Monday, October 13, 2008

Narratives#2

(I've just realised I can still do the Shooting of Dan Mcgrew from memory.) Two things before mapping territory.

1) Some of the most interesting modern narratives seem to be in Asian Cinema. Even a not so great film like "The Grudge" repays attention in this respect.

If you imagine a narrative as ten events. Strung out in chronological order they'd obviously go 1-10. In something weak like a Friday 13th sequel, 1 is usually wasted in filling in the background. "The Grudge' is far more ambitious. It starts at 5, with no explanation at all, progresses to six, then flashes back to four, and so on til the hopefully terrifying climax manages to be simultaneously the exposition and the climax.

5,6,4,7,3,8,2,1/10

2) At the heart of "Old Boy", "Audition", "Retribution" is an essential ambiguity lacking in many films. Who to sympathise with? It’s something our Will would have loved.

The speaking /I/ of the poem: think Chaucer's games, Browning's performative dissonance. Add examples.

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