1. In a film analysis, there are many different kinds of ways which you can use to analyse any
film. The main two ways which are used by many people all of the time is Genre Analysis
and Auteur Theory. Genre Analysis is slightly easy to do as if the film is a generic film; it
means that the film will follow all the codes and conventions of one particular genre. Using
this, you will be able to predict what might happen within a film. For example, a horror is a
genre which is well known by everyone as it is always has a dark and weary atmosphere, a
villain and innocent characters which all end up in the worst turn of events. A horror if done
well can carry out the high expectations of a well thought out film if following the correct
codes and conventions. The genre itself would mainly been released around Halloween as
that is the main time when people wish to be truly scared and when people go out of their
way to believe certain scary stories. On the other hand, following a Auteur Theory of film
analysis can mainly be see on judgement of the eye and how certain people see things as
there can be debates on this specific analysis. However, as long as a point is proven on what
someone thinks, it all comes down on personal opinion. An Auteur is someone who likes to
break the codes and conventions of a genre and allows the audience to view the director’s
personal creative vision. This is where the director treats the film and the script like a wok of
art, yet in ways can mix genres together to seemingly create a whole new genre. There are
several well-known directors who are considered Auteur’s such as Coppola who
made Apocalypse Now (1979), Wes Craven who made the famous Scream
(1996) and Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and even Quentin Tarantino who made Pulp
Fiction (1994).
Within any Genre Analysis, there are always 7 different key areas which should always be
covered. Each of the key areas are:
 Codes and conventions
 Setting
 Character
 Themes
 Narrative
 Iconography
 Ideological message
Each of the key areas has been used in a film which was directed by Marc Foster, Quantum
of Solace (2008). The codes and conventions of this film are very typical of the action genre.
Having the fast sporty cars, both the British Aston Martin and the Italian Alfa Romeo along

2. with the fast pace cutting which seems as if it is trying to keep
up with the dramatic non-diegetic music which is being
used. The setting for the majority of James Bond films always
seems to be within an exotic, beautiful foreign place. At the
start of the film Marc Foster, Quantum of Solace (2008) the
setting is based in Italy, which is shown quite a bit during a fast
pace camera track within a car chase. Wide shots show the
country like it possibly hasn’t been seen before showing a
whole different side. Within the start of the film as the setting
is being shown, there seems to be the typical codes and
conventions again of and action genre by the characters. There
seems to be a villain, who is old, appears slightly weak and not
very attractive, which is the complete opposite to what the
hero, in this case James Bond. James Bond is the attractive,
skilful, professional and sophisticated at what he does. Wearing
a suit and tie you know that this is the typical style of how
hero’s normally dress within action films. The females within the film itself are always the
same. They appear to be objectified and are not usually seen as a main protagonist but
instead as a secondary character. This seems to occur in most of the James Bond films yet it
has a slight twist. Women may be objectified and they may be secondary characters yet
they seem to hold a main part within every film. Jams Bond’s boss is female within his
particular film and she seems to call all the shots within what Bond does. As well as Bond
always has a female accomplice to help him do his job and get what he needs to do done.
The themes throughout the same are the same in near enough all of the action films which
consist of life and death and even the sexuality. The hero always seems to survive and win
the war or fight which is going while the villain dies and loses as one thing which has been
stated for many years ‘good triumphs over evil’ which in this case, Quantum of
Solace proves and gives an Ideological message. Within this Bond film, Britain is seen as
powerful and dominant through the likes of mise en scene such as the car, the Aston
Martin. An elegant looking car yet powerful and fast. Bond is always smartly dressed which
is iconic of British fashion, or what can been seen as the stereotypical way on how British
people would dress.
Leon (1994) is a Thriller/Crime/Drama type film which is in contrast to Quantum of Solace
(2008) as both films are in the similar genre yet both have different
viewing experiences. The Quantum of Solace (2008) is the type of
film which involves all of the typical action/crime genre with the fast
cars, young sexy women yet seen as objects and not highly important
and exotic locations which are all very ‘in your face’. It’s very straight
forward as it goes from start to the end and you can guess and
expect what to happen within the film, whereas Leon (1994) seems
more subtle and is very unconventional. There are many twists
within the film what makes you think more and it isn’t as predictable
as you think when you first start watching it and as Quantum of
Solace (2008). Luc Besson the director of Leon (1994) can be very
much considered an Auteur for the fact he breaks the codes and

