Textual Analysis

Zoe's Thriller Film Textual Analysis!
Denotation and Connotation in 3 different Thriller films

The Mummy

	Denotation	Connotation
Mise- en- scene	The Tombs – Dark Setting	Where action will take place. Very dark and mysterious.
Sound	Narration -The History Heard sword go into body	Suspense on how the story began. You can hear what is happening and figure out what is going on without seeing it.
Characters	Man and Woman Woman not properly clothed Empire – Angry with man and woman relationship	In love – who the story is about. Woman used as sex object. Going to cause trouble – cause conflict so the tension could build.
Editing	Man gets sword out, Empire on the floor but isn’t shown anything	The editing is done so that you know what has happened. Your mind makes up the missing section to the action.
Props	Fire Sword	Not much light. Not good resource of light. Fire could represent burnt ashes/death – flames fading away. Weapon/ self - defense
Camera Angles	Over The Shoulder	See the man’s expression but don’t see the Empires reaction until next shot. Keeps the audiences focus on what is going on.
Storyline	Man kills Empire because he wants to date his daughter.	It could represent some fathers being protective over their daughters. Also it keeps your focus on why they wanted to kill him. Was it because he was interfering and always angry about it or because they didn’t want him to know a secret? Builds tension and could make the audience think about a different side to why they killed the Empire.
Lighting	Dark – Fire as light source	Makes the atmosphere mysterious because it slightly dark. By using Fire it could be a sign for something like death or flames for anger. It could create a dramatic effect like if someone blew out a candle.

Master and Commander

	Denotation	Connotation
Mise- en- scene	Sea – Ship Colour – faded blue and black Big/Posh Bedroom Narration/Subtitles – Time it was set	Middle of nowhere – who will find you if you are in danger. Very dark – mysterious what could be out there? Captain is very wealthy he can afford luxury. Someone could want revenge because he acts like royalty. During the war or conflict – describes a little more on what happens.
Props	Ship – one boat Time Counter Telescope	Sailing solo –one small crew – Think there could be no danger in the middle of the ocean. Someone mysterious – just see a hand – counting when to attack. See who is around that could be attacking. Helps sailor see further away.
Characters	Captain Workers	Control workers and what they have to do. Captain is shown a lot – story is about them. Take orders to make the ship work and be acceptable for the Captain’s standards. Are very important to the ship because they do vary jobs so ship is clean and moving.
Sound	Alarm Another ship horn	Something could be coming towards the ship to attack. Or it could be to get the workers to work faster and harder. Something/someone is coming but you can’t see them so it will be a secret and surprise attack where they come from.
Lighting	Lamp Lighting Sunlight	Shows elegance and luxury that you can have electricity and posh lamps on a ship. Shows everything in the room – good light source. The only light source for workers. Could represent the hours the workers work on the ship and how hard they have to work during daylight hours.
Storyline	War Conflict between two ships/captains	Captain abandoned from his ship, workers injured, ship destroyed. Builds tension on who wins the war and what the consequences are after a war. It could effect an audiences emotions feeling the captains pain and sorrow. Could cause more trouble. Could leave with devastation of a just war and tension builds between two characters so tension builds with a audience they can feel the tension in the atmosphere.
Camera Angles	Very High Angle Shot	Shows setting – the sea and what is around the area – one boat/ship
Editing	High angle shot, into the luxury bedroom	Shows two different views of the ship. One view could be that it is a little ship and it does mean much because it isn’t that big. The other could be that it is a valuable ship and it means a lot to somebody because it has been build elegantly and with care.

