Review What are three major technical methods by which to approach film? What distinguishes them? What distinguishes narrative from non-narrative film? What are some ways to approach non-narrative films?

Narrative: Culture and Change “The myths, beliefs, and practices preferred by a culture or group of cultures will find their way into those cultures’ narratives where they can be reinforced, criticized, or simply reproduced. It is possible to apprehend social change through changes in thematic or formal trends in narrative over time” (Turner 89).

Assertion Changes in narratives (and genres) reflect changes in society. What problems arise from this assertion?

Representation Representation is not necessarily an objective reflection. Representation may well be an expression of power and an ideological position. Ideological content demands the complicity of at least some who do not benefit from this power.

Dichotomy We are left with a dichotomy: Cultural objects reflect culture, often the dominant culture or widely accepted understanding of cultural reality (though sometimes in coded form). Reality is constructed, typically for the benefit of those already possessing power.

Narrative Types As we know from literature, narratives are typified by form and content. The basic questions lead to categories: plot, setting, character, audience, technique, and function. Genres create expectations (conventions) in the audience so that valid forms of narrative development as well as other factors, like costuming and dialogue, are accepted or rejected.

Turner on Genre “In film, genre is a system of codes, conventions, and visual styles which enables an audience to determine rapidly and with some complexity the kind of narrative they are viewing” (97). “In general, the function of genre is to make films comprehensible and more or less familiar” (97).

Genre Pathways “In [Metz’s] view, the genre evolves through a classic stage, to self-conscious parody of the classics, to a period where films contest the proposition that they are part of the genre, and finally to a critique of the genre itself” (Turner 100).

The Psychology of Genre Why do movie producers constantly make films in the same genre? Or, does genre have more to do with the audience’s decisions as consumers? Is there something basically satisfying about genres?

Generic Universality Are most genres universally understandable? Are there any film genres that we find only in Taiwan? Are there any genres that you know about, but which you do not understand very well?

Background: Stagecoach Director: John Ford Release date: 1939

Characters and Relationships The Ringo Kid (convict) Dallas (prostitute) Lucy (wife of Major Mallory) Doc Boone (doctor) Buck (sheriff) Curley (driver) Gatewood (banker) Hatfield (gambler) Peacock (salesman)

Dallas and the Ringo Kidd

Ringo

Doc Boone/Curley & Buck

Lucy/Hatfield

Peacock & Gatewood

Identifying Genre Segment: 0:00.00-1.00 Focus: music costuming setting characterization

Content 1. What information does the Cheyenne Indian give to the army? 2. What happens when they try to receive a message from another town? What danger does this represent? 3. Why are Doctor Boone and Dallas forced to leave the town? Who makes them leave? 4. Why do the other characters get on the stage? 5. Where is the stage going? 6. Why does the Ringo Kid want to get on the stage?

Content 7. Why won’t the army go with the stage to their destination? 8. Why are Ringo and Dallas left alone at the dinner table? 9. What happens to Mrs. Mallory at the town of Apache Wells? 10. Why does Hatfield intend to shoot Mrs. Mallory? 11. Why does the Ringo Kid want revenge?

Filmsite Segmentation The short prologue regarding the cavalry and the telegraph wires The 12-minute expository sequence in the town of Tonto, including the introduction of most of the characters and the establishment of their class distinctions The first leg of the trip on the stagecoach to Lordsburg The Dry Fork way station where the coach stops for food - includes the memorable dinner table scene

Filmsite Segmentation The second leg of the trip toward Apache Wells in the snow The Apache Wells (Mexican) outpost, where Lucy’s baby is born The final leg of the trip to Lordsburg, including the exciting Indian attack and the cavalry rescue The town of Lordsburg, where Ringo Kid faces the Plummers in a shoot-out

Prejudice Which characters are “respectable”? Which are “disrespectable”? What happens over the course of the journey to our understanding of these types? Where do the conflicts and prejudices lie between group members? Where do these feelings come from? Is there a critique implied in the film?

Expansion Moral/social marginalization (gamblers, prostitutes, criminals, drunks) Class marginalization (the worker) Distrust of business and finance (the banker) Race marginalization (non-whites) Gender marginalization (role of women) Cultural/linguistic marginalization (Spanish, absent Indian languages)

The Indians How are the Indians characterized or caricatured? What is the motivation behind the Indians’ attack? Is there any attempt to explain their attitudes? Why don’t we need such an explanation? Do they ever speak for themselves? segments: 1.45; 1:09

Microcosm Microcosm, a term borrowed from literature, refers to a relatively small group of people in a bounded setting who are supposed to represent society and social relationships generally. What might individual characters represent or symbolize?

Example and Limits The sheriff might represent law or the enforcement of law. Remember, though, that reducing each character to one function would be overly simplistic. The sheriff is also a moral force and a civilizing force who stands in for Ringo’s dead father (who was his friend) and who tries to dissuade Ringo from violence (the revenge killing). He wants to persuade Ringo to fulfill his social responsibilities (serving the rest of his prison term).

Relationships

Applications: Microcosm If we regard the group as a microcosm, the stagecoach is a sort of picture of society. Based on the previous question, we see that a society has certain types of people and certain institutions. What is missing from this picture of society? Ignoring for a moment the limited number of passengers that can be included in the stagecoach, why are certain elements missing?

Updating this Idea Who would you put in your modern stagecoach? I’m thinking specifically of a Taiwanese stagecoach.

Construction of Masculinity Ringo’s first appearance: 18.40 Final confrontation: 1:31

Stages/Types in the Western Classic western Revenge western Professional western [Parody]

Oppositions in the Classic Western hero/society vs. villains good vs. bad civilization vs. wilderness strong vs. weak inside society vs. outside society

Oppositions in the Professional Western hero vs. society outside society vs. inside society wilderness vs. civilization strong vs. weak good vs. bad