Vodcast 3: Narrative exposition

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED + WHAT I CAN APPLY

This is my vodcast, in which I am commenting on narrative of different horror genres.

"In this vodcast I will be covering some of the key aspects of narrative and analyse, which of my 5 genre specific movies they can be applied too.
As you can see on my blog, there are four key theories in media. Propp's character archetypes, Todorov's narrative formula, Strauss' concept of binary oppositions and Barthes concept of the narrative enigma.

Barthes concept of the narrative enigma can be applied to the movie "Insidious". In this film, there is both an enigma code and an action code.
The enigma code is there, since the lighting and the darkness in the boy's room at the beginning of the film refers to mystery and makes the audience want to know more about the boy and that particular house. The action code, on the other hand, is there, because there are elements of action due to the sudden non-diegetic thriller music, but also the sudden appearance of a ghost or mystical human being with a candle lit in front of him/her.

A good example of a movie that Todorov's narrative formula can be applied to, is "The Cabin in the Woods". In this movie, we are introduced to the main character's on a bright and sunny day. The friends are laughing with each other and due to this, the audience can state that there is an equilibrium, showing us that all is well. In most horror films, there is always an equilibrium and after a short period of time, there is a disruption of the equilibrium. However, we also know that it rarely happens that a horror movie ends well and therefore there is often no reinstatement of the equilibrium.
You can also apply Todorov's narrative formula to the movie "Poltergeist". For this movie, there is also established an equilibrium immediately, since the first main character's we meet are driving around in their car looking for their new house that they are about to move into.

Strauss' concept of binary oppositions, can be applied to the film "The Cabin in the Woods". In this film, all is well and good in the opening scene. However, all of a sudden, the title of the movie appears on screen in a big red font with a non-diegetic music. So in this case, there is a binary opposition, since the first minute we are introduced to the main characters and everything is well and the next minute the audience is being warned that something is about to happen because of this big red title.