Psycho

	Denotation	Connotation
Mise- en- scene	Busy City Apartment Empty Motel	Could be where action will take place but could be too busy and public so someone could get away. Also shows day to day life in a city atmosphere. A city apartment that could be middle class, so suitable price for the working class. Where the action will take place because there is no one near by to hear anything.
Sound	City Noise-Cars, Police, Laughter, Conflict	Shows day to day routine for work and city life. Could show the annoying part of being in the city.
Characters	Blonde Woman- Marion Crane Boyfriend Motel Owner – Norman Bates	Victim. Usually use stereotypes because they are usually known as innocent and prime victims because blondes are classed as dumb. Hitchcock follow these stereotypes with Marion going into a empty motel alone, which isn’t a clever thing to do. They also break this stereotype because she was smart enough to not to use her real name if the police came to search for her. But was it smart… Very typical guy that works but has to pay for other bills and household resources. But relies on Marion to do what she is told and she is used as needs/sex object. Mysterious, seems very shy. Could be the murderer but seems very kind like a ‘mummy’s boy’.
Props	Money Two sets of keys	Could represent the working class don’t get paid enough and they want to be able to spend money on things they really need. Mystery on why there is a copy on the key for room one. Could show that something has always happened in room one.
Lighting	Daylight Signposts	Shows what city life is like during working hours. How the city looks with people working in their own environment. Bright colours to tell you where you. Also it isn’t a lot of light source where you can’t see every detail on where you are.
Editing	A view of the motel land with big house behind with car pulling into car park, Marion getting out the car	Shows some time has past. Also you don’t want to see all the detail on how Marion walks into the motel. Shows you how empty it is and why it could be empty ‘Big, Scary House’
Storyline	Marion steals work money to help her boyfriend and she goes to an empty motel. Marion is killed by ‘Mrs. Bates’. Norman Bates is controlled by his dead mother’s brain.	Shows woman misbehaving and not being traditional role models. Also woman helping her boyfriend. Mrs. Bates doesn’t like her son with other women so she wants to get rid of them. This creates suspense because the story has a massive twist at the end because the audience would think that she is alive.
Camera Angles	Close-Up – Norman Bates expression when he picks up the keys on apartment one.	Creates suspense because his expression is very mischievous. It creates suspense because you think that Norman Bates would be the murderer until the shower scene when it shows a woman. At the end the audience would know that there prediction was right but it had a huge twist to cause the dramatic effect.

12/10/10

Francesca's Thriller Films Textual Analysis!

Analysis – Matrix

	Denotation	Connotation
Camera angle	Medium close up Wide shot Close up   Over the shoulder	To see the surroundings and also to see the emotion, it creates tension.  To show the scene and what is happening around them. To show the emotion on her face, as she is dyeing, she is in pain. It looks on as the man can see the woman falling to her death
Editing	Cuts on different slides Zoom out See the inside of the build then the view, then her falling out the window Slow motion on the fight scene	To see all the action, both sides. It establishes the street view, where they are. To show the blanks, you can fill the blanks. So you don’t miss any of the action, so the audience and following everything that is happening.
Sound	Sharp, high pitched Gun shots	Creates tension. You known that there is a fight without seeing the guns.
Story lines	Woman getting shot	Shock and pressure of the bullet on her body.
Mise-en-scene	Most of the scenes are green, the rooms and places are tinted green.	The colour green represents the matrix.
Lighting	Dark and Shadows Fire, brightness	Eerie and feelings of that this scene is not normal The heat and the jeopardy the scene is at this time are dangerous.

Analysis – Along came a spider

	Denotation	Connotation
Camera angles	Mid close up 　 Close up 　 Over the shoulder	To see the surroundings, this is in a dark forest place. To show the discomfort of the woman as his hand is on her leg. It looks on as the man is looking at the distressed woman.
Editing	Quick cuts from the van , then the car 　 　 Two repetitive scenes	To see all the action, see what’s happing in both, the van with the Detectives and in the car with the girl and the serial killer.To show the blanks, you can fill the blanks. So you don’t miss any of the action, so the audience and following everything that is happening.
Sound	Spooky, high pitched Talking – can’t see them	Creates tension. Creates mystery
Story lines	Serial killer driving a car with a girl	He is asking a lot of questions, creates mystery and suspense
Mise-en-scene
Lighting	Dark lightening, Night lightening Natural lighting/ artificial lighting	Eerie, dark, mysterious Only resource of light, merely any light there, could be unpredictable.

