Written Analysis 4

The concept of formulas is pretty much what brings together all of the topics we have been discussion. For my topic, movies, there is a general formula for a movie outline and within that you set up the characters with their rituals and stereotypes and heroes of the movies. The six-gun mystique, brought forth by John Cawelti, can be applied to war movies. Cawelti’s theory deals with western but I feel this can also be carried into some war style movies (Browne, 2005). When dealing with wars, you are usually clashing between old and new developments. Take World War 2 for example, the demand for vehicles and good went up. This brought about new conventions to advance the body of the general public. Women began working to produce various goods, inventions were made and ultimately helped brings stability to the cultural aspects of life. 

Movie formulas usually have three basic parts; the protagonist, the antagonist, and the relationship character. Take Saving Private Ryan for example. The protagonist is Private Ryan, who is being fought for to save and get back home, the antagonist is the germans fighting against them, and the relationship character is the US military, primarily Captain Millers group. In movies, you also have the first, second, and third acts. The first usually introduces the characters and their goals for the movie. The second act is when the main character will start to encounter problems. This takes up most of the movie. Act three is the last part of the movie, when the main character’s story beings to wrap up and loose ends are tied. 

The insight you gain from applying theses theories and thought to my topic is that you are able to understand the dynamic of the movies a little better. You are able to assess who the characters are and what their roles are for the film. 

References

Browne, R. B. (2005). Profiles of popular culture. (pp. 115-120). Madison, Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin.