The film sows a country that is divided into accordance to social class, High class is represented by the Vangers, they live in stately homes, are wealthy and have maids. Their family consists of Nazi members and their family in general does not get along. Gangs/ yobs represent the low class- they are similar to those associated with the UK (Hoodie) The low class are shown as selfish, drunken and abusive individuals that circle in a society or run down areas and rough apartment buildings. It is portrayed by Opley as a corrupt society – this is shown by the muggers in the train station and Lisbeth’s guardian. Racism and Xenophobia is a big issue In Sweden; not only in the film but in reality. It was revealed by the European Network against racism that Jews within the country were at the largest risk to threat and violence. This links in with the victims with Jewish names. Opley has purposely done this to reinforce reality. The weather is also represented negatively; it is either snowing or raining throughout the entire film. The snow poses a sense of beauty but also isolation it illumines the lighting. The snow in this film can be referenced to Fargo (1996) as that is set in the snow also. Snow can cover tracks, and because the film is set in such an isolated location on the island due to the fact there is only one way on and one way off- the bridge, and because it was closed, there was no way off of the island.
Opley has used pathetic fallacy in order to have an impact on the atmosphere of the film; the weather gives a sense of isolation and depressive nature. Sweden is one of the most equal countries towards women- but there is an ugly side explored by crime writers since immigration from eastern Europe after the fall of communism. Books such as the Wallander series by the writer Henning Mankel.
Films such as War horse and Hugo are dominated by males, but this film challenges the generic gender representations and shows the more contemporary view on women being independent and dominating. The Director has used a non-traditional ideology; and therefore has not used the representation of men being the better sex thus challenging convention of War Horse and Hugo. In this film it is Lisbeth that has more moral high ground and influence, Mikael is more vulnerable .Lisbeth is the heroine at the end of the film- typically the male is the hero- but Lisbeth saves Mikael. Lisbeth is represented as the contemporary femme fatale, her dress sense is black which signifies black and darkness; this could be a representation of her past. Lisbeth helps Mikael Bloomkvist solve the mystery which shows she does have some compassion for men who respect women.
Opley has predominantly shown the city at night, which represents it as glamorous but threatening to the audience. Shots of wet streets under street lamps also reference the films generic roots. These shots can be inter- textually referenced to Thelma and Louise when they escape from the car park scene, and also Once upon a Time in America, when Noodle’s has a flashback and shows his dead friends under blankets on the floor.
Throughout the entire film most of the men have something in common, sexist attitudes and violence towards women. The first man was Lisbeth’s guardian who used his authoritive power to enable him to steal her money and get what he desired – therefore he sexually violated her. All the people have attacked both Mikael and Lisbeth are men. Harriett’s brother and Father regularly raped her as a young child. Opley Is trying to indicate that abuse is a universal problem for all the progress in Sweden misogyny. Opley has set the film in modern society so that the audience can associate with the film, they can compare the corruption and the existing Nazi, racist views.
The island landscape that Opley has used is open, the woods is a generic location that enables the shooter to hide behind the trees without anyone seeing him. Just like a predator hides from prey until they attack. The isolated cabin in the middle of ice and snow is also a very generic location
DEMOGRAPHIC
The demographic showed that the film was rated 4.5 out of 5 and enjoyed more by females under the age of 18. This is due to the way Opley has portrayed Lisbeth, head strong and unique. He has also made sure to portray her as a woman that isn’t dependent on men. She is independent, and a strong role model. Lisbeth is represented not by gender by her actions, deeds and conscience. This film was also enjoyed by boys under the age of 18 due to the action within the film. This film is not targeted at a family audience , this is intentional due to the certificate 18. It is also popular amongst 18+ teenagers because they can identify with the main character Lisbeth. This film was targeted at a niche market, and niche audience- we can tell this due to the fact that it is in Swedish. Foreign language films usually have problems distributing in the UK, but the actors, script, director and cinematography helped this unique thriller gain universal recognition.
User Review: “ To see at Northern and mainly Scandinavian countries, as models of democracy, economic progress and social welfare, it’s quite surprising to see a modern Sweden stained with corruption and unscrupulous tycoons’’ I agree with this because it is set in a modern society, yet a great deal of corruption is present and noticeable.
