Chapter 2

An Approach to Film Analysis

I.    Variations

    A.    Ordinary Filmgoer

    B.    Reviewer (critic)

    C.    Film Scholar

II.    Audience Expectations

        A.    All Viewers Bring Them

        B.    Often Attend Because of Them

 III.    Expectations and Modes of Organization

        A.    Narrative

                1.    Cause and Effect Storytelling

                2.    Present Characters Who Overcome Obstacles in Attempt to Achieve Goals

        B.    Documentary

                1.    Can be Narrative, but Usually Real-World Events

                2.    Can be Objective and Cause Viewers to Think

                3.    Can Use Pathos to Persuade Audiences

                4.    Can Persuade Without Taking Sides (Winged Migration)

        C.    Avant-garde

                1.    Move Farther Away from Narrative Conventions

                2.     Explore Artistic Capabilities of Film Medium

                        a.    Composition

                        b.    Editing

                        c.    Sound

        D.    Expectations about Genres, Stars and Directors

                1.    Most Films Satisfy Some but Not All Expectations

                        a.   Could Bore Them (James Bond)

                2.    Star System

IV.    Detail

        A.    Motifs

        B.    Parallels

V.    Historical Events and Cultural Attitudes

        A.     Stars as References (Pacino in Dick Tracy)

        B.     Public Figures and Celebrities as References (Orin Hatch in Traffic)

        C.    Intertextual References (Notorious)