英语电影赏析ppt-4.ppt

1、Chapter 4Narrative 叙述,Narrative,This chapter attempts to:Define the basic terms used to analyze narratives-Narrative,Story,and Plot.Describe nine basic story types.Describe the commonly used the Classic Three-Act Linear Structure(经典三幕式直线结构).Describe the varieties of subplot.,Narrative,Narrative refe

2、rs to the way that a story is told.It is principally concerned with the way that events are organized in time and space the way in which the scriptwriter and director take the raw elements of a story and arrange them in the most attractive and interesting way.,Narrative,Narrative,story,and plot are

3、the basic terms used when analyzing the narrative structure of a film.Although they are sometimes used interchangeably,they also have more precise meanings that can help us to draw some useful distinctions.David Bordwell and Kristin Thomas in Film Art-An Introduction电影艺术入门define them as follows:,Nar

4、rative,Narrative A chain of events in cause-effect relationships(因果关系)occurring in time and space.Story All the events that we see and hear,plus all those that we infer or assume to have occurred,arranged in their presumed causal relations,chronological order,duration,frequency,and spatial locations

5、.Plot All the events that are directly presented to us,including their causal relations,chronological order,duration,frequency,and spatial locations.The key distinction is that between story and plot:Story is the viewers imaginary construction of all the events in the narratives-whether presented to

6、 us or not-while plot is the films actual presentation of certain events in the narrative.,The Basic Stories,Writers have argued that there are a limited number of stories that form the basis for ALL fictional narratives.These stories have been named Achilles(阿喀琉斯),Candide(憨第德),Cinderella(灰姑娘),Circe

7、(喀尔刻),Faust(浮士德),Orpheus(俄尔普斯),Romeo and Juliet(罗密欧与朱丽叶),Tristan(特里斯坦),and the Wandering Jew(流浪的犹太人).They can occur alone or in combination.,Achilles 阿喀琉斯,The“Achilles”story is the story of the seemingly invulnerable(不会受伤的，无懈可击的)hero with a fatal flaw.Classical tragedy is usually a variant of the Ac

8、hilles story.(Example:Superman超人),Candide 憨第德/天真汉,The story of the innocent abroad,the naively optimistic hero who triumphs contrary to all expectations.(Examples:Forrest Gump阿甘正传,Mr.Bean憨豆先生),Cinderella 灰姑娘,The story of the“dream comes true”:Goodness and virtue are despised at the beginning but rec

9、ognized at last.The protagonist of the Cinderella story usually begins in a lowly position but,through his good nature,convinces all doubters(怀疑者)and is rewarded.(Example:Pretty woman漂亮女人),Circe 喀尔刻,The“Chase”story in which an innocent victim is pursed by the villain,until the villain is defeated by

10、 the potential victim.Often this story takes the form of the temptress(诱惑男人的女性)ensnaring(诱捕)the love-stuck(被爱情冲昏了头的)male;it has often been vividly described as“the spider and the fly”.It is the basis of horror films,thrillers,and film noir.(Examples:the Alien films异形系列),Faust 浮士德,The story of an ind

11、ividual who sells his soul to the devil,enjoys a brief period of power and prosperity,but eventually is called upon to repay the debt.The Faust story can also take the form of the dark secret that can never be completely suppressed,or the personal history that cannot be evaded.(Example:Wall Street华尔

12、街),Orpheus 俄尔普斯,The story of the gift that is taken away.The gift could be something personal,a loved one,an ability of some kind,everything valuable in life,or even life itself.The story can focus on the tragedy of the loss itself or the search that follows the loss.(Example:Born on the Fourth of J

13、uly 出生于七月四日),Romeo and Juliet,The classic“star-crossed lovers(命运不佳的情侣)”story in which a major obstacles stands in the way of true love.(Examples:Ghost 人鬼情未了),Tristan 特里斯坦,The love triangle:A man loves a woman,but one of them is already involved with someone(or something else).The“third party”in the

14、relationship is usually a person,but it may be something more abstract(e.g.a cause,a mission,a destiny).(Example:Tristan&Isolde 王者之心),The Wandering Jew流浪的犹太人,The“Wandering Jew”is the story of the persecuted or alienated traveler who will never return home.(Examples:The English Patient英国病人),The Basic

15、 Stories,Achilles(阿喀琉斯),Candide(憨第德),Cinderella(灰姑娘),Circe(喀尔刻),Faust(浮士德),Orpheus(俄尔普斯),Romeo and Juliet(罗密欧与朱丽叶),Tristan(特里斯坦),the Wandering Jew(流浪的犹太人).,The Classic Three-Act Linear Structure,The majority of Hollywood films employ the classic three-act linear structure(or a variation of it).The s

