'Loo' & 'Nuit Blanche' & 'Waste' - Charlotte Hudson

'Loo' by 'Stasyab'

Normal equilibrium, on a date

Narrative

• Todorov's idea of having 5 stages of classic and simple linear narrative can he shown through this film. 
• As we start with a normal (equilibrium) beginning as two people are on a date, then as the female goes to the loo (disruption) starts as there is a crying woman in the cubicle next to her.
• she disappears as the loo is flushed. However when she returns from the loo and eats some of her food it turns out that the woman in the cubicle next to her is actually her food. Therefore Todorov's idea doesn't totally fit within this film and his theory therefore cannot be used to describe the structure of the film.

  

  crying woman in the loo

• Bordwell and Thompson’s idea of there being a difference between plot and story. Plot meaning- only the events of the story that are seen in the film. Story meaning- everything that has happened to the characters. This film therefore works with Bordwell and Thompson’s idea as the audience only see the events of the main evening, not what has happened to the characters throughout the day, just the main event of the toilet cubicle and the main females date.



The woman is in her food

• Barthes Action and Enigma codes: the enigma code is used in this short film as questions are raised when the female in the cubicle disappears when her toilet is flushed. The audience was she a real person, a figment of the main female’s imagination. At the end of the film when the characters ring is in her food, the audience question if the meal is all the female or not. It creates a confusing ending of the film as she has disappeared and suddenly she’s been made into food. Therefore a lot of questions are raised.

Genre

Prop of the ring is significant

• The genre of the film is a 'horror' and this is represented by the non-diegetic sound that is played when in the loo cubicle and when the girl is flushed down the toilet. Also at the end when she realises that the girl is in her food. 
• Rick Altman's semantic code i guess can be used here because of the prop of the girls ring, it's shown when she puts her hand over the cubicle wall, it's importance is heightened by it being mentioned and how beautiful it is and also because it is so big it cant be missed. Then at the end it is picked out of the main females food, therefore you know its the girl in her food and therefore it is easily known by the audience. 

Representation

• The film is a horror, so using the female characters as being upset and crying may influence the film
• The stereotype of having a female crying in the toilet is used and this is stereotypical as females are seen to be as in need of support all the time and to be looked after when crying. Females are also seen as people that cry in loo's for instance at school girls are stereotyped as 'crying in the girls toilets' so this film plays on that.
• Also the use of the red sparkly shoe's prop of the upset girl could be a re-enactment of dorothy from the wizard of oz as she cries about wanting to go home and is red shoes?
• However having a female as a main character and not be really concerned with what has happened (the girl being flushed down the loo) is not stereotypical as females are usually presented as being caring and considerate. However when she is talking to the girl her facial expressions suggest she isn't interested, she also doesn't tell anyone that the girl disappeared. 
  
• Her diegetic speech also very sarcastic, 'do you want anything dear, a tampon maybe' shows she isn't interested. 

 

Nuit Blanche- Directed by Arev Manoukian / Canada / 2009, this film is a fantasy and romance. 

• Filmed in black and white, slow motion and incredible special effects- showing a man and woman seeing each other from either side of the street and meeting each other in the middle of the road
• Fantasy as he gets hit by a car and survives, the female breaks through a glass window and survives
• However at the end you see it didn't really happen, they are both still at either side of the road (shows what the characters were thinking and wanting to happen)

Narrative 

• The use of Bordwell and Thompson's theory about plot and story is used in this film as the audience don't know anything about the two characters, all the audience know is what they see is happening between the two characters on camera, therefore only knowing the plot behind the characters
•  By only knowing the plot, the narrative is restricted, as you only see whats happening from the characters perspectives and you only see what they are thinking. 

  

  From Males perspective, same at the beginning and end

  

  From females perspective, same at beginning and end

   

• The film is circular as it begins and ends the same, as both characters are still either side of the road

"Waste"

Dir: Anton Groves / Romania / 2012

A professional waster keeps little monsters in and around his mundane life, as they feed off his waste.

The use of voice over narration is interesting as the audience see the main characters life through the eyes of another character (the female voice over)

Bordwell and Thompson's idea of  plot and story is shown, as the audience are seeing the story of the main character, not just the plot. This is important because of the idea of the narrative is to show why the protagonist is a 'professional waster'.

The use of the graphic match at the beginning of the film is very creative as it helps show the protagonists life style and explain why he is a 'waster', you are again being shown an insight into his story.