Double Feature

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Double Feature! Approaches to film in English
Communications and English Studies featuring
Unbreakable and Stranger than Fiction paired
with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are
Dead Presented by Ben Marton
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PART ONE PAIRING ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN
ARE DEAD AND STRANGER THAN FICTION FOR ENGLISH
STUDIES
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Study of Paired Texts Studying two texts in
relation to each other allows students to widen
their understanding of the constructed nature of
texts and to gain a better understanding of the
influence of sociocultural contexts in generating
both the text and the response of the reader. The
influence of context on language and the way in
which power, bias, and discrimination are
embedded in language can be considered. Studying
one text in relation to another allows students
to recognise that the same idea, experience,
emotion, or opinion can be explored in different
ways. By exploring ideas of intertextuality
students can consider the choices made by authors
and the interpretation made by readers. -
SACE English Curriculum Guide, p. 47
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METAFICTIONS
THE CONSTRUCTED TEXTS
Metafiction is a term given to fictional writing
which self-consciously and systematically draws
attention to its status as an artifact in order
to pose questions about the relationship between
fiction and reality.  - Waugh, Patricia,
Metafiction The Theory and Practice of
Self-Conscious Fiction
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ABSURDISM
THE IDEA
absurdism (?b-sûr'diz-?m, -zûr'-) n. A
philosophy, often translated into art forms,
holding that humans exist in a meaningless,
irrational universe and that any search for order
by them will bring them into direct conflict with
this universe. - Source OED (Oxford
English Dictionary) Online
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• Essay Questions
• Compare the ways in which the authors of
  Stranger than Fiction and Rosencrantz and
  Guildenstern are Dead use symbolism to explore
  similar (or contradictory) ideas.
• Discuss the ways both Tom Stoppard and Marc
  Forster encourage their audiences to consider the
  question of free will.
• To what extent do the characters of Rosencrantz
  and Guildenstern are Dead and Stranger than
  Fiction learn something from their struggle with
  inevitability?

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• ESTABLISHMENT OF SETTING
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead in a
  place without any visible character.
• Stranger than Fiction panoramic view of the
  Earth, zooming in from the macro to the micro,
  through a riot of sounds and locations.

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NARRATION Stranger than Fiction narrator (who
is also a character) provides clear annotations
and establishes a sense that we are in a
crafted universe.
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IN CONTRAST NO NARRATION, AND THE CHARACTERS
ARENT MUCH HELP EITHER
Guildenstern Whats the first thing you
remember? Rosencrantz Oh, lets seeThe first
thing that comes into my head, you
mean? Guildenstern No the first thing you
remember. Rosencrantz Ah. (Pause) No, its no
good, its gone. It was a long time
ago. Guildenstern (Patient but edged) You dont
get my meaning. What is the first thing after all
the things youve forgotten? Rosencrantz Oh I
see. (Pause) Ive forgotten the
question. - P. 6-7 of the Penguin Edition
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STRANGER THAN FICTION VISUAL MOTIFS OF
STRUCTURE AND ORDER IMPLY WHAT IS MEANINGFUL TO
THE PROTAGONIST
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AND FOR ALL WE KNOW
Player Uncertainty is the normal state. Youre
nobody special. He makes to leave
again. Guildenstern loses his cool. Guildenstern
But for Gods sake what are we supposed to
do! Player Relax. Respond. Thats what people
do. You cant go through life questioning your
situation at every turn. Guildenstern But we
dont know whats going on, or what to do with
ourselves. We dont know how to act. Player Act
natural. You know why youre here at
least. Guildenstern We only know what were
told, and thats little enough. And for all we
know it isnt even true. - P. 58 of the
Penguin Edition
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Player Were travelling people. We take our
chances where we find them. Guildenstern It was
chance, then? Player Chance? Guildenstern You
found us. Player Oh yes. Guildenstern You
were looking? Player Oh no. Guildenstern
Chance, then. Player Or fate. Guildenstern
Yours or ours? Player It could hardly be one
without the other. Guildenstern Fate,
then. Player Oh yes. We have no control.
Tonight we play to the court. Or the night after.
Or to the tavern. Or not. - P. 16 of the
Penguin Edition
DOING NOTHING
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a police car and a screaming sirenpneumatic
drill and ripped up concretea baby wailing and a
stray dog howlingthe screech of brakes and
lamplights blinkingthats entertainmenta
smash of glass and the rumble of bootsan
electric train and a ripped up phone boothpaint
splattered walls and the cry of a tom catlights
going out and a kick in the balls thats
entertainmentdays of speed and slow time
Mondayspissing down with rain on a boring
Wednesdaywatching the news and not eating your
teaa freezing cold flat with damp on the
wallsthats entertainment
INTERTEXTUALITY In this climactic, yet
contemplative scene, Forster chooses to have The
Jams Thats Entertainment playing in the
background as Harold Crick reads the manuscript
of his life and death and considers his status as
a fictional character.
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• So why pair Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
  and Stranger than Fiction?
• As they are both metafictions, they converge
  (Studying two texts in relation to each other
  allows students to widen their understanding of
  the constructed nature of texts)
• On the question of Absurdism, they diverge
  (Studying one text in relation to another allows
  students to recognise that the same idea,
  experience, emotion, or opinion can be explored
  in different ways)

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Intermission.
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PART TWO UNBREAKABLE IN ENGLISH COMMUNICATIONS
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Text Study To achieve the learning outcomes for
this study, students must demonstrate
understanding of the structure and language of
particular textual forms and identify the values,
attitudes, and beliefs conveyed by these forms.
The capacity and willingness of students to read
critically and purposefully are highly
valued. - SACE English Curriculum Guide, p.
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Essay Question Discuss the cinematic
techniques M. Night Shyamalan uses in Unbreakable
to connect it with the cultural context of
superhero comics.
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• Approaches
• Motifs and Symbols
• Framing technique
• Signature colours
• Names
• Intertextuality

