The two fantasy films we have been focusing on are ‘ The
Amazing Spider Man ‘ and ‘ The hunger games ‘ the two films are shown to have
the main characters as teenagers, in the hunger games it shows how young girls
are shown to be not sterotypical from the main character ‘ Katniss , from being
strong and independent. Katniss Everdeen is a 16 year old living in a future
nation called Panem. The Capitol rules 12 surrounding districts .Because the
districts rebelled, each has to send two people to compete against each other
till death . In order for someone to win, they have to be the last one living
in the arena, which can be anything from a desert to a jungle to a cold
wasteland. When her sister is chosen, Katniss steps up to go in her place.
Where as, the amazing
spider man the main character peter showing to be not the sterotypical geek
everyone knows with glasses and smart clothes.Peter is trying to figure out who
he is and is also finding his way with
his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy,. As Peter discovers a mysterious
briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his
parents' disappearance , leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr Curt
Connors, his father's former work partner. Peter will have to make life-changing
choices to use his powers and shape his future to become a hero.The main
characters Katniss Everdden and peter parker’ are quite similar in personality as there both keep themselves
to each other they are both timid at first , however when they have to do
something for themselves or others they will do anything they can do , Katniss
shows to be quite strong physically & mentally , where as peter only gets
physical when he is given super powers. Representation is shown through the
different genre conventions that are used in the films to represent how young
boys and girls are like.
The hunger
games,Katniss Everdeen a 16-year-old
girl from District 12, who volunteers for her 12-year-old sister, Prim, when
Prim's name is chosen from the round see
through bowl of names, and Katniss's
fellow District 12 tribute, Peeta Mellark,
Katniss and Peter is then rushed
to the Capitol, where they undergo intense training before being thrust into
the arena to fight to become the victor of the seventy-fourth annual Hunger
Games. In the beginning of the film, it shows a bright studio , with a man with
bright blue hair ,and matching blue jacket, the host. Whereas next to him a man
has an odd shaped beard, from the begging this gives us an indication what the
capitol is like, which is very vibrant, varied camera angles are shown in this
scene, one being medium shot, as they
are having a chat to one another. We are shown Prims scream which shows the
life in district 12, dull, dark colors are shown , it shows hand held camera
movements .In district 12, theirs a close up
of a sign on the fence , which shows their trapped. very non-diegetic sounds are used to cause an
dramatic effect.
Misen en scene is shown, by a close up of Eiffy , the camera
is shown to be tilting upwards to reveal her outrageous outfit which is bright
purple and the cake of make-up she has on. During the reaping,Katniss and the
others are shown to be wearing their best dress, which is dull colours, with
their hair back without no make-up ,this is different to the society we are in
where girls are bothered what they look like , in the hunger games the
stereotype towards girls is totally the opposite, normally girls are
represented to be pretty and to be making a effort , while in the hunger games,
they don’t care. They show the guards to be in all white and shown to be modern
and quite retro futuristic in the way the clothes are so different compared to
district 12’s, this gives us an indication what the capital is like.
Throughtout the movie , mainly non-digetic sounds are used
to give dramatic effect. There are scenes where these sounds are vital. For
example when the names are being drawn for district 12 and dramatic music with
a loud drum beat is played which leaves the audience in anticipation. When Katniss
sister is chosen, prim, Katniss volunteers, which shows courage and shows a caring side , which
makes the audience feel shocked and relieved that she has volunteered knowing
she may die and relieved by prim a young
girl not having to fight . during the reaping scene , it shows non diegetic
sound of the peace makers radios. When in the capitol it shows high key
lighting. Many props are used in ‘ the hunger games’ being an adventure type of film, the use of
weapons shows violence, the amount of weapons being used during the scenes
like, Katniss with the bow and arrow , also all the fighting scenes this film
includes. this could give the young audience a reason to become a person thats
like Katniss . In the woods it shows low
key lighting , Katniss in the film shows
to be running away from the other tributes, Cato (others) they shows their
bullies in the way their so happy they have found Katniss shouting ‘ got you!’
while Katniss is climbing up the tree the camera focuses on her hand which
shows she needs support , that if she lets go she dies, this shows Katniss
being strong in the way she manages things, stereotype of girls in this society
is not very strong, emotionally and physically. Throughout the battle to
survive she remains at the top of the tree. This was a tactic for survival this forced the camera to take a low angle –shot which
portrays Katniss as powerful and threatening. A birds eye view is featured
when tributes are underneath her.