16、tructure was firstly codified(整理)by Syd Field,but has since been elaborated and reinterpreted by a number of scriptwriters and theorists.By no means all films will adhere to this structure，and those that do will do so flexibly.Nevertheless,most Hollywood scriptwriters(编剧)are familiar with the struct

17、ure and acknowledge its importance.,The Classic Three-Act Linear Structure,The three-act structure implies that the film can be divided into three acts.Act I would normally be expected to occupy the first quarter of the film;Act II would occupy the next half;and Act III would occupy the final quarte

18、r.Each act has a different function.For a typical two-hour Hollywood film(i.e.120mins),the act division would be as follows:,The Classic Three-Act Linear Structure,The Classic Three-Act Linear Structure,ACT I The Set-Up,The function of Act I is to“set-up”the film:to provide information about the mai

19、n characters,the setting(布景),the tone气氛),problems,conflicts,the love interest,and the timescale of the film.Central to the set-up is the presentation of the hero/protagonist.Act I will also give enough information to allow the audience to know the genre to which the film belongs,and thus to know rou

20、ghly what to expect of it.In Act I we also expect to find a hook,a key line,an incident,and a turning point.,ACT I The Set-Up,The Hook The hook is the intriguing episode that grabs the attention and sparks the curiosity of the viewer.It could take the form of a confrontation between strongly contras

21、ting characters;it could present ordinary people doing extraordinary things(or vice versa),or it could pose a question.The Key Line The key line poses the question that the film as a whole will explore,The key line points out the theme of the film.Inciting Incident The Inciting Incident is scene tha

22、t presents the protagonist with a problem that disturbs the normality and predictability of life.Before the inciting incident,the protagonist has been living life as normal;,ACT I The Set-Up,after the inciting incident,the protagonist will be driven by a new motivation to pursue a new goal.The prota

23、gonist may not take immediate action on account of the inciting incident,but will nevertheless begin a process of reflection that will lead eventually to action.Turning point 1 The role of the turning point is to catapult(猛力推出)the story in a new direction by setting up some kind of crisis for the pr

24、otagonist to negotiate.The turning point differs from the inciting incident in that it is associated with some decisive actions taken by the protagonist that dramatically raises the stakes(冒更大的风险)and increases the danger level.,ACT II:Development,The function of ACT II as a whole to show the develop

25、ment of the main characters and plot through conflict and confrontation.The protagonist will advance towards the goal suggested by his actions at the end of Act I.However,the end of Act II will typically show the protagonist encountering a major set back that will only be overcome in Act III.The Poi

26、nt of No Turning The point of no return usually occurs halfway through the film,and is the scene in which the protagonist becomes truly committed to the goal that he has been pursuing.The role of the point of no return is:to force the protagonist to reassess his goal,to consider giving up,to decide

27、to continue,and then to pursue the goal in a still more committed and single-minded way.,ACT II:Development,The Turning Point 2 Tuning Point 2,like Turning Point1,catapults the story in anew direction by setting up some kind of crisis for the protagonist to negotiate.The difference between the two i

28、s that Turning Point 2 is a major setback in which the protagonist is defeated.Turning Point2 is also called the moment of truth(真相时刻)because the protagonist realizes that the action taken since at Turning Point1 was misguided,weak,unprincipled and ultimately wrong.Yet the protagonist is strengthene

29、d in the process,because through recognition of his error he gains a clearer idea of what remains to be done.,ACT III:Resolution and Denouement结局和尾声,The function of Act III is to provide a strong climax that resolves the problem first encountered by the protagonist in Act I.The protagonist is shown

30、to have undergone a transformation since Act II:He now has a much higher level of self-knowledge(自我认识),and a much clearer idea of what needs to be done,and so is prepared for this final climax.Remaining questions are answered and loose ends are tied up in this act.,ACT III:Resolution and Denouement,

31、Climax The climax is the moment at which the protagonist faces his greatest challenge and either defeats his opponents or is defeated.In one sense,however,the protagonist always wins:He can win outright:or he can be defeated and yet still win because he has learnt something important.Resolution The

32、resolution is the brief period after the climax when the protagonist evaluates what has happened and envisions(想象,预想)a new future.Loose ends,uncertainties,and subplots are concluded in this part.Often films will try to create a sense of circularity(环状,循环)and completion by repeating a motif(动机,主旨)fro

33、m the beginning.,Subplots,Most Hollywood films have one or more subplots.Subplots are additional stories(secondary plots)that are linked to the main plot and have an influence upon it;Subplots often display the theme more openly than the main plot-allowing for elaboration upon it-and thus tell us what the film is really about in a larger sense.Distinguishing between the main plot and subplots can