3. conventions of a typical thriller/drama/crime genre. This film has been made to make the
audience wonder and think very carefully about the film. Having a young girl aged 13
smoking and in a very distant family. Only getting attention of her younger brother and
giving that attention, her mother and sister and father seemed to slightly reject her which is
a small indication of a typical poor family. Having to force herself to grow up as she lost her
childhood from her family being murdered, Leon is left with Mathilda. With the twist by Luc
Besson on having the young girl fall in love with this much older man, and Leon loving her as
a daughter as he teaches her to become an assassin. People often construed him as a
paedophile when really it is the other way around. He has no intention of having sexual
desires with Mathilda when it is actually her who has the sexual intentions and desires. It
seems to be very clever how he uses peoples preconceived notions on the relationship
between older men and younger girls which leads them to think there is something seedy
going on which will create tension for the audience and a very uncomfortable
atmosphere. He has broken the convention for the films which has made it his own
individual style even though some people can have a debate on the actual opinion of Luc
Besson being an Auteur. In the year 1994, the films which had already been made was near
enough all the same and he has taken it into account of this and broke the codes and
conventions and has made a success from doing so.
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer
and editor who did most of his work in the UK. He was born July 26, 1928 and died March 7
1999 and he is still regarded to this very day as one of the greatest
filmmakers of all time. I have chosen to write about Stanley Kubrick
because I feel that he is one person who could be described as an
auteur as he seems to take each film he has created and adds his
own twist on which is something the audience would not expect. He
takes codes and conventions of a film, taking into account in what
makes a certain genre and then it’s like he twists it to how he sees
fit to make it a different viewing experience for the audience.
Having turned his home into his work place and doing his editing
and writing within the comfort of his own home and teaching
himself all of the aspects of film production and directing he has
gone on to make several films which broke new ground in the film
making industry. The main reason why I feel that Stanley Kubrick
could be considered a Auteur is really based on one film which I
have seen, The Clockwork Orange (1971). This is entirely because
for me being someone who was born much later than when it was
released, watching it now seems to be his own unique original style. He hasn’t followed all
the true codes and conventions of how a Crime/Drama film should be like. Having different
meanings within the film, there are certain subliminal messages on certain parts within the
film yet again would all depend on the audience reading too much within the film. He has
mixed messages within the film which also can consider to be confusing for the audience as
it gets their minds thinking differently. He had his own highly personalized style which had
been woven into every film he had made. He was a very stylistic film maker and no matter
what film he was making, he paid very great attention to every single detail he had placed in

4. his films. He had a great use of music which he knew how to build tension, evoke emotion
or even confuse the audience with how he would do so. He has shown this in one of his
other films, 2001: Space Odyssey (1968), he has taken a dark mystery scene and contrasted
it with a classical piece of music which would make you feel more happy. This changes the
atmosphere and is very unconventional yet it’s unique as it is his own style and is very
effective within the film.
Pulp Fiction (1994) is an original film by Quentin
Tarantino which has different types of genres
that it could be fit into. It is more of a
gangster/crime type of film with a sense of
thriller. The film itself is known for use of
different styles it has such as its ironic mix of
humour and violence, it can also be seen as a
tragedy without all the sadness and the
nonlinear storyline. The nonlinear narrative is
effective throughout the film as it’s not shown in
chronological order which can keep the viewer
of the film more interested as they want to
know what’s going on within the film. This can
be seen as a very individual style for Quentin
Tarantino, and could possibly help him be seen
as an Auteur to some people. The codes and
conventions within the film it’s very
stereotypical for this kind of genre even though
not all the codes and conventions seem to be followed, it can be seen as a black comedy
which again makes an individual style. The film itself is all pieced up and join in ways which
are all later met, there a several different stories or scenes in what way you want to put it
and they all tell a story of different characters which enables you to get to know each
character individually and what they are about which can be seen as one of Tarantino’s own
traits within a film. Having done this I feel this does make Quentin Tarantino an Auteur
because he has put his own twist into this film to make it his own work which makes it
authentic as well as the witty dialogue he uses within his films. In almost every film these
days, it is a linear narrative and it goes from beginning, middle then end it runs smooth and
its jumping all over the place and it’s as if you can predict what is going to happen next in
the film. I have never seen a film with a nonlinear narrative which jumps all the clips about.
It’s as if it’s trying to maintain a strong focus off the audience just so they are able to follow
the narrative. Even though Quentin Tarantino co-wrote the play with Roger Avary, I feel that
Tarantino himself is the main creator of Pulp Fiction (1994) as he directed the film as well as
write it. I think Tarantino puts artistic merit before commercial success as it seems like in
every film he has made, he has put his own style into each film.