Katniss builds a relationship with a young tribute,
rue, it shows Katniss letting her guard
down , it shows a close up to rues hand while they hug, it shows she doesn’t
want to let go. When rue dies , it shows
a close up to her face and Katniss
sharing her last moment together, an eye level is than shown by Rue,In what she
is seeing before she dies. It shows
Katniss crying which shows weakness a stereotype in girls, girls are emotional.
An important scene is then recognized, non-digetic sound was the back ground music. The most
important back ground music was once Katniss and Peeta were declared the 74th
hunger games winners. The back ground music was uplifting and triumphant this
helped prove a happy ending to a tragic story.
The Amazing Spider Man, shows a varied of lighting, this is
shown at the start of the film with a low lighting, this is when peter is
playing hide and seek. We get to the scene in the school where its 3 point
lighting, it shows peter putting up a debate poster, which shows he is
a geek but doesn’t look like one, not a stereotype geek which is glasses and
is formal dressed , with peter he is casual and rides a skate board
which suggest not all geeks are portrayed as geeks . Flash , a school bully is recognized, with
very dull clothes s, grey,blue and yellow which could represent the basketball team, which is yellow. The amazing spider man represents peter as being shy, this is towards girls.
When a girl approaches him in the hall way he comes across as very timid , as
he is surprised a girl likes him , which reflects on the geek stereotype as
geeks are very shy towards girls. However when he knows she isn’t interested he
becomes confident and walks away.
In the fight scene it shows a common hero , as he sticks up
for the victim and gets hurts in return, it shows a close up of peters face ,
to see his facial expression towards the bully
,flash. which shows bitterness.
while peter is on the floor picking up his pieces it shows a birds eye
view for effect to see the scene over all how it finished.
The bridge scene , shows low key lighting,this gives the audience a idea that something bad is
going to happen, it shows the lizard , attacking cars, and people to get what
he is looking for , peter arrives and shows courage, on how he is protecting
victims, this is the common hero, peter
is wearing a red spider suit, which he made, it makes the audience feel he is
suppose to wear that and he is suppose to help. While helping the child the music is piano type a mysterious tone ,
as calming the situation, it shows peter in the scene take the mask off, a
close up of his face, this is too show he is normal and to show the audience
the characters emotions and reactions .
In the two films’ the Hunger Games ‘ and the Amazing Spider
Man , there are the similarities and differences. Both star similar age
range.Both are quiet in themselves, this is strange as since most story lines
would have a weak character and a strong character. But Katniss and Peter are identified as being quiet and pure,
however further to the end they bot become not so innocent. as for both falling
in love which is another similarity. They both are common heros and they are
both proving a point and both are
fighting for someone, as for Hunger games Katniss takes Prims place and in the Amazing
spider man , his uncle when he dies.
Both films include violence, but the hunger games features
more , it goes against the stereotype of
boys using violence and getting involved in trouble more, as in the
hunger games the girls are more to blame, if anything they are worse.In
addition they both have non-digetic music demonstrating an aggressive mood to
the scene.
The films ‘ the hunger games’ and the amazing spider man’ is
that one is representing a boy hero, the other
is a girl hero. Katniss shows how
wrong stereotyping is towards woman, as girls are represented in reality to be
pretty and weak , whereas Katniss is strong willed and is still pretty while
wearing tattered clothes, which makes
the audience, which are women, to be wanting to be just like her. Also it shows
in the amazing spider man how stereotyping towards geeks are wrong as you
audiences think being a geek is to wear glasses and formal clothing, the
amazing spider man proved the stereotyping wrong.
