1. Revision: Key Points for MS4 texts Section A - Film
Eden Lake, Rollercoaster Films, Aramid Entertainment, 2008
As a horror film:
• Narrative – isolated location; juxtaposition of victim and ‘monster’ is clearly identified in acts
one and two. Act three (Syd Field) however fails to deliver the conventional final act of
revenge on the ‘monster’.
• Ideology - A film about societal fears (fear of children/broken society), just like all horror
films, eg. Dracula/Christianity/fear of sexual perversion; Frankenstein/’playing God’/fear of
science. Similar texts include Attack the Block (2010) and F (2009), both deal with ‘hoodie’
culture using a horror film context.
• Genre – influence from 1970’s exploitation films such as Last House on the Left (1972/2009)
and Straw Dogs (1971/2010). Both are violent and graphic, and have been remade recently
showing a desire for horror that has a contemporary setting, and graphic violence. These two
films though have a cathartic final act of revenge unlike Eden Lake
• Richard Dyer (Genre Theory) – Genre films are pleasurable because they offer an
abundance of energy, community and intensity. Eden Lake has this in the form of danger and
threat. It is all the more disturbing in that it fails to offer a redemptive ending. Instead, we are
repositioned to consider Jenny’s actions (Cooper’s murder) and are denied revenge for
Steve’s torture/murder.
• The film offers generic verisimilitude – Mise-en-scene (locations, weapons,
characterisation) and horror narrative (except for final act) but lacks realism in its cultural
verisimilitude through stereotypes (Steve and Jenny leave the city to go ‘up North’ and are
met by broad stereotypes of broken homes and abusive families – comparable with ‘red-neck’
horror of The Hills Have Eyes and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre). It does however tie in to
current moral panics about ‘hoodies’/young people. Evidence: The Daily Mail review
(newspaper infamous for moral panics)
“The true horrors we fear day today are not supernatural bogeymen or monsters
created by scientists. They're our own youth.”
Narrative:
Characters and roles
• Jenny: Primary school teacher; loving; caring; romantic; middle class; professional;
(victim/’final girl’-horror convention)
• Steve : Professional; middle class; financially secure; (Victim)
• Brett: Dominant; aggressive; violent; a leader; criminal; murderer; anti-social; problematic
home life (monster)
• Cooper : a follower; lacks a father-figure; looks up to Brett; unsure of violence; troubled
(Monster or victim?)
Chris Tookey in the Daily Mail (Sept 11th 2008) notes that,
‘Unlike most horror films, in which the heroes steer themselves into danger by
their own stupidity, Jenny and Steve behave with complete plausibility and a
tragically unrequited sense of kindness and social responsibility’
Daily Mail review
Levi Strauss – Binary Opposition
Struass suggests that narratives can engage audiences through there use of
binary opposites.
Jenny and Steve Brett and the gang
Victims Monster
Stable background Unstable background/chaotic
Defensive Aggressive
Lawful Chaotic
This sense of binary opposition breaks down at the end of the second act with the
death of Cooper at the hands of Jenny.
Syd Field: Three Act Structure (Structuralist theory)
Act 1: The main themes and plot points are laid out (Beginning-Steve’s injury and Jenny leaving him
in the reeds to find help)
Act 2: Key confrontations/obstacles (ends when Cooper is killed by Jenny)
Act 3: All plot points are resolved (Jenny escapes to Brett’s house and is killed)
The third act deviates from horror convention, which would be Jenny acting out
revenge/escaping. This never arrives, therefore a disturbing experience.
“It is a violent ordeal nightmare that brutally withholds the longed-for redemptions and third-act
revenges”. The Guardian review
Representation
Jenny and Steve are constructed as a stereotypical middle class couple (mise-en-scene). This though
is not a conventional representation of horror victim (i.e. young, female)
Brett and his gang however conform to stereotypical image of young petty criminals (‘chav’
stereotype). This reinforces hegemonic values. This is in part challenged at the end as Brett’s dad
goes some way to explain his behaviour (conditioned through a violent home life). Too little too late?

2. Antonio Gramsci : hegemonic values are imposed on a population by those in power. (The media is
an agent of power, e.g Film)
The film succeeds in playing on current societal fears about young people/knife crime/gangs etc.
(Ideology /moral panic )
"The culture of violence is real. But for the British media, it's simple – bad upbringing or just evil
children.” Greg Philo, Glasgow University
This simplistic representation of young people is often represented in tabloid newspapers. This
creates a moral panic . Eden Lake feeds off this societal fear.
