Narrative theory in relation to Halloween (1978) and The Crazies (2010)

Classical Hollywood Narrative is a theory that the majority of films follow a pattern. Most forms of media follow this narrative. The pattern being that in the beginning there is an equilibrium which is disrupted and then problems are restored to re-establish a state of equilibrium. This theory was originated from Tzvetan Todarov’s ideas and this theory developed the names “Classical Hollywood Narrative” or Classic Realist”. This theory is useful to understand media texts as many forms of media use it. Commonly it is used in films but also in news stories. It will also help us to understand the structure in narrative and different narratives of genre. However commonly, horror doesn’t end in a re-established equilibrium, nor does it sometimes start with an equilibrium. Sometimes the film starts with a disequilibrium, for example in Halloween the opening of the film opens to the main antagonist stabbing his sister. Once this initial disequilibrium has taken place it jumps forward in time to an equilibrium which is then disrupted when the main antagonist escapes from his captivity and is at large and now a threat. However once the battle between the hero and the villain is over, conventionally the villain is stopped, but in horror often the convention is that the villain gets a way. You could say that the initial equilibrium and the re-established equilibrium are both cushioned with disequilibrium.

Vladimir Propp studied many folk tales and identified that there are 8 character types used in narrative. These are;

• The villain – the baddie, or main antagonist of the story
• The hero – the protagonist
• The donor – the character that’s provides some sort of object with magical power
• The helper – the character that aids the hero throughout the story
• The princess – the damsel in distress, the character that the hero often saves from the villain
• The princess’ father – the character that rewards the character
• The dispatcher – the character that sends the hero on his way
• The false hero – the character that appears to be a helper but then reveals their plans are less than helpful

I don’t think that the analysis of these characters help to understand media texts. It does not make it any easier to understand narrative. You can make connections and recognise characters and how they are represented which would help us understand genre, but they don’t change the way narrative is structured. They are merely an observation.  However it will help us to understand the horror genre and the conventions it uses but not so much in the way of understanding its narrative. The character types used in Halloween are not conventional to Propp’s original ideas. For example the hero, Laurie is also the princess, or damsel in distress. She is the antagonist but she also saves herself from the villain. The helper, Dr Loomis, helps Laurie towards the end of the film. But you could also argue that Dr Loomis is also the hero as he is the one that saved Laurie and he is also one of the first established characters. The villain is Mike Myers but he could also be classed as the dispatcher as he causes Laurie to go on her ‘adventure’ to try and stop him.

Binary opposition are sets of opposite values. They help to establish themes in different texts of media. This theory was introduced by Claude Levi-Strauss and he formed the theory that these oppositions would help us to understand the structure of media texts. Not to understand the order of events in the narrative but the arrangements of themes. For example in horror common opposite values would be good/evil, natural/supernatural or humans/monsters. This theory isn’t helpful when trying to understand narrative structure but it helps us in understanding the themes of the genre and the conventions of horror.

In Halloween there are binary oppositions evident;

• Good/Evil: The main character Laurie is good and the antagonist, Mike Myers is evil
• Dead/Alive: most of Laurie’s friends are dead however she is alive
• Past/Present: In the past he was contained in the institute, in the present he it at large and dangerous
• Unknown/Known: Myers’ face is unknown he is masked, his presence is always known
• Innocent/Promiscuous: Laurie is innocent however her friends are promiscuous.

Bordwell and Thompson defined narrative as “a chain of events in a cause-effect relationship, occurring in time and space”. Their theory is that the narrative will begin with an overall situation which then is effected by a chain of events which creates the cause and effect pattern. In the end of a narrative there is a final situation. Naturally when we view a narrative our instinct is to connect events that have been caused by other events even if this is not true in the narrative.  Directors can manipulate our natural response to link to situations together and create a mood and atmosphere by bringing together certain shots. This builds a picture in our mind. This can be used effectively in horror by editing to pictures together for example a scene of a dead body which is then edited to another person; we can assume that this person has murdered the person that is dead. This theory I think would be most useful when analysing media texts. When analysing horror we can understand what techniques and shot that director will use to create their suspense or fear. In Halloween the opening scene sees Mike Myers murdering his sister. This then moves on to Dr Loomis going to collect him in a mental institute. He might be in the institute for another reason but we assume t is because of the murder of his sister. Another example of the cause and effect would be the telephone call that Laurie’s friend makes. She is strangled during the phone call by Myers and because of this strange activity Laurie goes to the house to investigate and she is then in danger of Myers. There events that we don’t see but know happens for example we know that Myers went through some sort of trial when being put into the institute but we don’t see him being put in the institute we just see him in it. We also know that Laurie’s friend made a phone call to a character that Laurie fancies but we don’t see this happen her friend just tells her.