A theme of fascism and lack of community is a feature of contemporary Scandinavia. In Crime fiction novels; for example the Wallander TV series and Danish TV series; The Killing. These writers fear Scandinavia will slip back into a past with inequality. The film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is warning Europe about the Nazi sympathisers.
Tarantino's use of the 'Ecstasy of Gold' in Kill Bill Vol 2 from the Finale of 'The Good the Bad and the Ugly'
Tarantino has made an inter- textual reference between Kill Bill and The Good the Bad and the Ugly in the landscape. Both the scenes use deserted landscapes which have few boundaries, these can also be inter- textually referenced to the landscapes within; The Assassination of Jesse James and Animal Kingdom. ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly’ is located within an isolated desert and briefly shows a graveyard in the film, In ‘Kill Bill Vol 2’ the bride is captured in an isolated location then taken to a graveyard later in order for Bill to bury her.
Both of these pictures, the top from (Animal Kingdom 2010) and the bottom from ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly’ establish location but also determines it to be threatening and dangerous. It suggests that there is no escape and no hiding place, no shelter or resources within miles. An injured individual would be lucky to survive such an injury with no shelter or nutrition.
Quentin Tarantino has very cleverly used an inter- textual reference to depict the Bride in Kill Bill as an iconic hero. Tarantino’s bride in Kill bill is called Bride, the ‘Good’ from ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly’ is called Blondie, this shows that they have similarities; they also share the trait of being clever and determined. This indicates to the audience that the bride is not going to give up, because Blondie never does. In the finale of ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly’ the ‘Bad’ dies, and is killed by the ‘Good’ Indicating to the audience that the Bride (The good) will defeat (The Bad) Bill at the end of the film.
Bud (The Ugly) from ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly’ is shown digging for money, Bill in Kill Bill is also shown digging but instead of digging for money he is digging a grave for the bride in order for him to bury her alive, Tarantino has also used this as a way of linking the characters from both films.
The pathological fear of being buried alive is called taphophobia; this originates from the Greek taphos; meaning grave. The thought of being buried alive for most; is a fate worse than death and an unthinkable nightmare which is why the scene in which the bride is sealed within a coffin underground is one of the most notable within the thriller genre. The bride is buried alive a wooden crate, creating an extremely claustrophobic atmosphere, and connotes death and entrapment. When the bride is buried the screen appears black; this is a technique Tarantino has used to heighten the atmosphere and tension amongst the audience. The audience are then able to hear the diegetic sound of mud falling onto the coffin, which then adds a large amount of suspense and realism; it also allows the audience to feel the horror and apprehension that the bride must feel.
Tarantino has used an inter-textual reference in Kill Bill by using Morricones soundtrack “Ecstasy of Gold” which is also used in Sergio Leones Film ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly’. When the soundtrack is used within Leones
Psycho (1960)
Title: Psycho (1960)
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Certificate: 15
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Certificate: 15
Psycho is a 1960’s American Thriller/ suspense film about a woman who is hiding at a motel after embezzling money from her employer. It is there she meets a man who is under the domination of his mother. The film is based on the Nobel by Robert Bloch by the same name.
The noir thriller starred Anthony Perkins, playing as the character of Norman Bates. The film connotes many generic aspects of the thriller genre, such as chiaroscuro lighting which is used in films to intensify the atmosphere. In this film the lighting is used to indicate the diversities of the film and Norman Bates’ character. Although the story begins to follow Marian Crane, Hitchcock has used hidden signifiers that link back to the madness of Norman Bates.
The Iconic Shower Scene
In the iconic shower scene of Psycho the first signifier of the thriller genre is the non-diegetic music which creates melancholic atmosphere amongst the audience, and helps them to build sympathy towards Marion Crane as she is shown alone sitting in her motel room writing figures and calculating, she then tears them up, and later puts them in the toilet; this implies that Marion is ‘flushing’ her hopes of survival away (down the drain). She is sat to a desk in an unglamorous room, which is dark and shadowed, which is how Hitchcock portrays her villainous character. This can be inter-textually referenced to ‘Essex Boys’ when we are introduced to Jason through the murky, dirty car windscreen and we see half of his body immerged into the shadows; which implied that Jason has ominous qualities.
