WAKE IN FRIGHT EXAM Flashcards
Construction of Media Narratives
-Transcendental Horror
-Normality: John teaching
-Point of disruption: arriving in Bundanyabba
-TP1: John loses his money
-Lowest point: Kills kangaroo
-Climax: Montage of horrors, suicide
-Resolution
How media narratives are constructed, consumed and read by audiences
Consumption: in a cinema, audience expectations, contextual
Constructed: Genre as a Transcendental Horror
Read: Audience interpretation, contextual
Relationship between and the function of codes and narrative conventions to convey meaning
Kangaroo Hunting Sequence: Link to genre: low-key lighting except for the spotlight on John’s face, non-diegetic music, fast paced editing-meet expectations of horror genre, suspense and horrific tone, yelling from Dick and Joe, claustrophobia adding to the horror. Tense music, expressive side lighting, two side of his personality
Climactic Sequence
Fast paced flashing editing, psychedelic and confronting ‘montage of horrors’ distorted, of John’s time at the Yabba, sudden, intense, non-diegetic sounds
Opening Sequence
Establishing 360 panning landscape shot (feelings of loneliness and vastness), diegetic wind and non-diegetic strings establish outback as antagonist. Landscape shot of Tiboonda shows only two buildings: school and pub- alcoholism and toxic masculinity. Train tracks seperate John’s two lives.
Inside school everyone looks bored, diegetic school bell and John tapping creates feeling of monotony- John is trapped. John leaves: upbeat wind instruments: freedom.
The mise-en-scene of John’s house: rock collection, Beatles album, record player: cultured and refined, contrasting him against the other residents of the Yabba. The barkeep Charlie is dressed in dirty clothes, compared to John who is in a clean suit, symbolising the contrast. Close up of Sydney opera house and Robyn show his motivation. John gets on the tram and is positioned away from the group and declines a beer.
Relationship between media narratives and their contexts
White Australia Policy
Two indigenous people in the film, even though it is rural Australia, isolated. 1960s Australia was a ‘white utopia’, as even though Indigenous right to vote was given in 1962 and included in the census in 1967, Indigenous Australians were still viewed as outsiders. Mise-en-scene is crowds of white faces.
Patriarchy and toxic masculinity
In 1971 Australia was a patriarchal culture, with men in power over women, with women being subservient and domestic. For example, marital rape being legal until 1976. Based on Brown Hill where the ratio of men to women were 3:1.
Nationalism
Military was glorified, thought their culture was perfect, respected authority unconditionally.
Representations in narratives and how they reflect and challenge views
Misogyny and Patriarchy
Janette passive and always looking bored, objectified. Only women are passive, domestic and subservient, serving men or Robyn who is sexualised by John. Dick says to Janette “pretty as ever” and wolf whistles. Reflects views of 1971, while 2024 challenges.
Nationalism
Jock is white man in power who represents patriarchy and law: corrupt due to close up of clock of bar showing 2 hours late. ANZAC scene: everyone in the bar has to immediately stand up in straight lines, forced and passive aggressive (conformity and patriotism), Jock shown with a low angle while staring at John, expressing the pressure to conform. Illustrates Kotcheff’s view of conformity.
Ways in which different audiences engage with, consume and read media narratives
-1971 audiences: Recieved the film poorly, as the toxic representations of rural Australia were too close to what they took pride in. Even though the representations were valid (Jack Thompson: “this is us”, the 1971 audience viewed representations as exaggerated and an attack on their culture. Themes of homosexuality impacted engagement as homosexuality wasn’t legal until 1976 with the majority of society being disgusted by the fact it was in the film.
-2024 audience: Able to enjoy the film as Kotcheff intended, due to having more progressive views and values (70% voted yes to the gay marriage vote in 2017), able to sympathise with John’s quest to find his identity and view the film as a warranted critique on 1971 toxic culture, as they aren’t reflected in the representations.