The use of narrative theory in Halloween

• How does the start exemplify a common technical code convention of the horror genre?

In the beginning of the film we are presented with a point of view shot of Myers killing his sister. This is conventional as the point of view follows the killer and is a common technique that the horror genre uses.

• How does the setting fit with the horror genre?

The majority of the film takes place in a suburban are at night, this location is conventionally used in horror. Other locations are visited such as the grave yard and mental institute which are also conventional locations.

• What iconography of “innocence” do we hear or see early on?

The character Laurie throughout the film is conservatively dressed, the majority of her body is covered and she is usually wearing trousers. She has no boyfriend and she has an awkward attitude towards the opposite sex. Her character is virginal.

• What was the main industry impact of Halloween?

Halloween made a big profit as it was quite a low budget film and its success encouraged the production of many more slasher’s.

• Name some “slasher” films which followed on from Halloween.

Scream, Friday the 13^th, Prom Night

• What are the four plot rules of the “slasher” film sub-genre which Halloween began?

A traumatic event in the past creates a psychopathic killer
The killer returns to the site of the event, usually on a specific date to use a calendar motif in the title.
The killer stalks and kills a group of teens with a blade.
The final girl survives but the killer is not entirely vanquished.

• Give three ways in which Laurie is androgynous.

She fights back, she is clothed conservatively, she has manly features, and she doesn’t wear makeup.

• What does the extract mean by “a reactionary sexual agenda”?

It is the idea that the boy-ish virginal character survives and the sexually active characters die.

• How does the director, John Carpenter, counter the suggestion that Halloween had a reactionary sexual agenda?

Carpenter disagrees that his film has a reactionary sexual agenda, he says that the teens where just distracted and Myers main target is Laurie.

• Why does Mike Myers kill his sister?

He is evil.

The use of narrative theory in The Crazies

• Does The Crazies follow the CHN? Why or why not?

This film starts with a disequilibrium but then swiftly moves to an equilibrium. However this film finishes with a disequilibrium and therefore does not follow the classical Hollywood native.

• How many of Propp’s character types can be identified in the film?

There are a few of Propps characters in this film, the hero is the sheriff. The damsel in distress is the sheriff’s pregnant wife and the helper is the sheriff’s deputy, but you could argue he is he false hero as he does turn against the two during the film but then helps them in the end. The villain is the government as they are behind the infection that spreads.

• List five examples of binary oppositions in the film and explain them briefly.

Dead/Alive: the characters that are alive are trying to get away however some have died because of the illness that has spread.
Infected/Uninfected: the infected have lost their human qualities however the uninfected are still human.
Free/Quarantined: the people who have been quarantined cannot get away from the illness opposed to those who are free and safe from it.
Day/Night: everybody is reasonably safe during the day but it is a risk to be out at night.
Normal/Un-normal: things are normal when there are no infected but once people become infected they are worried nothing will be normal again.

• Identify the three “durations” and give an estimate of the time each duration covers.

Screen duration – 101 minutes
Plot duration – about three days
Story duration – a couple of weeks

• Give two examples of events that cause later events in the film but which occur before the film “starts”.

The plane crashes and infects the town’s water supply. The first character to drink the water gets infected and then threatens to kill the sheriff.

• List two events from the 101 minute film that happen in a different time and space to the one we are shown.

At the end of the film we are shown a city, much bigger to the town that is already infected before the two last characters arrive. When the sheriff’s deputy returns to the deputy and he doesn’t tell him where he has been.