The Returned Flashcards
Codes presented in the returned
- Visual codes - actors do not look like zombies
- Gesture codes - flesh eating zombies trope is modified.
- Always hungry but only Serge is a ‘cannibal’
- Eerie quality as shot at twilight
- Close ups with silence create miscommunication and tension
- Emphasis on religious ressurection
Context for the returned
- Channels popularity of The Walking dead but challenges those conventions
- Increasing popularity of foreign films eg. The Bridge
- Depicts divided society like humans for societal political divisions.
- Police segregation (immigration)
Industry for the returned
Produced by Canal+
Humans and The Returned distributed globally on all4
Returned had budget of 8 million but funded by french culture charities
Hence rural location
The returned on channel 4
Channel 4s remit is to be diverse ethnically and thematically, the returned allows niche film valuable air time. In french so harder to distribute globally.
C4s decision to start investing in foreign language programming seen as more educational
Ofcom regulates - sex between two minors shown later in the UK
Marketing of the returned
Canal+ gave the show a small uk promotion.
Peabody award was used to highlight series as sophisticated and culturally significant.
Facebook offered a 360 tour of the town (VR) engages younger audience
Different posters target different audiences (Adele and Simon = Romance)
Mogwai soundtrack released at same time so fans could watch = intertextuality and synergy
Trailer released with no dialogue to hide frenchness.
Episode 1 has french adverts to give authenticity - more niche and insightful into culture.
General knowledge of returned
Based on earlier film (les revenants) of 2004
Was shown on Canal+ nov 2012
Shown on channel 4 june 2013
Todorovian structure of the returned
Equilib- bereaved have adjusted to death of loved ones
Disrupt- dead return (Camille, Jerome, Mme Costa, simon)
Recognition- undead realise they have died
Resolut- M costa burns house and jumps from dam. Julie takes Victor in.
Equilib- flashback offers closure but also confusion to keep watching. Viktor appears??? How sotry cinnected.
Television in the global age
TV has become global, increasingly commercial with public service broadcasting forced to adapt structure, role and function
Broadcsters like HBO have achieved global success from international co production
Broadcasters are now ‘narrowcasters’ with multiple channels targeting more niche audiences.
Increased portability on phone, tablet chnages patterns of consumption - on demand, binge watching
Interactive socual media channels like YT have increased accesibility for prosumer audience. Social media is part of marketing tv
Representation in the returned
BInary opposition-Simon vs Thomas, camille v lena
Steve neal genre - recognisable, changes over time, borrows from other genres. Helps to market texts
poetic realism - shots are simply constructed byt with other world puritty from lighting used. Disillusioned characters, one last chance at happiness. Fatalistic in tone, impending doom, bittersweet irony at human existence
the returned title sequnece
dull low key lighting title sequence shows dam connoting significance with lighting adding thematic mystery
poster shot in water foreshadows re appearance and sense of unnatural horror
kissing by graves creates binary opposition between living and dead
media language in the returned
GENRE NEALE descibed as supernatural or horror but breaks these conventions by focusing on visuals and creating sense of impending doom
ENIGMA CODES multi strand narrative with different parts of town holding different information makes it hard to understand in a enigmatic way
feminist theory returned
bell hooks only white people, mme costa burns reflecting patriarchy
Van Zoonen most femlae characters are sexualised through sex itself, but also Simon
Halls representation - construction of the returned as the other like immigrants shows lack of acceptance reflecting real life social politics.
how are audiences targeted in the returned
targeted for genre, as multi strand narrative targets most classes and gender, but possibly more for men due to sex and violence
Us and Gs identification=mothers loss, escapism=supernatural
testimonials - new york post and times mag are well respected (two step flow model)
reception theory HALL resseruction could be biblical or scientific therefore negotiated or oppositional position.
