North by Northwest Codes and Conventions Writing Task 1. How does the character of Roger conform to the character conventions of the thriller genre? Roger Thornhill is a very typical protagonist of a thriller genre movie. His character exactly fits the character conventions of the thriller genre. Thornhill’s world is thrown upside down by the sudden accusation that he a spy named George Kaplan. His identity is questioned and he goes on an adventure to find justice like in most thriller movies. Thornhill is a flawed hero with an ordinary life and he is isolated when confronted with the complication of the story. Most Thrillers begin in this way and the protagonist is then forced to go on a journey to achieve justice. In North by Northwest, Thornhill does this …show more content…
exact same thing and is forced to accept that he can’t turn back to his old life now. Thornhill’s character clearly conforms the character conventions of the Thriller genre and if you look at other thrillers, the character is the same, just with different name and setting. 2. How does the narrative of North by Northwest conform to the conventions of the thriller genre? North by Northwest has visuals, music, themes, setting and emotion that conform with the conventions of the Thriller genre.
The with the help of these elements of the film, we achieve a three-act structure where there is a rise of action and a climax in act three. The thriller genre always follows this structure and this is clear in North by Northwest. North by Northwest is set in everyday normality but the protagonist is slowly isolated from everyday normality when strange things begin to happen to him. As the responder is faced with villainous organizations and innocent victims there is a sense of danger which is present throughout the movie, keeping responders enrapt in the adrenaline rush of the movie. In the movie, there is also iconography which adds to the mood, setting and themes in the movie. There is a combination of weaponry, a variety of camera angles and fast paced or disorientating editing used to create a thrilling mood. The in most climactic scenes there is a use of diegetic sound, non-diegetic sound and a confined setting to create suspense in crucial scenes. These conventions in north by northwest conforms to the thriller genre and creates a dangerous, exciting and effective thriller
text. 3. How do the settings chosen by Hitchcock contribute to the themes explored in North by Northwest? There are many settings chosen by Hitchcock which are present in North by Northwest. These settings help to contribute and expand on the themes in the text. Some settings are of high-rise cities and some settings are like the isolated desert but they all help to add to the themes of journey for identity and being hunted in their own specific way. At the beginning of the film the camera cuts through many shows of the busy city but focuses right in on Roger Thornhill who is the victim in the story this shows us that Roger has been chosen to become pursued amongst millions of other possible people which adds to our theme of being hunted. Later in Roger’s journey, he finds himself in George Kaplan’s hotel room after being accused of being Kaplan himself. He then finds that everyone in this scene claims that he is Kaplan which confronts him with the situation of mistaken identity and the journey to get his own identity back. These are just a few examples of many scenes that contribute to the themes in the movie. Hitchcock has clearly chosen these settings carefully to consolidate the themes of the text and create the right scenes for a thriller text.
The novel Nukkin Ya is a compelling book, written in the perspective of the character Gary Black, the author of the text is Phillip Gwynne. The novel is set in rural South Australia for Australian readers. The novel conveys a number of themes and messages including racial difference, love verse hate and the ability and choice to move on. These are depicted by the literally techniques of imagery, literary allusions and intertextuality.
By examining Roger’s character in Lord of the Flies, I believe that Roger is a symbolic representation of someone who is losing respect for human life and what it has to offer. In the novel Roger does not seem to appreciate others, causing him to act in a disrespectful way towards the other boys and seems to enjoy other people’s pain. This shows that people in society will do negative actions that will affect others, because they are losing respect for human life.
Roger has shaped his identity throughout the book by doing actions to form his new cruel, violent identity. Roger has done things such as throw and release rocks at two boys, and then viciously hunting a pig and killing him.
“Men want to be as lucky and enviable as he is—they want to be like him. And women imagine landing him.” The influence of North by Northwest on the action and spy film is immeasurable. It influenced the James Bond series, the Die Hard movies, and even science fiction films such as Total Recall. What Hitchcock did, basically, was create an action film of such quality that directors ever since have been trying to equal its success in story, action, and characterization.
In the film, “Halloween”, directed by John Carpenter, an outstanding work of art has been created with respect to the ‘on the edge of your seat’ thriller that has been conveyed in the film. Mise-en- scene is incorporated in many different facets throughout the film and has creatively developed the scenes that makeup the thriller and deliver an objective of tone, mood, and scary elements. Mise-en- scene sets up the setting in the film as the director has an objective to deliver a scary, dark scene that keeps the audience on their feet. Initially in the film, there is a unique introduction of a quiet town that leads up to believe there is no horror involved in the area. This unique set up by the director gives us the preamble that the
During his high school days, Roger did not put effort into studying, but spent his time partying and drinking. After he got married to Joan, they had a son who passed away a few years later, causing the two to separate.... ... middle of paper ... ... These decisions can help change a destructive past, into a more exciting and motivational future.