Analysis - Kill Bill

	Denotation	Connotation
Camera angles	Side of someone’s face -silhouette Mid close up 　 Shot of the two and background 　 Shot of the house	In a coffin 　 Show the woman being tortured and her surroundings (the floor). Shows two different stories – the fight against the two women and the little girl coming home from school. The house is the setting where the fight is set
Editing	Quick cuts Face then to someone’s feet walking towards the person	To see all the action. Creates more tension
Sound	Sounds of someone panicking Footsteps coming closer and closer	Creates mystery of who is it, and risk or danger. Creates mystery and tension.
Story lines	Someone people tortured and injured Revenge fight Two women stop fighting as a little girl comes home 　 　 Women at wedding, getting beaten up, covered in cuts and blood	Creates mystery and suspense as who has hurt this woman. Why did the fight happen before, Creates mystery. It's a story you wouldnt expect to see these to women to be fighting in the setting they are, which has toys in the front garden. Creates the seeting of hurt and sorrow for the woman.
Mise-en-scene	Flash backs	The colour changed to red, which represents anger. The picture is faded, like its a vision.
Lighting	Dark, shadows Natural lighting	Daunting and dangerous Daylight and natural

                           

Zoe's Analysing Film Language - The Sixth Sense

	Denotation	Connotation
Setting	House – Cellar/Wine Room Big, Posh House Bedroom	Scary, Cold and maybe even haunted. Family are very wealthy, Have well paid jobs. Big dramatic scene takes place. Where the story begins.
Lighting	Very dark – one faded light bulb Bright Bathroom – Dark Bedroom	Mysterious – what could be in the darkness that isn’t shown. What is watching the woman through the darkness? Contrast – dark and light. The bright light stands out it catches your attention. The light could represent the patients mind – blinding and shock.
Sound	Slow and dramatic music	Creates a calm feeling but slit tension with sharp and high notes
Characters	Married Couple – Man and women Mad Man – Patient Young Boy	Who the story is about. Up to no good – disturbed – causes the trouble. Another patient – can see man as a ghost and other disturbed ghosts.
Camera Angles	Close – up: -          Woman’s face -          Patient’s Face Side – view: -          Woman and ‘her’shadow.	Show her emotions about where she is.  Upset and scared. Shows how disturbed and angry he is. Why would you look at your own shadow in a deserted cellar?
Editing	Man with gun to his head – camera moves so you can’t see him just a wall.	You know what is going to happen. Your mind tells you the missing puzzle.
Props	Wine Bottle Light Bulb – faded Gun	Celebration, having a good time. Mysterious – can’t get much light resource. Weapon
Story/Events	Man (psychologist) gets shot by a patient Think man survived shooting – on his next case the young boy	Man didn’t help him, he wants revenge. The man tries to help the young boy with his psychological problem with him seeing ghosts Twist – man is dead, soul come back as a ghost. Gives the audience more suspense and shock because you thought he was alive through the whole film.

     
 Francesca's Analysing Film Language - The Sixth Sense

	Denotation	Connotation
Setting	Basment Front room Hall Way Bedroom	Cold and something might happen to this character. cosy and warm, relaxing. looks into the front room and also looks like somone is watching them. This is where the drama happens.
Lighting	faded light bulb Dark Bedroom but bright light in the bathroom	Mysterious and creates tention and suspence. The light in the bathroom draws attention. also makes the bedroom feel eerie.
Sound	Creepy, eerie	Creates a mysterious atmosphere, also could realte to something superstitious.
Characters	Man and women Mad Man	its all about these too people. which create the sense of danger, as they seem to live a normal enviroment. Makes the story more abnormal. a troubled man who needs help creates a sense of worry and creepy.
Camera Angles	Close – up Medium close-up	Show her emotions about where she is, and what she is doing. this gives a snese of isolation. looks like someone is watching them from a differernt room.
Props	Wine Bottle Light Bulb Gun	Celebrating something Mysterious Weapon
Story/Events	Man gets Shot/Killed	could be revenge

This is the opening clip of The Sixth Sense : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7yisJGI0Lg