Micro Elements and theories shown in Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park

To show the 4 Micro-elements of film form as well as 4 theories, I will be using ,from Jurassic Park, the scene in which Dr Sattler is sent to turn on emergency power after the park is sabotaged.

Micro-Elements:

   Mise-en-scene: In the scene, the hallways in the bunker are dimly lit and thus it adds meaning to the scene, making it more tense and atmospheric showing how dangerous of a place it is. Dr Sattler's facial expressions show fear as she works her way through the corridors. Her hair is quite messy and un-kept showing how she is stressed with her current predicament, especially as the are raptors on the loose around the bunker.

   Cinematography: The scene is mainly filmed at an eye level,close up shot to put the audience in the scene and can imagine how Dr Sattler feels. The film also switches to the raptor's perspective and see how Ellie is vulnerable like prey. All the shots are very real instead of CG making these fake dinosaurs seem a lot more realistic.

   Editing:The scene runs along side Dr Grant, Tim and Lex climbing over the electric fence, while Ellie is trying to turn it on, clueless to the fact that the Tim is stuck on the fence. Both these scene are linear meaning we experience the events as they naturally occur. The cutting between Ellie turning on all the power and Dr Grant trying to get Tim to climb down builds tension between a purposefully tense and scary scene and a scene that starts of normal and turns scarier.

   Sound: With the Grant Gang climbing over the fence, sirens start to go off which alerts the viewers and the characters of the impending doom. With Dr Sattler, in the hallway there are multiple pipes that make noise and that shows how that area of the park is not safe and a scary place to be. The raptor sounds add to the scary noises and solidifies that this is more than a regular park and that the dinosaurs pose a real threat to the guests.

Theories: 

   Todorov's theory of narrative development (NARRATIVE): This scene follows this theory perfectly. Equilibrium: The park has been sabotaged but most people are safe. Disequilibrium: The power around the park goes off and needs to be fixed. Recognition: The fences and phones stop working and the park becomes very unsafe. Resolution: Arnold goes to fix it bur doesn't come back, and so Ellie and Robert Muldoon go and check on the power and Mr Arnold. Climax: Mr Arnold and Robert die, however Ellie is able to turn on the power. New equilibrium: The power turns on but dinosaurs are already loose. Tim is injured, and people have been killed.
   Blumler and Katz - Uses and gratification theory (AUDIENCE): This theory also perfectly works as it states that people watch and use films for different purposes. Most people will watch Jurassic park because it is an entertaining film, but other people will watch it to get away from the mundane realism of the world today. Others might watch it to inspire them and help flex their creative muscles.

   Henry Jenkins - Genre constantly breaking the rules (GENRE): This theory states that genre is constantly evolving and that they aren't stereo-typical. Despite Jurassic Park being a fantasy film, this scene above shows fantasy as having aspects of horror in it. Both the main raptor scenes are very tense as it cuts between the raptors stalking their prey (humans).
Laura Mulvey - male gaze (REPRESENTATION): This is the one theory that doesn't work. Throughout the whole film. There are only two female characters, and neither of them are shot, portrayed or clothed for the male gaze. Lex is a child and thus is not shown for the male gaze, and Dr Sattler is never shown in a sexual light as she is running away from dinosaurs trying to eat her face off.

As shown, Jurassic Park is a great film for analysing Micro and Macro Elements.