2. Todorov’s Theory
Todorov’s narrative theory of equilibrium can be
applied to all of the above narratives (although they
need to be portrayed clearly). The gambling is the
equilibrium at the start, as nothing has gone
wrong, and gambling is also thought of as a fun
activity. Although the disequilibrium is established
when Nathan and Curtis loose the £250k and their only
option is too steal it from a drug dealer. The new
equilibrium is not established, as it is only the film
opening being shown, although the storyline makes it
clear how they are going to resolve this to establish a
new equilibrium.
3. Classic Hollywood Narrative
Theory
The above narratives can all be related to the Classical
Hollywood Narrative. In all three of the Narrative idea’s the
characters have obvious motives for what they do, eg:
when Nathan loses £250,000 to a man he’s playing poker
with, the man obviously demands the money because it is
rightfully his, this also relates to the drug dealer who’s
money was stolen by Nathan and Curtis. The drug dealer
sends two of his men out to kill Nathan and Curtis and get
his money back, this is done because it is also, rightfully his
money. The three created Narratives are relatively far-
fetched, eg: betting £250K and your back up plan for not
having it is stealing from a drug dealer? Not the most
believable thing, which makes the created narratives so
intriguing, but it still has elements of real life, eg: poker
games with big spenders in dodgy settings.
4. Class Hollywood Narrative
Theory (2)
Classical Hollywood Narratives always have cause
effect and outcome. So basically, something good
happens, then bad, then good again but it’s a
different good (something has changed). For
example, Nathan and Curtis are having fun gambling
(good) they lose £250K, steal from a drug dealer, and
get chased by bodyguards (bad, bad, bad), they
then eliminate the bodyguards (good). This Narrative
theory always ends with everything being resolved. As
we are only able to show the beginning of the
story, we are unable to show that everything is
resolved, though by the view of things from the
preview, it certainly allows us to make it look that way.
5. Levi-Strauss Binary Oppositions
and Myths
Levi-Strauss’ theory of Binary Oppositions and Myths is surprisingly
relevant to our three narrative ideas.” This theory is basically saying
that we are each brought up to believe that one side is “better”
than the other. This essentially means that if one person is brought
up to believe that stealing is good, and the police etc. are bad, it
doesn’t mean that everyone believes that. For example; we
generally see Curtis and Nathan as the good guys because we are
following their story. Even though they have done the wrong thing
by gambling money they don’t have, stealing that money, and
killing two people, we still see them as “the good guys” because
they are just average Joes (so to speak) and on the opposite
side, we have a shady gambler, a drug dealer, and two Arnold
Schwarzenegger-like bodyguards, who are perceived to be the
“bad guys”. This is also relevant to the idea that each film has each
“binary opposition”, essentially saying that if there is a hero, there
will be someone who is perceived as the villain. This is the same for
weak & strong, rich & poor, domestic & savage.
6. Propp’s Character Types
Our three narrative ideas related to Propp’s Character
types the least. Vladimir Propp believed that all narrative
stories have the same 8 characters. These 8 characters
being; the hero, the villain (opposes the hero), the
(magical) helper (helps during quest), the princess (prize
for the hero), the princess’ father (gives the task and
identifies false hero), the donor (gives hero a helpful
item), the dispatcher (sends hero on his journey), and the
false hero (claims the entire hero’s work). In relevance to
these 8 character types, our narrative only matches up
with three of them, Nathan the (supposed) hero, the drug
dealer & bodyguards as the villain/s and Curtis as the
helper. As far as I can humanly see, our narrative has no
more of Vladimir Propp’s Character types.
