Media case study

1. Case Study: Once Upon a
time in America.

2. Generic Archetypes
• Generic Archetypes are a key factor of thrillers.
Especially noir films. These archetypes tend to
be characteristics, behaviour and trades of the
character themselves.
• An archetype in this film is the ‘anti-hero’.
‘Noodles’ one of the main characters in the
film is presented as this anti-hero stereotype
due to his actions. For example, the ausdience
sees him for the first time in an opium den, this
is considered to be a negative aspect, but later
is further explained.
•

3. Generic Archetypes
• The character ‘Eve’ represents the ‘femme fatale’ of the story, this is a female
character, who is usually quite deceiving and despiteful, resulting in their fate
becoming usually death. Femme fatales are normally identified by their
mannerisms and actions.
• The name ‘Eve’ itself has a lot of connotations, causing the audience to create many
assumptions about her. From the Hebrew name, which was derived from the
Hebrew word "to breathe" or the related word "to live". According to the Old
Testament Book of Genesis, Eve and Adam were the first humans. She gave the
forbidden fruit to Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. This
creates the audience to think that Eve could cause or be trouble, presenting a
possibly threatening and devious character.
• In the opening, Eve is very quickly introduced and swiftly cut from the film with her
death being only 2-5 minutes into the film itself. Her choice in clothing also
presents her as a femme fatale as she wears
some very identifiable items. Instantly she is seen
wearing a pearl necklace which is emphasized by
the lighting. Pearls can arguably be symbolic to
represent tears, from this we can prejudge what
may occur.
•

4. Sound
There is a sound bridge between the opening credits and the beginning of the
opening scene. This helps to link the scenes and cause the audience to be
anxious and anticipate the next scene. The song playing is ‘God Bless
America’ which is the non-diegetic sound, composed by Irving Berlin. Sergio
Leone used this song for its ironic reasons. The song takes sounds rather
religious and player like “for God’s blessing and peace for the nation”. The
purpose of this was to emphasise to the audience the corruption in America.
Irving Berlin was also a Jewish immigrant, so the use
of the sound bridge helped to show the irony of the
‘American Dream’ in which people would travel to live
in America and achieve this idea of freedom and
peace. Sergio Leone presented that the dream doesn’t
exist and that the idea even if you work hard enough
you just can’t achieve some things.
•

5. Locations
• The use of locations in the opening of Once Upon A Time In America helped to present the
generic factors and aspects that make a thriller film.
• All the locations used in the film present the idea of solitude and seemed very claustrophobic,
being very cramped and there seemingly no way out. The apartment in which Eve, enters
at the star of the film, is rather generic, as there are lots of objects that can obstruct a
viewer’s sight. This can help to create the idea that there is possibly something hidden, or
that the presence of another is there but watching from a distance. This location allows
lots frightening aspects to be present, such as shadows. Due to this when the policemen
make their appearance they can emerge out of the shadows, therefore being presented as
evil and rather menacing, creating a dramatic entrance.
• The idea of irony is continued with location as the apartment is Eve’s home and one would
think that you would usually associate your own home as somewhere warm and safe. Yet
Eve is very soon after being introduced killed in her own home.
• A significant location used in the film is the elevator shaft. The use of this location is to help
identify the genre as it is a claustrophobic and vary small/confined space, allowing little
moment and restricting escape. The elevator shaft also ascends slowly, this adds to the
suspenseful atmosphere, which adds aswell to the genre
•
•

6. Locations
• The use of locations in the opening of Once Upon A Time In America helped to present the
generic factors and aspects that make a thriller film.
• All the locations used in the film present the idea of solitude and seemed very claustrophobic,
being very cramped and there seemingly no way out. The apartment in which Eve, enters
at the star of the film, is rather generic, as there are lots of objects that can obstruct a
viewer’s sight. This can help to create the idea that there is possibly something hidden, or
that the presence of another is there but watching from a distance. This location allows
lots frightening aspects to be present, such as shadows. Due to this when the policemen
make their appearance they can emerge out of the shadows, therefore being presented as
evil and rather menacing, creating a dramatic entrance.
• The idea of irony is continued with location as the apartment is Eve’s home and one would
think that you would usually associate your own home as somewhere warm and safe. Yet
Eve is very soon after being introduced killed in her own home.
• A significant location used in the film is the elevator shaft. The use of this location is to help
identify the genre as it is a claustrophobic and vary small/confined space, allowing little
moment and restricting escape. The elevator shaft also ascends slowly, this adds to the
suspenseful atmosphere, which adds aswell to the genre
•
•