Pulp fiction analysis

In this movie the three theorists studies can be applied, as Todorov’s theory of 5 stages of a linear narrative, Tarantino employs a major distortion of real time; for example, Vincent is shot dead by Butch but returns on-screen a few scenes later, which shows that this movie does not have a linear narrative and shows time over a weekly/monthly period. Also to show the non linear narrative, the movie begins with the couple who rob a restaurant and is not resolved till the end of the film it also shows the woman not being able to control the gun she’s holding as after a matter of time she begins to panic with the gun and has to be reassured, this can show a reference that women are not in control in a mans world, this would therefore insult feminists who would watch this film from the representation of the female characters. There are a total of 7 different sequences following 3 separate narratives, however these events overlap at several points, for example the Diner sequence which opens the film also forms the setting for the conclusion of the film, albeit from a different perspective.

Levi Strauss another theorist also is in this movie as there are many binary oppositions such as life after death, as Jules after being magically missed by 6 gun shots 5 feet away from him believes that God is at work here and it is time for him to retire the bad gangster life, then him and Vincent have a long discussion that continues till the end of the movie about life after death. Another obvious binary opposition is good versus evil, but this opposition is blurred through these characters for example Vincent is a murderer but when he takes out Mia he helps her from overdosing and even more clearly Vincent cares about his partner Jules and that is clear as he is himself around him and doesn’t need to play a hard gangster.

Another theorist prop who identified the theory of characters playing specific roles either one or more than one, in this movie its obvious that Marsellus, Vincent and Jules boss is the dispatcher who sends them both on quests. Vincent and Jules both play the villain and hero as since they are gangsters they are bad but since we are following there story they are usually perceived as the heroes. The princess is Mia as she flirts with Vince and after he helps her from nearly overdosing on cocaine, she looks at him with thanks. But where it is a non linear narrative it is difficult to determine which character plays who but they all play a role, which shows that the theorist Propp’s theory was used in this movie.

There are many intertextual references in this movie some have been used for different reasons than others but many have similar reasons. For example when Jules kills a man he first recites the bible to scare them or to make them think he is a holy man, another intertextual reference is Mia’s appearance as her hair style is a direct reference to a character in the movie Pandoria’s box. This was probably done to create mystery among this character. There are also some intertextual references to the ‘Hollywood style’ where certain movements refer to Hollywood for instance when Mia, whilst talking to Vincent makes a square in front of her face like a camera, this is known from Hollywood, this was most probably done to show the relation between the movie and its director. A most obvious reference in this movie is to the 1960’s style, in this movie there are afros, funky music and retro cars, this reference was to show how major and realistic drugs, music and gangsters were in the 60’s.

Analysis of Katy Perry –California Gurlz in terms of narrative

In this music video there is a formula of Todorov’s narrative model as there is aspects of a story being told in chronological order, where Katy wakes up in a candy land then on her journey through this land comes into contact with other people then meets her villain, like a classic Wizard of Oz style narrative. There are also Todorov’s 5 stages taking place as the Equilibrium in this music video is where Katy wakes up in the world full of candy and chocolate, a woman’s favourite naughty pleasure, and adapts to her surroundings. She then comes into contact with Snoop Dogg playing her Villain, and he makes obstacles to tackle her, which through the Recognition she overcomes with the help of her new found candy friends and cream. She then battles Snoop Dogg and his army of gummy bears and wins through the reparation and finally at the end of the battle and music video Katy and Snoop have a beach party in harmony through the New Equilibrium.  

Also Propps characters are signified through this music video  as Katy Perry plays the hero as most artists do in there music videos and Snoop Dogg plays many roles like the Villain and Dispatcher as he is a Villain sending Katy on a misson to find her accomplices. The helper are the candy women that Katy helps escape Snoop Dogg’s delicious cages and also Katy plays a role as the princess as she and Snoop settle their differences and they live happily in this world of candy. It is obvious to know who plays the protagonist as the camera follows Katy through the music video and sees her overcome all these challenges, and Snoop would play the antagonist as he is the man with the evil army of gummy bears.