When the boys first landed on the island, Golding describes Roger in the quote, “There was a slight, furtive boy whom no one knew, who kept to himself . . . He muttered that his name was Roger and was silent again,” (Golding 14) Roger wasn’t really one of the bolder boys and was timid at the beginning, when they had first landed on the island. He says his name quietly and that is all to be heard of shy little Roger. Roger is also the one who suggests having a vote to pick a chief, ending the argument between Ralph and Jack and coming up with a solution that is more sophisticated than other options. When they are trying to light a fire, Roger says “‘You make a bow and spin the arrow,’ . . . He rubbed his hands in mime,” (Golding 32). This indicates that Roger knows about how to survive and that he is slowly coming out of his shell, the transition to savagery has begun.
It is a concurrent agreement in the film industry that Alfred Hitchcock is nothing less than a legend when it comes to the suspense and thriller genres of film. That being said, many filmmakers unsurprisingly aspire to adopt his style in more recent films. Movie critique Andrew O’Hehir suspects that this is the case with Mark Pellington’s production, Arlington Road, which follows the story of a man taken with the idea that his neighbors are terrorists. Although Pellington’s production possesses distinctively Hitchcock-styled qualities in its editing, storyline, and themes, O’Hehir argues that it is “…ultimately just another maddeningly ill-conceived tribute placed at [Hitchcock’s] feet.” However, it cannot be determined if Pellington meant for Arlington Road to be a tribute at all. The film may have a multitude of resemblances to Hitchcock film, but its finale fundamentally distinguishes itself unique to O’Hehir’s assumption.
character as well. Noir was the birth of the protagonist who is not so clearly defined as purely good
In the play Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, the theme is that every person has the right to think. One example of the theme of this play is Rachel's progression towards independent thinking. In the beginning Rachel fears her father greatly. She says, "I remember feeling this way when I was a little girl. . . .But I was always more frightened of him that I was of falling. It's the same way now" (48-49). However, by the end of the book she has grown away from her father, and now has her own opinions and thoughts. Her new growth and acceptance is shown in her statement: "This is your book, Bert. I've read it. All the way through. I don't want to think that men come from apes and monkeys. But I think that's besides the point" (111). A second example of the theme of Inherit the Wind is shown by the way Drummond acts and how frustrated he becomes when he talks to Brady. In the courtroom, Brady says, "A man is on trial!" (64). Drummond is extremely agitated and replies by saying, "A thinking man! And he is threatened with fine and imprisonment because he chooses to speak what he thinks" (64). After their disagreement Drummond states his opinion, by saying, "I am trying to establish, Your Honor, that Howard-or Colonel Brady-or Charles Darwin-or anyone in this courtroom-or you sir-has the right to think!" (64). The theme becomes more apparent throughout the play by the way Cates stands up for and defends himself. At first, Bert Cates is very unsure of himself and is not sure if what he did was correct. Cates questions Drummond as to whether he should stay with the case or give in.
The Alfred Hitchcock film; Vertigo is a narrative film that is a perfect example of a Hollywood Classical Film. I will be examining the following characteristics of the film Vertigo: 1)individual characters who act as casual agents, the main characters in Vertigo, 2)desire to reach to goals, 3)conflicts, 4)appointments, 5)deadlines, 6)James Stewart’s focus shifts and 7)Kim Novak’s characters drives the action in the film. Most of the film is viewed in the 3rd person, except for the reaction shots (point of view shot) which are seen through the eyes of the main character.(1st person) The film has a strong closure and uses continuity editing(180 degree rule). The stylistic (technical) film form of Vertigo makes the film much more enjoyable. The stylistic film form includes camera movements, editing, sound, mise-en-scene and props.
The concept of Manifest Destiny was simple: American settlers believed that they were destined to grow across the continent, coast to coast. There are two basic themes to Manifest Destiny. They are the principles of American people and the Americans mission to move into the west. Historians say that Manifest Destiny was like a competition. Democrats endorsed the idea of it; however, many of the leading Americans, like Lincoln and Grant, rejected the idea of it. “American imperialism did not represent an American consensus; it provoked bitter dissent within the national polity….Whigs saw America’s moral mission as one of democratic example rather than on of conquest,” said Daniel Walker Howe.
A theme within this novel is the loss of innocence. The existence of civilization allows man to remain innocent, therefore when the characters lost their innocence, the civilization was gone or corrupt. One example of the loss of innocence would be when Jack was unable to stab the pig during the hunt. At that moment, he lost his innocence which enabled him to kill without a recollection of civilization. Another example of the loss of innocence was when Roger was throwing stones and rocks at the other children below him. Roger was unable to actually hit them purposely because he still had his innocence, but this moment was the beginning of his inability of understanding human nature.
The dining car scene in North by Northwest is an example of how Hitchcock skillfully crafts a sequence that is both simple, yet complex. The dialogue that is not said speaks as much, if not more, than that which is; the reserved cinematography allows the dynamic performances shine through. In a film that is lauded for innovative scenes and technical achievements, the dining car scene is perhaps Hitchcock’s best in the entire piece, as it is a prime example of his shift from complex sequences to understated brilliance.
Although admittedly some scenes have a comical side to them, Besson's fast paced action and gruesome images hold the tension and suspense brilliantly. His use of close-ups and camera movements, especially the subjective stance used by the victim, convey the feelings felt by the characters and the way in which they behave. Sound plays a crucial role in the opening sequence because, in my view, it is used to control the level of suspense and intrigue.