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THE ROCK
Looking at the characteristics of Dominant cinema, this film ticks all the boxes. It uses the genre formula of being an action/adventure film, using highly recognised stars to attract the audience, is a mass production to attract a mass audience. The narrative is very straightforward, which doesn’t allow the audience to critically evaluate the film, character motivation/journey and how characters interact. The constant action hypnotises the audience to merely witnessing a spectacle of explosions, gun fighting and martial arts.
Brecht talks of creating an interaction with the audience, breaking down the fourth wall and not just be an observer. Well The Rock goes against this, we merely observe the action that is being presented before us, not fully engaging with the characters and their objectives throughout the film.
THE HOLE (2001)
The Hole can be seen as Counter Cinema as it goes against this idea of mainstream Hollywood. Being a lower budgeted film, it doesn’t aim to target a mass audience, rather aim to attract a specific audience. It doesn’t utilise the star system as the majority of the cast were unknown actors, aside from famed child actress Thora Birch. Set in one location and having a disrupted narrative makes the audience really engage with the film, critically evaluating the character’s journey and the story in which they are involved in.
Looking at this from a feminist perspective as the main protagonist is female, Liz (played by Thora Birch) and her role within the film is far from the perceived “male gaze” that seems to be the established cinematic stereotype within Hollywood mainstream films. Mulvey says that Hollywood cinema “depends on the image of the castrated woman to give order and meaning to its world” (Narine 2010).
As Liz is indeed in control of the situation, she is therefore empowered as opposed to her male counterparts who are theoretically at Liz’s mercy. This goes against the traditional archetype that the man is in control and the women is objectified and often seen to be helpless and fragile, as best portrayed by Frankie (played by Keira Kinghtley), instead she shows independence and the audience relate to her character.
Looking at this from a feminist perspective as the main protagonist is female, Liz (played by Thora Birch) and her role within the film is far from the perceived “male gaze” that seems to be the established cinematic stereotype within Hollywood mainstream films. Mulvey says that Hollywood cinema “depends on the image of the castrated woman to give order and meaning to its world” (Narine 2010).
As Liz is indeed in control of the situation, she is therefore empowered as opposed to her male counterparts who are theoretically at Liz’s mercy. This goes against the traditional archetype that the man is in control and the women is objectified and often seen to be helpless and fragile, as best portrayed by Frankie (played by Keira Kinghtley), instead she shows independence and the audience relate to her character.
REFERENCES:
- NARINE, N., 2010. Global Trauma and Narrative Cinema Theory, Culture & Society, 27(4), pp. 121-122.
- ARROYO, J., ed., 2000. Action/Spectacle Cinema: A Sight and Sound Reader. revised ed. London: British Film Institute
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