Other examples include The Wild One (1953 )- biker gangs, The Warriors (1979) -New York
gang violence and Kids (1995 ) underage sex and drug abuse. These films are all concerned with
moral panics, even if they choose to challenge or reinforce hegemonic values.
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District 9, Columbia/Tristar, 2009
As a science fiction film:
• Alien ‘invasion’. This theme has been subverted in that the aliens are stuck on Earth as their
ship has broken down.
• Juxtaposition of alien and human (narrative). Again, subverted by having the humans as
aggressors and aliens as victims.
• Iconography of spaceships, robots and futuristic technology.
• Set in a modern city. The setting of Johannesburg SA however breaks the convention of
using American cities (independence Day, Transformers etc.)
• Large, explosive set pieces of action.
• Produced by a Hollywood studio-Columbia/Tristar. With this come expectations of what a sci-
fi movie should be. Not all of these expectations are met. Many are subverted.
• A good example of modern genre film making- audience tired of repetitive formula. This film
demonstrates change and subversion.
• An unusual hybrid of Sci-fi and documentary. The first 15 mins of the film plays out using
documentary conventions: interviews with Wikus’ friends and family, vox pops, graphics,
talking to camera (breaking ‘fourth wall’), non-linear narrative (the film is presented in the
past-tense. Something has happened to Wikus).
Richard Dyer – the film offers escapism in its presentation of fantasy (aliens) and presents a sense
of community in bringing together two races (Wikus and Christopher), an allegory for overcoming
Apartheid.
Generic verisimilitude – Sci-fi: iconography; mise-en-scene; themes (alien invasion)
Cultural verisimilitude – recent history of South Africa/Apartheid; use of locations (Johannesburg,
corporate buildings/laboratories/vivisection (MNU)
Themes and Ideology:
• The film is about Apartheid. The Alien ‘invasion’ is an allegory for Apartheid.
• Apartheid (meaning ‘separateness’). Racial Segregation in South Africa. Enforced by the
South African Government 1948-1994. Segregated public services (education, healthcare
etc.) Those for Black citizens were inferior. Forced removals from homes/communities.
• The ‘eviction notice’ sequence in the first act of the film illustrates this with Wikus
representing the Apartheid movement (although tin the film it is MNU) and the Aliens
representing black communities.
• District Six – in 1966 it was declared ‘whites only’ and 60, 000 people were forcibly removed
to the Cape Flats, an area that quickly became over-populated and quality of living was poor.
Neill Blomkamp - SA film maker. First feature film (based on his short film Alive in Jo’Berg). Had
previously directed a number of short films and advertisement, notably Tetra Vaal, Tempbot and
AdiColor Yellow. His films have consistent themes of technology, artificial intelligence and large
corporations with dark agenda. District 9 is consistent with these themes.
Narrative theory:
Syd Field - Act 1: Beginning – Wikus is sprayed with black liquid
Act 2: Wikus begins transformation; discovers that Christopher can help.
Act 3: Wikus sacrifices his own safety to Help Christopher and his son escape on the
spaceship. Wikus transorms in to an Alien. He ‘disappears’ into District 9.
Act 3 leaves the question of Wikus’ fate unanswered. This shows resistance to a
more conventional ending to what is a Hollywood studio movie.
Levi Strauss – Binary Opposition .
Alien MNU
Victim Agressor/violent
Passive Active
High tech Low tech
Compassionate Ruthless
Slums of D9 Skyscrapers of Jo’Berg
Wikus’ physical transformation from human to alien also reflects his changing political
views from aggressive conservative (MNU) to liberal freedom fighter.

3. Section B – TV texts
The Wire , HBO 2002-2008
The Wire is an American TV crime drama series. Acclaimed by both critics and audiences, the show
ran successfully for five series over a five year period. The show was broadcast on HBO (US); FX
and BBC2 (UK)
Production Companies: Blown Deadline Productions; Home Box Office (HBO)
Distributors: Home Box Office (HBO) (2002-2008) (USA) (TV); BBC Worldwide (2009) (UK) (TV)
Genre and representation:
• Conventional police show? No , because the narrative focuses on not only the police
(McNulty and his ‘wire-tap’ team, but also the crack addicts (Bubs), the dealers (in the
housing project), the gang bosses (Avon and Sringer-Bell), and the political elite.
