The Returned

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

French supernatural sci-fi thriller
first shown on premium pay channel Canal +

Genre theory: based on 2004 French film “Les Revenants”- They came back
hybrid genre: supernatural, sci-fi-, fantasy, crime, drama, zombie subgenera

Question 2

ML&R: ‘The Uncanny’

Answer 2

the familiar is made to feel strange or unfamiliar, ordinary landscapes and settings are made t feel unsettling or strange
framing ad lighting. key Code in the supernatural genre

Question 3

ML&R: Lyrical feel

Answer 3

limited dialogue, slow pace, very visual and enigmatic; links to French ‘poetic realist’ tradition

Question 4

ML&R: Zombies?

Answer 4

classified as a ‘zombie drama’- cultural context affects rep and narrative: the zombie subgenera in a French context is very different to the codes of conventional American zombie style.

Question 5

ML&R: Repletion and Variation

Answer 5

shared themes and binary oppositions about Humans; religion, death, memory loss, identity etc.

Question 6

Globalisation

Answer 6

Channel 4 ‘Walter presents’, non English lang shows as part of C4 PSB remit. TR was first subtitled drama in 20 years for C4, it was pinoreering.

Won International Emmy for best drama series. TR was sold to American A&E studios in 2015 and reformatted for an American remake

Question 7

Economic context

Answer 7

received funding from Rhone Also regional fund and centre national de la cinematography (national funding and support organisation) narrative is influenced by necessities of production

EU creative Europe media programme, provides grant to supports European tv programmes
Haut et Court awarded 450,000 EUR for series 1. The criteria for funding includes:
filming in particular location, particular crew country, requirement to collaborate with int companies

Question 8

Audience

Answer 8

global audiences
universal themes and binary opposites that ‘translate’ to all markets: France, Eu and USA. cross demo appeal within the intended mass aud

Question 9

Intertextual references

Answer 9

to the American horror films Halloween, Exorcist ad Memento.
signifiers to many intentional fans of the influences on the show, causes greater aud pleasure and engagement.

Question 10

Canal +

Answer 10

subscription source
conglomerate, vivendi, universal

high quality, mass appeal and high prod values
showed in logo and pre credits

Question 11

Eu Creative Europe Media programme

Answer 11

450k

supports European film and audio-visual industries

provides funding for development, promotion and distribution of European works within Europe and the works

want to focus on initiatives than can have real impact on sector on Europe

funds film and give money to increase standard- pretty and picturesque- tourism- economy

Question 12

examples of representations

Answer 12

people 
age
ethnicity 
gender
family 
life 
human 
death

Question 13

Opening Sequence- funding

Answer 13

• Coach driving round mountains, picturesque, bright, snowy, postiviely reflects the South East of France. The sun glistening off the snow.
  Use of funds Rhone Alps Fund, Creative Europe Media, £450,000 funding. Helped portray the SE of France positively, creating tourism and publicity surrounding the area. Link to Creative Europe Media mission statement.

Question 14

International appeal

Answer 14

International Appeal:
Key themes: religion is relevant to all, suicide (old man kills himself), issue in all societies, raising awareness of the amount of male suicides within society.

Question 15

Raising issues in contemporary society:

Answer 15

39.53-41.02m
Stabbing in a dark, dimmed alley. Full shot and close up on the stabbing and the knife going in. Amplified sound of the knife going in, intense, eary atmosphere. Graphic hear the girl gasping for air. Raising the issue within contemporary society of the rising levels of knife crime. England and wales 2017-18, knife crime rates nearly at 40,000.

Question 16

Questioning what it is to be human: twins meeting

Answer 16

42-43.25m
One of the twins is considerably younger than the other, suggesting that she is trapped in her younger-self. Supernatural themes, making the audience question the impossible (binary opposites).