In this famous Shower scene, Marion Crane is in a very vulnerable position, the audience are aware of what is happening; whereas she is unaware; this enables the audience to connect and sympathise with her. When Marion closes the door shut, she creates a generic claustrophobic environment which creates suspension – the audience can tell that within the confined space there is no way Marion can escape ; she is trapped. This can be inter-textually referenced to Witness, when Samuel is stuck in the small enclosed space in the toilet cubical. The confined space shrinks further when she removes her clothing (making her vulnerable) and draws the shower curtain. Hitchcock has used close ups of Marion’s feet as she enters the bath, and quickly and forcefully draws the curtain closed to imply that Marion is blocking out the world; and escaping the crimes she has committed and entering her own sense of self security. The way she traps herself in the shower indicates that she is trapped by her desperation. Hitchcock has perhaps used the shower curtain as a way of portraying the way that Marion is separated from reality.
When she turns on the shower the diegetic sound of the water running dominates the mise-en-scene, it also creates a sense of realism allowing the audience to relate to how naïve and unsuspecting she is. Hitchcock has used various angles and close ups of Marion’s head in order for the audience to see her emotions and allow the audience to relate to Marion. The ‘Worms eye view’ shot of the shower head is used to make the water seem menacing and consuming – this connotes danger, but also make the audience think that Marion is small, and very vulnerable at this point. Marion is having an affair with a married man and has stolen $40,000 of his money, therefore fitting the traditional conventions of a femme fatale; her deviance has sealed her fate; and the audience are aware of this.
Norman Bates murders Marion; his last name indicates that he is someone that preys and ‘baits’ on other people. His character also keeps stuffed birds; this can be related to Marion Crane because her surname is a bird. Hitchcock has used irony to connote that Marion might become part of his collection- which happens.
The camera angle cuts to a medium establishing shot of the Marion and the shower curtain, which
reveals to the audience a silhouette. The camera angle does not change, but the silhouette becomes closer to the shower curtain, Marion is oblivious and unsuspecting, the audience can see that she is not safe however; and this is because Alfred Hitchcock has used dramatic irony in this scene of the film. The tension and suspense builds as the audience are forced to realise that the figure has aggressive intent as well as questioning amongst themselves who’s silhouette it is. The speed of the diegetic sound increases as the murderer comes closer to the curtain- this allowed the audience to foresee what will happen without the use of dialogue. The use of black and white film is very effective in this scene- as it reflects the mood of the scene and allows the dark silhouette to appear sinister and evil against the white shower curtain; the darkness also creates a strong connotation in relation to death and darkness.
When the mysterious figure draws back the shower curtain the shots are short and are no longer than a few seconds; Hitchcock has done this purposely to show how brutal the stabbings are. Each shot would shock the audience. A 1960’s audience would differ dramatically from a modern day audience; the audience of Psycho in the 1960’s would have perhaps not seen film so vicious and brutal. The diegetic sound heightens the tension amongst the audience, the music is loud and abrupt, which shocks the audience. The diegetic sounds of knife stabbings are also apparent, as Hitchcock has made the murder so brutal that it is not just one stab; it is the repetitive stabbing of This sound also puts the audience on edge- because it is not a pleasant sound to the ears; It was Hitchcock’s intention as it makes the audience aware of how unpleasant the murder is. Marion until the camera slowly pans to a shot of the bath which then follows the flowing water stained with blood streaming towards the plug hole; this shocks the audience because it indicates just how brutal the murder was. Marion is a classic victim as she lacks survival skills and an ability to defend herself, she is also passive- therefore she was an easy target to Norman Bates.
After the stabbing, the camera cuts to a shot of Marion’s hand- the bent fingers highlight Marion’s desperation to hold on, but she is slipping away.
After the shot of Marion’s hand Hitchcock uses a camera shot of Marion sliding against the wall with the her up trying to grab the shower curtain; the use of this type of shot connotes death and desperation. This shot signifies how Marion is trying to grasp on to life, but not succeeding.
When Marion is dead on the floor, Hitchcock has used a close up of her face and eye that looks straight into the camera and at the audience. This allows the audience to relate to her, and see that she died in pain. Marion also looks like she has a tear in the corner of her eye, which shows her fear. The camera slowly pans away to the newspaper, and the audience are then shown that the mystery is being continued.
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