• The production is authentic , shot on location in West Baltimore. It utilises had-held camera,
diegetic sound (no sound tracks), long takes and a complex but linear narrative.
• The Wire is unfiltered by individual characters – we never get dream sequences, internal
monologue, or restricted perspectives. In this way, The Wire draws more from traditional
workplace dramas like medical or cop shows. The Wire refuses self-conscious techniques
like flashbacks and voice-overs common on other programs today. The visual and storytelling
style of The Wire is more naturalistic, drawing upon the conventions of documentary
and social realism to match writer David Simon’s own background in non-fiction journalism.
The series' co-creator, Ed Burns, is a former Baltimore homicide detective.
• "The show is structured like a visual novel," says Simon, "and these writers understand the
complexity of theme." By making the show "difficult", Simon hopes to wean audience off
contrived plots and formulaic characterisation of most TV drama, and give them something to
chew on instead.
Themes and ideology:
• The show exposes corruption, drug problems, addiction as well as the up-hill struggle facing
the police department. The show challenges hegemonic values that have been
reinforced in other police drama series that simplify the narrative to create a clear line

4. between good (police) and evil (criminal). Gramsci . The Wire readdresses this issue in
amore realistic manner.
• The Wire refuses to make black-and-white judgements about Baltimore. Its prevailing moral
universe is grey.
• The show is written by David Simon, former journalist at The Baltimore Sun . He
reported on crime and corruption in West Baltimore. This is a significant factor in The Wire’s
authenticity.
• “A lot of things interest me about the programme: the huge ensemble cast and the fact that
there are no stars, the sheer honesty of the writing.” Irvine Walsh, The Guardian.
Industry:
• The American television industry has traditionally been a closed market dominated by a
small number of national networks, making it quite difficult for innovative programming to
find its way to the air.
• The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of the multichannel era, with dozens of cable channels
entering the marketplace and providing alternatives to traditional broadcast networks.
• HBO’s motto, “it’s not TV, it’s HBO.”
• HBO defines itself as a premium channel, charging an additional subscription fee beyond the
standard monthly cable or satellite bill; in exchange, HBO features no advertising and can
include greater degrees of nudity, violence, and profanity than on network and basic cable
programs.
• The mid-1990s saw a shift in HBO’s strategy – the channel started offering fictional series
comparable to the genres of network television, but with an edgy approach
• Three programs from the late-1990s paved the way for The Wire: Oz, The Soprano’s
and Sex and the City.
• All challenged hegemonic values reinforced through formulaic repetition on other networks.
Sex and the City: challenged patriarchal ideologies by showing women as dominant, powerful
figures; Oz challenged the view that criminals are ‘evil’; The Soprano’s challenged the view
that mobsters are devoid of humanity and empathy. All thre are HBO shows.
• Between 2002 and 2008 the show attracted a relatively small following of around 4 million
viewers in the US per episode. UK fans of The Wire were even thinner on the ground. When
the fifth and final season reached its climax last year on the digital channel FX fewer than
70,000 viewers tuned in.
• British actor Dominic West, one of the show's stars, criticised the BBC for drowning its
schedules with costume dramas and failing to make any "high end contemporary stuff" to rival
The Wire.
• Thanks to its complexity, many viewers preferred to download episodes or buy each series
on DVD so that they could watch it undisturbed or several episodes at a time. Tellingly, all
five series remain in the top 40 DVD sales charts on Amazon.co.uk, even though the first
series has been available for seven years. The Wire is an archetypal slow-burning, word-of-
mouth success.
• Types of TV in the US: Traditional broadcast (free); Satellite (free and subscription); Cable
• Funding: Commercials and sponsorship; Donations and telethons (!) This is more common
amongst smaller TV stations; Subscription fees for premium channels (e.g. HBO)
• According to the FCC, as of March 31, 2011, there are 1022 commercial television
stations
• Broadcast television is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
• The FCC awards licenses to local stations. Although broadcast stations can legally air almost
anything they want late at night prohibits the airing of "indecent" material over the air
between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m—and cable networks at all hours—nudity and graphic profanity
are very rare on American television, though they are common on pay television services
that are free from FCC regulations and pressure from advertisers to tone down
content , and often require a subscription to view. Broadcasters fear that airing such
material will turn off advertisers and encourage the federal government to strengthen
its regulation of television content.
• FCC regulations do not cover subscription channels such as HBO.
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