How does Peter Jackson develop and challenge generic conventions in "Heavenly Creatures"?
- Released in 1994
- Starring Kate Winslet, Melanie Lynskey and Sarah Peirse
- Directed by Peter Jackson
- Written by Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson
- Received highest audience rating from females aged 30-44 (IMDB)
- Based on a true story - The notorious 1954 Parker-Hulme murder case in Christchurch, New Zealand
This clip depicts the scene in which the two girls murder the mother in the isolated surroundings of New Zealand.
The film is told through flashbacks and arranged as a circular narrative, this is often used in thrillers (Once Upon a Time in America) to get away from the generic linear narrative and to add a bit of complexity to the plot, this also appeals to the audience because it is as though are actually being told the story (based on true events). The film follows two girls who share and obsessive friendship and one of the girls is being taken away to another country. The girls do not want to avoid being separated at all costs, which eventually leads to the murder of the mother of one of the girls as she won't let her caught move away to another country. Already Jackson is challenging the generic conventions by using two females as lead roles instead of having the film lead by a male role, this will help the film appeal to a wider audience including many more women.
In the cafe scene there is a close up shot of the clock near the beginning. This can symbolise the idea that time is important; perhaps there is too much or too little time? Time could be an issue or could be running out for the girls. Clocks are often used in thrillers to show the importance/issue of time, a sub-genre in which time is often used is crime thrillers. This is because they often involve court cases in which you are requested to state where you were at the time of the murder, therefore time becomes incredibly important and can often make or break a defendants case. The use of the clock presents the audience with a sense of foreboding; the girls may end up in a court very soon having to prove their innocence or guilt. The clock also helps to build tension, the meticulous ticking of the hands creates the impression that time is passing ever so slowly, making the audience on edge and conjuring suspense amongst the girls.
During the conversation taking place between the two girls and the mother in the cafe Jackson makes sure not to break the 180 degree rule so that the audience do not become disorientated or confused, allowing them to keep up with the pace of the conversation. Close ups are a generic convention of thriller films, allowing the audience to connect with the characters and the characters emotions to be expressed with ease. Jackson uses close ups during the cafe scene to show what the girls are feeling, their expressions are stone cold, showing no hint of emotion. This hints to the audience that something bad is going to happen and that the girls have mentally committed to what they are about to do. This is emphasised when compared to the upbeat nature of the mother, who doesn't gauge that the girls are almost expressionless, because the stark difference between the two emotional states shows a sense of foreshadowing.
As the three characters leave the cafe the non-diegetic soundtrack of Puccini's 'The Humming Chorus' begins in the background. This bit of classical music is dramatic but exquisite at the same time; this music helps to build tension amongst the audience although it seems to contradict the action and what is about to happen. Jackson is challenging generic conventions by playing this mellow music amongst the penultimate build up to the climax, it seems ironic but it could be perceived in several different ways, for example the soundtrack seems to create an ideal utopia for the girls, they are living out a dream world within this last scene. During this moment the screenplay is slowed down, allowing the audience see that these moments are the last few for the mother and so adding to the dream world.
This soundtrack plays right through until the mother is killed, this bears similarities to grand opera as the song is played during the death scene of Madama Butterfly and these scenes of death are linked due to their immense tragedy. Elements of the opera can also be likened to the final scene of Heavenly Creatures, for example in Madama Butterfly, the child is being taken away from the mother before she commits suicide and this bears similarities to the way that the child is trying to leave her mother in Heavenly Creatures, it is also similar because both mothers end up dying and both the children are left without mothers. Another way the two could be linked is that in Heavenly Creatures the two girls are waiting for the right moment to commit the murder just as in the way that in Madama Butterfly the woman is waiting for the return of her husband (who has fallen in love with another woman). Lastly, Peter Jackson could be saying that this film is worthy of a grand opera as the ending is so tragic, the story is so good and the ending so tragic almost entitles it to a play at the opera.
Jackson challenges the generic 'claustrophobic' locations that are so often seen in thriller films by using a very open location for the murder scene. Although the location is open, light and outside it is still isolated, meaning that the sense of fear is still present amongst the audience, fear is very important in some thrillers, as this is what keeps the audience hooked. Jackson still tries to create a generic claustrophobic environment by using a very narrow path, meaning that the characters have to work down in single file with the victim sandwiched in between, this puts the audience in her shoes. The fact that one of the girls is either side of the victim reinforces the idea that there is no going back now and there is no escape for the mother as she is completely isolated apart from the company of the two girls.
During the walk down to the place where the murder happens there are a series of close ups (as previously said close ups are often used in thrillers and Jackson is making use of generic conventions to cement the genre), capturing a moment in time that tells the audience how each character is feeling at present, again slow motion is used to emphasise the mothers last few moments alive. The walking down the path could symbolise the girl's commitment but also the diminishing hope that their dreams will really become a reality.
Lastly, Jackson challenges gender within the thriller genre by using two young girls, around 15 years of age, to commit the murder and as main roles throughout the film. This is so different to the generic characters in thrillers as they are usually male led, men do the murdering, for example Travis Bickle, played by Robert De Niro in the psychological thriller 'Taxi Driver' (1976). Heavenly Creatures shook New Zealand when it first came out simply because it was so shocking that two teenage girls could really do this and Jacksons depiction of the tale was quite graphic, challenging the typical representation of the average teenage girls.
A mainly proficient discussion on the way Jackson develops and challenges aspects of the thriller genre. A little more research will reveal that the film is a biopic, in other words based on the true story of Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme who murdered Pauline's mother in Christchurch on 22 June 1954.
ReplyDeleteThe story of the girls and the murder have been the subject of much media interest and made into 2 other films. (You could research these to strengthen your post).
I like the way you discuss the use of the soundtrack of Madam Butterfly and it's tragic connotations; one interpretation is that the Puccinni soundtrack amplifies the girl's desire to create a hyper reality with deadly consequences; another that the story has all the qualities of grand opera; high passion dominating characters actions towards a tragic conclusion.
If you wanted to strengthen you could add a little more about the way Jackson relies on early cinema to shoot the climactic ending of the film.
He focuses on image and music, very like pioneering silent cinema which relied on camera shots and movement and a musical accompanyment (orchestra or pianist in cinema) because the technology was not sophisticated enough for sound. Thus soundtrack and camera angles, lighting and composition become all important in film story telling, and audiences have no problems reading visual stories without dialogue.
This is a techniqaue you need to think about in your planning, particularly the shots as the 3 women walk down the path when the camera cuts from feet, to legs, to shoes, to hands and so on, with seering light adding to a sense of unreality and unease.
Well done for discussion the way this film contradicts the conventional representation of teenage girls in cinema. Even Buffy and her cinematic descendants can't measure up to Pauline and Juliet!!