The structure of the narrative is linear as we follow Katy on her Journey bur also can be Parallel as we also see Snoop Dogg get up to his mischief to try and beat Katy Perry. Also this kind of narrative is divided up into performance and storyline as the record company is trying to boost Katy’s appearance so her audience will know her by her style. In this music video time is a period of days of a journey but there are no flashbacks or anything, this makes it more of a dreamland. There are many intertextual references, one is a reference to the Wizard of Oz as Katy’s storyline and journey is similar to Dorothy’s in the movie, there is also an intertextual reference to the movie Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory as the film is about candy and mountains of chocolate that a world is made of chocolate and in this music video Katy’s theme is candy and chocolate. There are also references to nursery rhymes like the ‘ginger bread man’ as in this music video Katy comes face to face with one and turns him good.

Essay on Katy Perry- California Girlz music video

The music video I am analysing is California girlz by Katy Perry, it was directed by Mathew Cullen and the music video itself is an electropop genre, whilst the artist Katy Perry is known in the Pop/R’n’B genre. The bold characteristics that this genre has are flashy cars, exposed girls with little clothing and most rely on editing to make the video a success, where as other genres like Rock they rely on the music and filming gigs. The music video California Girlz follows these characteristics as there is nudity, a fantasy world produced by editing, voyeurism and sexual exhibition.

Through the lyrics there are certain lines that are parallel to the video as the video is set on a beach in some scenes where girls are wearing bikinis and shorts, alike the like ‘ California girls, were unforgettable,

Daisy- dukes, bikinis on top.

Sun kissed skin, so hot we’ll melt your Popsicle’

 

The music like the lyrics cut to the beat, when the artist sings the video matches the music, this music video is promoting a collaboration with two major artists in the pop/ r’n’b genre, and this particular genre is not known for solo instrumental as it is known that indie or rock genre artists normally perform solo instrumentals.

The record company Capitol music group wanted to portray katy Perry as a sex symbol trying to appeal to her male audience, as she throughout the video is either nude or emphasising her womanly assets.

The record company also used collaboration with a major artist to try and widen the audience appeal. Katy Perry throughout her music career is portrayed as a beautiful woman by men, shes not entirely portrayed as a sex symbol but she has that appeal. It also portrays her other videos as her first video ‘I kissed a girl’ was all about how girls are more appealing than boys and there Katy Perry was surrounded by the colour red. This video is the first time Katy Perry as an artist become nude in one of her videos, it doesn’t change her image but it also widens her audience base as she now has a male fan base aswell.

Katy Perry is definitely being watched in this video, not only by her audience but also by her fellow artist in the video Snoop Dogg as he also is watching her with binoculars, as Katty is in a candy world and Snoop is looking in the world like a ‘god’ figure, this also assumes the idea that men rule the media industry. A feminist sociologist  called Laura Mulvany argues the idea that women are just objects for men to look at, although in many cases in r’n’b videos this case proves to be true where the women are little objects dancing around the artist, in these feminine artists like Katy Perry is an Exhibitionist as she wants to be looked at in her voyeurism as she wants people to see how comfortable she is nude etc, she doesn’t portray herself as a sex symbol but as a woman who wants to get a male audience. She also through camera work is viewed provocative as she is filmed in a tilt up shot of her nude body and also her costume also implies sexual references as she is implying that her breast as weapons.

These features have been played to make her look like she can hold her ground, and she is able to battle men but she is doing it by using her feminine features, which is the opposite of her sex appeal.

This music video gives an intertextual reference to the hit 70’s movie Willie Wonker and the Chocolate factory where everything in the factory even the grass is edible, this reference is also linked to Perrys first music video as she quoted girls as ‘I kissed a girl and I liked it, the taste of her cherry chap stick’ is like saying that girls are sweet and tasty like the candy in her California girlz music video.

The music video is mostly performance based as it is about the storyline of finding a candy land and finding interesting things on the way and then a confrontation with a man, and sweets, it is also concept based but also the idea of the music video being a candy land being magical is more of a bigger concept than the rest.

This video is full of voyeurism and exhibition with a big performance, the point of the music video is to boost a collaboration between two artists but also to show that Perry has a sexual side.