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Motif (noun) 1. a single or repeated image
forming a design. 2. A dominant or recurrent
theme in an artistic, musical or literary work
(Source Oxford English Dictionary Online)
The repetitive shape patterns and bright colours
deliberately highlighted in these shots serve to
imply a link with the visual language of a comic
book page.
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Symbol (noun) A thing that represents or stands
for something else, especially a material object
representing something abstract. (Source Oxford
English Dictionary Online)
In the climactic scene of the film, the heros
protective raincoat is visually transformed by
deliberately constructed shots into both cape and
mask.
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COMIC BOOK CONTEXT FRAMES
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M. NIGHT SHYAMALANS CINEMATIC USE OF FRAMES
The use of natural elements in the scene
deliberately echoes the narrative boxes, or
frames that are the basic syntactic unit of
sequential art (the language of comics)
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AN EXAMPLE OF SIGNATURE COLOUR Elijah Price
Note the purple lining!
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• Purple is a colour that traditionally denotes
  royalty. In Unbreakable, Elijah Price is always
  surrounded by this colour
• The first scene of the film, his birth, features
  the baby wrapped in a blanket with purple lining.
• The second flashback, featuring Elijah as a
  child, shows him given an important gift by his
  supportive mother a box with his first comic
  book inside, wrapped in purple paper.
• Every scene in the film featuring Elijah has him
  wearing some article of purple clothing.
• Purple is Elijahs signature colour because its
  implication of royalty is simultaneously
  appropriate and ironic Elijah has spent all his
  life in a state of physical fragility that has
  made him aware of his different status, which
  he comes to celebrate through identifying with
  the comic book figure of the brilliant and evil
  arch-villain, traditionally a genius and usually
  arrogant, with pretensions of royalty. In the
  rare moments we see Elijah interacting with
  common people, he tends to be disdainful and
  arrogant towards them, and in the end it is
  revealed that he is quite willing to sacrifice
  the masses in the name of his higher quest.

INTERESTING CONTEXTUAL SIDE-NOTE! The purple
idea actually came from Samuel L. Jackson
himself while he is credited for linking it with
the regal aspect of Elijahs characterisation,
it is also the actors favourite colour (which is
why when playing Mace Windu in Star Wars, Jackson
demanded that he be allowed to carry a purple
lightsaber, instead of the traditional blue,
green or yellow for good Jedi)
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• THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NAMES IN UNBREAKABLE
• David Dunn is an alliterative name, and therefore
  gives a hint as to the characters true nature
  (destiny?) see Peter Parker (Spider-Man), Bruce
  Banner (The Hulk), Clark Kent (Superman), Wally
  West (The Flash), Matt Murdock (Daredevil), and
  the list goes on
• Both David and Elijah are very Biblical names,
  indicating the potential scale of their story. In
  addition, David was a great warrior, whereas
  Elijah was a prophet.
• The surnames are also interesting
• Dunn is similar to dun, which is both an
  ancient type of fortress (an unbreakable one?)
  and an earthy, grey-brown colour (drab, ordinary,
  down to earth, to contrast with Elijahs regal
  purple)
• Elijahs surname is Price he is a commercial art
  dealer, and by the end of the film, we discover
  what price he is willing to have others pay in
  order to find David.

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INTERTEXTUALITY A way to discuss themes

• from New Scientist Magazine, 20th November, 2004.
  
• Discussion point The feelings of inadequacy
  heroes may evoke in ordinary mortals. Is this
  one reason David Dunn initially rejects the
  call?

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INTERTEXTUALITY A way to discuss themes

• Supermans Song
• Tarzan wasn't a ladies' manHe'd just come along
  and scoop 'em up under his armLike that, quick
  as a cat in the jungleBut Clark Kent, now there
  was a real gentHe would not be caught sittin'
  around in noJunglescape, dumb as an ape doing
  nothingChorusSuperman never made any
  moneyFor saving the world from Solomon Grundy
• And sometimes I despair the world will never
  seeAnother man like himHey Bob, Supe had a
  straight jobEven though he could have smashed
  through any bankIn the United States, he had the
  strength, but he would notFolks said his family
  were all deadTheir planet crumbled but Superman,
  he forced himselfTo carry on, forget Krypton,
  and keep going
• ChorusTarzan was king of the jungle and Lord
  over all the apesBut he could hardly string
  together four words "I Tarzan, You
  Jane."Sometimes when Supe was stopping
  crimesI'll bet that he was tempted to just quit
  and turn his backOn man, join Tarzan in the
  forestBut he stayed in the city, and kept on
  changing clothesIn dirty old phone-booths till
  his work was throughAnd nothing to do but go on
  home
• Chorus
• Crash Test Dummies

Discussion point The loneliness of the superhero
who is different and the sacrifice required by
responsibility. Is there a downside to being
super? Is this another reason for Davids
reluctance? See also Smallville (TV
Series) Heroes (TV Series) Superman Returns
(Film) Hancock (Film) Its Superman! (Novel)
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• So why study Unbreakable in English
  Communications?
• Unbreakable is constructed using many overt and
  contextually-linked cinematic techniques
  (students must demonstrate understanding of the
  structure and language of particular textual
  forms.)
• Motifs and Symbols
• Framing technique
• Signature colours
• Unbreakable is a thoughtful meditation upon ideas
  that subvert the traditional representations of
  the superhero genre in our culture (and
  identify the values, attitudes, and beliefs
  conveyed by these forms.)
• Names
• Intertextuality

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Fin.